Week 13

Hey, how is everybody?  The civil war museum was really cool. I took a lot of pics. I will send you a couple of them but it was cool. It had some really cool stuff and there was like a little old town that we could go through. It was cool, I think yall would like it. Yeah this is Elder Tolman's last week. Transfers are on Tuesday. He's doing a really good job about not being truncky.  Its really hard not to make him trunky though so we are teaching a lot of people. But no one will come to church. Mary Shelby is a less active and she has a 10 year old son who has a date for June 1st. They were supposed to come but texted us like 5 minutes before sacrament started and told us she wouldn't be there. But she is coming with us to a combined famly night at a member's house. Her and her 3 kids, Tyler 10, Kyle 5, and Amber is like 6 months or something, so that should be really fun. That's really cool about that lady. Just keep working with her. Maybe if you referred her to the missionaries and told them to do a normal tracking a porch, maybe they could get in. We have done that with a referral and they let us in. They still were not interested, but at least we still got in. I don't know, just a suggestion I guess. But that's super cool. 

    So last week the temperature was in the 80s. It should get a lot hotter and I hate the humidity with a burning passion!  It is not my friend, especially when its 80s and humid and you go outside for like 10 minutes and you are super sweaty. I like it being warm, but the humidity is not my friend.  So this is my last p day with Elder Tolman because on the Monday before you leave you are supposed to proselite, but I should still be able to at least send a quick email to yall in the morning. Well, I'm starting to get to know the members a lot better. Last Monday we went to the Fullkersons and had dinner and had family night with them. We played corn hole, it was so much fun! Well, I hope yall have a great week. I love you so much!

T.J. and Elder Tolmen in there new Louisville NCAA Camp shirts

They went to a Civil War Museum

Week 12

Hey guys how are you?  Yeah I can email friends, so if anyone wants they can email me. But that's only if we have time so I might have to hand write them. But I have only received mail from Jeff and a girl I met at the MTC and you. No one else has really written me but that's ok. If they want to Email that's ok. We get the Ensign so you don't have to send that to me. I am so excited for p day today! We went to a members home between conference sessions on Sunday and they gave us free tickets to the Civil War Museum so that's what we are doing today and I'm super excited for that. I bought a confederate blanket and flag last p day. I will send you pics of them they are really cool. So Elder Tolman goes home at the first of May so I will be getting a new comp next transfer - so in like 2 weeks. I'm getting nervous.  I really like Elder Tolman and am not looking forward to him leaving. But that's ok, I will deal with it. So mom, I heard you are making Forrest trunky!  That's kind of funny. It's really hard not to. I try super hard not to make Elder Tolman trunky because he only has 2 weeks left in his mission - its so crazy. Well, the work is going good. We have 3 more people with a baptism date. Amanda and Chris Metcalf - their date is May 25th. Tyler Shelby is 10 years old and his mom is less active - his is for June 1st. Well, same story as last week, we had 5 people commit and no one came to church. They want the blessings, but don't want to do anything about it. We have a new investigator who is very emotionally unstable. Her life is kind of a mess and we are trying to help her, but she doesn't want to help herself. We are working with a couple of those. We got fed 3 times this week. I haven't had to eat anything crazy. We did have instant potatoes that I didn't like, but that's the worst thing I have had and they weren't even that bad. I still eat cereal, toast, poptarts, and I can make mac and cheese. Its pretty impressive - I think so anyway. The weather was sooooooo nice! It got up to like 80 and humid. The humidity slapped me in the face! It was kind of rough, but super nice. My allergies are getting worse. I need to get something for my eyes as well. Well that's my week. Hope y'all had a good one! 

 

Week 11

Hey, how is everyone? I'm glad you all enjoyed spring break. We are certainly enjoying spring weather. It has been in the 70s all week - it's really great.   Conference was amazing, we didn't get anyone there.  We had like 5 people commit, but no one came. We are trying to get people to keep commitments. The people are great, but they just don't understand that they actually have to do something - not just go to confession and be saved. There are a lot of non denominational people who are like . . . nope, I'm saved, and I'm ok - good luck. Anyway its kind of frustrating but I will be all right. My favorite talk was Elder Holland. His talk was a throw down! It was great, I loved it!  I like the talks about every member a missionary because we struggle with getting the members excited. It is getting better though, so little by little I guess. Patience is not a strength for me so the Lord is helping me make it a strength, because patience is a virtue and I need His help for everything and am being blessed so much! The work is moving forward. We are doing a lot we have some people who we are working with: Helana has a bap date for June 7th.  Lanisha and her daughter have a bap date for May 25th, and we met Josh yesterday. He is 17 years old and is in the army and is nervous about basic training. He wants to be baptized before he goes, so we have a date for May 18th.  I got bit by Helana's dog on Saturday. That thing is so dumb! It's a tiny yappy dog and  thankfully it only got my pants, not my skin but it was close. It was really random, it just snapped and bit me. It was fine for like ten minutes when we were there, but as we were leaving it snapped. 

Well, it sounds like everyone had a good break. That's good.  I'm loving my mission and am so blessed to be here to serve. There is nothing I would rather be doing. It's hard at times, but I know as long as I trust in the Lord all will be ok and my weaknesses will become strengths. Thanks for helping me have this chance to serve. I am being blessed every day. The people are so amazing and I love being able to help them come closer to their Savior.  I hope your week was as great as mine and I hope you enjoyed conference as well. It was so great to hear the words of the prophet and his apostles.  I know this church is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet.  I love what I'm doing and am so thankful for the chance I have to serve. I love you so much and am thankful for all you do for me.  Love you tons!

Elder Tolman drew this for T.J.

Elder Tolman's mom made these for the Elders

Week 10

Hey ya'll how are you doing? Hope you're enjoying spring break. The baseball game sounds like a lot of fun, tell the Lewis' hi for me. So this week was great! Sooooooo much better than last week. We picked up like 10 new investigators and we actually got someone to church for the first time in like a month and a half so that was exciting! She is a less active mother in her mid 20s and has two kids who are accountable and two younger kids. We taught this girl who is also mid 20s.  She's single and has a 4 year old boy named Hunter. She couldn't come to church this week but promised us that she will be there next week.  For Easter we had lunch with Brother Hubberd and that was really good. Then we had dinner at the Campbells and they had all their kids and grandkids there. It was fun! The food was really good and it felt like being at grandma's for Easter because there were a lot of  kids, but they were all super awesome!  I love the Campbells, they are super awesome! That was the Randy Campbells.  Jim is his brother and we had dinner with them on like Tuesday and his birthday was the next day, so they invited us back for cake and ice cream. They are super great people. So I kind of expected to hear more about the tourney but I really haven't.  People aren't going crazy for Louisville yet but probably will later this week. Go Cardinals!  That would be so cool if they won it - I hope they do. The weather here is spotty.  One day it will be in the 70s, the next its raining or snowing, but the weekend was gorgeous weather. It was mid 70s Saterday and Sunday, so really good. On Saterday we tried to track Main Street and had no success there. People were in a  hurry or something. Then they wished us a happy Easter and we thought it to be ironic because its a holiday about Christ but no one wanted to hear a message about Christ. We thought it was kinda funny, but it was a much better week all in all. I hope you enjoy the break. Have a good week!