This week was another busy week! I'm doing really well. The weather here is starting to cool down a bit and I love it! My favorite is running in the slightly brisk weather in the early mornings. Life is good. 

Yesterday we attended a cool fireside and for part of the program, one of the sisters in the ward played a traditional Korean song using a traditional Korean instrument called a 가야금 (Gayageum). It's a 12 stringed instrument similar to a harp or guitar. Probably the two main differences are that they play it while sitting on the ground with the instrument across their lap and there are notches holding the strings in the middle so that they can pluck the strings on one half and then move the strings up and down on the other half to get the cool Asian-sounding vibrato type sound. It's too hard to explain in words and that probably didn't make much sense, but it's was a really cool cultural experience. 

This week Jun-Young Lee came out to church again for the second time and he's progressing pretty well! We're still hoping he will be able to get baptized about mid-October probably a week or two after conference!

I think one of my favorite things as a missionary is scripture study. President Shin has really placed a lot of emphasis on making sure that we have quality studies in the morning and I'm beginning to understand more and more why that is the case. The scriptures truly are the word of God and they are the gateway to revelation! I think they also are such important tools in helping us to more fully enjoy the promised blessing of having His spirit to be with us always as we are worthy and keep our covenants. I definitely know that God speaks today through living prophets and apostles (who will be speaking to us soon!!! Woo hoo!) but that He also speaks to us personally, and I think most often than not, He does so through our persistent, daily "intercession with heaven" through the scriptures. 

I know this is Christ's true restored church with restored priesthood keys holding the fullness of His restored Gospel!! We are so blessed to be a part of the work of sharing that message with the world!

I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!!

-Elder Tolman

Miracles in the work Sept. 14, 2014

We were definitely blessed to see the hand of the Lord this week. But before that, I feel like I've been slacking in fun/culture stories, so here's some fun things about Korea. Last week we had a big holiday that people call the "Korean Thanksgiving" and Mom asked me to explain a little bit more.

I've actually only been to one of these "holiday meals," so I don't can't really make any generalizations, but here are just a few general things I know… As for the food, I think it's pretty similar to their other meals, just bigger. Our Thanksgiving is all about the meal, but their holiday is more focused on the family and their ancestors, where the meal is just an inevitable plus. They do, however, have some traditional puffed rice snacks and some rice cake dessert they eat every year. The rest of the food would probably consist of rice, some sort of meat (in our case "bulgogi"), and lots of side dishes (obviously with kimchi included ^^). We almost always sit on the floor to eat, especially if it's a big meal. Korean's homes are rarely big enough for a big dining table, so when lots of people come to eat they all have little tables with collapsible legs that we sit around on the floor. The standard Korean silverware is chopsticks and a spoon, both of which they use quite a bit. One of the interesting differences between Korean and Americans meals is that the concept of dessert is definitely not the same. Korean "dessert" is almost always puffed rice, rice cake, or fresh fruit, none of which are really sweetened much. I have to admit that Korean's definitely have the healthy diet thing down a lot better than Americans. 

As for the miracles this week, the first once has to do with our recent convert, Yoon-Hyun Kim. He's been really busy lately and struggling a bit and we had a hard time contacting him for a week or so, but this week one of the most sad but amazing miracles of my mission occurred. We've been praying for him to have more time to meet and come to church and I'm afraid that maybe we prayed too hard because he recently found out that he injured his foot from the consistent work and stress and can't really walk much for the next 6 months. His job included a lot of driving and they said that driving is also no good, so for the next 6 months or so he will just be studying. He called us on Saturday and and said that he doesn't have much else better to do, so he wants us to come almost every day. He also made it out to church on Sunday for the first time in a couple weeks, which was amazing. I definitely hope that his foot heals quickly, but we will also do our best to utilize the miracle of him having time.

The second miracles is about 이준영 (Jun-Young Lee), our new investigator. He's about 26 years old and lives here in Daejeon alone. We met him on the street on Thursday and had our first lesson on Saturday. He is so prepared. He readily desires to have a religion in his life and is willing to do what he needs to learn and progress. We gave him a baptismal date for mid-October and he accepted it really well. I'm really excited to keep meeting and helping him progress.

I know that this is God's work whether we are a part of it as a full-time missionary or not! I know that He loves and know each of us! I know that every sacrifice we make to serve God and follow Him is completely worth it!! 

I love and look up to each one of you! Thank you! Have a wonderful week!

-Elder Tolman

Elders serving in our ward Sept. 7, 2014

Korean Thanksgiving!

Hello!

Today is 추석 (Choo-seok) the second biggest holiday in Korea. It's vaguely similar to our Thanksgiving. It's really focused on family, especially their ancestors. Koreans culture is really cool in that they really take their ancestry seriously (which in turn, probably makes Korea the best and easiest country to do family history work). So for the holiday they usually all gather together at the grandparents home, they have traditional ceremonies in which they show their respect and devotion to their ancestors, and then I think the rest of it is just lots of food and time spent together! This is my second 추석 in Korea, but it's definitely better than last year... Last year one of the Elders dropped a ping-pong table on his toe and we spent most of the day trying to find a hospital that was open and would let him get treated. This year we also got invited to a "Korean Thanksgiving dinner" tonight, which should be fun. I'm so grateful to be here in this amazing country!!!

This past week was fairly normal without much specific to write about. So instead of a story, I figure it's been quite a while since I have sent any pictures, so I'll attach a few below.

I'm so grateful for this work and the opportunity to be a part of it! I know that God listens to prayers and He really does answer if we are willing to listen and willing to act. I know that there is real power in the Atonement of Jesus Christ and that God has provided us with opportunities to partake of that power through making and keeping sacred covenants. I know that this world is full of so many good things! But only through centering our lives on the gospel and it's principles, without excuse or justification, can we find and delight in that which is best and most precious! I know that God lives and that He still speaks! And I'm so grateful that we are called and qualified to proclaim that message to the world if we can just "have desires to serve" (D&C 4:2). 

I love you all and am so grateful to learn from your great love and examples! Have a wonderful week!!

-Elder Tolman

PS: I actually don't have most of my pictures with me and I'm running low on time, but here's a picture of the Elders serving in our ward.

We actually have a mission blog at daejeonmissionary.blogspot.kr which has some good pictures and fun stories. 

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to Mom, re: challenging week Sept. 1, 2014

Dear Mom,

Thanks for you letter! I am so happy to hear that you are feeling a bit better. It sounds like you've had quite the healing process! I'm definitely glad that you seem to be feeling a little better today!! You definitely are loved and I'm so grateful that you've been able to receive all the help that you need. This morning, President Shin mentioned about how our families truly are blessed as we serve and I am grateful to have seen the same thing. God definitely is watching out for us. 

I can imagine how frustrating it must be for you to be "sitting around" all day. You have always been such a great example of being diligent and utilizing your time meaningfully. As I see so many people who just don't have that attitude or habit, I am grateful I had the opportunity to learn from your great example. 

I have begun to think that P-day here in the office is more like "mother appreciation day." There are usually so many things we want/need to do, so little time to do them, and usually our schedule is the sum of what everyone else wants to get done especially if it involves a car... And then before you know it, POOF the day is over! Sometimes it's frustrating, but most of the time I just laugh and think "Wow, my Mom sure was amazing to do this for 10 people for the last few decades." Thanks for begin amazing. I love you.

I hope you continue to recover quickly! Have a wonderful week! 

Love, Elder Tolman

On the Road Sept. 1, 2014

This was a pretty interesting week. President had interviews with the missionaries in the bottom half of our mission and also a District Conference in 순천 in the south, so we ended up leaving Daejeon on Tuesday and we didn't get back until Sunday evening. I think my favorite part was just spending time with some of my favorite missionaries in the south! I was able to go on splits in both Chungjang and in Gwangyang, my last two areas, which was fun. It's crazy that it's been a whole year since I was there. I was happy to see the members there, especially the ones who were happy to see me.

I was also able to get an appointment with 조병수 (Byung-Soo Jo), the taxi driver who was baptized about 6 months ago in Chungjang! He is still having a hard time because he works SO much, but he admitted himself that he feels like his faith is deepening and he feels more and more the need to keep attending church even if his schedule doesn't really allow much time for anything more than that. He also usually brings his 7 year old son (who is crazy and extremely energetic) and he mentioned that if he has a hard time getting up for church his son will even sometimes say "Dad! What are you doing? We have to go to church!" It's so amazing to see that the faith of one father is making the beginning changes that could change the lives of generations! 

I think one of my favorite scriptures of the week is Alma 37:34, which says "Teach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meek and lowly in heart; for such shall find rest to their souls." In the wisdom of the world, I feel like this phrase just wouldn't make much sense. In order to find rest we need to work? How can that be true? Even though it may seem a bit paradoxical, I can testify that it is absolutely true. We live in a pretty frenzied world where it can often feel like everything is too fast, too loud, too unstable, too fragile, too stressful, and too close to falling all apart. We might feel like we are balancing a hundred different tasks, responsibilities, and expectations, always worrying that at any moment it might all come tumbling down. But if we stop to ask the question "Where can I turn for peace?" we will find that the answer is very simple. Christ has provided a promise that if we follow Him and rely on Him, everything will work out! As Alma counseled, if we are humble enough to look beyond ourselves, to never weary in reaching out our hand to love, bless, and serve, then He can take care of the rest and He can provide true "rest." I know this gospel is true and I know that this is God's work! He truly knows and loves each of us! 

Thank you for all being wonderful! Have a wonderful week! 

Love, Elder Tolman