(Pictured: William Odell and Opal Adams Tolman Family in 1953)
(John Odell Tolman shares two accounts among many sacred and faith promoting experiences that he had with his father, William Odell Tolman).
Life Changing Experiences: Toward the end of my senior year at Idaho Falls High School, I was on a date with a young woman who I had been going steady with for nearly two years. She was a semi-active member of the Church, but on this night announced that she was going to join the local Methodist Church that two friends attended. This immediately raised my ire and I said, “If you join the Methodist Church, we are through going together.” The result was a heated argument and a final decision to go our separate ways. The thing that was most frustrating was my inability to defend the Church properly. I had been so involved in sports year round and school politics that I had taken the Church for granted and had refused to take Seminary, much to my parents dismay. As a result, I lacked the knowledge and testimony to defend the truth of the Lord’s true Church. About 1:30 a.m. I drove home really ticked off, and slamming the front door immediately went to my parents’ bedroom and woke my father. I said, “Dad, all my life you have taught that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, that the Book of Mormon is true, and that our church is the only true and living church of Jesus Christ upon the earth today! How do you know these things are true?” His answer to me was, “Well, lets talk about it.” He got dressed and we sat down at the kitchen table and my father proceeded to become my missionary, spending the rest of the night until morning teaching and testifying of the Lord’s Restored Church through the Prophet Joseph Smith. For the first time, I truly listened with both my mind and my heart. Dad concluded by saying, “Son, if you want a personal witness of these things, then read the Book of Mormon and put Moroni 10:4-5 to the test.” School soon came to an end and I had about ten days before reporting to a job as a stake jumper on a highway being constructed near the Palisade Dam. I was so hungry for a testimony that I read the Book of Mormon from cover to cover in a few days; and after much fasting and prayer, I finally received the sweetest, most powerful witness from the Holy Ghost that all of the above things were true. My soul was filled with overwhelming joy! This experience became a tremendous turning point in my life, and put me on a quest that continues to this day, to learn all I could about the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Restoration. I wanted to go immediately on a mission to declare these wonderful truths, but because of the Korean War and the draft regulations by our government, young men were not allowed to go until they were twenty years old. Therefore, I attended BYU for four quarters and then returned home to Idaho Falls in the fall to work and prepare for a mission call with my 20th Birthday being 11 January 1955. Our ward was in the process of building a new chapel, and I became a full-time employee to help pay for a large building assessment given to my father. By November, the carpenters had completed the sub-roof and we were ready to lay the shingles. Due to the layer of frost on the roof each morning, I had the responsibility to sweep off the area where the roofers would be working. One morning, as I was sweeping near the top of the roof, I hit an extra slick spot which caused my feet to go out from under me. When I fell, my head hit the side of the roof, I blacked out, slid down the roof, went over the edge, and fell 30 feet onto the frozen ground. I was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance. My parents were getting ready to go to Burley, Idaho for a funeral, but were reached in time and they rushed to the hospital. They were informed that I had severe neck and spinal injuries as well as heavy internal bleeding; and that I would probably never walk again. I had regained consciousness by the time that my father came where I lay, and I said, “Oh, Dad, now I won’t be able to go on a mission!” He later said that he was beside himself with concern for me. He was soon joined by our bishop and a close friend. Dad said, “Son, would you like the bishop to give you a blessing?” I said, “No Dad, I want you to bless me!” The bishop anointed me, and then the three, with my father as the voice, sealed the anointing. My father, by the power of the priesthood, commanded me to be healed and promised me that I would be able to fulfill a mission. When they took their hands off my head, I immediately felt the terrible pain leave my upper body and life surge into both of my legs. A miracle had taken place due to a faithful father’s priesthood blessing! Soon thereafter, numerous X-rays were taken and no fractures could be found. Four days later I walked out of the hospital! In January, 1955, I received my mission call to serve in the Northern California Mission where I served for two years. I will be forever grateful!
Listening to the Promptings of the Spirit: One day in the summer of 1973, I was at our home in Salt Lake City when I received the strongest impression that I needed to go see my father. I expressed to my wife, Joan, that we needed to go see Dad. She reminded me that we had just visited him a few days ago and suggested that I call him. Again, the impression came that I needed to go see my father. I made a telephone call to his home in Bountiful, but the line was busy. My wife said, “We better go.” We drove to Bountiful, entered my parents’ home, and learned that my father was very sick with a high fever and in a great deal of pain. The moment I entered the bedroom, he said, “Son, I prayed you would come and give me a blessing.” Mother called the next door neighbor, Brother Peterson, and he came and assisted me in administering to Dad. I was inspired to give him a blessing of immediate return to health, and no doubt because of his faith more than mine, he was immediately healed. After family members left the room, I remained alone with my father who had sat up in bed and motioned to me to pull up a chair close to him. My father proceeded to share a number of things with me. It was one of the most sacred experiences I have had with my father. How grateful I am for such a righteous father and the healing power of the priesthood. I love and admire my father more than any man I know and for that precious time I was able to spend with him due to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
(Contributed by the Thomas Tolman Family Organization. Excerpts from William Odell Tolman: Patriarch, Genealogist, Teacher compiled by Loraine Tolman Pace, First Edition, 2009, pages 562-564).
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