(Pictured left to right. Back Row: Hugh D. Pack, Calvin Christensen, Greene, W.W. Whittaker, Hoopes, L.R. Bittons. Front Row: Peter Jensen, Parley Tolman, Everett Robins, President M.J. Ballard, President Bell, Taylor)
(An account of Parley Lambert Tolman’s missionary service written by James Russell Tolman.)
In the spring of 1916, they bought dad’s folks old log house for $100 and moved it to the dry farm. In 1913, Joshua Alvin and Mary Jane had moved into a new stucco home. Dad and mother and their three children did not have very long to live in their new log house because that fall Parley was called on a mission to the Northwest and Vilate moved to Bountiful to stay with her mother.
Dad was called on his mission by Bishop Sagers of the Basin Ward. Dad and mother lived in the Boulder Branch which was attached to that ward. At the farewell dance, basket lunches were sold from which $60 was raised for dad. When the Tolmans left, the Branch was disorganized. The farm was rented to someone else and their cows, horses, and many other things were sold at auction.
Of her move to Bountiful Vilate says, “I took my three little children and went on the train, but when I got there mother had done to Park City and I spent Christmas alone, in fact, I was alone a lot of the time. I took two dressed hogs with me on my ticket so we would have meat for the winter.”
Giving up the farm, moving to Bountiful and dad leaving for two years was quite a sacrifice to make and especially when you consider that mother was pregnant with her fourth child. But they had faith that the call had come from God and that no sacrifice was too great to make for His cause.
Parley fulfilled a wonderful and successful mission. When he arrived in the mission field, the Mission President, Melvin J. Ballard said, “If you do your full duty, you shall not want for food or a place to sleep.” He further said, “Unless we do our full duty, we shall be ashamed to accept what God has in store for us.”
Thus, Parley strived diligently to do his best always and in doing so was greatly blessed. A few related incidents will illustrate this.
One Saturday afternoon as he and his companion sat on the banks of a stream cooling their feet after a long walk, they saw a man and his wife and their two daughters go by. They chanced next day to meet them at their home. The man had studied for the ministry but had quit because his teachers left too many questions unanswered. As Parley expounded the gospel to him, he said, “Listen to that man, he had the answer to all of the questions which have remained unanswered in my mind for so long.” Through correspondence he was able to convert these people and they were baptized into the Church.
Perhaps the most faith-promoting incident took place at a missionary conference in Portland, Oregon. The conference was to be held in an upper room. As President Ballard and some of the missionaries were ascending the stairs there was a picture of the Savior hanging on the landing. One of the missionaries remarked, “That is a beautiful picture of the Savior.” President Ballard responded, “Yes, that is beautiful, but that is not what the Savior looks like, for I have seen him.” When they were all assembled in conference, the President then told them how one night he was embraced by Jesus Christ.
Parley was often inspired as to what to say. On one occasion, he introduced themselves only as ministers. He spent many hours explaining to them the dispensations of the Gospel. When he reached the dispensation of the fullness of times, the man of the house said, “It is a good thing you didn’t say in the beginning that you were Mormon Elders because you would never haven gotten into my house.” His interest had been aroused and they spent the night with him.
President Ballard called Parley in one day and told him they needed someone to go labor at the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in Montana and then said, “Every time I think about it your name comes into my mind.” Parley then revealed to President Ballard that he was promised in his Patriarchal Blessing that he would go on a mission to the House of Israel. President Ballard said he was now sure that Parley was the one to go. He learned to love the Indians and they in turn respected him very highly. They had great faith in the gospel and more than once they were healed under the administration of the Elders in the name of Jesus Christ that other ministers wanted to borrow their consecrated oil. Because of his experience on the reservation, Parley had befriended the Indians whenever and wherever he could.
I recall one of his Indian friends coming and staying with us for about three months. We fixed up a room for him out in one of the granaries. And, although he got to be quite a trial for our mother, we children enjoyed very much visiting with him and having him do things for us. I can still remember how astonished I was at the strength he had.
Visit FamilySearch to learn more about Parley Lambert Tolman, Lydia Vilate Tolman, and other ancestors. Also visit the Thomas Tolman Family Organization to find out how you can get more involved in family history.
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