Thank you Terry

Just a quick blog today. (two in a row....wooo!)


Today turned out to not be the happiest for me. It seems that bad news usually comes at the most unexpected times.

I was at my brothers apartment when I got a text from Cami letting me know that a man I was able to tract into on my mission, teach, and have the opportunity to baptize personally passed away.

Terry Hallam.

I want to give a tribute to him here, and share my experience with him.

I was on exchange with my district leader back in the beginning of 2009. I was currently serving in the town of Stamford, and we had been struggling for some sort of success. We tracted into him, shared a short message with him on his doorstep, and he let us in. We taught him the first lesson, and also watched the Restoration film. We found out that he had found his mother dead a few weeks earlier, and he was looking to go back to a church so he could find some sort of solace. It was very apparent how badly her death was affecting him. He really took in our next lesson on the Plan of Salvation, and he prayed for the first time with us then. You could really tell that he was looking for peace and answers. The lessons continued on, and he even came with us to General Conference. He struggled for some time trying to give up smoking, drinking, and a few other things, but he accepted the commitment for baptism. He and I became very close as I kept pushing him further and harder to overcome what he needed to, because we both knew that baptism would help him a lot.

He called us a couple times each day asking for answers to questions he had, or even just for encouragement to do what he knew he wanted to do. Eventually the day came, and I had the great opportunity of baptizing him. We continued to see him often after that, and he came to church and was very active and a great member of the church. He would always brighten up when we saw him, and the members liked him a lot too. A month or so later, I was moved to another area, and that was the last time I saw him face to face. A month after that I recieved a letter from him with a picture of him standing outside the London Temple. I was SO happy! That was the last time that I ever heard from him. I wrote him twice more during my mission, but he didn't respond.

I returned home from my mission, and this past February, I recieved word that he was diagnosed with lung cancer. I was saddened for him, but I was also comforted hearing that he was still staying active in the church, and going on their temple trips when he could. A month or so later, I heard that he had gone into the hospital for an operation, and that was the last I heard until today. I don't know any of the details as to why he passed away, just that he did.

I just want to say that Terry is such a huge example to me of overcoming trials, and staying strong through them. He didn't renounce his faith when it hit him, he relied on God. He is truly one of my heroes. I have never seen a man change so much in my life. He went from one of the saddest people to the happiest through what we shared with him. My biggest regret is that I didn't write him since I've been home.


I've cried through writing this whole blog, but I just wanted to share it with you. He really was a great man, and I look forward to giving him a huge hug when I see him in the next life.

God bless you Terry.