Cameron Call Mission

2005 To 2007
Nashville,Tennessee, .

I had a goal to serve a mission since I was a child. All growing up, I constantly thought about it. Where would I go? What would it be like? How would I adjust? What would I learn? How hard can it be? Questions like this were always on my mind. I even remember having some wall paper all around my bedroom with the words "I'll go where you want me to go." I will never forget the stories I heard throughout my childhood of my father's mission to Tennessee. For family home evenings he would whip out his old slides and show us all his pictures and tell us so many stories of when he was on his mission. Words can't describe how much I looked up to him and wanted to be able to tell similar stories to my children someday.

High school came and gone, and I approached the age of a missionary. The mission papers got sent in, and my call was received two days before my 19th birthday. I will never forget August 19, 2005. After impatiently waiting for Jared to get home from football practice the time came to open it up and see where the Lord wanted me to go. The feelings that came through my mind cannot be described as I read: "You are hereby called to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Tennessee Nashville Mission." I will never forget my father's reaction. He immediately jumped up out of his chair and started screaming and running around the room in excitement! He came over to me to read it himself because he didn't believe what he had heard! No one ever would have guessed that I would be called to serve in the same mission as him. My dream of being able to tell similar mission stories as my father to my children became more true than it ever could be!

Words will never properly describe the feelings I have toward my mission. The trials, afflictions, struggles, triumphs, successes, victories, and joy were overwhelming for me. I had no clue what I got myself into when I accepted my call to serve. What a blessing it was.

My first area of assignment was Columbia, Tennessee. There were two wards there. But one of the areas was so big they split it in half and decided to put my trainer, Elder James, and I in there to open it up. We got dropped off at our empty apartment with absolutely nothing, put our bags down and went to work. We had absolutely nothing to eat, nothing to sleep on, no church materials to give away to contacts, and we didn't' even have a shower curtain! Eventually things got under control and we were blessed with the temporal things we needed so we could more focus on our purpose of teaching. It was during this time that I found out my father had served in Columbia when he was on a mission 28 years ago! Having that thought in my mind motivated me to work as hard as I could and to be like my dad. After several weeks of nothing but tracting and contacting people in parking lots we began to establish a constant teaching people. We had people coming to church and investigators who were progressing. In Columbia I learned the importance of patience.

After six months, I was transferred to Cookeville, Tennessee. It was a college town. Tennessee Tech University's campus covered most of our area. The church was very small there. It was here where I first discovered the change of heart the spirit can bring. After being there six weeks, the Lord entrusted me with a greenie. His second day in the mission field, we contacted a lady on her porch. She very rudely rejected us. After that we forgot about her. Nearly a month later we receive a media referral from church headquarters. We looked at the name and address and realized it was this same lady who had very rudely rejected us a month prior. That night we go contact her with a member of the ward. Her heart had been softened someway and somehow. The spirit had touched her and we were able to teach her. The week after I got transferred from the area she was baptized.

Nearly six months later I was sent to Hendersonville, Tennessee - a suburb of Nashville. This was by far the richest area I ever served in. The ways of the world were everywhere and people's hearts were harder than ever. But the Lord provided for us as we were obedient. I saw miracle after miracle happen to us daily. I can't even count the number of times I would see 444's everywhere I'd look. We would have about a half an hour of proselyting time left in the day and would need 6 or so more daily contacts to reach our goals. We'd pause and say a prayer, pleading with Heavenly Father to help us. And as we would finish the prayer, people just began appearing out of nowhere for us to talk to and teach. I couldn't believe it! I had no clue how supportive our Heavenly Father is to us when we are doing His work. I learned how aware of us He is. I realized that He knew what we needed and wanted. And according to our faith and diligence, He'd grant us our desires. It was amazing. "Prayer" in the Bible Dictionary became so real to me.

While I was in Hendersonville I experienced firsthand the power of the priesthood. My companion (Elder Holden Green - who had only been out 3 weeks) and I were riding our bikes to an appointment after dinner. The sun had just set and the darkness was beginning to settle, and a little bit of rain began to fall from the sky. Around 6:15 I was hit from behind by a drunk driver traveling 45 miles per hour. Knocked out by the impact, I was thrown on the hood of the vehicle. My head and shoulder slammed into the windshield shattering it. The weight of the impact cracked my helmet right down the middle. The driver eventually stopped the vehicle and I fell onto the asphalt unconscious. Elder Green, witnessing the entire scene, immediately ran to my aid and felt inspired to lay his hands on my head and give me blessing. I don't know what was said, but I immediately gained consciousness. I was air-evacuated to Skyline Medical Center's trauma unit in Nashville. In the emergency room the doctors and nurses began to run several tests, CAT scans, MRI's, and x-rays. Expecting to find a broken spine, crippled neck, and severe head and brain injuries, each test came out negative. With disbelief they ran the tests again. Each result was the same: negative! A couple hours later I walked out of there with crutches and a sprained ankle! It was a miracle. The power of the priesthood saved my life. I will forever be grateful for being able to serve with a companion who was pure and worthy enough to exercise that power when needed. I don't know why my life was spared. I don't know why so many other people die in such situations, but I was able to live. Elder L. Tom Perry said, "The discipline contained in daily obedience builds an armor around you of protection and safety." I do know that our obedience played an important role, as well as the authority of the holy priesthood.

This experienced helped me know for myself that "in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest." I also learned how everything really does hinge on our obedience. I gained a testimony that it IS the first law of everything. Without honoring it, I could never get to laws 2, 3, 4, and on up the list.

This experience helped me respect the sacredness of the temple garment. I was told when I got my endowments that wearing them would protect me from harm. I never quite understood or believed that statement. But when I realized that all of my sores, cuts, and bruises were in a place not covered by the garments I knew that what was told to me was true. As we honor our covenants made in the temple, the Lord is bound to bless us, even protect us. I hope I may ALWAYS qualify for the great blessing!

After recovering from the accident I was transferred to McMinnville, Tennessee. The rumor of that good ol' southern hospitality must have came from this place. It was the largest area I ever served in. The people were so kind, and so welcoming to us. I loved it. The ward members would greet us every Sunday morning at church with a big hug (or hand shake from the sisters) and an "I love you! Thanks for all you do!" I couldn't believe it. I had never felt so loved and appreciated more.

In McMinnville, I began to seriously study the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I didn't know why, but for some reason my mind was just drawn to it. I pondered it during free time. I read as much as I could about it. I would wake up early every morning to read about it. I read several books, "Jesus the Christ" by James E. Talmage, "Believing Christ" by Stephen E. Robinson. My mission president made an Atonement Study Journal for us which was loaded with talks by general authorities, quotes from books, poems, hymns, stories, and questions for us to answer to increase our knowledge about it. And it just fascinated me. I began to learn who Christ was. I began to fathom just a little of what He suffered for me. I began to know for myself that He was real.

I realized shortly after this why I had had such a desire to study this most important doctrine. I received news of my grandma who had had a stroke and passed away. The news devastated me! I did my best to hide my feelings from my companion, our investigators, and the ward members. On preparation day, I locked myself in the empty bedroom in our apartment and just poured my heart out to God. As I did, my mind was refreshed with the knowledge I had gained of the Atonement through my studies. I remembered everything. That day, on my knees in that tiny empty bedroom, I felt the embrace of the Savior. I felt His arms around me. And I knew with a perfect knowledge that because of Him we will all live again. And the peace I felt that day will never leave me. Sweet is the peace the gospel brings!

Another six months came and gone, and I was transferred to Hopkinsville, Kentucky. As luck would have it, or will of the Lord, this was the only other area still in the Tennessee Nashville Mission that my father served in. I would be finishing my mission in the exact same place he did! I was again able to follow in his footsteps. What a motivating factor it was for me to be where he was, to labor where he labored, and to serve those who he served. I will never forget what it was like to sit in a ward council meeting next to someone he had taught and baptized, and to hear them give a talk in sacrament meeting! It was amazing.

Hoptown was the hardest area I served in. The town was very run down, segregated, and just a different lifestyle. The missionary work in the area was sparse, and not much was going on. My companion and I decided to set a few goals to motivate us and push us when I got there. We wrote on a chalk board "Find, teach, and baptize a family" and then hung it on the wall where we would always see it. The weeks flew by. We were working, yet nothing was happening. Our patience was being tried, as well as our faith. I began to doubt - so much to the point where I erased the goals on the chalk board to make me feel better about myself. Yet somehow, the Lord saw fit to bless us. A husband and wife were baptized my last Sunday in the mission field.

My mission changed my life. I was told that I would know what the Lord meant when He said, "How great shall be your joy!" And I have realized that joy and excitement. I have felt the love our Heavenly Father has for His children as I have served them. I have felt His love for me. I discovered the reality of Jesus Christ on my mission. I know He lives. I know only through Him we can return to the presence of the Father. I gained a deep rooted testimony of the restored gospel. My knowledge and testimony of Joseph Smith was increased through study, prayer, and most importantly through sharing it with others. I know he is the Prophet of the Restoration. I gained a love for and appreciation for The Book of Mormon. Reading from its pages helped me discover who I am, who I am to be like, and who I can become. I know it is true! My mission has made me so grateful to know that we are led by a living prophet today. Words will never fully describe the love for and feelings I have toward my time spent in the mission field. I hope I may always remember it. I am so grateful that I was able to be numbered among those who "bring the world His truth!"

From: Cameron Call

i wasn't near as nervous this time to conduct or train in zone conference as i was last time. it went great. sister lords said i did a great job and i felt really good about how things went. elder hansen and i trained on helping our investigators become converted to the gospel, not us or the members, but the gospel. we focused on gaining a testimony and building a strong foundation as it says in Helaman 5:12. it went pretty good.

lately, i have been wanting to improve on my prayers. and president lords gave a training on "10 ways to have more meaningful prayers." he is so inspired! i learned so much. lately, my prayers have been a bit lazy and maybe even repetitive. i have been so tired that i either fall asleep during them, or rush through it. i have applied the things that i learned and they have improved a lot. i have began to listen as i pray, and you wouldn't believe the revelation that i've received just from taking the time to do that. i started to pray with a pencil and paper by my side, so i can write down the things that i feel. and it has been so neat to see how much more of a spiritual experience i have as i pray now. i really feel the spirit.

zone conference was so good! it was crazy to see how much of what we talked about in zone conference was talked about in general conference. i loved it. the conference was amazing. i'm gonna write mema my report today if i have time. richard g. scott's talk on prayer was great, and only added to what president lords had said. we talked a lot about exercising faith and setting goals and making plans. president monson mentioned that in one of his talks. it was so cool.

i got so much out of every conference talk. it is amazing to see how my attitude towards it has changed. i used to think it was so long and boring. now, it goes by so quick. and i can't wait for more! every talk was so good. i felt the spirit so strongly! i loved elder bednar's "parable of the pickle." it made me want to be a pickle. it was perfect for our investigator we had there with us. elder holland's talk was sweet too. i never thought about how we can verbally abuse ourselves. and it never occured to me that out of the same mouth comes blessings and cursings. how true that is! i learned so much. i could feel the love president faust has for us as he spoke and got emotional. i could sense the desire he has for us all to forgive others. his talk on the healing power of forgiveness was so cool. he is getting so old, but man, he is still a powerful speaker. it was neat to hear president hinckley rededicate the salt lake tabernacle. that was smazing. his prayer was so detailed, so specific, and so good. i learned a lot. i could go on and on abotu confernece, but then i wouldn't have anything to share with mema. the music was amazing as usual. i loved "come thou found of every blessing" i was overcome with the spirit as they sang that. i listened to that song on the way to the church the day of my farewell and was overcome with the spirit too, and hearing it again jsut motivated me to be better.

can you believe it has been 18 months? i cant. time has flown by. i wish it will slow down a little bit. dad's letter came just when i needed it. it really helped me a lot. tell him thank you for me. i asked elder hansen to give me a priesthood blessing early in the week, and it has helped me so much. i feel so much better. my confidence is higher, and i just feel good. i am still tired. i didnt' buy any more ensure stuff, it was gross, so i bought this "boost" drink. and this other stuff that was in the healthy section. did you know they make energy jelly beans. i bought a few and they are pretty good! they're called "sport beans" i guess its like gatorade, but in a jelly bean. you should try some.

im glad that amber is alright. i will pray for her. sounds like everything is under control. did jared ever figure out a cool way to ask that girl to prom? cam and mike are doing good. cam is in michigan, and mike is serving in california. i dont' know about alex and chris.

i am playing a musical number in sacrament meeting in a few weeks. do you think that emilee could send me that song "all creatures of our god and king?" i want to play something different this time. and i've only played that one once. i dont know if i ever thanked you for sending me that john schmidt cd with hymns on it. it is really good. ask her if she knows if he has it in a piano book yet. that'd be cool.

mcminnville is a great place. the spring is here, adn summer is coming. the green is finally showing up! i love it. all the dogwoods are blooming and it is real pretty. the lord is blessing me greatly. i have much to improve on. he is strengthening me and helping me to know where to begin. i'm sure i wont be as good as i want to be until right before i go home, but i can't do much about that. but i will do all that i can.

thank you for writing and tel the family i love them. i am doing great. i am so grateful for the prayers, love, and support. keep praying for missionary opportunities. they will come. love, elder call

Dear Mema & Pop…Wasn’t conference just amazing?!? It was so good!! I thought I should write ya’all real quick and give you my conference report. I haven’t written you in a while. I haven’t written anyone actually! I have been so busy. I love it! I’ll try to write as nice as I can. We did a service project this morning for P-Day and my hands are sore!< P> Well, I got transferred. I’m in Hendersonville, Tennessee! It’s a little bit north of Nashville. It’s a suburb of it. I love it though. There are a lot of people here who need the gospel. And I’m excited to talk to them. I have been exhausted unpacking, studying our area book, and getting organized.

General Conference was a spiritual uplift that I needed. It was so AWESOME!!! I took even more notes than last conference! I learned so much and felt the Spirit so strongly. I am so grateful for my testimony and for how much stronger it has grown. The music was so good! I loved watching the choirs’ expressions as they sang. I could feel their testimonies. It is always a highlight for me to hear the choir. They are awesome. I saw a couple friends of mine in the MTC choir on Saturday. That was crazy!! The Spirit touches me so strongly through music!

I don’t know if I can pick a favorite talk. They were all so inspired. I loved it when President Hinckley opened up the Saturday AM session and said the circumstances will continue to change, but our message to the world does not! That really made me think. Elder Oak’s talk on the Atonement was perfect for our investigator! She has had a rough time. Elder Paul B. Pieper’s (?) talk to 1st generation members was so good. I’m gonna read that to people we baptize. Elder Ballard’s talk on being wise made me think about how I can be a wiser missionary. I have so much more I can do!!! The Priesthood Session was awesome! My understanding of the Priesthood and testimony of it has increased so much!

In between conference sessions the Relief Society President came to us in tears and said she’d like us to give her neighbor in the hospital a blessing. He was Baptist, but not active. She took us to go administer to him. And he was so grateful to us! His heart softened a bit. It was a neat experience. It truly is a blessing to be able to provide Priesthood service.

Pres. Monson said something I loved during the Priesthood session: “God’s sweetest blessings are from hands that serve Him here below.” (or something like that.) It was cool. I loved President Hinckley’s talk on being men. It was so uplifting.

As the tabernacle choir sang a song about prayer, it prompted me to ponder my personal prayer to see if I am expressing my desires as I should. I learned a lot. Pres. Monson’s talk on our foundations was amazing! “It’s the service that counts!” I loved that!! Elder Perry’s talk on the Plan of Salvation was POWERFUL!! It was so cool! I could go on and on Mema and Pop!!! Elder Perkin’s talk on being deceived was perfect for me because I often feel inadequate for my tasks. But “I CAN do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me!” I loved that!! Pres. Packer’s talk was so great. I loved how he joked about the anti-Mormon garbage. It really hit me when he said we can’t put ourselves up by putting others down. That is so true!! I never realized how true it is that being offended is a choice we make. Elder Bednar is so awesome! Elder Holland’s talk was so amazing too. I was so amazed by his humility and testimony. I loved it! I loved how he used the words: “We DECLARE…” It was powerful to me. I am so grateful for my membership in the Church. I love the Gospel!

It was humbling to hear from President Hinckley. He is amazing. I know he is a Prophet of God! I was grateful to hear his counsel and wisdom. I loved his remarks. The closing song “We thank thee o God for a Prophet” was beautiful! I felt the Spirit so strongly as it overpowered me. I loved it! It was a feeling I wish I could feel all day long. I was so filled with joy, and excited to go out to work. When we got to sing along in the last verse, I bawled like a baby! It was so amazing! There was a line in there that I never noticed: “While they who reject this glad message shall never such happiness know!” That is so true!! I know the Gospel, this Church, and this work is true!

Well, I got to get going! But I sure love you both. And appreciate all you do. I’m excited for Ole to join us in the fields of Argentina! He’ll be awesome!

Take care and tell everyone hi for me! I love ya’all. Elder Cameron Call

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