"Thank you" 8-29-11

Dear Family of mine,
Wow! This week was pretty fast paced. We did a lot, it was all go, go, go. We ran all over the place, I'm glad that my feet still fit in my shoes, I thought that they would be too swollen to fit. This week I've have some big news flashing, and some conversations with the Holy Ghost on  Losing myself in the work. What does that even mean? to lose one´s self in the work? Well to me it means to not think of yourself, not to complain of the adversity and trials, to not find yourself thinking of home 24/7, to be out there giving it your all for the work of the Lord. As I was thinking of this, a picture came into my mind. I saw Heavenly Father, as well as Jesus Christ, standing in front of me ready to give me a hug and to welcome me home.... Then I thought how great it would be to have given it my all and then to have them whisper in my ear and say.... "thank you".

Here on the mission you are thrown at every turn. You are literally attacked at the core but its just like on a sail boat where it takes time to get the strength and balance to stand and not fall over every time a wave hits you. That has been a difficulty of mine. I have recently been learning and gaining my strength. This isn't just for the mission, its for the rest of my life. Our propose here in this life is to follow the commandments of Our Father in Heaven, with our families. We are to have a undying faith in Christ, we are to repent and be made clean, and maintain this state the best that we can.  We are to make covenants with God and keep them. We are to listen and converse with the Holy Ghost. Though the list can go on, we need to Live this way till the end. Yes, living the gospel can be hard, the church can be  hard, but no one ever said that it was easy. But how much more of a pleasure it is when we accomplish the hardness of life. Its like woodwork, yes its hard to design and build something, but afterwards what a joy it is to have it and to appreciate it.
I want to say thank you, to you Emily and Gideon, for being the younger ones always getting me in trouble, but always bringing the fun into my days.  Malorie for always being there in my life, in school always a grade younger then me, making me try to do well so that I wont be in the same grade as you, and being there to talk with and to share a few tears, laughter and fun, from our secret hand shake when we were little, to now in our letters. To you mom and dad, for raising my up in the gospel, to find my testimony, to help me the best that you could, making me the best that I can be.  Though I was the guinea pig, I just wanted to say you did a fine job, not failing once. Thank you, I love you all with all of my heart!
Elder Timothy V. Gomm

PS, We were walking the streets yesterday and I said "Hello: to some old guys sitting on the corner, I don't know why it was so funny, but he said "Hello, Mormon". It was great, mostly I think because I wasn't expecting it. ha ha!

Here are some pictures of our house in Dolores, Uruguay

Laundry: Socks hanging to dry.

  The kitchen and dinning areas.
  Check out the Microwave next to the sink, that's funny! (Mom)

This is my bed and I love my warm Uruguay Blanket

Our work stations aka desks

    The bathroom has a toilet and a bidet

  My homemade Pizza, kind of.

This is a statue of Artigas, the founding father of Uruguay

These are pictures of the street where we live. As you can see it is rainy.

Thank you for all the letters and postcards from back home.  They are very much needed and appreciated.

 Love Elder Timothy Gomm

Speaking Spanish 8-22-11

Dear family,
I feel like the mission has entered my body and things are starting to become routine. Well, my family, I am here in Uruguay still alive, thankfully. Just yesterday I was able to give my first talk in church speaking Spanish, it was very nerve wrecking. Everyone says that it was the best talk that was given... I don't know about that. ha ha!  I spoke on arrepentimiento, repentance, and it went very well. There were a couple words that I stumbled on, but I was able to get my point across.
It has been really cold here this past week and the humidity doesn't help very much. Yesterday I got sick, just a little bit, and I'm a little bit under the weather today. I'll make it through.
So today we cleaned the entire house, mopped floors, dishes, bathroom, bedroom, well everything got done. Then I made some grilled cheese sandwiches for the four of us missionaries here in Dolores. We only have four missionaries here in the entire city and the area is pretty huge. I am in the same house that Elder Siegel and I were in.
You asked about soccer here, well the soccer season is basically all year round.  The people here in Uruguay go crazy for fùtbol, soccer. Mom you asked about laundry facilities and the answer to your question is that there is a hermana, sister, that does it for us.  Some times it take forever for her to wash it, so we usually do it by hand in a  bucket. Its fun to do.. at times. wooh!!
I am almost to my 8 month mark, that's crazy!!! Time is just flying. I just left home it feels like, but its true, every 6 weeks there are new missionaries coming in and older ones leaving.  Where is the time going?
Well, family I love you, Gid be carefully in high school and Emily, you make sure that Gid is beating the boys off with a stick. Mal you're going to have alot of stress and fun up there in Rexburg, just make sure you don't get into trouble while I'm gone, because your big brother wont be there to protect you, but after the mission I will ;) ha ha! I love you mom and dad, thank you for raising me the way you did.
I love you all,
Elder Timothy V. Gomm

English Fast 8-16-11

Well, another exchange has passed and now I'm heading into my 4th. I can't believe how fast time is flying by... this next change I'll be hitting my 8th and 9th months.  We haven't had much success with this area, but I'll keep working hard.  I'm getting a new companion,  his name is Elder Menchaka  he is from Panama.  I'm so excited and nervous at the same time, this means that my Spanish is going to sky rocket, but also that I'm not going to have much to talk about in English. So if I'm starting to loose my English, you'll know why. ha ha! We are having a great time here, but yet no one is wanting to come to church. That is probably the only thing that is stopping us from having success here. I have to find out a way to get then to want to go to church.

Things at home sounds great, like the garden it is doing really great! I was telling my companion, " yep, that wasn´t there when I lived there!" ha ha! It is really great that it is growing, and pretty fast too. I remember the picture when it first got set up, wow! that grew fast! well, I love you all, Em, Gid and Mal, don't get into trouble, I'll know if you do, I´ve got my connections from high up. ha ha! I love you all!
Love Elder Timothy V. Gomm

Pictures from Dolores Uruguay 8-16-11

Momma here are some more pictures for you

These pictures are when Uruguay won the American cup.  It was crazy, everyone was out of their house and in the streets just screaming their head off.

My companion and I in Dolores Uruguay.

Elder Gomm and Elder Siegle "Where to next Elder?"

I am an Immigrant - August 8,2011

Hi family of mine,
 You asked if I am a Uruguay citizen because of the paperwork I was doing a couple of weeks ago in Montevideo well I am not a citizen, but I am an immigrant. I'm one of them aliens! ha ha
My companion and I  have our off and on days, some days we don't get along to well, but others are great. Its a very big passions builder.
Well the lady I told you about last week hasn't been wanting to talk with us too much, but we´re finding other people. The only problem is that the church here is just like in the pioneer times, when the church was just starting out. and some people don't want to go to church, or want things their own way. The area I am in is mostly Catholic people, and its kind of hard to teach them. We are always on the look out for those select few.  We walk a lot,  knock on a lot of doors,  and find those few that will hear us. We can only do that which we can, it doesn't mean do the bear minimum but to work as hard as you can. That is exactly  what I have been trying to do, its exhausting, but I do it anyway. 
Exchanges are coming up, and I don't know if I'll stay with my companion or if he will leave  Elder Siegle only has 3 months left of his mission.
Tell the ward I say hi and that I miss them all. Tell them, don't loosen your guard, always have your shield of faith up and you sword of your testimony in hand. We live in a war, we may not see it in our every day lives but it is among us. We need to be ready at all time to protect ourselves, to protect our faith, to protect our families. Satan  knows us and he seek so earnestly to destroy us, but we need our armor of God at all times, never take it off for the slightest moment. God loves you, he tries his very hardest to help you, don´t shun his help, let him in. We must fight to keep our liberty and our faith, our families and our lives. Go and do, and God will provide the rest. I love you all, with all of my heart! I pray for you everyday! God be with you till we meet again!
Love Elder Timothy V. Gomm

I love my work here August 1, 2011

Hey momma! So all is well here, I was just having some heath problems, but I'm fine now. Well, I feel a little lighter now so then ever. I am focusing really hard to find people God has prepared and help them understand. All is well here. Hey make sure Gideon doesn't grow his hair out now, with his rock band and all.

Man, time is flying now, I have 7 months in the mission, and I'm running out of time...  but yeah, mom thank you for your love and your help to me. Tell everyone that I love them, and I'll try to get those picture soon! Haha!

We had a great experience last night, we found a lady, her two girls and her boyfriend. They aren't living together so we can help them get married. We went there on request from the ward mission leader. We went to bless the house, and then we taught the restoration, this lady was in tears during it all, they have excepted the baptismal date for the 20th of this month! The spirit is so strong and can teach so many hearts! I love my work here, I would not change anything right now!

Mom you asked what things that I might need from home... hmm, peanut butter, already made cookies, ooo Grandma Johnsons oatmeal and raisin cookies... mmm!! haha! I really don't know what I need from home... just anything and everything, haha!
I love you so much! Please give my love to everyone!

Love Elder Timothy V. Gomm

Lowest of Lows & Highest of Highs - July 25, 2011

Well, let me just tell you, I have been, as they say it from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs. I  just now had an experience that, well, that will change me even more. Haha! I knew it was coming too.

Wow! You really get put into the furnace and get molded by God in so many ways as a missionary. I have changed so much, I have learned a lot of everything.... i love this work, I love my life, i love my family with all of my heart.

I made it to Dolores, but right now I'm in Montevideo, signing my citizen papers. I'll be Bien Uruguayo! haha! Thank you for that story mom, it was really needed especially now! My new area is huge, but I don't have my cord with me because of my travel to Montevideo.  I will try to get you some next week. haha!

Time to do all that I can. Tell Gid, Em and Mal, to have fun on trek and not to complain! haha! They are going to have a lot of fun! I love you all so much, thank you for being in my life, you guys are a big necessity to me.

Love Elder Timothy V. Gomm

Uruguay Independence Day July 18, 2011

Well, its been rainy there are puddles everywhere.  I have been having some sinus problems, but I'm getting better. Elder Siegel and I  are doing great, one of  the problems that we are facing now is getting people married.. and it takes up to 3 to 6 months just to get people married here... its a real pain. We are having fun and meeting a lof of people. Before I left Tacuarembo I took some money out of my home account for some souvenirs, but it costs about 18 dollars to take it out... Fees for everything. Well I guess that's what I get huh? haha! We get our monthly money every first of the month. Well, I'm alive still, I almost have that language down.. I hiccup on a few words but I still have fun con la gente. We have a few potential investigators. and our area is huge!!!! So much larger then my last area, but its been fun. Today is Uruguay´s independence day, but its been raining so everyone is sleeping, haha! I forgot my camera cord at the house.. sorry I'll have pictures next week!
So here we have to really work with the members, which I think is great!  If we can get someone to be the investigator´s friend right off the bat the investigator will be more likely to come again.

I love you all so very much!
Love Elder Gomm