A taste fo Home July 11,2011

I'm in my new area now, Dolores! It's great, it's not like Tacuarembo but I like it. Our area is Huge!!!  The transfer bus ride last week actually took a lot longer then we planned. We had to go to Montevideo and then here to Dolores. Well what happened was that we missed our bus, so we had to wait for 2 hours for the next bus... I'm here now! We actually did some contacting while we waited, me and a latino misionero that was with me, met some street clowns, it was a bit unsettling, but they were really great people they couldn't go to church because they are always moving around. Those poor guys, we helped them understand that God has not left them and that they can learn more about our purpose here in this life. It was really great! So here I am in Dolores and there are only four missionaries here. We split the city in half and it is a huge area! The members here are great!

My new companion is Elder Siegel from Idaho Falls, Idaho! I know weird huh but he is a great guy. He is a giant though, he is like 6`3 or 6`4. Great guy! We get along very well.  I'm just moving into the house and it is a lot better then my last one! It's so great!!!

I got the package too, thank you! It was great! The first thing to go was the circus peanuts.. we eat them like they were candy... oh wait they are candy! haha! I never knew how good they actually tasted... it was so good to taste home! I don't have any photos right now, and I am definitely not a size 34 any more, I put my jeans on and lets just say they wont stay up... don't worry I have a belt on!

Well, I miss you guys so much!
Love you all!
Elder Timothy V. Gomm

I'm being transfered... To Dolores Uruguay. July 3, 2011

Well, it is transfer week and I'm going to a little city called Dolores. I caught my bus at 8:30 tonight and I wont arrive till 5 or 6 tomorrow morning. That's how crazy the bus system is here in Uruguay.

We didn't have that baptism because well, there were some complications... but I'm just going to have to work harder in my new area.

I wish I could of been there in Star Valley with you guys, I've always loved it up there.  I was sick just a bit this week. I threw up three times the other night and got about 4 hours of sleep and well... I was not in the best of shape! haha! I woke up this morning feeling great!!!
It has been really cold lately haha! Man I was not prepared for this weather change!!! But all is well here. I'm getting the language down very well.. almost fluent. I said good bye to my three converts.. it was very sad... I was sick but they couldn't tell... I love that family so much! I'm going to stay in close contact with them, even after my mission!

I  have not gotten any packages yet and the post cards have stopped coming, I think the last ones were from grandma and grandpa Gomm.  But no worries, I'm alive and kicking! I love you all,  and yes I'm brushing three times a day now! haha! I love the habits I'm getting into!

Love,
Elder Timothy V. Gomm

Picture time - June 27, 2011

Well, here you have it, some more pictures of Uruguay and me!!

Our house, only two of us live in it, and it's made out of cement blocks and tile! It gets dang cold at night! It is winter here just in case you forgot.

This is my bed, just a nice little twin bed, what I'm use to. The mattress is just a big foam pad! I still get my rest at night!

This is my study desk, and it may look like I staged it all.... and.... I did! haha!

Me and my companion, Elder Wilson, after a long day of tracking in the rain and mud.... haha! It was pretty great!!!

Today we went on a little adventure with the young men's group, it was so much fun. We just got back... and ouch... I am so sore from chasing that soccer ball all over the place. It was really fun!!!  It may not look like it but I have lost a lot of weight. I was just wearing a lot of layers this morning! I am the last one in the front row.

These last few pictures are of the lake where we went with the YM to play soccer.  This is of me and Elder Wilson.  Don't we look like we have played soccer all our lives.  Ha ha!

Questions and respuestas (answers).

Mom: Did you get your package this week?
Elder Gomm: I have not gotten a package yet, maybe tomorrow, that is when all the mail comes in!
Mom: So tell us about the young girl getting baptised this week. How old is she?
Elder Gomm: She is 9 years old.
Mom: What does she like to do?
Elder Gomm: I really don't know, i guess laugh at me speaking ingles (English), while teaching it to her. haha!
Mom: Do they have public schools there for these kids and is it set up like it is here in the states?
Elder Gomm: The kids here get school free, from kindergarten to college, all of their education.

Wow! Wow! Wow! What a week.. haha! Well, this week has been pretty good. We just got back from a trip in the campo (field) to this big lake! It was bien de bien (well), I really had a lot of fun!
It sounds like you all are having fun back at home! No worries we`ll have to make up for it when I get home.
Its amazing how much the things of God are real! I just laugh every time! People just don't get it! We aren't just here to live and die, we are here to find God through faith. That is why the veil is placed. That is why faith without action is dead. It is why Christ hung on the cross for us. Some just don't get it! There is so much more to learn! All we have to do is search, ponder and pray with sincerity! God is there, we will live once again and you know all we have to do is try our best to live the things that we are commanded to!

I love you all, so very much!
Elder Timothy V. Gomm

What a GREAT Week! June 13, 2011

Haha! What a great week!! What else is there to say! The baptism of  Mateus and Emerson was on Saturday and I was able to go into the font for the first time in my mission. Some of the other Elders said that it took them 3 or 4 different times to get the blessing right. I was blessed, I got in there and well, everything just came out as if I didn't even say it. I love it when that spirit works through you. It just feels as if heaven is all around me. The boys got confirmed yesterday, and I was also able to assist in giving Nicolas the Melchizedek Priesthood. This was so great, I have been blessed to have done so much with this family and now I may get to go through the temple with them.   Father in Heaven has blessed me so much, now I just have to work harder. We have another baptism in 2 weeks, a girl who's parents are inactive, I don't know why... they have such strong testimonies.  The kids showed up to church yesterday without the parents, we are hoping that this baptism will help them to get to church.

It sounds like everyone is having fun. We are going to have a lot to do when I get back, so no more summer school Gid!! haha! I forgot the cord for my camera... so I'll have to send pictures next week. I love you all, thank you for your support!

Love Elder Gomm

 

Just Laugh and Smile, It's just a trail....June 6, 2011

All is well, I didn't have much time on the computer last week and I have to take a few more pictures. Sorry I don't have any this week.

Well this week has been freezing... and the humidity makes it 10 times worse... I'm freezing, I bought some thermals so hopeful it will be a little bit better now.

My new companion is Elder Wilson, he is a good guy from Kansas I  don't know where though. Elder Wilson has had 10 changes in the mission and is helping me get out of my shy guy kind of click, not saying that I was ever in one... haha.

Something that I have learned more about is patience, man do I really need to work on that. Patience is really funny its really hard to truly master it.  Some people are great at using it, but I don't think anyone, besides Christ, has mastered patience. One thing that has helped me was laughing and smiling, and boy do those two things work well. If you are ever in a depressing mood just laugh, if a trail of adversity is looking you in the face just laugh.

We are going to have two more baptisms on the 11th and I'm getting really excited. Mateus(10) and Emerson(8) are two brothers that are getting baptized.  They are the nephews to my first convert, Maria, and they recently lost their mom. They really want to get baptized so that they can live with her again some day. My heart is running around these boys, they really are needing this. They live with their grandparents right now, who have been inactive for 20 years now... that is some time, the grandma wants to come back to church, but the grandpa doesn't want to have anything to do with us. The abuela (grandmother) went to her daughters baptism and decided to come back... home.

 

We had stake conference yesterday and the esposo (husband) of Maria was getting the Melchizedek Priesthood. I was crying like a baby because we have done so much with this family... and now he will be able to use the power of our loving and eternal Father in Heaven. He will be baptizing Mateus and Emerson has asked me to baptise him... I'm just tearing up now... I love this family so much. I hope I  will be able to see them go through the temple in a year... Glory be to my God, now and forever!

 I love you all so very much,

Elder Timothy V. Gomm