July 29, 2013

Dear Y’all,

Everyone is asking me about what my day is like being with the Assistants to the Mission President. Well here you go:

Usually we are waking up at 5:30 AM. We have little time to exercise, eat, and get dressed. We are traveling all the time to different zones and presenting training, so we usually skip lunch. We pick up missionaries that finally get their visas. When possible we try to work in our area. We go on exchanges with zone leaders; teach some lessons, all the while it rains cats and dogs, so it’s a good thing we are in a truck. (I wear my suit almost all the time and it needs to be dry cleaned.) While driving to and from places we are making phone calls and scheduling. By about 9:30 PM we go to the mission office to get some paperwork done, proselyte on Facebook, etc. We finally get home and try to be in bed by 10:30 PM. But, if we are preparing for a training it will be more like 11:00 before we are in bed, if not later. 

On P-days we get up get dressed and go to the office. I crunch all the numbers and we then go to a meeting with the mission president. We then try to get some shopping done. Today we are going to be on a conference call with Salt Lake. If all this seems garbled that’s what our day is like.

I love it!!!! There is no time to think about anything else but missionary work!!!

I got to go now. I sure love you all.

Gotta run

Love,

Elder Gomm 

July 22, 2013

Hey Y’all,

I’m back in action in North Carolina!!!!!! I am with the assistants; I guess you could call me an honorary assistant to the president. I do everything that the assistants do; I just don’t have the title. It is a blast! We barely have enough time to eat. We are always constantly on the move, always racing around from meetings, teaching appointments, exchanges, more teaching appointments and more meetings. There isn't even enough time for being tired. It’s great! We have a baptism coming up this Saturday and we are excited about that. 

We are a part of a new program in the church for missionaries. We get iPads and use Facebook to do missionary work. We are one of 7 districts in the US that are using this, 5 in Utah and 1 in Arizona, so we are the only district in the East. That is pretty exciting.

I can’t wait to get some mail. Contact my mom for my address.

Well, I got to go to a meeting. Love you all!!!! 

Love,

Elder Gomm

PS: Everyone I talk to comments on how tan I am hahaha! I am probably the tannest missionary in the mission.

Going Back!!!

On Sunday, July 14th, Elder Gomm was once again set apart as a Full-Time Missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was to return to the same mission he had left, the North Carolina Charlotte Mission.

Elder Gomm with some of the local missionaries
of the California Sacramento Mission

Late Sunday night he received a phone call from his mission president with his new assignment. He was to labor with the Mission Assistants.

So, very early on Monday morning, July 15th, we once again bid farewell to our missionary son. Only tears of joy were shed as we all understood what a tremendous blessing it was for him to have healed so quickly and to be returning to the mission field. Of course we will miss him, but he is where he is supposed to be doing what he wants to do.

Thank you for all your love, support and prayers!

Knee Surgery & Recuperation

Elder Gomm was home for two months. 

We witnessed many miracles through the process.

Check back late for the full story.

First Week Home

While home waiting for knee surgery Elder Gomm has been out with the local missionaries helping with the work here in California. He also got home just in time to see the first of five young ladies from our ward depart on her mission. Saturday we attended the temple with all five of these soon-to-be Sister Missionaries.

The Sister Missionaries and the Future Sister Missionaries "Heart Attracted" our house the day before surgery.

Back Home For Just A Little While

May 16, 2013

Elder Gomm arrived in California late this afternoon. He will be home for knee surgery. He will return to North Carolina to complete his mission as soon as his knee is rehabilitated. Paul and Dena joined us at the airport to welcome him home. Then of course we stopped at In-N-Out for burgers.

Welcome  Home Wounded Warrior. All along carrying a Book of Mormon to share with someone along the way.




Don't worry, we helped him with his bags.

We stopped by the Temple on the way home.

HOME SWEET HOME!

Heading Home For Knee Surgery

Elder Gomm will be coming home this Thursday, May 16th. He has re-torn the meniscus in his right knee.

It was about 3-1/2 years ago that he tore the same meniscus during club volleyball practice. This time it was a simple jump to catch a Frisbee. Today he was seen by the leading orthopedist in North Carolina. It was determined that Elder Gomm must come home ASAP for surgery to repair the tear. He is scheduled to see a doctor here in California on Friday with the hope that surgery can be scheduled for sometime next week. The recovery time ranges from 6 weeks to 3 months.

Upon return to California, Elder Gomm will be temporarily released as a Full Time Missionary. When his recovery is complete he will once again be set apart as a Full Time Missionary. He will return to the North Carolina Charlotte Mission and pick up right where he left off. His mission will not be shortened. He will still serve a total of  two years; therefore he will return home sometime in the Fall of 2014 rather than July 2014.

In our Skype conversation on Mother's Day Elder Gomm said he is at peace. He knows that there is something to be learned from this experience.

We are so grateful for all the love, support and prayers that have been offered in Elder Gomm's behalf. Please pray for his speedy recovery and return to the mission field.

Thank You,
Elder Gomm's Mom & Dad