December 3, 2012

Dear Family and Friends,

This last week has been crazy. Tuesday I was on exchange with one of the Zone Leaders and we had a lot of fun working and finding new people. Wednesday was a crazy day we had Zone Conference in Kernersville and that lasted all day.  We received a lot of training. Thursday was a great day; we had a few great lessons with some people and with Vincent who will be baptized on the 15th!!!!! He is really excited and loves the Gospel.

That night is when things really hit the fan. We had some very challenging experiences.  We were being persecuted.  I became very discouraged.  As senior companion I felt the weight of responsibility for the area on my shoulders with all decisions and knowledge in my end of the court alone because my companion is so new to the area.

I knelt down in prayer and asked my Heavenly Father to help me, to give me strength, to send me a miracle. An overwhelming feeling of peace came over me and I felt love for those who were trying to stop our success. I also quickly forgave them. The next morning I was sick because I was so discouraged. We were not able to really get things done, the spirit just wasn't there, so we cleaned and did all we could to make the apartment feel better.

That night I got a phone call from a member of the ward, my favorite guy in the whole world. He said he would like to bring some cookies over that his family made. He came over and told me what a great missionary I am. He told me how much he looks up to me and what a fantastic job I have been doing. I told him about the struggles the work has been going through the last two weeks and he told me that this is an experience that I will cherish the rest of my life. He gave me a drawing from his son and one from his daughter. He left after a big hug and a few more encouraging words. I was feeling better about the work then.

I went to my desk and looked at the picture of a dinosaur that his son had colored. I flipped it over and read the one simple sentence that this 7 year old had written,

"I want to be just like Elder Gomm"

"I Lov you!"

Tears filled my eyes and I began to weep.  I knelt down and prayed with thanksgiving that my prayers had been answered, that my Father in Heaven had heard my humble prayer and that He blessed me with a miracle. This little boy had no idea what I was going through, neither did his father.

I am sooooooo grateful for the example that the children are to me and how truly in tune with the spirit they are. Because of a 7 year old boy..... I didn’t give up. I will be forever in his debt for the love that he showed to me and how he lifted me up in my darkest hour.

I am back in action now and am living up to my full potential, because I want to be a good example for everyone. I am grateful for the encouragement and the examples of my fantastic nephews and nieces.  Thank you everyone for your prayers, pictures and letters, they really have gotten me through a difficult time.

Sunday was fantastic many of the people we have been teaching came to Church and felt the spirit of it. I bore my testimony and watched Vincent's excitement as they announced his baptism.

Despite even the hardest of times the work moves on, the Gospel is true, and the Savior does love us. I bear my solemn testimony, as a representative of Jesus Christ, that He really does love us, in His name. Amen.

Love, Elder Gomm

PS  I saw the former Elder Hatley at Zone Conference. He served in my mission back home in California and has now returned home to North Carolina.  It was so good to see him!!!

I am trying my best to write all of you who have written me lately, I am kind of backed up but I will be working on it today!

I love all ya’ll!!!

Oh and we got an award because our apartment is so clean!!! It’s a big trophy!!! We even cleaned the light bulbs. Yeah I am not the same guy I used to be. 

Elder Scott is also teaching me some P90X the workout thing and my arms are not that skinny any more, I will just say that, hahaha. We are going mountain biking today.

Oh and check out mormon.org/christmas I will talk about that next week.

Merry Christmas!!!