To my family, in whom I am well pleased,
Thanks for the mail this week everyone and especially to mom for the pics! :) So I don't have any to send in return this week because I don't have my camera cord once again. But this week has been pretty good. Well REALLY good. We had a mission conference! The
whole mission got together in York, to hear a 3-hour message from Elder Jensen (of the presidency of the seventy). It was SO good! I think that I have learned more in the past 2 weeks than the rest of this transfer combined. Also, we have started singing a lot more as a
mission. (Which I really enjoy.) Singing is THE best way to bring the Spirit that I have ever seen. Also this week the sun has finally decided to come out! We have had an entire week of good weather. Not a cloud in the sky and the temp has been 20+ every day. We have been working in just short sleeves almost every day. Love It! Love you all but I gots to go.
Until next week,
Elder William Tombs
Monday, May 28, 2012
Friday, May 25, 2012
5.21.12
Wow no emails.... my family must love me a lot… just kidding (mostly) it is ok though because I receive an email every week that tells me how much £ I have in my mission account, so I was not left out completely. ;) So not too much to say this week. Ponty is still alive and kicking and we are still doing well :) Oh and I havea new hat. :) I talked to this drunk bloke wearing a black cowboy hat and complimented him on it. So he gave it to me. Ha! It was fun, but the hat is nowhere near big enough for my head. But it is cool anyway, and we got his phone # so hopefully we will be able to teach him sometime soon.
Love you alls,
Elder Tombs
Oh and if someone could txt Lindsey and tell her her letter is on it's way there have just been a few minor delays.
Love you alls,
Elder Tombs
Oh and if someone could txt Lindsey and tell her her letter is on it's way there have just been a few minor delays.
5.14.12
Yo Yo family,
So not too much to say seeing as I spoke with y'all yesterday. So yesterday mom asked some questions about my flat and Uncle Pat requested pics so here ya go. This is our humble abode. :) Oh and yup, it is a 2-man flat. Only Chinese speakers really get 4 man flats,
because all of their areas are big cities with good universities (i.e. York, NewCastle, Sheffield, and whatnot). So they live with zone leaders in filthy flats. (Four missionaries make a lot of mess and no one likes to clean.) So not much else to say.... Oh! I forgot to ask, is Fred really gone gone or is there any chance I see him again? If not I am thinking of investing in a new alligator/dinosaur/thing.
So not too much to say seeing as I spoke with y'all yesterday. So yesterday mom asked some questions about my flat and Uncle Pat requested pics so here ya go. This is our humble abode. :) Oh and yup, it is a 2-man flat. Only Chinese speakers really get 4 man flats,
because all of their areas are big cities with good universities (i.e. York, NewCastle, Sheffield, and whatnot). So they live with zone leaders in filthy flats. (Four missionaries make a lot of mess and no one likes to clean.) So not much else to say.... Oh! I forgot to ask, is Fred really gone gone or is there any chance I see him again? If not I am thinking of investing in a new alligator/dinosaur/thing.
Anyway, much love,
Elder Tombs
5.8.12
Yo Yo Familia,
What is up with the emails this week? Just Mom (and maybe Dad?) and Nana and Pappy. Anyway things are going well here in west Yorkshire. We have been working hard and teaching lots of crazies. :) I am supper supper tired. Mostly because p-day yesterday was so fun! It was another bank holiday so we ended p-day at 5pm and get time today to email. We went to Harrogate to the poshest house on the planet (literally) and played football on their pitch! It was a lot of fun! I defiantly enjoy playing soccer now (probably because I am ok now :) Oh so about phone calls, I am going to try to work it out so that we take language study in the evening so if you call any time after 7:30 it should be alright. Anyway g2g.
Love you all,
Elder Tombs
What is up with the emails this week? Just Mom (and maybe Dad?) and Nana and Pappy. Anyway things are going well here in west Yorkshire. We have been working hard and teaching lots of crazies. :) I am supper supper tired. Mostly because p-day yesterday was so fun! It was another bank holiday so we ended p-day at 5pm and get time today to email. We went to Harrogate to the poshest house on the planet (literally) and played football on their pitch! It was a lot of fun! I defiantly enjoy playing soccer now (probably because I am ok now :) Oh so about phone calls, I am going to try to work it out so that we take language study in the evening so if you call any time after 7:30 it should be alright. Anyway g2g.
Love you all,
Elder Tombs
5.1.12
Dear Family,
Such A Good Week This Week!!! So first off, I promised some pictures... but I don't have my camera cord, so here are some of Elder Serrano's.... nope. It isn't working for some reason. I will just tell you. Becky Got Baptized!!! It was so good! The heating for the chapel wasn't working though so Elder Serrano and I filled up the font with cold water and then poured kettle upon kettle of boiling water in. It didn't work. The water was colder than our pool in September! I got pins and needles in my legs just standing in it! Becky was SO cold afterwards. Oh and guess what we discovered this weekend? She is 19! I totally thought she was like 25 (on account of her 6 year old child), but all is well that ends well and all her past is washed away :) Phew. Also yesterday we got transfer
call, but all is well and we are both staying here.
TORNADOES in Lubbock!!?!! WHAT? That is craziness! It sounds like ya'll had a pretty hectic weekend :P But we will get to talk about it pretty soon. So about the phone call, I don't know exactly how it all works still, but I know for certain that 10:40 is TOO late to call. It might just be easiest if ya'll went to that Spanish speaking ward in El Paso again. Haha. (Actually Patrick could translate for you and everything). But we still have plenty of time.
Oh so fun story, Elder Serrano and I got locked out of our flat last night. Our key got chipped and wouldn't open our door. But we prayed and then broke into our oun flat. It was so stressful! Especially because it was transfer calls night, so we were supposed to be in and safe by no later than 9:05! But it all worked out... and we didn't see any tornados so it is all good, until next week.
Love you all,
Elder Tombs
Such A Good Week This Week!!! So first off, I promised some pictures... but I don't have my camera cord, so here are some of Elder Serrano's.... nope. It isn't working for some reason. I will just tell you. Becky Got Baptized!!! It was so good! The heating for the chapel wasn't working though so Elder Serrano and I filled up the font with cold water and then poured kettle upon kettle of boiling water in. It didn't work. The water was colder than our pool in September! I got pins and needles in my legs just standing in it! Becky was SO cold afterwards. Oh and guess what we discovered this weekend? She is 19! I totally thought she was like 25 (on account of her 6 year old child), but all is well that ends well and all her past is washed away :) Phew. Also yesterday we got transfer
call, but all is well and we are both staying here.
TORNADOES in Lubbock!!?!! WHAT? That is craziness! It sounds like ya'll had a pretty hectic weekend :P But we will get to talk about it pretty soon. So about the phone call, I don't know exactly how it all works still, but I know for certain that 10:40 is TOO late to call. It might just be easiest if ya'll went to that Spanish speaking ward in El Paso again. Haha. (Actually Patrick could translate for you and everything). But we still have plenty of time.
Oh so fun story, Elder Serrano and I got locked out of our flat last night. Our key got chipped and wouldn't open our door. But we prayed and then broke into our oun flat. It was so stressful! Especially because it was transfer calls night, so we were supposed to be in and safe by no later than 9:05! But it all worked out... and we didn't see any tornados so it is all good, until next week.
Love you all,
Elder Tombs
4.23.12
Dear Fam,
So thank you to everyone who has emailed me this week (and you, Lindsey, for written post :))
This week has been one of the happiest of my mission. I was able to baptize Stewart this weekend, Becky is scheduled for this Saturday, and Carl the week after that!!! :) So things are going really well! But I think the
best thing was this Sunday. So Stewart (husband of Joanne who was baptized just 3 or so weeks ago) has been taking the discusssions. At first I honestly just thought he was doing it for her, but then as the week progressed, he has become more and more committed and I think he understands the gospel better than anyone that I have taught! :) But this Sunday he was just a bro! His wife was ready to leave just after Sacrament meeting, but he said that he felt like they needed to stay for all three hours! It doesn't seem like such a big thing, but as we have taught them I have seen such a change in them, it is unbelievable! I love it! But anyway, so I suppose I will answer a few of Mom's questions. So first, a typical English family for posh peeps is pretty much the same as back home, but in the poorer classes marriage is about
1/15 couples (or so I would estimate) and if you get to be 30 without any grand kids then you are considered a good parent. It is crazy! We once taught a man that was 21 with a 7 year old son!!!! And nobody thinks that is weird over here. Oh and for your other question, the typical kid on a week night will finish school and go to hang out with his friends. Typically they stay outside most of
the day and find different ways to get into mischief. Energy drinks here are dirt cheep, so there are lots of them guzzled. Some of their favorite games that I have been able to observe are yell "Bible basher!", throw rocks or sometimes eggs or oranges, and ask in a loud
voice "Do jews (that's the chave way to say "yous"
or "y'all") believe in Jesus?" They probably do other stuff, but that is generally what we see. Haha. No it's all good, but I really can't imagine what they do for fun all day. But that's about it for this week. Elder Sarrano and I are going to watch a football game! Chelsa vs Madrid.
See yous later,
Elder Tombs
So thank you to everyone who has emailed me this week (and you, Lindsey, for written post :))
This week has been one of the happiest of my mission. I was able to baptize Stewart this weekend, Becky is scheduled for this Saturday, and Carl the week after that!!! :) So things are going really well! But I think the
best thing was this Sunday. So Stewart (husband of Joanne who was baptized just 3 or so weeks ago) has been taking the discusssions. At first I honestly just thought he was doing it for her, but then as the week progressed, he has become more and more committed and I think he understands the gospel better than anyone that I have taught! :) But this Sunday he was just a bro! His wife was ready to leave just after Sacrament meeting, but he said that he felt like they needed to stay for all three hours! It doesn't seem like such a big thing, but as we have taught them I have seen such a change in them, it is unbelievable! I love it! But anyway, so I suppose I will answer a few of Mom's questions. So first, a typical English family for posh peeps is pretty much the same as back home, but in the poorer classes marriage is about
1/15 couples (or so I would estimate) and if you get to be 30 without any grand kids then you are considered a good parent. It is crazy! We once taught a man that was 21 with a 7 year old son!!!! And nobody thinks that is weird over here. Oh and for your other question, the typical kid on a week night will finish school and go to hang out with his friends. Typically they stay outside most of
the day and find different ways to get into mischief. Energy drinks here are dirt cheep, so there are lots of them guzzled. Some of their favorite games that I have been able to observe are yell "Bible basher!", throw rocks or sometimes eggs or oranges, and ask in a loud
voice "Do jews (that's the chave way to say "yous"
or "y'all") believe in Jesus?" They probably do other stuff, but that is generally what we see. Haha. No it's all good, but I really can't imagine what they do for fun all day. But that's about it for this week. Elder Sarrano and I are going to watch a football game! Chelsa vs Madrid.
See yous later,
Elder Tombs
4.16.12
Dear Peeps,
So this week has been one of the most stressful of my mission I think. It was stake conference this weekend and we had to go to York for church. This has happened before and I have never worried too much about it in the past, but now I am senior comp and so it was more my responsibility. So as of Friday night everything seemed
sorted. We had 11 (Joan, Ann, Ann, Rose, Joanne+Stewart+James, Becky+troy+Iesha, and Ian) people to arrange lifts for and we knew pretty much who was going where...... Then Saturday happened. I think only the jo-stew-james situation stayed the same - other than that we played a big game of musical cars. But it was good and stake conference was really powerful. One of my favorite little parts was during our stake presidents talk (about being charitable) he read
a poem (which I recommend to everyone who reads this, I don't know how what it is called but if you google airport cookie thief poem you might just find it) and near the end (and the humorous bit) this guy just busts out laughing! I look around and I notice it is Stewart! Hmmm…... well this story isn't quite so funny without knowing Stewart.
But it was funny to me and stake conference was more packed than ours generally are so lots of people heard it. Anyway, missionary work is epic. Love it. Love you all.
TTFN,
Elder Tombs
So this week has been one of the most stressful of my mission I think. It was stake conference this weekend and we had to go to York for church. This has happened before and I have never worried too much about it in the past, but now I am senior comp and so it was more my responsibility. So as of Friday night everything seemed
sorted. We had 11 (Joan, Ann, Ann, Rose, Joanne+Stewart+James, Becky+troy+Iesha, and Ian) people to arrange lifts for and we knew pretty much who was going where...... Then Saturday happened. I think only the jo-stew-james situation stayed the same - other than that we played a big game of musical cars. But it was good and stake conference was really powerful. One of my favorite little parts was during our stake presidents talk (about being charitable) he read
a poem (which I recommend to everyone who reads this, I don't know how what it is called but if you google airport cookie thief poem you might just find it) and near the end (and the humorous bit) this guy just busts out laughing! I look around and I notice it is Stewart! Hmmm…... well this story isn't quite so funny without knowing Stewart.
But it was funny to me and stake conference was more packed than ours generally are so lots of people heard it. Anyway, missionary work is epic. Love it. Love you all.
TTFN,
Elder Tombs
4.10.12
Dear family,
So these last few weeks have been crazy p-day wise. Last week we had a zone p-day. Did you have those in Peru, Patrick? And we had to go all the way to Scarburough to go to the beach..... but we are the farthest area in the zone and it took us so long to get there and back that we only had about 1.5 hours there and then we had to get back home and we had no time to email. So that was kind of a bust. And then yesterday was a bank holiday, so all of the libraries over here were closed (as well as 2/3rds of everything else), so we ended pday at 5pm and are emailing now. Anyway, this week I finally remembered my camera so I can send you some photos. The first one is Rose at her baptism. Then we have the first time I beat Elder Sarrano at chess. There is also Joanne's baptism!!! And then her husband, Stuart, who is getting interviewed this Thursday and their son James (he is just about the happiest kid you will ever meet). I think I have still only seen him cry once. Here is Elder Sarrano and I learning to cook sausage rolls and then here is Elder Sarrano and I about to eat sausage rolls. :) Then here is my newest watch! I found it in a charity shop a while ago and I just had to have it. But I think that about sums up my life here..... Well I guess I had better answer a few of mom's questions. So first off - who are we working with? Well here you go (picture). My favorite thing to teach is probably temple and family history work. That is because the plan of salvation is probably my favorite principle and it is usually recent converts that I get to teach it to….. so it is pretty much just explaining a concept to a good friend. Easter is similar... except that I didn't get to hide or find a single egg and everyone I talked to was drunk. So that is the run down here.
Love ya! Bye,
Elder Tombs
3.26.12
Dear Family who wrote me (i.e. Mom, Patrick, Mary Beth, Nana, and Lindsey),
So this week has been a pretty good week. :) Elder Ah Mu is now long gone and I am serving with Elder Serrano. He is from El Salvador and speaks Spanish. But he never speaks it to anybody (like even those who speak it fluently… but it is fun anyway.) This week has been another week of miracles! But I don't want to jinx them just yet so hopefully you get some really big good news next week. (Touch wood.) So next week is General Conference! GC already! It is crazy this will already be my second one in the mission :P Time is flying too fast! Well I don't have too much more that I need to mention until next week.... So until next week...
Lots-O-Love,
Elder W. Tombs
So this week has been a pretty good week. :) Elder Ah Mu is now long gone and I am serving with Elder Serrano. He is from El Salvador and speaks Spanish. But he never speaks it to anybody (like even those who speak it fluently… but it is fun anyway.) This week has been another week of miracles! But I don't want to jinx them just yet so hopefully you get some really big good news next week. (Touch wood.) So next week is General Conference! GC already! It is crazy this will already be my second one in the mission :P Time is flying too fast! Well I don't have too much more that I need to mention until next week.... So until next week...
Lots-O-Love,
Elder W. Tombs
3.20.12.pics
So gots some pics from Elder Ah Mu for yous,
My favorite ones are some of Elder Ah Mu and I shaking our heads really fast. :) It looks so good! Oh and that is sister Bernstein and that is me breaking the mission record for pizza eaten in one sitting. The record was 26 so I did 27... in Gateshead! My first transfer, so yesterday I did 33! Haha so much food! I haven't eaten almost anything since then though…. Just a small scone at breakfast. Oh and that is a picture of a typical meal that we whip up here in Ponte Carlo.
3.20.12
Dear Peoples (Mom, Mary, Dad, Tyler, Nana+Pappy, and Lindsey),
Thanks for all the emails this week! Today's emails actually feel real. :) Haha. Anyway, so nothing huge in transfers. I am staying here but Elder Ah Mu is leaving and I am getting Elder Serrano. And guess what? He is Mexican! Woot! Not really Mexican, but South American, so I may be learning Spanish pretty soon. :) Actually, I am
trying to teach myself Polish…. But it is hard going. Anyway, so this Saturday was the baptism of Rosemary Bernstein! And then this Sunday was (probably) the theft of my camera by chavs..... Well, either that or it fell out of my bag, but it sufficeth me to say that I no longer have a camera. On the bright side I just found a very good use for Nana and Pappy's gift. ;) (Thanks!) Oh and music in this mission is so lax. Almost anything Christ centered is approved. So David, if you could email me some of the popular Christan rock songs of today that would be much appreciated (be reasonable but just as a guideline my zone leader has 2 mercy me Cd's). So what more what more? Oh so for Mom's question…. most items have a fairly good transition 15$=10£ or something like. The biggest exception is necessities (i.e. food) with those you just change the signs 2$=2£. Oh, also I see that they are
making a Hunger Games movie!
Love you all,
Elder W. W. Tombs
Thanks for all the emails this week! Today's emails actually feel real. :) Haha. Anyway, so nothing huge in transfers. I am staying here but Elder Ah Mu is leaving and I am getting Elder Serrano. And guess what? He is Mexican! Woot! Not really Mexican, but South American, so I may be learning Spanish pretty soon. :) Actually, I am
trying to teach myself Polish…. But it is hard going. Anyway, so this Saturday was the baptism of Rosemary Bernstein! And then this Sunday was (probably) the theft of my camera by chavs..... Well, either that or it fell out of my bag, but it sufficeth me to say that I no longer have a camera. On the bright side I just found a very good use for Nana and Pappy's gift. ;) (Thanks!) Oh and music in this mission is so lax. Almost anything Christ centered is approved. So David, if you could email me some of the popular Christan rock songs of today that would be much appreciated (be reasonable but just as a guideline my zone leader has 2 mercy me Cd's). So what more what more? Oh so for Mom's question…. most items have a fairly good transition 15$=10£ or something like. The biggest exception is necessities (i.e. food) with those you just change the signs 2$=2£. Oh, also I see that they are
making a Hunger Games movie!
Love you all,
Elder W. W. Tombs
3.13.12
Dear family and friends (Mom, Dad, Patrick, and Lindsey (with a special shout out to Lindsey for written post)),
So this week has been a really good week. :) We have been working hard and on top of that we have been seeing movement. This last Saturday, Rose passed her baptismal interview! So next week I should have some really good news for you. But I don't have eons of time
today so I am just going to answer a few of Moms questions. So first off tea-time doesn't exist. At least not in the manner you are probably thinking. Tea is used as a term for dinner over here: dinner=lunch meaning tea=dinner. So it is nothing special. In the winter, often times people who we met with would offer us tea or coffee (we had a lot of hot chocolate), but now it is warming up and people are going back to cold drinks. :) As to how we find new investigators, up until recently we did lots and lots of knocking or street contacting, but now we have been advised to visit less active members and recent converts and seek referrals from them. Personally I like the new method much much better. But back to work, till next week.
Love,
Elder William Tombs
PS- So next week is transfers, so I may have a new address, so if you send anything you might want to address it to the mission office…. which address I cannot remember. But if not, and I move, I am sure it will all work out.
So this week has been a really good week. :) We have been working hard and on top of that we have been seeing movement. This last Saturday, Rose passed her baptismal interview! So next week I should have some really good news for you. But I don't have eons of time
today so I am just going to answer a few of Moms questions. So first off tea-time doesn't exist. At least not in the manner you are probably thinking. Tea is used as a term for dinner over here: dinner=lunch meaning tea=dinner. So it is nothing special. In the winter, often times people who we met with would offer us tea or coffee (we had a lot of hot chocolate), but now it is warming up and people are going back to cold drinks. :) As to how we find new investigators, up until recently we did lots and lots of knocking or street contacting, but now we have been advised to visit less active members and recent converts and seek referrals from them. Personally I like the new method much much better. But back to work, till next week.
Love,
Elder William Tombs
PS- So next week is transfers, so I may have a new address, so if you send anything you might want to address it to the mission office…. which address I cannot remember. But if not, and I move, I am sure it will all work out.
3.5.12
Dear Mom, Dad, Patrick, and Lindsey (and anyone who might mooch off of them by reading this without writing me),
So so so this week has been a pretty good week and today has been a REALLY good day. :) So there is a member here whose daughter works at "Next", a fairly posh clothing store, and she got us into the staff shop
today! :) So this morning I spent about 20£..... But I got a brand new suit, more trousers, a few shirts (including a double cuff one, some cuff links, and a few ties. It was so good! Plus, the shirts over here are English fit, which is so much better than the American brands. So Patrick and David - send me over your sizes and I will send you
back some posh gear. But anyway, this has been one of my favorite weeks of my mission. This Wednesday we had a mission tour (a fancy zone conference) and Elder Tichiera of the seventy came. I learned so much from him it is unreal. He talked a lot about repentance and such and how to gain faith. Anyway that has been my week.
Love ya,
Elder Tombs
So so so this week has been a pretty good week and today has been a REALLY good day. :) So there is a member here whose daughter works at "Next", a fairly posh clothing store, and she got us into the staff shop
today! :) So this morning I spent about 20£..... But I got a brand new suit, more trousers, a few shirts (including a double cuff one, some cuff links, and a few ties. It was so good! Plus, the shirts over here are English fit, which is so much better than the American brands. So Patrick and David - send me over your sizes and I will send you
back some posh gear. But anyway, this has been one of my favorite weeks of my mission. This Wednesday we had a mission tour (a fancy zone conference) and Elder Tichiera of the seventy came. I learned so much from him it is unreal. He talked a lot about repentance and such and how to gain faith. Anyway that has been my week.
Love ya,
Elder Tombs
2.27.12
Feb. 27, 2012
Dear Family+Friends (i.e., Mom, David, Mary Beth, Nana and Pappy, Tyler, and Lindsey - with a special shout out to Lindsey for written
post as well!),
So this week this week... Well first off pictures :) So last Pday we visited the fabulous Pontefract castle! The first picture is what it looked like in it's prime! The second is what it is now :P This is me trying to climb out of the dungeon.... and this is me when I couldn't…. haha. (I actually shouldn't have been in that pit...but it wasn't marked very clearly - oops. Anyway, this week has been pretty crazy. The district got flip-flopped around and now instead of being with the Selby elders we are with the Harogate sisters. It is a weird change, plus it means that district meetings require LOTS of travel. Selby is pretty close to us, but Harogate is almost the farthest area from ours. Anyway, so this week we had pancake day (something to do with lent) and pancakes have become my breakfast of choice over here. I usually make horrible healthy pancakes with flax and all sorts of good for you stuff, but on pancake day I cooked for Elder Ah Mu and I some chocolate chip pancakes. :) mm mm good.... But if I am down to telling stories about pancakes then I must be out of things to say.
So until next week,
Love,
Elder W.W.Tombs
Dear Family+Friends (i.e., Mom, David, Mary Beth, Nana and Pappy, Tyler, and Lindsey - with a special shout out to Lindsey for written
post as well!),
So until next week,
Love,
Elder W.W.Tombs
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