What matters most.

Welp I dont have a ton of time this week but had a great week this week! The homesickness has settled down a bit and we're really focused. I have my first baptism this saturday with Hermano Carlos and I cant wait!  He's a really awesome guy we met my first day here.  I've seen some pretty crazy things that I would describe as unhuman and I'll go ahead and save yall from those experiences haha but just keep me in your prayers for safety! hahaha

Freaking cowboys holy crap of course the year i leave they look great.... honestly one of the hardest things is not being able to watch my team.  And what the deuce happened... KC and SF?  where did that come from?

Here I've definitely noticed what really matters in life. That is this gospel, and your family.  I'm so thankful for my friends and for the times we had, but when you're in a situation like this you realize how important and how much you love your family, and how much you realize you need Christ and his Atonement.

Right now the most difficult part is even though were doing a ton, i personally want to do more to contribute but i cant because I'm not fluent yet obviously.  It's humbling for sure.  I want to have more responsibility but its just a matter of time before the language is there.  

I read in Alma this week. Alma 37:6-7 ¨By small and simple things are great things brought to pass¨. If we have faith and courage and strength in the Lord, he can perform miracles.  

Love all yall and thanks for everything that each one of you have done for me… can't express how much each of yall have affected my mission and my attitude. 

Texas forever, 

Elder G

Sam's answers to some of my questions:

Mom:  I really want to know what your eating.  Have you gotten sick at all? (In Guatemala the missionaries don't get fed by the church members there).

Sam:  I eat basically pbjs and really simple things for everything.  Our kitchen has a lot of insects and is just dirty so I don't like cooking in there and try to keep it simple.  Its fine for now!  Hopefully my next apartment is a little cleaner and i can cook more.  I think we're gonna clean really good next week. I eat a lot of apples from Walmart.  I haven't gotten sick.  I've been fine.

Mom: I want pics of your apartment.  I can handle it!  What's it like?  What's Limon like?

Sam:  Yeah dawg it ain't no Holiday Inn das fo sho!  Seriously its not that bad.  There's one area that we just stay away from because when we went there I was seriously scared. My heart was pumping. Everyone was staring at me like they wanted to hurt me and we got out of there and Cano called the pres and he said, yea gringos can't go there.  But outside that area is totally fine.  I hear gunshots a lot haha but its not bad. And I'm taking care of myself for sure.

Mom:  Are you okay?  Do you get scared in Limon?

Sam:  I'm scared of getting jock itch.

Mom:  How is your Book of Mormon reading going?  Spanish or English?

Sam:  I'm on like page 400 of the BOM.  I really slowed down and try to understand every verse now and every single word otherwise I would've been done.  I get to read about 4 or 5 chapters a day in english and its by far my fave part of the day.

Mom: How is it going with the people you're teaching?

Sam:  Our investigators were great this week and we had a solid week.  This saturday we're baptizing Carlos and I think we'll have at least 3 more baptisms in the month of November.  We are having a lot of success in this area.  But its because we're obedient and we work hard.  I can't wait to have more responsibility and i just work my butt off and a lot of the time I'm the one thats pushing us.  I'm not being prideful hahah I'm just telling you how I'm doing! And its definitely not about the numbers.  Like there's two people that i told Cano, dude even though they qualify I'm not gonna baptize them because they would go inactive in one week.  Like we only baptize people that are ready.

 I love Elder Cano's Santa tie.. in October:)  Some sister missionaries in their district.

We're not in Texas anymore...

Whats good everyone!!! Its been a while! haha 

This was my first week in the field and holy crap.... haha We're not in Texas anymore.  First off, again thank you for the birthday emails. It was a solid bday for not being at home!  Second, shout out to mom and dad for going 22 years strong on the 10th.  Love you guys :) and shout out to grandma Candy on your birthday a few days ago hope it was great!

Alright holy crap... so tuesday morning we left the MTC and I met with President Crapo and if yall remember I think in my last email I talked about that área that we drove by that just had houses stacked on top of houses?  Guess who got assigned there for his first área? This guy!  Most poor and most dangerous área in the whole mish.. turn up! And our área is dangerous but literally specifically where we live in Limon-  just me and my comp have the most dangerous área in the mission.  Sorry mom I know youre freaking out but I promise you I'm good!  I have seen a dead body already but what would a mission be without seeing a dead body? I have also seen 6 latino boobies because apparently its normal in Limon for people to start breast feeding when talking to the Mormons (Papa no le gusta Latino chi chis). I sent along some pictures of my area... I didnt take pictures of our actual house because i know mom would flip. LOL. Lets just say we live very minimally. BTW Limon is home to the biggest gang in Central America which is why it's so dangerous.  And there are so many of the scariest looking mut dogs I've ever seen on the streets.  Rabies is a big problem lol yikes.

So my first day was rough.  I can't believe I ever complained about the MTC honestly.  Hot showers and other Americans?  Yeah not anymore!  Our first night we got back from working and I was exhausted because I had to be up at 2 in the morning and hadn't slept.  We get home and leave to go next door to buy some wáter and I shut the door and my comp, Elder C from Honduras, forgot the key.  So he was explaining to me what we were gonna do but I only understood a little bit... but anyways we ended up walking about 5 miles at night way past our curfew (which is 1 1/2 hours earlier than everyone elses cause we can't be out late at night because of our area) in the freezing rain and spent the night at another companionships house in our district on the cold tile floor.  So yeah first two days were rough and I was just super homesick.

But the rest of the week was solid.  The first thing President Crapo said to me about my comp was he is probably the hardest worker in the mission.  And he wasn't freaking kidding.  We go to work.  Every day all day.  But its actually way fun!  When were out and working its way better because im not sitting in the house thinking about home.  But yeah this week we had the best numbers in our zone and I've been doing well I think at least for my first week in the field.  The thing is he's kinda nuts... LOL like I dunno he is louuddd and nuts.  But honestly I think that I couldn't have gotten a better trainer.  He talks really fast which Hondurans are known for, so fast that a few times the Guatemalans don't catch everything.  I can understand him depending on the day and conversation.  And what everyone has told me is if I get to the point after this three months with him and i can understand him, i can understand anyone.  So yes I'm pumped about my comp.  I prayed a ton for a good trainer and I think I did but well see in 3 months haha.

We also have some way awesome tranquilo members.  They're so nice.  Plus another thing about this área is they really like to have fun haha. I mean all the old people are just fist bumping and using slang its just hilarous to me.  I dont think I would've made it through this week without a few members in particular. 

But yes I've realized this is nothing like going off to college or anything close to that.  This will and has been so far the hardest 2 years of my life.  And I can't imagine many things being harder.  But if I came home right now, I would come home a different person for the better.  So i can't wait for these next 22 months (yes its already been almost 2 months).  And i'm lucky enough to know that every time I'm home sick and miss my family, they miss me just as much back.  Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded thee be strong and of good courage?  Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed.  For the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Mark 16:15 And he said unto them : go ye unto all the world, and preach the góspel to every creature. 

To write me:

Elder Samuel Gurksnis
Guatemala, Guatemala City East Mission
Avenida La Reforma 8-60, Zona 9
Edificio Galerias Reforma
5to Nivel Oficina 505
Guatemala City, Guatemala

You can also always send a letter for free on dearelder.com.  Just choose the Guatemala City East Mission and enter my name Elder Samuel Gurksnis.  You don't even need a stamp:)

It may take a few weeks but any and all letters are appreciated! :)

Until next monday,

Texas Forever

Elder Gurksnis

p.s. Thank you Grandpa Tom, Grandma Gayle, Sandersons, and Grandma and Grandpa (TX) for the birthday money!  I promise to put it to good use...

I know jew ... berry well!

Hey everyone!  

Hope everyone had a fantastic week.  So the time has finally come for me to head out into the mission field!  I leave Tuesday early morning!  So this email is actually my last email for almost 2 weeks because my next Pday won't be until 2 mondays from now but I can't wait…
  
Some pretty awesome stuff happened this week but I'll start with a big thank you for all the birthday cards y'all sent. It made my day! They got here early and my birthday isn't til Sunday so I still expect birthday emails from all of you ;)   I'm not allowed to have my camera until I leave because of some otro estupido personas en el CCM (MTC).  So i won't get any pictures with Elder Mg or C or any of those guys so sorry mom... but I'll be sure to take plenty of pics when I get out in the field.
                                                      
So I said in my last email that I was called as district leader, and in the MTC they switch them every two weeks.  So to toot my horn real quick I had a meeting with President which I thought was going to be about my release but he said he thought that I did such a good job that he wanted to extend my call for the rest of my time in the MTC so basically I'm the best missionary to ever come to Guatemala ("God resisteth the proud James 4:6) jajaja.  But honestly it doesn't matter to me at all and regardless of what position or calling I have I'm always going to be the same missionary.
                                                              
Next I'll go ahead with my funny stories of the week and they're some good ones jaja .... First, there's this supervisor here who's under 5 feet and probably weighs 240 and has a super high squeeky voice.  I was changing in my room when without knocking or anything he just walks in and sees me changing and I'm just standing there not really knowing what to do and he says, "I can see your................buttcheeks." Maybe the hardest I've laughed here.  Later that night after I had told everyone what happened he was in charge of this big meeting we had because all the North Americans were switching rooms.  He went through the list of names and finally called "Elder Gurksnis!"  I raised my hand and he said "Oh... I know jew.... berry well" in his squeeky broken english and everyone in the meeting busted laughing. Good stuff jajaja 

Another one is we have this freaking crazy Latino in our room who has said multiple things like "I hav monee por jew to merry my seester."  I don't think he has enough money for me to do that.. but anyways he's got this Latino crush on one of the North American girls named Hermana C.  Every single night he starts singing this love song and at the end says "Oooooh Hermana C...chee is my stawr.  Chee ees my salbation. My exaltation.  My Eberything."  Doesnt get old.  Last one!  Elder K is this funny guy in our district.  This other guy from one of the newer groups was in our room telling us a story about this guy and he said he was from Canada.  So without any hesitation K gets up and goes across the hall and says, "Who's the kid from Canada?"  Someone raised his hand and K looks at him and says, "I'm better than you." And walked away.  Had me rolling jajaja
   
So last week we got to go to the big City market.  Pretty crazy experience.  We get there and first thing we see are big slabs of meat for sale just sitting on the counter with flies everywhere.  I now realize why we can't eat at the members houses.. lol. But I ended up buying a few futbol jerseys and some other things.  As we left they warned us that we were going to be driving up on this hill overlooking the poorest part of Guatemala.  So we get to the top of the hill and it was one of the most spectacular things I've ever seen in my life. Unforgettable.  Just shack houses stacked on top of eachother one by one up and down every mountain for miles.  It reminded me of what I think Brazil would look like or like out of that scene of the Bourne series.  Pretty humbling to say the least.  So dangerous that only certain missionaries can go down in to that area.
                                   
We also had the awesome experience of watching General Conference in the MTC.  It's different watching it here than at home to say the least.  First time I've really been attentive and takin notes and what not.  I loved so many of the talks. A few that stuck out to me was Elder Neil Anderson's.  He mentioned about non members seeking the truth of our church from valuable sources. I could definitely relate to that because I know of all the crap about the church that's out there for the world to see that isn't in the least bit true.  If y'all have questions ask me or other missionaries or other members of the church!  We aren't hiding anything.  It's not like we baptize people and then say 'oh by the way we also believe in many many Gods and you can't eat crackers on Sunday.' no that's not how it works.  Elder Anderson said, "You wouldn't interview Judas about the life of Jesus Christ."  Great quote.  But ultimately if you really want to know you can ask whoever you want but you have to gain your own testimony by reading the Book of Mormon and praying to know if it's true.  Moroni 10:3-5.  One thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the choir second session with all the women in different colored rainbow trout colored shirts who quite frankly looked like Sister Wives straight from a compound of the FLDS church.  But... I also like Dallin Oaks' talk about being peaceful in all your doings including when you have a difference in political or religious opinion.  Lord knows I can work on that lol… It sounds really gay but I got to thinking about how much I hate Obama and I kinda took a step back and realized that he's a son of God as much as me or Mitt Romney.  Just because I disagree with basically everything he says doesn't mean I have the right to hate him or any other democrat.  "The devil is the father of contention; Christ is the Prince of Peace."  Last one was Elder David A Bednar's talk.  My favorite by far.  Directed to all those who were watching that weren't members of our church.  Again encouraged those to find out for themselves if the church was true through prayer and scripture study. I would encourage all of you to watch it!  (Mom please insert the link of his talk here).      

So onto my coolest and best experience in the MTC.  On Thursday last week our teacher had this prompting to walk to the temple for whatever reason.  When she got there, there was a family of 4 standing there.  They weren't members but their brother was going through the temple during that time.  Our teacher encouraged them to come back to the MTC with her because it would be a good opportunity for a companionship to teach a real lesson.  Luckily, our teacher came back to class and grabbed me and Elder D and told us what had happened.  I was so unbelievably excited.  I have had trouble the whole time in the MTC not really feeling like a real missionary quite yet and I felt like it was an answer to my prayers.  We began to teach them about the Atonement.  About half way through the family started crying and the spirit was so strong in that room.  Elder D was unbelievably nervous from the get-go so I was doing a lot of talking. For that next hour I spoke the best and most pure spanish I've ever spoken.  I felt like I was saying words that I didn't even know what they meant.  But they understood every word.  After about an hour, I asked them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and they accepted.  Everyone in the room was crying with pure joy.  Since I'm not in their area we got their contact information and set them up with the missionaries in that area.  They're going to be baptized in the beggining of November!  One of the greatest moments and maybe the happiest moment of my life. From the beginning I felt like the MTC was just a necessary evil I had to get through before going into the mission field.  I still feel that way lol.  The MTC was really hard and there were A LOT.... of rules that we had to follow that were pretty ridiculous and annoying at times that we don't even have in the mission field.  But I did my best to follow every one of them and I feel like I was blessed for it.  I made some great and hopefully life long friends.  I learned a lot of spanish!  I learned how to work hard and study.  I've learned that if we aren't anxious to search the scriptures or go to church or pray or anything that we are really doing something wrong!  Those things should be some of the things that bring you the most peace and joy in your lives.  My knowledge of this gospel has grown tremendously and so many of my questions have been answered.
                                       
Most importantly my testimony has grown and is the strongest it's ever been in my life.  I know with all my heart that this is the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I know that he died for my sins.  I know that if we follow his teachings and keep the commandments and be everything we can be that we can feel truly happy in our lives and live with him again.  I know through the Restoration that the fulness of the gospel is on the earth today.  I know that God and his son Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith in the sacred grove. I know that through the Holy Ghost and the help of God he translated the gold plates into the Book of Mormon.  I've read this book and I know it's true.  I only share this gospel not because I think it'll help my life but because I want others to share my joy for my Savior. "Death hath no sting.  Grave hath no victory.  Because of Him."                           

I'm out of time and took the full hour to write this so unfortunately I probably cant get back to any of your emails this week but I'll have much more time in about 2 weeks from now!  I love all you guys back home and especially my family I'm so grateful for you and all your support!  Ya boi G is finally a missionary!  Adios MTC!!             

Texas Forever. 
Elder Gurksnis

Here is the link to the talk that Sam wanted me to post.  General Conference takes place twice every year in our church.  We stay home and watch some of our church leaders speak on the BYU network and it's broadcast around the world.  

Elder Bednar's Talk: Come and See