The Domino Effect

Hey everyone! Hope everyone had a great week! 

So first off I got my christmas package from my mom this week. And I also got this awesome Christmas gift from the Opfars and I want y'all to know that I seriously love it!  Thanks so much for thinking of me.  In the christmas package from my family was a big christmas tree drawn on this monster paper and these "ornaments" which were different pictures of Christ.  On the back were messages from a bunch of different families from my ward back home.  I loved it so much!  It means so much to me to have so much support and so many prayers from my ward back home. Ive always loved my home ward but yes Ive realized that I definitely took all of the amazing families and leaders for granted.  Just wanted to say thank you for the example that all of you have set for me and again the support I know I have from you guys back home.  Y'all are amazing.  I also had some family pictures with little notes from each of my family members on the back of them... needless to say it was really rough reading those.  I loved them so much.  Thank you guys, all of you!

So as far as this week goes not too many crazy things.  I had the opportunity to baptize our investigator Fredrick Adolfo Ambrocio Aquino this past saturday!  I have his full name memorized like the back of my hand because I was super nervous I was gonna screw it up in the baptismal font so I practiced like crazy haha.  It was truly an amazing experience. He asked me to confer the Aaronic priesthood on him as well and that was pretty incredible too.  Both were firsts for me! I wouldn't be surprised if he's the best investigator I have in all my mission.  He has a desire to serve a mission already and is already preparing!  It makes you realize how even though it's one person and one baptism, how many more people than just one you're truly affecting.  All the people that he eventually affects in his mission is because we found him and were able to teach him.  And all the people that I affect on my mission are because of the missionaries that taught and baptized my dad in this church.  It's all a big miraculous domino effect of the Lord's work.  

We have a few more solid investigators.  December will be an interesting month because we have a lot of different types of investigators right now. We have one named Ana Lusia.  She was an original contact by Morgan and Cano, Morgan the companion of Cano before me.  But originally she didnt want to really listen to the lessons.  But something has changed and she really wants to be baptized!  She is really really doctrinally and "Bibley" smart and has a lot of great questions, but we've done a good job I think of responding to all of her questions with solid answers.  

As far as spanish, I think I really hit a new stride this week and I'm really starting to understand not everything but a lot!  It's starting to really improve!  Maybe another 2 months or so and I think Ill be super solid with spanish.  

To end this week, I just want to give a quick shout out to my mom.  I promise you that no one has a more amazing mother than I do!  She did so much to prepare me physically and spiritually for this mission.  She has done and continues to do so much for me.  The other day me and Cano ran out of money for the month because of a TON of sucky coincidences, and she was so worried and emailed our finance officers and sent a card and all this stuff all because she didnt want me to have to be without money for a while.  Just a small example of everything she does for me.  Mom, I love you so much!  Can't wait to talk to my family on Christmas!

Next week!

Texas Forever, 

Elder Gurksnis

 Guatemalan doorways can be hazardous to your health.

Great reunion this week with some of Sam's friends from the MTC.

The greatest 8 year old EVER!

Well if you haven't read many of my emails I would read this one! haha Well we had our baptism for Marcos this past Saturday!  It went great. He is honestly the most awesome 8 year old I've ever met in my life. He's hilarious and so nice.  His reaction in the baptism was so funny when he walked down the steps into the cold font water.  Priceless. Lol The next day at church he sat next to me after he had his confirmation.  He was just so awesome and kept asking me these questions about the church and the spirit and everything and he's just the most awesome kid.  He's had some family problems I think.  His dad who was baptized about 4 months ago had a relapse on his alcohol addiction and showed up to one of our lessons with Marcos completely drunk.  It was really sad to see and just awkward.  But were gonna go visit their family again this week and see whats up.

No leche comments this week haha but its honestly just funny!  I love the people here so much already.

My funny story for the week... so we went to this inactive families house the other night and talked and stuff and the wife gave us sandwiches with nothing but ketchup, mayonnaise and a cold hot dog in sandwich bread.  I got through it, thank you haha.  So we had a follow up this past Friday.  I was nervous because i knew she was going to offer us food again and refusing food is about the rudest thing you can do here.  She set down about 6 tortillas on a plate with what she said was eggs beans cheese and this sauce inside.  Doesn't sound to bad right?  She said "hope you like it its a little bit of an experiment."  Well this wasn't your average McDs breakfast biscuit.  I took one bite of tortilla wrap from hell and hollllly crap.  I don't know how but I got that one bite down without throwing up all over her couch.  I waited a few seconds and asked, "Hermana do you have any water or fresco by chance?"  And I'll tell you what son... the second she turned around I stuffed the rest of that thing in the front pocket of my shirt so fast.  She had set 6 down on a plate.  Thankfully, Cano has a gift/curse and can literally eat anything.  He was dying laughing and at the same time crying inside from the food.  But he took one for the team and downed 5 o 'em suckers.  He was up a lllllll night puking it up. But I think thats a story I won't forget haha!

So Thursday I think it was, we were on our way to the house of one of our new investigators, Bertha S.  She lives in not a super sketchy area but somewhat sketchy.  The second after we had left the appointment before, I immediately had this super weird feeling.  I felt like we shouldn't go to her house and I had no idea why.  I wasn't ignoring the feeling, but I decided I wouldn't say anything and just wait til we got to her street and see if I was still feeling that way. So we get to her street and I just told Cano, "hey hombre hold up. Lets pray real quick."  It was something we had never really done before and he just looked at me weird and asked why?  I said straight up I have no idea but I just feel like we should.  So I said a prayer for us, and as soon as I said "amen", Cano said we can't go to this appointment.  I hadn't said anything to him about my feeling before that.  And I just said, "alright I'm feeling the same thing. I guess we'll just go to a members house and wait for a little bit."  We were talking about it and were just like dude that's just weird that I was feeling that and you felt the same thing after the prayer.  So we get to the members house, and POP POP POP!  We hear about 4 or 5 gun shots coming from the direction we just came.  It was pretty nuts, to say the least. We went back to Bertha's house about 2 days later and she just said she heard them too but didn't see anything.    I'm just thankful!  I don't know what would've happened but I've always known not to ignore promptings from the Spirit but never had it been so strongly demonstrated in my life obviously.  But that's the thing about living here, although it's dangerous, I'm not worried in the least because I know as long as were being obedient and listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost, nothing bad will happen.

So thats all I got for this week.  Loving it here more every day.  Our first change is this Thursday but I won't be going anywhere. Changes, btw, are every 6 weeks and it's when missionaries get sent to different areas or change companions but not every change.  But it's a possibility that Cano moves, but I dont think he will because he still has another change of training to do with me.  But well see!

Hope everyone has a fun safe week!
Texas Forever,
Elder Gurksnis

… thy adversity and afflictions shall be but a small moment...

Hey everyone!

Another week in the G.  I can't tell y'all how fast time goes here its honestly weird.  Pday (preparation day … each Monday) and then another pday and then another.  Super fast.

First shout out to my favorite brother because big guy turned 17 on the 10th.  I was pretty homesick thinkin about you but I hope it was a great one bud love you so much!

So I have a quote of the week this week jaja.  This guy Elder W is in our zone and he got in the transfer before me.  Hes such a good dude, but such an Idaho/Utah kid whos the most innocent guy on the planet haha.  We were on a bus to go to eat on Pday and he was talking about his girlfriend.  He shows me a pic and I just said, "yeah dang dude shes a cutie!" "Yeah, Elder she really is.  And she gets her braces off in TWO WEEKS!"  hahahahahaha Maybe it was a had to be there moment but I had to keep myself from crying laughing in that moment.

I'm a little frustrated with the locals now.  I can't tell you how many ridiculous things happen with them.  They all try to speak english to me and say phrases and sometimes its hilarious. Like we were walking home last night at like 830 pm and this group of gangsters yelled, "Good morning!" That was funny, but most of the time they just know English cuss words and they scream them at me. haha The other day we were walking in the street next to the soccer field and everyone stopped playing and came up to the fence and yell, "Hey Leche!! mauh muah muah!" Leche means milk............. so done with the locals. hahahahahah they make for good stories though.

I'm also so stoked to get the Christmas package my mom sent me this week!  Cant wait to see all the useful stuff I get in this one like the "LOCTITE fun-pack Mounting Putty" I got in the last one!!!! ;) Just kiddin mom, I couldnt resist though.  Hahaha

Not too much happened this week that was too out of the ordinary,except the beginning of the week was rough with my comp.  He's very hard to explain but he's really quick tempered and doesn't like to do anything not his way. 95% of the time hes great but the other 5% is really absolutely horrible sometimes.  We were in an argument and it was pretty bad.  I was seriously mad and I just kinda left the conversation and went into my room and opened my scriptures and the first thing I opened to was Doctrine and Covenants section 121 I think.  For those that don't know too much of the story of Joseph Smith, he was imprisoned in one of the most horrible prisons you can imagine for doing absolutely nothing but being the leader of the Mormons.  The Mormons in that time experienced horrible opposition to the point where many were killed by mobs and were forced to flee across the country in the dead of winter when countless members of the church died.  Not to mention the prophet Joseph Smith was killed by a mob along with his brother and many others. Anyways thats a huge story but I'll get to my point: I opened to D&C 121 when Joseph Smith was in Liberty jail. Joseph had been in this unimaginable horrible place for months and he felt as if God had forgotten him and he began to pray very hard and this was the answer he received, "My son, peace be unto thy soul.  For thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment."  It seems a little dramatic but me and Cano were on the verge and I honestly just wanted to go home at that point.  And when I read that, it's honestly something I'll never forget the sense of peace I felt at that moment.  I felt like I wasn't just reading it but Heavenly Father was really saying that to me in person.  I just had the biggest overwhelming feeling of calmness and peace Ive ever felt.  Again something I'll never forget!  (By the way me and Cano are fantastic now and were getting along great and working hard!) 

The next day, we went to Silvia's house to teach a lesson (one of our investigators).  She's read the BOM completely and knows its true but she doesn't come to church.  We have always thought its because she has problems with the chastity. And it turns out we were right, because she's pregnant lol.  But she was telling us her boyfriend left her when she found out and it was just some crap.  So I quickly had the thought to share that same scripture.  She started crying and we had a great deep discussion with her.  Hopefully this changes things and she comes to church this week.  I think it will!  We're baptizing Marcos this Saturday and Fredrick the next.  They're both awesome.

Anyways, theres my letter for the week.

Texas forever.
Sincerely,
Leche

No letter Monday...

This is Kristen, Sam's mom writing this week.  Usually Sam emails us each Monday.  Which he did do… we got to email back and forth a little bit in the morning.  He said he would be back that evening to write his weekly letter… but we never heard back from him.  Needless to say, I was a little nervous about it especially considering the dangerous area he is in.  Did the power cut out?  Did he run out of time?  Did the gangs get him?  (Welcome into my head this week.)   So I've been praying a lot this week for him.  Praying that he is safe and protected and happy.  Praying also that I will have more faith and peace.

So late last night I checked my email and I had an email from Sam's camera (it has wifi so it uploads pictures to me whenever he has access to wifi) with some pictures of Sam smiling, happy and eating.  It was a tremendous blessing for me.  A tender mercy from my Heavenly Father who knows my heart and concerns.  I thought of two quotes this week that have helped me.

"There are times we have to step into the darkness in faith, confident that God will place solid ground beneath our feet when we do."  - Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"All men have their fears.  But those who face their fears with faith have courage as well."  - Thomas S. Monson

This is a journey for Sam for sure.  But what I didn't expect, it is a journey for me and our family as well.  We are learning and growing along with him.  I'm so proud of my son.  Love that boy!

Last week, we also received some pictures showing us his lovely apartment.  He said he couldn't catch any of the rats on film.  UGH!  Not exactly a clean freak, that boy:)

Things I miss… cute girls, cute dogs, and Sunday with my family.

Well another good weak in Guatemala!  

I had my first baptism on  and although it looks like he was super mad about the salvation of his soul, I promise Hermano Carlos was actually way pumped ;) Guatemalans have a thing for not smiling in pictures.  But yeah he's actually hilarious and has the funniest laugh haha.  We have another baptism thiwith Marco.  He just turned 8 years old and hes the son of Jose Jon who was baptised about a month before I got here.  Not kidding when i say hes the coolest and sweetest 8 year old on the planet.  Every time we go into a lesson he's smiling with his like 5 teeth and gives us a huge hug when we get there and when we leave.  He's awesome.  

We have an investigator Fredick who we knew from the first 20 minutes he would be baptized.  He's absolutely awesome.  He's 20 years old and super cool.  He's read almost through Alma in the Book of Mormon in about a week and a half.  We gave him a baptism date on the second lesson of the 22nd of November.  And then we have Silvia who if she gets to church every once in a while, we will baptize her on the 22nd as well.  

That's our toughest problem.  The people … how do I say this?… lack motivation. For the most part.  There are 600 members in the Limon ward but only 90 to 110 show up each week.  This is something that obviously we aren't used to in the states.  But the people here either have a testimony and don't come because of laziness.  Or dont have a testimony at all and don't come.  But the active members are super active and super helpful and they pick up all the slack.  Its pretty amazing how much they all do and its so amazing to me.  Our bishop is just amazing.  

So a few things I was missing this week... I miss cute girls first off.  I havent seen a pretty girl in two months and I don't think people quite realize the damage that does to your brain.  I have permanent Beer/missionary goggles Lol.  I miss cute dogs.  I have developed a fear of dogs from being here. They all look straight from "dog hell" quite honestly.  About half of them have mainge.  There's this one dog we saw all week with it's guts literally hanging out of its stomach and I really don't know how its still alive.  And all the chick dogs have 8 nipples that drag along the floor as they walk.  Not a huge fan of dogs in Guat.  I also miss my church home... right now its hard because I miss Sundays with my family and I can't really feel the spirit during church here when i can still only pick up things here and there with the language.  Its like they only speak with vowels.  Where are the consonants?

I also now know where all the losing world series/superbowl team shirts go and its not Africa. Its Limon Guatemala.  I counted 3 "Texas Rangers 2012 World Series Champs" shirts this week lol. There's also tons of shirts with English writing… but no one in America would ever consider wearing… so they ship them here!  There was a 70 year old lady at church this week who got up and bore her testimony.  Her shirt said "I love my boyfriend" in rainbow letters and the love was replaced by a playboy bunny.  It was funny but she's amazing. Its really incredible the poverty here.  But the people are incredible.  Seriously I'm amazed every day about how happy they are in the conditions that they live in.

The other day I had a somewhat scary moment.  A drunk guy came up to me just slooossshhheeddd out of his mind but he was trying to talk english and he wasn't bad.  But he kept grabbing me and he was a scary looking dude.  He kept saying he was a lost ship and needed direction, along with literally prolly 20 f bombs in between.  He said he needed direction so what else would I do except give him a Book of Mormon! haha He's now meeting with the elders in that area cause he's not in mine.  

So my spiritual/encouragement thought of the week...  So again we have some amazing members in our ward.  And the difference in success with the work has seriously so much to do with the ward members.  A lot of our success is because of our ward.  So my challenge to my family and all Mormons at home is to BE those members!  Get references.  It's not hard I promise you.  Be friends with the missionaries.  Tell them, if they're tired and need a half hour come by and grab some water, hang out for a few minutes, and get back to it.  The members that are like that here, oh my gosh I can't put into words how much a difference it has made in my attitude.  Do everything you can to help with the work!  "Remember, the worth of souls is great in the eyes of God," D&C 18:10.  

Have a good week everyone!  

Texas Forever, 

Elder Gurksnis

Halloween.. the Sister missionaries dressed up:)  Those guys to my left are my Zone Leaders… Awesome guys!