A Missionary's Christmas

This week rather than sharing experiences I just wanted to share this poem I wrote last night. It is without a name so far, but I hope you can feel the spirit as you read it. Merry Christmas family and friends!

Yes, how can I help you sir?

Hello, its me! Do you not recognize me?

The one they once brought Frankincense, Gold, and Myrrh.

Well, I am not Him, but Him I represent.

It was for Him, and by Him I was sent!

I know ye not, leave my house stranger.

You are not He who once lay in a manger.

No! Forgive me for you misunderstand!

I am just a messenger of He who was born in Bethlehem.

How may I know that what you say is true?

I have not once spoken, nor seen, nor ever heard of you.

I understand. Don't worry! It is for that very reason

That we knock your door in suit and tie this very Christmas season.

For although He was born, suffered and died,

He lives! He lives! He lives, I testify!

Though born a humble birth He is our King!

For He reigneth today for that grave had no sting!

We declare He is risen and guides us today

Through living apostles and prophets who show us the way.

These are the tidings of great joy that we bring

That He will come again, that great and glorified Being!

Our God loves us and you are His child.

When you do good He looks down on you and smiles.

He knows your troubles, sorrows and fears.

He knows when you are lonely, distraught and when you shed tears.

He knew we would sin, so He sent us his Son.

Another name by which we can be saved, sir there is none.

That great example and teacher born of Mary

We can one day live with, rejoice and tarry.

Although a cold night, I feel warmth as you speak.

I would like to know more of the things that you teach.

A hot fire I can offer you if you will please come in.

For this Christmas there shall be room, room at the inn. 

Testifying of the Plan of Salvation

This week I learned maybe more than any other time in my life about the Plan of Salvation.

First I had divisions with Elder Guerrero, an Elder in our zone. We had a few lessons and I could just see how grand his testimony and his spirit were after just a few minutes. He's fairly new to the mission but his testimony is incredible. After having a few killer lessons we were talking that night and he told me about his story that he hasn't told anyone in the mission before. 

He's 21 years old and first sent his mission papers in at 18. For one reason or the other, it took him 3 mission calls to finally leave. The first two were because of random small things. But about a year and a half ago, he was living in Chile while his parents were living back home in Peru. His family went on a vacation while he was studying, and as they were driving up a third level parking garage, the car took a turn over the edge and fell three stories upside down to the first floor. The car exploded, leaving 8 family members dead. His parents, brothers and sisters, and two aunts and uncles all died in the accident. The story was on the news the following day.

We taught the plan of salvation to a new family, and listening to him bare his testimony about how he knows without a doubt that families can be together forever was incredible. Such a strong spirit. 

I used to think that I had been through a lot in order to be here, but that put things in perspective. I couldn't have done what he did. He told me he wishes the mission was longer and how two years is just not enough time. 

I'm truly grateful for Elder Guerrero and how his testimony strengthened mine. 

The Plan of Salvation is the plan that God has prepared for us since the beginning of time. We know we lived with God as spirits before we came into this world and we followed Jesus' plan to come to this world to receive a body and pass through difficulties and trials as well as times of happiness and joy; To decide if we will follow Christ and take advantage of His sacrifice and repent and be baptized for the cleansing of our sins and endure to the end, or no. We aren't expected to be perfect, but if we try we know we can have eternal life and life with our father in heaven WITH our families together for the eternity.

I used to think that this was common knowledge, but as President Uchtdorf taught in the last general conference, sometimes we don't realize how lucky we are to have that simple knowledge! 

I am grateful for the Plan of Salvation and I know its true. I hope we can all reflect on how lucky we are to have this perfect plan!

Love,

Elder Gurksnis

Don't my arms look "yuuuuuge!"

Eggs and bread for Thanksgiving! Yum!

Howdy everyone hope you all had a great thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving here was a normal day I literally ate eggs and bread for dinner but I didn't think about home too much so it wasn't awful hahaha

Just dying every time I here how amazing my Cowboys are playing and how once playoffs role around I'm probably going to have to call my Mission President to get him to talk some sense into me when I want to go watch the game. I cant even think about the superbowl cause I would seriously DIE! You can all go to my house and look at my old door that has holes in it from cowboys games from like 5 years ago (something to do with a last second loss from a Romo interception sound familiar?). 

Anyways it was a normal week. Struggling with my companion a little bit just because he has a very different way of doing everything and he doesn't want to work super hard. But I'm trying to be patient. 

We were fortunate to have 2 awesome baptisms on Saturday! Gabriela and Aurora. I sang a hymn in Spanish that I thought went really well and the spirit was very strong. 

I also saw someone from my first area in Limon that was a great member there in the streets! We talked for a while and she told me how the family Elder Funes and I had baptized went inactive for a bit after I came home, but they've been back in church super strong for the last 6 months or so. That was super comforting. She also told me Fredick (my favorite convert) is now married to a less active we were teaching there as well and are working on being sealed! Trying to get details on that because I will be able to go to their sealing if that happens while I'm here! 

I finished half way through the New Testament this week and particularly love the book of Romans, written by Paul! In Romans 5:19-20 ¨For as by one man´s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover... where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.¨ 

Here it is talking about the Fall of Adam and the relationship with the Atonement of Christ. By the fall of Adam we became sinners, but by the Atonement of Christ we may have eternal life and be forgiven of our sins! Where sin once abounded, the grace of the Savior superseded! I love this scripture. It teaches us that we are not born in the sin of Adam, thanks to the sacrifice of Christ. Read the whole chapter for a better understanding (Romans 5).

I know of the importance of the Atonement and that it is real. I know my Savior lives!

With love always,
Elder Gurksnis

Ch ch ch ch Changes...

Well it was a good ride in Tierra Nueva (New Land). It feels short though. Ive got changes tomorrow and still dont know where ill be headed. I only had two changes here and im pretty bummed because i have some great friends in this ward and will miss our converts and people were currently teaching.

I didnt think I would have changes, but yesterday in sacrament meeting i was pondering about it and thinking how i would feel if i did. Looking around and seeing 8 investigators in church and 6 of 7 converts all there. A total of 14 people that were in the church of God listening to His word because we were able to teach them and through us the Spirit and Heavenly were able to change their lives. Of 140 people in sacrament meeting 10% of them were there because we were obedient and hard working missionaries.

That was an incredible blessing and feeling. So although Ill miss it here, Im happy with the work that we did to grow the Kingdom of God here in a small town in Guatemala. 

I remember my feelings of inadequacy I had when first being called as a District Leader and Trainer in a new area with my short time. I studied about it the other day and found the story of Moses in the Old Testament when he was first called as a prophet. He told God, I dont speak well and essentially Im not fit to do this. He later became maybe the most famous prophet to have ever lived. 

I know God gives us great callings because he knows we are capable of completing them. I do not fear where Ill be going or what ill be doing because i know the Lord has in store something special for me, just as He has something planned for each of us. Im not scared to take on great challenges because I know Heavenly Father is with me although I may sometimes feel inadequate for the task.

I testify that this is the church of God. The bible and the Book of Mormon are true and are both testaments that Jesus is the Christ. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that Thomas Monson is a living prophet today and his 12 apostles are true apostles of the Lord.

Have a fantastic week! With love always

Elder Gurksnis

3 Months Down

3 months down shawty 9 to go what it do whas hatnin. 

I also heard my Boys have won 6 in a row. Apparently the cowboys only win when i leave the friggin country because last time i left they went 13 and 3 and now theyre rolling again so ill just stay here if thats what it takes for them to get a ring!

Great week of work. For whatever reason in Guatemala its just really hard to teach full complete families cause normally one is interested and another not so much or whatever the case may be. But this week for the first time we had an entire family of 5 in sacrament meeting (La Familia Argeta). Theyre honestly progressing amazingly and theyre kids are awesome as well. That was an amazing blessing. 

We also taught the Gomez family this week. I wrote about them a while back but we had a lesson with them with my old companion that didnt go so great and so we hadnt visited them for a while. They were more or less contending a bit with us and it just wasnt our best lesson. We had a lesson with them Friday... all week I had been thinking about what we were going to teach them. They basically struggle with the Book of Mormon and that we claim to have the priesthood so i was just thinking what chapter can we read with them or what can we teach to help them with the Book of Mormon. But I just had a strong spiritual prompting every day that we needed to teach them about Sealings in the temple and how families can be forever even though wed already mentioned it. I kept it in the back of my head until Friday morning I finally accepted the prompting. 

The lesson was maybe the best lesson Ive had in my mission. The spirit was so strong I can truly say my skin was like hot and had goosebumps the entire time. Their attitude toward the church had completely changed. Their walls were let down and they finally accepted that this could actually be the truth! They committed to finally pray about what we had taught them, for they have read a few parts of the Book of Mormon but have never prayed about it. 

My first day in this second mission i made a few goals and my first goal was to baptise an entire family that I can come back to Guatemala to see them sealed in the temple. After their first lesson about 7 weeks ago I had a dream where I saw that page I had written on and a picture of them next to the writing. I was sure it was Heavenly Father trying to tell me to not give up on this family even though they seemed somewhat rough at first for lack of a better word. I had forgotten about it honestly until that lesson. 

Im so grateful that I have the knowledge that my family is forever and I can live with them for eternity. It is one of the greatest blessings of the gospel. I know it is true and how important it is to live worthily to be able to enter into the temple to complete that sacred ordinance.

Love you alll and have a wonderful week!

Elder Gurksnis

Persistence...

Some up and downs this week. The best part was that Estuardo was baptised on Friday and it went great. Hes seriously converted to the gospel and is already planning to serve a mission. Incredible!

The rough part was it seemed these last few days all of our appointments were falling through and every door we knocked seemed to shut fairly quickly. One lady in particular saw us and started screaming ¨Oh no ones home! No ones home!¨ Wagging her finger in my face and shared a little bit of spit on my nose lol. She opened the door and as she opened the door holy crap I think I counted literally 27 cats in her house. They all attempted to leave as soon as she opened the door. She kicked em all back in and shut the door behind her as she left to go buy bread from another lady in the street. But the door was left cracked. 

It started to open and I noticed and saw all the cats about to get out so I shoved the cats back in the house and tried to shut the door. She turned around and saw me with my foot in the door and hand on the handle and assumed I was trying to enter into her house uninvited...Oh boy. What a scene. This lady just screamed and screamed and cussed and cussed at me. 

I attempted to explain that I was trying to help her and not let her cats out but she literally turned her back to me and started talking to some other lady in the neighborhood and pretended not to hear me. After realizing this chick doesnt care just wants to cause a scene against the Mormons I reached in my pocket and said, ¨Can I atleast offer you a small card with a picture of Jesus Christ?¨ I will fully admit that although it may not have appeared to be, it was my snarky sarcastic way of messing with her after causing that scene ;) lol

While I wanted to say oh sooooooooooo many things to that ¨playa¨ (Those who know a little bit of spanish will get that joke lol) I refrained. I think toward the end she did realize that I was trying to help her because of the manner I was speaking to her but her pride just wouldnt let her admit it. 

I immediately thought of the scripture, 

¨And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.¨ Matthew 10:14

I know the Lord is with us. I feel His presence every day. I know this is His work. When something like that happens or a door is slammed in our face I always think of Jesus on the cross saying, ¨Forgive them Father for they know not what they do.¨ 

There is nothing one can do except press forward. My companion and I wanted to just go home after that because we were both fairly sad and upset, but we kept knocking doors until finally the last one of the night opened up. It was a non member with a cousin in the mission who was super happy to see us. We shared the Restoration with him and it was incredibly spiritual. He is now progressing and a solid investigator. I know that would not have happened had we decided to give up and go home. 

I love the Lord and I love HIs work. Im grateful for the miracles I see every day. I hope you all have a good week! 

Love you all,

Elder Gurksnis

541 Pages.

What it do party people

Solid week in the Guat. Pretty wiped out today so keeping it short. 

The miracles we see every day are incredible. Its weird to be so accustomed to them that I dont think much about it anymore. Of course I thank Heavenly Father for his amazing grace that He continually shows us, its just crazy truly how many miracles weve seen.

Among the many people we are teaching right now, 3 are 100% future missionaries who have baptisms coming up soon. But they leave with us all the time and help us teach the lessons. Theyre all incredible and their desire to serve the Lord in such a short time is miraculous. I love this work. 

One simple, but powerful scripture I was pondering this week is in Helaman 5:9 "O remember, remember my sons, the words which King Benjamin spake unto this people; yea remember that there in no other way nor means whereby man can be saved only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come; yea, remember that He cometh to redeem the world.¨ 

The atonement of Jesus Christ is incredible. I know the blessings it brings when we choose to apply it into our lives and Im beyond grateful for the change it has brought about in me personally, and all of our investigators. 

The Book of Mormon is true. A 541 page book that testifies of Christ in the way that the Book of Mormon does in all the immense and miraculous stories could not be written by one man with a third grade education as Joseph Smith was. Rather it was written by true and inspired Prophets, and later translated by an incredible yet humble man in Joseph Smith, who I also know to be a prophet of God. Together with the bible we have the fulness of the gospel on earth. 

Love you all,

Elder Gurksnis

Happy Birthday to Sam!