Hola Elder Gurksnis!
How are you??!!! This week was a fast one for me but I have thought about you all week! I'm hoping your new area is a good one and that you have a good companion. I'm so anxious to hear all you have been doing! It is so hard when I have to wait a whole week before I even know where you are! But I so appreciate your desire to be obedient so I will do my part to support that by being obedient too and not asking for pictures during the week:) Are you healthy? Eating good? Sleeping better? Feeling strong?
How was it meeting the Flygare family? Was it hard to say goodbye? Did you like the little stuff I sent you? I have heard they are having trouble getting mail in Guatemala now and packages specifically. Have you heard anything about that? There are some delivery companies that apparently take trips to Guatemala and deliver packages to missionaries there. I'll have to look into that. But what have you heard about the mail?
Well our week was a busy one. Abby started school Monday and we left Tuesday for Provo. We moved Grayson into the dorms Wednesday and got him settled in. The bad news is we met his roommate. Honestly, I did not see a more awkward kid on the entire campus. I thought he had a mental disability at first. But then he pulled out his 5 Rubik cube trophies (not the kind with 9 panels on each side... these are the crazy hard ones with like 24 panels on each side) and placed them in a position of prominence on his bookshelf. So the guy is probably crazy smart but sooooo shy and awkward. I kept talking to him because I was afraid to look over at Grayson's face incase he was freaking out. Actually Gray handled it really good. We told him to be sure to be nice and include him, but it was okay to meet lots of other people. And that is what he is doing. I think all the fun orientation stuff has been great and he is meeting people. If nothing else, the strange roommate will be good mission training for difficult companions! I know he will have great times and difficult times ahead, but for now he seems to be doing great and is happy.
I feel so blessed that you and Grayson get to attend such an incredible university. Dad was really getting his first good look at the campus and he was blown away. It has a different feeling than other college campuses. You really can feel the spirit there and it really is a privilege to go to BYU.
We had our Seminary kick off tonight and we start in the morning. No more summer sleeping in for me! I have 2 autistic kids in my class and 1 boy who hates coming to seminary and apparently sneaks out and walks the halls the whole time. I'm a little nervous for my new class. I just hope we have the chemistry that I did with my last class. Here is my reading assignment for you for the next week (starting September 2): Matt 1-3, Luke 1-3 and John 1. We basically cover the birth of Christ - meeting John the Baptist. I would love any insights you can give me! I'll keep sending you my reading assignments 1 week ahead.
President Platt came up to me tonight and told me how much he loves your letters. He said he always smiles when he reads them. He's really proud of you!
Here is my spiritual thought I wanted to share with you. This comes from a lesson I'm preparing. Once Paul, on one of his missions, stumbled upon a troubling sight in Athens. An altar was built and the people were worshiping at the altar. Inscribed on the base of the altar was, "TO THE UNKNOWN GOD." It has me thinking about my relationship with my Heavenly Father and Savior. How well do I know them? If you think about an event like a car accident, there are different ways to know about it. You could read about it and feel bad for those involved. Or you could actually see the accident take place and see the wreckage. But it is quite different to be in the speeding car and feel the loss of control and you spin toward the impact. We can compare that to how well we know Christ. Do we read about his life and know things about him? Or maybe we feel the spirit occasionally in our life like an out of town visitor. But the best knowledge is when we feel and recognize his love and guidance in our life regularly and he has become our closest brother and friend. I really want to strive for that kind of relationship with Him. I know its possible but it takes great effort. My best effort is required to receive the greatest blessings He has in store for me.
I know you are working on that kind of relationship too. I know you are putting forth your best personal effort and you will receive some of his choicest blessings that he desires to give you. Thank you for your example, Sam. To me and to so many others. You amaze me and I feel so blessed to be you mom. You bless my life in countless ways and I love you so very much!
I'm praying very hard for you! I pray that you listen to the spirit always and stay inspired and safe. I pray that you feel your savior's love and his arms around you. I pray that you can feel your family praying for you and our love for you. And I pray that you are happy knowing that you are doing such an amazing thing! I love you my son! Infinity + infinity and even more than that!
mom
xoxoxoxoxoxoxox
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