Fwd: Oh Holy Night

Begin forwarded message:

From: Colby John Decker <colby.decker@myldsmail.net>
Date: December 18, 2016 at 8:17:39 PM PST
To: Robin Decker <Robinlynnd@gmail.com>
Subject: Oh Holy Night

สวัสดี! How is everyone doing! This week has been a good normal one. I didn't do anything crazy for P-Day just went to Indian Town. I didn't even know there was such a thing. Got some cool fabric to make into ties for Christmas.

On Tuesday, we went to Asoke for our interviews. Someone in our district got assigned to be a Zone leader so we had another emergency transfer. Someone from Laos came in to take his place. I teach the intermediate class in English class now so they can at least speak some sort of English which is nice haha. Still don't know how I passed English class.

On Wednesday, I had a greenie switch off with Elder Bair who came a transfer after me so he's brand new. We taught like 6 lessons that day and some crazy stuff went down. I gave a blessing to a Vietnamese mom who hadn't been to church because sometimes half of her body became paralyzed and she couldn't move. Than we taught a member's dad who isn't a member and he went on a rant on how he can't quit smoking but he hasn't received an answer to his prayer. I told him that how can we expect blessings and answers if we don't keep God's commandments. Than he said it's impossible for him to stop. So it'll be fun continuing to teach him. That day I understood so much more Thai than I ever had before and was a further witness to me that the Lord qualifies those he calls.

On Friday, I went to get my Visa renewed. The place is huuuugggeee. It's like a stadium. But a lot of useless space. Later that day we had to practice for the Christmas party on Saturday because I was an angel in the nativity and they sang Oh Holy Night. I don't like singing but I did it anyways haha. I played piano for it too.

On Saturday, we pretty much spent most the day helping the members with the Christmas Devotional/Nativity/Party thing. It turned out really well. I sang in front of people which was weird. But yeah I was an Angel and sang pretty good. A lot of our investigators came and said they liked it a lot. Brother Tea is so close to baptism he's so cool. He sleeps only 2 hours so he can go to church. He quit drinking coffee as soon as he heard it was bad. He loves the scriptures and loves to serve people. He speaks English and Cambodian and he's so humble. He finds joy in making omelettes for people at his work. He's a stud.

I've been really blessed on my mission and know that God has helped me so much with the language and everything. I've never prayed harder in my life and studied as hard in my life, as I have on my mission. The Lord qualifies those he calls and I have no clue how I can read and speak Thai even though I speak it like a 5 year old. I've experienced an emotional roller coaster since I've left, but I've never been happier in my life serving others and teaching people the Gospel. This has been the best Christmas I've had because I'm not focusing on myself but on others. Once you start turning outward instead of inward you become a much happier person. I love the Gospel. I wouldn't be where I am today if I didn't have the Gospel in my life. It's a gift that everyone should have but a lot don't know about it. The Harvest is bountiful but the Laborers are few. Keep spreading the Gospel through your actions and words! I love and miss y'all!!!

Elder Decker

เอ็ลเดอร์ เดคเคอร์

Thailand Bangkok Mission

Fwd: Pics

Begin forwarded message:

From: Colby John Decker <colby.decker@myldsmail.net>
Date: December 11, 2016 at 7:40:47 PM PST
To: Robin Decker <Robinlynnd@gmail.com>
Subject: Pics

Fwd: Light the World

Begin forwarded message:

From: Colby John Decker <colby.decker@myldsmail.net>
Date: December 11, 2016 at 6:58:16 PM PST
To: Robin Decker <Robinlynnd@gmail.com>
Subject: Light the World

Waddi khab thug khon! This week has been fun! Thailand is still Thailand. It's Christmas time in Thailand which means pretty much the same as any other time. But there is a big Christmas tree in Future Park. It's good. No one here knows about Christmas or if they do they think it's about presents and lights because of Western Culture making it about it. They call it a falang holiday. It's fun telling them the true meaning of Christmas. 

So last Wednesday was P-day for our zone and we went to see a sunrise and the Beach in Pattaya and Chonburi. We're allowed to go in the water up to our knees so it's pretty cool. The sunrise was cool. Thailand is cool. We got back and one of our recently baptized members (Brother Day) asked us to teach one of his friends. We show up to Tammasat University and go into the building and meet this college student named Badger. We go up the stairs and into a little class and me and my companion thought it would be vacant and we would teach a lesson and head out but we walk in and it's a full on class going on with like 40 students and 5 international teachers. We sit down and we found out we were his special guests to help discuss his project we have never seen before. It's for his final exam things and they were doing projects on how to make Tammasat a better place. So he shows his project which is like Grade Your Professor from the U.S. and we had to give comments on it and make suggestions on how to improve it. It was crazy haha. But after all of that we talked to him and he used to go to a Catholic school and he liked how at church they ate and sang songs so he wants to come and Brother Day said "Wow that was so easy." Really weird situation haha. 

Friday I went on another companion switch off with the Zone Leaders in Don Meaung (Idk how to spell it in English). It was really cool and we were pretty much teaching lessons the whole day. We were inviting on this bridge to Big C and Central and I've came to the conclusion that Thai people are way more friendly than White people (falangs). The Zone leaders name was Elder Bruce and he's a stud. I learned a lot from the switch off. Saturday another miracle happened. Sister Ice who we've been trying to meet with for like 5 weeks came to church on Sunday and the baptism after. We taught her the day before because she keeps on putting off her Baptism date and we told her to come to the baptismal service after church. So she came but right after the closing prayer she left so fast. Which reminds me Brother Gan and Brother Ben got baptized Sunday. They where the investigators of the other Elders. It was so cool because Brother Gan had a smoking problem but got over it. Another miracle. Being a missionary is so weird but so cool. A lot of people think we're college students though.  

The Church has this Christmas message called "Light the World" which is really good. I again encourage all of you to do it and share it with friends and families. It has activities every day and ends on Christmas to help us become more like the Savior. It's on LDS.org and Mormon.org. The true meaning of Christmas is lost in all the gifts and lights and all the extra stuff. Christmas is really about the Savior and his life. The world has changed the true meaning of Christmas and it's up to all of us to bring back what Christmas is really about. The Savior brings happiness and joy to people's lives I've seen it and can testify that if you have the Savior in your life, you have so much more happiness and peace. He is the way and we should all try and be more like Him. Love you all and miss all of you!!! 

Elder Decker

เอ็ลเดอร์ เดคเคอร์

Thailand Bangkok Mission

Fwd: Pics

Begin forwarded message:

From: Colby John Decker <colby.decker@myldsmail.net>
Date: December 7, 2016 at 4:22:01 AM PST
To: Robin Decker <Robinlynnd@gmail.com>
Subject: Pics

The guy in the yellow is Brother Chay. He lives by the Church and comes into the church whenever we open it. He's my favorite. 

Elder Decker

เอ็ลเดอร์ เดคเคอร์

Thailand Bangkok Mission

Fwd: Safari World

Begin forwarded message:

From: Colby John Decker <colby.decker@myldsmail.net>
Date: December 6, 2016 at 11:38:24 PM PST
To: Robin Decker <Robinlynnd@gmail.com>
Subject: Safari World

Hello everyone. I don't have much time to write this week. Last Monday we went to Safari World and it was so cool and not sketchy at all. We rode in a bus and drove through these exhibits and giraffes and ostriches stuck their heads in the window. It was seriously so cool. I also got to hold a crocodile. haha 

Last Sunday, one of my Investigators got baptized and we had one of the members do it. Her name is Sister Lob. She was a former who came back and wanted to be baptized. Really spiritual experience. It's cool giving someone else the opportunity to baptize someone. 

We had zone conference on Monday and it was sort of a Christmas devotional. We played games, watched It's a Wonderful Life, and exchanged white elephant gifts. Than after we had training and sang carols and stuff. It was really fun. 

I love the mission. Having the opportunity to serve the Lord and bring people unto Christ is the best thing I can be doing right now. Serving the Lord at Christmas time is so special. Thinking about others this Christmas has brought me closer to Christ. No one is perfect but we can all be more like Christ and develop Christlike attributes. I recommend to all of you to do the Light the World activities. I love you all and miss you all!   

Elder Decker

เอ็ลเดอร์ เดคเคอร์

Thailand Bangkok Mission

Fwd: Thanksgiving in Bangkok

Begin forwarded message:

From: Colby John Decker <colby.decker@myldsmail.net>
Date: November 27, 2016 at 3:07:37 PM PST
To: Robin Decker <Robinlynnd@gmail.com>
Subject: Thanksgiving in Bangkok

Hello Everyone! This week has been a good week. For Thanksgiving we had AKA's. It's this buffet place where you have a grill in the middle and you cook your own meat on it. It was so good I never had that much meat in my life. Didn't have pumpkin pie though which was really sad but an Elder in my district got pumpkin pie from a family and gave me some. At the end they have a lime shot so you don't get sick and it kills all the bacteria I think haha. But it didn't really work. Then we taught lessons the whole day. 

Monday we went Ice Skating at Future Park. It was really cool haha. I'm not good at Ice Skating but the Thai people aren't either. It's in this huge mall. It was fun though and they have this Christmas tree up but no one here knows what Christmas is really. 

English Class is going well. I'm still teaching basics. I'm seeing some of the people I contact there so it's really cool. There was this one guy there named Oh who is 21 and wants to learn English so he can go to U.S. to sight see. He said he was interested to learn about Christ because we have a 10 minute Spiritual thought on the Savior that's supposed to be extra English at the end of it that I did this time. But he said that he wasn't free like most people here say. Oh well. I'll keep trying. He's really cool.

We are having a lot of new investigators just not show up. I guess it's a thing here. Idk. We went to this new investigators house and he told me to speak to him in English cause he understands it a little, so I just bore my testimony in English. It was really weird but cool. It's weird teaching in English, which reminds me. We taught Tea the other day who's a Cambodian who speaks English and Cambodian and a little Thai so we had to teach him in English. It was weird. I forgot the first vision in English until I had to give it. It was such a cool experience cause the Lord was helping me out. Tea's a Christian which is different for me and he carries the Bible around with him everywhere he goes. His parents aren't and he says it's hard being the only Christian in his family. He has such a good heart and we gave him a Baptismal date for Christmas Eve. 

There was another baptism Sunday for another companionship. Her name was Sister Sea. They found her at a College campus and she's pretty cool. We filled up the font the night before but the day of the baptism all the water was gone and it was completely dry. It was so weird but it got filled up on time and everything worked out.

This week I've been reading in Mathew and in Mathew 3 it talks about Jesus Christ's baptism. And in it John asks why he's baptizing Jesus, Jesus should be baptizing him. And in verse 15 it says "And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him." Jesus is the perfect example of Obedience. Everything he does is for God. He got baptized even though he was perfect and had never sinned in his life. He teaches people by example. Everyone needs to be baptized like Christ was baptized. I'm here to be God's instrument in teaching his children the Gospel and I've really received a lot of help and done stuff I never could have done by myself. This is a marvelous work and I'm so happy to be on the front lines teaching Repentance to His children. I love you all and miss everyone! Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!   

Elder Decker

เอ็ลเดอร์ เดคเคอร์

Thailand Bangkok Mission

Fwd: Random Picture

Begin forwarded message:

From: Colby John Decker <colby.decker@myldsmail.net>
Date: November 27, 2016 at 3:25:50 PM PST
To: Robin Decker <Robinlynnd@gmail.com>
Subject: Random Picture

This was a random picture from the airport in chicago haha  

Elder Decker

เอ็ลเดอร์ เดคเคอร์

Thailand Bangkok Mission

More pics

Modeling

Pics

The house in the trees

First Transfer

Hello Everyone! It was the end of the first transfer in Thailand and halfway done with being a Greenie. This week has been a good week. We got another greenie in the house and the one that just finished training left for the North. I found out Rangsit is strictly a training area so I'll either be training next transfer or moving. I was a little sick last P-Day and lost another 7 pounds so I've lost 20 pounds now haha. I'm starting to fit my shirts better. We taught English Class the other day and teaching English is hard. I don't even know how to explain how to make most of the sounds in English. I contacted this old lady that lived in Vegas named BJ. She was a black jack dealer in the casinos. She speaks really good English. She's funny she yells into the phone.

We painted a member's house the other day. It was such a Thai way to paint. We barely had anything to cover the floors and the paint was so watery so it was fun. It took awhile but it looked really good actually. Thailand does stuff in the most sketchy way possible haha. Some lady came over who is a painter and said she could've done it faster but the member was like how much you cost and she was like 3-4,000 Baht and the member was like they did it for free. Dropped the mic and walked away. She also gave us some Ice Cream.

The other Elders who live with us finally found a house. Now we won't have 6 Elders living in a house for 4 Elders. We saw a house or something in the middle of some trees, it was weird. I sent a picture. You can see they have a ladder leading to somewhere over the wall. The other picture of me wearing my favorite tie (just for the picture then I had to put back on my black one because we are still in mourning for the king. Don't know when that will end). I bought some fabric and had a Thai lady make some ties out of it. It's my favorite tie. I traded the other ones I had made.

We're contacting (calling) all of the numbers we've gotten from our street contacting this transfer. We don't knock doors. Sister Gung missed sacrament meeting so she won't be getting the Gift of the Holy Ghost for two weeks because it's Stake Conference next week and Elder Wong from the 70 will be there.

This week I started to read "Our Search For Happiness" By Elder M. Russell Ballard. It's really good. It talks about the church to someone who is investigating it. I love personal study. There is this story of a Firefighter who was saving children from a burning building and he got all the children out and he went back in because he thought he saw a baby in the crib. The building exploded and they found him next to the cradle covering an unscratched doll. I love stories of heroism and admire them. The greatest hero of all time is Jesus Christ. He suffered for us more than we can imagine. He did what He did because He loves us and wants us to be happy and return to live with God again. He overcame death so that all of us can be Resurrected and live forever with our families. This knowledge is what drives me everyday and what I love to share with people. I love this Gospel and the amazing spiritual experiences of serving a mission. I love you all and miss you all!

Elder Decker
เอ็ลเดอร์ เดคเคอร์
Thailand Bangkok Mission

Fwd: The Waters of Baptism

Begin forwarded message:

From: Colby John Decker <colby.decker@myldsmail.net>
Date: November 13, 2016 at 7:42:11 PM PST
To: Robin Decker <Robinlynnd@gmail.com>
Subject: The Waters of Baptism

Today was a good week. It actually went by really fast. We had a district meeting to get 200 numbers at the end of the transfer and we're really close. It's really easy to invite on the college campuses haha. But yeah it's good we're seeing a lot more new investigators and more potential investigators. I went on two switch offs with greenies this week and it was really cool. We have no clue what people are saying so we're relying on the Spirit more. I went with Elder Bunker one day and he got in the same time as me so it was fun. I was the senior since it was my area. We taught this Cambodian who doesn't know how to write and Elder Bunker almost told him to write down his feelings in a journal but I stopped him. I went with Elder Chandler the day after and he's been out a transfer longer than me and we taught a Catholic and it got ugly. It's weird teaching non Buddhists. But the Lord really helped me. I was saying words I didn't even know and it was so cool. It made sense too haha. Reminds me of 1 Nephi 3:7 how God will help you out because He's given you a commandment. He doesn't put you in a position to fail.

So we taught this new investigator named Sister Noy (pronounced like soy but with an N) and it was interesting haha. We were teaching her about prayer and the Godhead and took her into the Chapel and she passed out after like 3 minutes. She just fell. It was so weird. We think she lives at a mental hospital but we don't know. She asked us if there were spirits there. Really creepy. Just the Holy Ghost haha. But the next lesson was better she didn't pass out this time. Idk what's up. 

We had the 50th anniversary the other day and it was cool. It was all in Thai so I had no clue what was going on. Apparently Thailand used to have a missionary band. They sang some EFY type songs in Thai and a lot was dedicated to the King. Pretty cool. Met some people who took a picture of me. I didn't understand the connection at first but it was like "My brother in law is the bishop of your ward back home." Pretty cool. 

Now the cool part. Friday Sister Gung (shrimp in Thai) had her baptismal interview and she passed. It was out of no where. She changed and was ready to be baptized. We've been teaching her for like 6 weeks and before that. But yeah I had the opportunity to baptize her. Her name is super hard to pronounce, her full name, and even the senior missionaries in my area didn't know how to pronounce it. I asked a member and wrote it on a piece of paper. It was so hard haha. But when we got in the water (was my first time ever doing this) I just knew what to do. The water was green and cold. I did it my first time which was a miracle in itself. Really cool and spiritual experience. We hadn't had a baptism all transfer so I didn't even know it was possible. I never felt the Spirit so strongly before in my life. I don't know the words to even explain it. It drives me now to keep on grinding and trudging through the everyday life of mission work. I love it. No matter how stressful it is. If I don't feel tired at the end of the day I didn't work hard enough. I know that through the Atonement of Christ, we all can repent and become clean so we can return to live with God again. It's what fuels me everyday. I Love Y'all and miss y'all!​​

Elder Decker

เอ็ลเดอร์ เดคเคอร์

Thailand Bangkok Mission

Cheap Yeezy's

Another great week in Thailand. The days are really flying and I feel like I'm not learning enough and fast enough. It's almost the end of the transfer already. The Mcdonald's is good here haha except the fries are cold but they got a jumbo size here and it's only 200 baht. Little kids are still riding motorcycles down the busy streets of Thailand. And the food here is still good. Green curry is so good. Yesterday we had this pumpkin stuff in coconut water at a member's house and it was actually good. But we miss a lot of meals cause we're so busy. I've lost like 13 pounds already haha. It's sweet. 

We went to MBK last week to shop and I didn't buy anything. They sell fake name brand stuff for super cheap. I also found out I'm really good at bargaining. If it's not a 1/3 of the price I failed haha. I helped get someone some yeezy's for like 40 US dollars. I saw so many falangs there it was weird. I haven't seen white people in awhile haha. But yeah I rode a train there it was cool. 

So we had mission conference this week with all of Bangkok and Elder Wong from the Area 70 came in to speak to us. He said he gave the best talk in Cantonese ever in General Conference (because it was the only one). English is his second language and he says some pretty funny things. For like 5 minutes he was talking about how Thai people are shy and that Americans are so aggressive. It's true though. He thinks I live in a Casino. He said that time is running out and it's so true I only got two years to be a missionary. 

English class is so much fun. I teach the basic basics the ABC's. It's so much fun. I do a lot of my contacting off the English class cause English is big here. I learn something new about English whenever I teach it haha.

Brother Tai is still learning how to read Thai. We teach him every Monday. He still lives with his wife so we can't baptize him. But we still teach him and he's so ready to be baptized. Brother Wichian is the other person we teach and he's so frustrating. He won't humble himself and forgive others. So we told him we can't teach him until he changes and shared D & C 20:37 with him. Members don't like him cause he's been learning for like 3 years and comes to eat the food.. He always disappears right before the interview. He comes to church almost every week though. Sister Ice is a 19 year old college student who kinda can speak english. She accepted a baptism date but wants to know for sure first. She's come to church twice. She says I play piano really well. She's the typical 19 year old girl haha. Sister Shrimp (translated from Thai) goes to church to flirt but she has a baptism date and says she's keeping our commitments. We have to find more investigators.

We did service for a member the other day. We cleaned his front yard. We found the biggest spider there that was missing two legs and walks funny. But he gave us some pizza company pizza after and it was cool. Pizza here is actually pretty good. 

I was preparing for a lesson the other day and I came across a couple verses in Alma 37:36-37 and these verses are so cool. It says to cry unto the Lord for support. Everything you do, say, or think, let it be in the Lord. Talk with him when you do anything, at all times, and let your hearts be full of thanks. And if you do these things, you will receive the greatest gift of all and that's eternal life. Personal Study is my favorite. If we pray to God always, whenever we have a decision to make or anytime you want, we can ask God for help and He's willing to help as long as you're obedient to him. If you aren't, then he isn't bound to help and pour out his blessings. Everything we have is of God's so there's a lot to be thankful for. I'm thankful for this mission and giving my time and talents to the Lord to help his children learn about him and receive the gift I've had my whole life. I love this Gospel. Sorry this email is long again. I try to keep it short. Love y'all and miss y'all.

Elder Decker

เอ็ลเดอร์ เดคเคอร์

Thailand Bangkok Mission

1st Birthday in Thailand

Hello everybody. My week has been so cool. I forgot it was my birthday haha. I woke up and my companion was like happy b day and I was like oh yeah. Than I had the primary program which went well I think I don't know I could't understand what they said to me haha. Than at dinner with these members I remembered all of a sudden and was like oh yeah it's my birthday haha. They sang happy birthday in English and they didn't know the words but it was so cool. I love contacting. Talking to people in the streets is so cool. They get so scared of you it's so funny. They're surprised a westerner can speak Thai sort of. 

We played soccer with a bunch of members last P-Day who played college and semi pro ball. I scored a goal and got a couple assists but you know no big. They were pretty good one of them just got baptized and he's the homie. 

The Thai is coming but so slowly. I had a switch off with another Greenie  named Elder Oaks and he was so good at Thai but he was from the group before me. We went and taught this investigator who is ritually married but not legally married because he is Cambodian and his wife is too. So he can't get baptized but he says his wife is leaving to Cambodia so he might be able to haha. Than I had another switch off with the Zone leader named Elder Hunt and he's so cool. He's half Thai and is so happy all the time. He says hi to everybody in English and Thai. Idk why he switched off with me- I must have a label because I'm from Vegas. But it was so cool. So cool week.

Something else that was cool that happened this week is there's this Less Active who we keep on trying to meet with and kept on bailing or when we got close to his house not pick up his phone. His name is brother balm I think is how you say it in English . But yesterday he came to the church and after sacrament he told us he had a dream that the church was locked and he asked the Elders how to get in and they told him to repent. It was pretty sick. I love it here. 

My testimony of the Gospel is growing stronger every week. You see God's hand so much in life but we don't stop to see it. I took the Gospel for granted before my mission and the truths I knew. Seeing people here light up when they hear the Gospel is so cool and all the sacrifices people make for the church. A refugee member from Cambodia who sells ice cream brought his little cart to Church to give the primary kids Ice Cream and the Elders. We helped him bring the cart back to his house and he lived in this little tiny apartment. They don't have much but they are so happy. I'm blessed to be in such a sick mission with so much adversity and trials. This Gospel brings people happiness. The Plan of Salvation brings people happiness and I can testify I've seen it change people's lives and made them so happy. I love you all and miss y'all!​​

Elder Decker

เอ็ลเดอร์ เดคเคอร์

Thailand Bangkok Mission​​

Rangsit Week Something

Another week down in Thailand and still I see things I thought were not possible. The people here are so funny and the members have such strong testimonies and make so many sacrifices for the church. They live in these little small apartments with a blanket to sleep on and the floor is tile. There is a lot of people here ready to receive the Gospel but the stuff we teach them are so foreign to them. They have school on Sundays so since this is a college town a lot of people can't come to church which is frustrating. But the Lord has prepared people way before they met us. 

I'm losing so much weight here it's cool. I ate honey toast or bread this week and apparently it's a thing in America but I never had it and it's bomb. I've eaten so much rice here it's crazy I actually like rice now. The sticky rice is so good. Americans don't know how to make rice. For P-Day last week we couldn't do anything fun because it wouldn't be appropriate at this time of mourning. I don't even remember what I did. 

I have to play piano in church a lot and meetings and they want me to play piano for the primary program and those songs are so hard. They sing songs so fast here and they don't know how to follow the pace of the piano. They got frustrated with me and told me to practice a bunch cause the program is this Sunday. It's even harder cause I don't know what they're saying but the little kids can speak a little English or can read it or something. It's good though I need to use my talents. 

We talked to a lot of Less Actives meetings this week and we scheduled a meeting with a LA and an investigator with an Recent Convert who knows more about the Gospel than me and a strong member. I called the LA if he was gonna come and he said yes sir but never showed up haha. People are so nice here I'd rather them just be honest haha. We also went on a search to find a recent convert who is a semi pro soccer player and he is so goofy haha. The names are hard to write out in English. Brother Wichian is close to get baptized but whenever I call him he asks for my companion haha. I try. We've been cleaning the church cause some important people are coming but we're not invited. 

I was reading in Alma 22 the other day and it's so similar to the Bangkok Thailand mission and also other ones but a lot for Thailand because they don't even know about Jesus and that they can be forgiven for their sins through the Atonement of Jesus. The simple truths we take for granted most people don't even know about here. It's our job to teach them the things through the Holy Ghost and not assume they know something  But the Lord has been working on them throughout their lives and preparing them to receive the Gospel. This Gospel is true and I'm blessed to be serving in the Best Mission. I miss and love y'all.

Elder Decker

เอ็ลเดอร์ เดคเคอร์

Thailand Bangkok Mission

P.S. The Mountain dew here is not good.

More Pics

Another Week in Rangsit

Waddii khab errybody! This week was pretty crazy. I walked through a river to get to the internet cafe. First off for P-Day we went bowling in Thailand which is actually so much fun. I never bowled that well in my life. I got some ties from thailand and started the tie business. The food here is pretty good. I ate some coagulated pig blood. It had a weird texture. I'm not dead yet so that's cool. One of the Elder's in my district had a heart in his noodles. But the food is pretty spicy here haha jk it's so spicy. They call me a baby but it really is. It's real good though the sticky rice here is soo good. I had KFC here and it was pretty good the ketchup was weird and they had some bomb spicy chicken wings. It didn't agree with me though haha.

The people here are so nice. They'll say they'll show up to your face just to be nice, or give you their number, but they won't show up or pick up. The members are so nice here. They try to help me with the langauge. A lot of the words sound the same so it's hard. But I'm trusting the Lord that he'll help me. All 6 elders share the same room so the floor is just filled with beds. The cockroaches here are huuuuggee. I only make myself breakfast the rest we eat out because it's less than a dollar it's like 30-40 baht. 

Our investigators are doing good. This 19 year old dude never picks up his phone and sleeps all the time so it's frustrating. The work has slowed down a little. We don't really know what to do based on recent events. Everyone is so sad. We have restrictions on what we can do and wear. But it's all good. The work will continue. No days off. The English class is so fun. No one can say R's haha they say L's  instead. I can't roll my R's either so it's okay for me to say that. I know English so i actually enjoyed teaching it haha. The Elders here are really cool. 

Church was so weird. I didn't know what anyone was saying. The Members try talking to me I just nod my head haha. They had this pumpkin spice curry for lunch and it was so weird. They have lunch after church which is really genius actually. 

The toilets here are so cool. They have sprayers that are so convenient. America needs to get some of those. Anyways love y'all and miss y'all!

Elder Decker​​      

Another one just for fun

Hahaha! I am sending this just for fun. Made me laugh. Culture shock😳

Begin forwarded message:

From: Colby John Decker <colby.decker@myldsmail.net>
Date: October 9, 2016 at 10:02:57 PM PDT
To: Robin Decker <Robinlynnd@gmail.com>
Subject: Another one

Another thing. The people here like to touch you when they talk to you. They grab your elbow skin or just the arm when they want your attention. Or they put their hand on your thigh. They say I have a lot of strength and touch my arms.

Pic

Me and my khuu in the internet cafe