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