Another great week down in the mission. I just love this work. This internet run has no air conditioning so I have to try and not get the keyboard wet haha. This week has been a lot of fun. We have been doing a lot of contacting because a lot of our potential investigators haven't come to their appointments so we had to go out and talk to people on the streets or at colleges. It's really fun sometimes and also frustrating because every time they say no to you they're really rejecting Christ and his message. The Thai people believe that all religions teach people to be good and like to tell us that a lot. Or I'm Buddhist already I don't need another religion or don't have time, or another thing. I don't know. But it's so much fun haha. A lot of Thai people are surprised I can even say hello in Thai. We ride the Song Taws and most the time we're hanging off the edge of it cause it's packed haha. Getting around Bangkok is hard even for Taxi drivers. Since I have to lead the area I have to be able to get around and tell the taxi drivers where to go.
Last Monday was cool. We had an appointment with a couple of people that day and one of them fell through so we didn't do too much for P-Day except TEACH REPENTANCE! haha but yeah it was fun. Tuesday, we had our English class and some people from the English camp came so it was good. I still teach Intermediate so they understand some and speak some so it's really cool. One of the Elders in our district has to go back to Laos to renew his visa and stay there for a week because he only had a 30 day one in Thailand so we have Elder Bunker in our companionship now for a little while. Last Friday, Brother Bawg got interviewed for Baptism and passed. He's such a cute little old guy. He's so happy all the time and was helping the members move houses. He wants his family to be an Eternal Family. He has 3 kids and a wife but the wife works on Sundays, and the oldest daughter is in Korad so it's gonna be a lot of fun. He's so humble and has so much faith. Last Sunday he was baptized by a Less Active member named Brother Wisud. Brother Wisud invited him to learn about Jesus Christ so he took the lessons with us and got baptized. It was such a miracle. He has so much faith and he was so happy after he was just smiling the whole time. It was such an amazing experience. I love teaching people about repentance and seeing the process of conversion and the change that they go through.
This week, during my personal study, I came across these verses in John 15:
18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
I've faced a lot of persecution and met people that don't really like missionaries that much. When I read these verses I realized that I'm doing the Lord's work and Satan does not like it. They don't hate me personally they just don't like my beliefs and pretty much me. Since I'm not doing things of the world, and teaching people not to be of the world, people don't like it because it's a hard thing to do. It's really easy to give into worldly desires and become like the world but it's not good. It doesn't bring real happiness. It's hard to follow the commandments and Jesus Christ but this life shouldn't be easy. Eternal Life shouldn't come easy. The commitments we give our investigators help them on the right path but we can't force our agency on them. Everyone has their agency whether they choose good or evil. I'm learning a lot of patience on my mission and also what true joy and happiness is. This Gospel does change lives and I love this calling, to be a representative of Jesus Christ in Thailand. I love you all and miss everyone!
Elder Decker
เอ็ลเดอร์ เดคเคอร์
Thailand Bangkok Mission
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