Fwd: Another Transfer in Buriram

From: Colby John Decker <colby.decker@myldsmail.net>

Subject: Another Transfer in Buriram
Date: March 26, 2017 at 10:15:28 PM PDT
To: Robin Decker <Robinlynnd@gmail.com>

Hello Everybody! My week has been another good week like usual. We went to this ruin place called Phanom Rung I think I don't remember what it's called but it was cool. Saw a lot of stuff. We had transfers last week and I'm staying another transfer in Buriram. My new companion is Elder Hunt and he's from Australia. He was my DL in Surin but they white washed Surin and he came here. He's cool. He's half Korean. I have to learn two languages now, Australian and Thai. It's pretty rough.

There has been a lot of rain here for some reason and it's not even rainy season so it's even more hot and humid but I love it here. It will be this bright sunny day and all of a sudden it starts pouring buckets. But then it's cold. The members here are so cool. Some people here are bats though haha. I don't really remember what happened this week. The weeks are going by faster and faster. The language is coming along even though everyone here speaks so unclear haha but I can understand what people say now so I'm pumped. I'm still white so I have to speak super clear or they won't understand. 

We helped Brother Tiam with his Banana Farm again and I still don't understand why you need to warm the trees. I didn't know banana trees got cold haha. But yeah he's doing good. We're trying to find him a ride to church, he might just have to hop on the pegs of my bike. 

Sunday Brother Egg got the Holy Ghost and said he wants his daughter to get baptized too. He wants us to visit her at her house but make it seem like it's not an appointment but we're just homies stopping by to chat with him. Our goal for this transfer is to meet with all the members in the ward and try to get them more involved with missionary work. It's the best way to get active converts because they already have a friend that's strong. It's one of the problems here in Thailand or it's because they work or it's because they don't like someone in the ward. I feel like that's everywhere though but it's pretty common here. The sad ones are the people that don't come to church anywhere because their other family doesn't like Christianity. But I actually love to work with Less Active members. It's probably why I'm here haha. 
This week, I was studying in Alma 29:9 and it says

9 I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.

This scripture is one of my favorite scriptures in the Book of Mormon especially right now because it applies to my mission. It's an amazing experience to be out here in Thailand serving God and being an instrument in his hands. My faith has grown so much over the past couple of months because I've had to trust the Lord more than I ever had before. When you humble yourself, you will see blessings and God will help you. He doesn't like when his children are sad. God wants us to all be happy, that is His perfect plan that he has prepared for us. Being an instrument in his hand and helping his children in Thailand has brought me more happiness than I have ever felt before. It's a beautiful thing to watch the Atonement of Christ change people's lives. People here don't know about Jesus Christ and it's my duty to teach Christ crucified to the people here in Thailand. It's such an amazing experience and I love all the ups and even the downs of missionary work. I love you all and hope everyone has a great week! 

Elder Decker
เอ็ลเดอร์ เดคเคอร์
Thailand Bangkok Mission

Fwd: More pictures

The Trees are Cold

สวัสดีครับทุกคน. This week has gone by so fast. Let me start off this week with a bang. There's this Less Active member I've talked about named Brother Rod. We caught him last Tuesday outside cooking some fish so we were like hey let's go say hi to him. We went over and started talking to him and he wasn't liking it say he doesn't have to to receive us (I don't remember the right word in English). So we were like freak okay let's figure out why he doesn't like the missionaries so I asked him why and he says something under his breath that we don't understand and than throws water at my companion and tells us to leave right now. So we dipped out of there haha. 

But yeah this week was fun. A lot of traveling. We had to travel to Ubon for Zone Conference which is like 3 1/2 hour train ride there. The seats are pretty much wood and no air conditioning. But it was good. Stayed in a hotel that made American AND Mexican food. I haven't had Mexican food in awhile. The Zone Conference was about the Atonement and Miracles. It was really good. 
We visited the Cambodian village on the side of the road and went to go teach them, and when we showed up there was like 20 of them so we sat in the middle and held a picture of Jesus Christ and tried to explain the Atonement in really simple Thai. It was fun. I love Cambodians. 
We had a Stake Sports day in Roi Et which was another 3 hour trip in a สองแถว or a truck that has two rows of seats. It was fun. We lost every time but I got to see some people from my group and the members had fun so it was good. 
One of our investigators received an answer to her prayer when she almost died from choking on a seed but prayed to God as soon as she started choking and someone helped her out. She said God answered her prayer and she knows that Heavenly Father is real. Answers to prayers come in unexpected ways.   
So, we got to help this older guy named Brother Tiam who can play those sick instruments with his Banana Farm. We couldn't find this guy's banana farm but we started asking around and it was literally behind his house haha. But yeah we got there and he's all decked out with boots and a hat and the whole outfit. We asked him what he wanted us to do and he got like a shovel thing and started piling leaves on the trees and we weren't sure what he wanted us to do and he forgot his hearing aids so he didn't know what we were saying. But yeah he started saying something about how the trees are cold so we need to warm them up by piling stuff on them and seemed amazed we never worked on a garden before. But it was fun. Brother Tiam is the homie.
At church, when we were teaching the future missionaries of the ward about being a missionary, the homie West Win popped his head in. He's been an investigator for a long time now and his dad is from South Africa and he speaks English. He's raps in English and Thai and does like graphic design or something. He didn't want me to translate for him because the members were roasting him for not speaking Thai and he's been here for 3 years haha. They were like look at these two guys they've only been here for 6 months. But yeah he's cool. He said he's been thinking about getting baptized so we'll see how that goes.
So this last week I was studying in the Doctrine and Covenants Section 6 and in verse 7 it says
7 Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich.
This verse really stuck out to me because a lot of people think life is about getting as much money as possible and than they'll be happy. But once you start getting what you want, you'll keep on wanting more and more until you're never happy with what you have. The thing we need to be focused on is gaining wisdom, in the Gospel and in life because those things will stay with you after this life. The mysteries of God can be unfolded unto us if we have study the Gospel with faith, and pray with faith, and we will receive an answer to all our questions. God wants to answer our prayers but if we don't humble ourselves and ask him and put in effort, we won't get what we want. Faith is a principle of power. When we exercise faith we will get from God. The stuff we get in life won't come with us after life. In Mathew 6:19-20 it says
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal.
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.
Eternal life is the most precious treasure and gift we can ever have. It will bring us the most happiness. It's a blessing to be out here in Thailand helping the Thai people come unto Christ. I know that the Savior lives and he loves each and every one of us and that God will answer our prayers if we ask with faith believing that we will receive. I love you all and miss everyone! โชคดี  


Elder Decker
เอ็ลเดอร์ เดคเคอร์
Thailand Bangkok Mission

Train Station

a random rice field on the way to Roi Et

Fwd: Thunder Castle

From: Colby John Decker <colby.decker@myldsmail.net>
Date: March 12, 2017 at 10:06:48 PM PDT
To: Robin Decker <Robinlynnd@gmail.com>
Subject: Thunder Castle

สวัสดีทุกคน!!!! This week was another great week on the mission. I'm over 7 months now and still going. The week was good. I had another switch off in Surin last Tuesday with the District Leader there. He's from Australia and his name is Elder Hunt. He was a greenie in the same area as me. He's a really good missionary and just hit his year mark. Really Gang at Thai too. But yeah it's hot over there too. People buy certain color cars for the day they were born here. Apparently I'm born on an orange day so i have to get a orange car. If it's not the color they have a sticker saying this is a red car even though the car is black. 

Wednesday, We went to a soccer game. It was really fun and they're pretty good. It was Buriram vs. Korat and Buriram won 4-0 so it wasn't close but we sat front row so it was pretty cool. We saw our neighbor who plays for them.

Friday, Brother Egg had his interview for Baptism and he passed! Ever since he's met with us he's been changing. The Atonement of Jesus Christ really works miracles in people's lives. He used to drink and smoke but now he's quit and is becoming more and more happy. He got baptized this Sunday, and he was so happy. This place needed some fire in the work. Just needed a little push to get the work moving here in Buriram. Miracles still do happen based on the faith of the people. I had to pass the sacrament for the first time in a long time. We found a little Cambodian Village on the side of the road and they are so nice. We found Investigators there that are interested but they speak only a little Thai so it's something I'm used to. It was another miracle we found it because we weren't even planning on going over there stuff just fell into place. That was pretty much this week. The next week is gonna be filled with meetings and travel haha fun stuff. 

Since it's zone conference this week, I was reading the talk "The Atonement" by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland that he gave to Mission Presidents in the MTC and it was really good. The atonement of Jesus Christ is the most important thing that has ever happened on this Earth. He talks about how it's not all about baptisms. It's about getting Investigators to have faith in Jesus Christ and to Repent and than comes baptism. You should focus on the Atonement in all the lessons because through the Atonement we are all saved. One of my favorite parts in it is when he talks about when the missionaries bear their testimony of the Gospel, they hear echoes of their testimony before this life, when they were in the Pre-mortal World and heard the councils in heaven and accepted the Plan of Salvation. Everyone here has accepted the Plan of Salvation, received a body, and has been on Jesus's side. We're just here to help others remember that testimony that they all have. He said they start to think "I've heard this before." In Corinthians 1:23 it says: "We preach Christ crucified..." and that is what we are called to do. To be witnesses of the Savior and spread his message, even to people who don't accept Him. I was studying in D&C before I read this talk and came across Doctrine and Covenants 100:4 which says:

4 Therefore, I, the Lord, have suffered you to come unto this place; for thus it was expedient in me for the salvation of souls.

Jesus Christ has suffered for all the pains and sins of the world. He has felt all of my sorrow and rejection and disappointment. He has suffered me to come to Thailand and to preach the Gospel unto the people. There will be sadness, there will be disappointment, but Salvation doesn't come easy. I was thinking of that before I read the talk and Elder Holland echoed my thoughts. Salvation shouldn't come easy. It wasn't easy for the Savior. The Savior asked God if there was another way. Why should it be easy for us if it wasn't for him. The Atonement of Jesus Christ really does change people's lives. I love studying The Atonement because no one will every fully understand the topic and it's the most important one. I love this mission and being an instrument in God's hand to bring Salvation to the people here in Thailand. Christ lives and he loves each and every one of us no matter where we are in the world. I love you all and miss everybody! Until next time,

Elder Decker

เอ็ลเดอร์ เดคเคอร์

Thailand Bangkok Mission

Elder Decker's Elephant riding pics

Fwd: Riding ช้าง

From: Colby John Decker <colby.decker@myldsmail.net>

Subject: Riding ช้าง
Date: March 5, 2017 at 8:25:47 PM PST
To: Robin Decker <Robinlynnd@gmail.com>

What's Good! This is Elder Decker from the South Side of China here with another weekly update. This week was a good week. It went by so fast. Saturday I got to eat cheesy corndogs so it has to be a good week. I also ate a black burger from KFC so I still eat the american food. It's crazy sometimes biking in the streets of Buriram and realize that I'm in Thailand. Than I realize it's like 100 degrees and 100 percent humidity. But it's fun. 

So, last Monday we went to Surin to ride some elephants. Elephants are pretty nasty but also pretty dope. The little ones are mean though. We also decided to wear missionary clothes for some reason. But it was a fun, really interesting experience. I'd recommend it to everyone. 

Tuesday, taught some more English. I'm still not good at any language haha. I had to translate the lesson into Thai because there's only two Elders teaching and everyone is at different levels. It's pretty hard. This is the reason why we're allowed into Thailand so I try to make it fun and educational. 

We have a new investigator named Sister Lek and she keeps telling us how Buddhism and the church are similar. Brother Egg (who has a date for next Sunday!!!), is doing really well. He has a smoking problem and isn't legally married to his wife but he's really golden and has a desire to get baptized. In the lesson I straight up told him to quit smoking now or you'll keep putting it off for the next day and he said he'd do it. It's all about building the faith to believe that through Jesus Christ, you can do anything that he asks of you. I love teaching people repentance and also, with love, calling them to repentance. But the work is going good here in Buriram. People are still astonished when I speak Thai because I'm white.

So a story that happened this week, that was super special (or not so special- just typical), was we were riding down the street on a hot, cloudless Thai day when we saw a rice patty field and cows, couple shacks to the left side of the road. (It's weird people drive on the left side of the road). So, we decided to get off the road and see if anyone was home. We got onto a dirt path that had a lot of vegetation on the side and came to the first house and we asked if anyone was home and someone inside yelled out the window that no one is home - so obviously there's no one home- hahaha, same in all cultures. So we went to the next one house after dodging some potholes and cows and saw these two older people, in like there 50s or 60s, sitting down on a old, cement, bench. So, we pull up our bikes to the side of the house and ask them if they want to learn about Jesus Christ. And they said no...

So this week, during my personal study, I was reading in 1 Corinthians 2:9, and it's one of my favorite scriptures. It says:

 9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

It's so good. We can't even imagine, man has never even thought of, the happiness that you will receive if you Endure to the End. Eternal Life is the greatest gift of God and all we have to do is keep his commandments, and love one another for a short time on earth so we can have happiness for eternity. What it all comes down to is loving God. If you love God, you will keep his commandments, You will love his children. You will do whatever it is he asks of you, because you know that he knows what's best for his children. I just want to close with this scripture in 3 Nephi 27:33;

33 And it came to pass that when Jesus had ended these sayings he said unto his disciples: Enter ye in at the strait gate; for strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there be that find it; but wide is the gate, and broad the way which leads to death, and many there be that travel therein, until the night cometh, wherein no man can work.

I love you all and miss everybody!!! Until next time :)
   
Elder Decker
เอ็ลเดอร์ เดคเคอร์
Thailand Bangkok Mission