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