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
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