หนูเป็นผู้สอนศาสนา

Hi. 

This past week was good. Last P-Day, we went to Chonburi (Islands and beaches) again. Very fun… 

We gave a lot of blessings this week it was cool. I never blessed a one year old before. He had a fever and might have RSV. I don't know the vocabulary for it though.

We went neighborhood inviting a lot this week. We are trying to find some solid people. We met a Christian from Vietnam. He had a bunch of Vietnamese workers that couldn't speak Thai. He'll be back next month. We also met this lady who went to Salt Lake City Utah with a Baptist preacher. It was also a very hot and humid week. 

Our investigators are currently facing some challenges. We will อดทน and hopefully they will to. 

We had 2 investigators come to church this Sunday. One has gone 8 times and doesnt want to meet with us yet and the other one is a member's wife. We want to teach her but they are having problems finding time. She is always busy and they don't show up to appointments.

Sorry for this short email. I'm tired. I'm getting too old. I hit my year and a half mark on the 3 of February. 

I want to share a verse in the Book of Mormon in Moroni 8:26-27. I'm almost done reading the Book of Mormon again and I always love the book of Moroni. It's such fire book to end the Book of Mormon. It says:

25 And the first fruits of repentance is baptism; and baptism cometh by faith unto the fulfilling the commandments; and the fulfilling the commandments bringeth remission of sins;
26 And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God.

He teaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ so well and how it's all connected. After we are baptized we have faith which leads us to keep the commandments. Keeping the commandments cleanses our sins when we go to church and renew our covenants. After the remission of our sins we become humble, develop more faith in Jesus Christ and trust in God and do his will. This brings the Holy Ghost which will direct us to do good and comforts us. The Holy Ghost will fill us with hope and love which leads us to pray which in the last day we will receive eternal life. It explains it so well. I've learned so much about the Gospel on my mission but there's still so much to learn. The more I learn the more I know it's true. You can't deny the feelings you get and all the miracles you see in life because of the Gospel. It's so amazing to be part of God's work which "No cause, no force in the entire world can stop the work of God" -Thomas S. Monson. 

I love my mission and am so grateful for all the people in my life that helped me on the right path. I love you all and miss you also. Have a great week!!!

Elder Decker
เอ็ลเดอร์ เดกเกอร์
Thailand Bangkok Mission

Pics: i'm not sure the order but it's some pictures of a couple of dogs that looks like a lion wolf, a picture of the canal, picture of pday, a big church here, and i found scooby snacks

Fwd: More Pics

Fwd: Muang Booran and งานเผยแผ่

Hello Family and friends and คนอื่น​ๆ. I don't know who gets these emails and if people even read them but here is another one in the inbox.

It has been a good week. A couple of our Investigators had some obstacles occur in their lives like getting a job that works on Sunday, working overtime, taking adrenaline (wouldn't recommend), and their phone breaking (I'm hoping).
This past week for P-Day we went to Muang Booran or old city. It's the biggest private outdoor museum in all of humanity. No joke. It's a big deal. It was pretty fun. Got to see more temples. Very exciting. 
Friday, I went on a switch off with Elder Bjarnson who came a transfer before me. I'm so old now. Anyways, it was fun and he's a way hard worker. I feel like this mission has the best missionaries in the world but that's just a 20 year old Elder Decker in Bangkok Thailand saying that. 
An old guy walked up to me at the mall and asked about 5 things that LDS members have to do or have. I was kinda confused. He couldn't remember the 5th one and I didn't know what he was talking about. Something about sacrifice and 3 other things. I can't remember. If any of you know it'll be cool to know. You know. He also could be some apostate member that moved to Thailand. I don't know. 
This last week we had a change to the First Presidency and Elder Dallin H. Oaks is the new First Counselor. I love Elder Oaks, his talks are the best. He speaks so straight forward. You can tell he's a former judge. I watched a video on LDS.org called Love and Law where Elder Oaks talked about loving others and God's Law or God's commandments. I'll provide the link below. You can watch it before reading if you want. 
https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2016-03-0022-love-and-law?lang=eng
In life, we will know people that make decisions that aren't in harmony with God's Law. They can be family members, friends, or people we know. We all know the importance of keeping God's commandments and the consequences of not keeping them. They're pretty severe. But the reward is so much better for keeping them. Elder Oaks talks about how Latter day Saints like to insist on the law without showing love. It's important to show love with people that have gone astray. Jesus Christ showed love to those that didn't follow the commandments. We need to be more like Jesus. I love you all and miss most of you people. Have a great week!

Pics: p day

Elder Decker 

เอ็​ลเดอร์​ ​เฎฃเฆอร์

Thailand กรุงเทพฯ​ Mission

Child Day

Hello everyone. 

I've written too much recently and don't really feel like writing too much today. I got a new companion named Elder Brinkerhoff. He's cool. He's from Indiana. Likes to run. 

We did some missionary work this week, walked, sat on buses, taught lessons, and talked to a lot of people. I'm excited for this new transfer. It will be a great one for sure! Saturday and Sunday was วันเด็ก or Child Day so there was a lot of kids everywhere. They should have it in America too. 

I've been reading and trying to finish the Old Testament because I've haven't actually read it all the way through before. I've been trying to relate it in my life and want to share a couple of scriptures in 2 Kings 2:23-25

23 ¶ And he went up from thence unto Beth-el: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
25 And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria.

What I learned from this is don't call people bald or you will get killed by bears. Have a great week!!!

Pics: Just some pics around town. 

Elder Decker
เอ็ลเดอร์ เดกเกอร์
Thailand Bangkok Mission

Another One in Bankapi (more)

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Elder Decker
เอ็ลเดอร์ เดกเกอร์
Thailand Bangkok Mission

Another One in Bankapi

Hello! A great week in Bangkapi. Last week we went to Siam Park for P-Day. It's an amusement park. Ate at Chocolate Ville.

We met with a couple of firey Christians who told us we are sinning by teaching false doctrine and are going to the opposite of heaven. It was kind of funny though. I actually don't know what church they belong to but they believe Jesus has already come.

We did a lot of house to house inviting to find some more souls. You look to see who's outside their house and talk to them through their gate. Everyone here has gates so you can't actually knock doors. We met a cool family who has a cute little 3 year old boy. They came to English Class yesterday and will go to church. 

We talked to this one guy who likes to read classic novels that I've never read and some I've never even heard of. We said there's a book that will change your life that is better than any book you've ever read and then gave him the Book of Mormon. It's pretty cool. More people should read it.

Ate Mama with Brother Joke at his house. 

I helped some members move some furniture and paint dressers. I don't know how to paint. 

This week is transfer week, which is why I'm writing today. I'm staying and my companion is heading to my old area Buriram. Elder Brinkerhoff will be my new companion. He was in the MTC with me.

It was sad hearing about President Monson passing away. He was such an awesome prophet. His talks were always good. I want to share a quote from one today from a BYU devotional. 

"The happy life is not ushered in at any age to the sound of drums and trumpets. It grows upon us year by year, little by little, until at last we realize that we have it. It is achieved in individuals, not by flights to the Moon or Mars, but by a body of work done so well that we can lift our heads with assurance and look the world in the eye. Of this be sure: You do not find the happy life—you make it" 

("Attitudes of Accomplishment," BYU devotional, May 19, 1970).

I'll let you all take what you want from this. I personally like it a lot. I know that we have a prophet of God that leads us and guides us in these latter days. He communicates to God and receives revelation that will help our families have the most happiness. I love you all and miss everyone! Have a great week!!

Elder Decker
เอ็ลเดอร์​ เดกเกอร์
Thailand Bangkok Mission

สวัสดี​ปีใหม่

สวัสดี​ปีใหม่ทุกท่าน!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Sorry I haven't emailed since last year. I can't believe it's already 2561. Last year, I was a missionary for all of 2017 and I have to say it was the best year of my life. I just love this country and the people here and this awesome work. It's way sad I won't be a full time missionary for all of 2018. Now, at the end of the year, I can look back and see how much God has blessed me and has made me an instrument in has hand for bringing the message of salvation to his children. I'm excited for this new year. 

This past week has been good. I love this area. Talking with the family was way good. Everyone is so much older now. Eli is a man now... Haha but it was nice to see that there are faces behind the emails.
For Christmas we went to President's house and ate some food there. At night we went to Family Home evening at a members house and we ate food and sang Christmas carols at her neighbor's houses. 

Tuesday, Skype family, taught English class.

Wednesday, I had to go to the place where you renew your Visas. It's a huge place. It was my last time renewing my visa.

Friday, taught Pang and Champ. Pang came to church yesterday, and he wants to be baptized. He was a random church walk in. We stopped by the church real quick to use the oval office when we met him. He was looking at the gospel art pictures. He's a motorcycle taxi driver. Champ his friend stains wood. He wanted to stain all the wood in the church. 

We met with a member named Brother X. He's cool. He knows the Bible really well. He also has a nice house. Than we went to another person's house who is one of our Investigators who had a referral for us. The referral was drunk and also was probably not obeying the other parts of the Word of Wisdom at the time so it was an intersting meeting. To summarize it he wanted his posterity to inherit his knowledge of English and Jesus Christ after he learns with us. He also wanted to sleep at the church all day for months and have us teach him all day. It sounded like fun. 

Yesterday, we invited neighborhoods for New Years Eve. New Year's is a way huge thing here where everyone goes back to their homes and spend time with their family. A lot of people have left Bangkok but there's still people here so we decided to find those that are with their families. We found a sick graffiti paintinf of I think Obama (maybe). I'll attach that to this email. Met a drunk guy. But we had someone let us into their home. He wanted his child to go to English Class and take us to visit his Scottish friend in Pattaya. He was way nice. 

Since it is New Years it's a good time to reflect on the year that past by. All the good things that happened to us and also all the not so good things that happened. Then, make goals for the next year to be better both physically, mentally, and especially spiritually. If those not so good things happened because of your disobedience to the commandments of God, you can set goals to obey God's commandments so that you can recieve those blessings that God has in store for you. If you're getting chunky, set a goal to workout everyday. If you have a problem reading the scriptures everyday, repent, and make a goal to read it everyday for the year and I'd hope, for years after that. A lot of goals or new years resolutions as the kids nowadays are calling it, that we make only last for maybe, if we are way diligient, a couple of months and then we stop and don't do those goals. If we look at our end goal in our lives, which is eternal life, the shorter term goals to achieve that loooong term goal of eternal life become more important. From the new Preach My Gospel Chapter 8 part about goals it says "Goals reflect the desires of our hearts and our vision of what we can accomplish. Through making goals and plans, our hopes are transformed into action. Goal setting and planning are acts of faith." If we have a desire and our hearts are set on the goal of eternal life, we should make goals. These goals should lead to action. Goals are acts of faith. Show your faith and make and keep goals to help you recieve the big goal that has the best reward in the end which is Eternal Life. But you have to start with the little things like reading your scriptures and praying everyday. I'm hoping this made sense to someone and will help. Happy New Year everybody. Miss you all and love you! 

Pics: the graffiti, by the canal, a rice field, in Bangkok and some fish. 

Elder Decker
เอ็ลเดอร์​ เดกเกอร์
Thailand Bangkok Mission

สวัสดี​ปีใหม่ more pics

More pics of stuff