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

Here Comes the Sun (more pics)

Fwd: Here Comes the Sun

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

Subject: Here Comes the Sun
Date: February 26, 2017 at 8:43:35 PM PST
To: Robin Decker <Robinlynnd@gmail.com>

Another awesome week down. The temperature is getting hotter and it's getting more and more fun to ride bikes haha. I didn't realize how hot places can really get. But yeah the week was awesome. Last week for P-Day we went to some place on our bikes that had these stairs that went up to a temple. There was like 300 stairs and everyone thought it was funny white people were doing it. It was really cool though. 

On Tuesday I went to Surin for a switch off with Elder Shipp who is a transfer older than me too. Our district is so young the oldest person has been out for a year. It's the city of Elephants but I haven't seen one yet. But yeah it was really cool to serve in a different area. It's a little poorer than Buriram and a lot more people. But the people are so nice and cool. 

This week has been good. A lot of miracles. Brother Egg accepted a baptismal date and he's so cool. We've seen a lot of good things happen because when you work hard, the Lord blesses you. This last Sunday, we watched a video from Hong Kong and I had no clue what was going on because the email was translated from English to Thai so they were using some hard words haha. 

A guy named West Win came in who is an eternal investigator, and I couldn't translate for him cause I had no clue what was going on. He's really cool, he's this black guy from I forgot where but he raps in Thai and is like an Attorney here. It's crazy he comes to church.

Well I don't have that much time but I'll leave a little spiritual thought. When times get hard, we can always look to the Lord to help us through these trials. Having a prayer in your heart really does help and God doesn't want to see us unhappy, He made a Plan of Happiness so we can be happy because who doesn't want to be happy. When times get hard here, I can always look to the Lord for help and you have to be humble enough to call unto the Lord for help. 

I love you all and miss everyone!!!!

Elder Decker
เอ็ลเดอร์ เดคเคอร์
Thailand Bangkok Mission

Biking in the rain! 

Fwd: Jehovah Witnesses

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

Subject: Jehovah Witnesses
Date: February 19, 2017 at 8:53:53 PM PST
To: Robin Decker <Robinlynnd@gmail.com>

The J Dubs live on our street and we pass them every day. Sometimes our investigators accidentally go to that church because it's so close to ours haha.

Fwd: Another Week in Buriram

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

Subject: Another Week in Buriram
Date: February 19, 2017 at 8:52:39 PM PST
To: Robin Decker <Robinlynnd@gmail.com>

Hello Ewybody! This week has been pretty cool. I'm starting to get used to Buriram. It's really different from Bangkok and people speak so differently here. But the work is coming along. It's getting really hot here and biking is becoming more and more fun haha. It's really convenient but the dogs like to chase after you and you don't wanna get bit haha. It's a lot more pretty than Bangkok though that's for sure. There are a lot of buffalo here and it's offensive to call people a buffalo so you gotta be careful. Also, I met one and almost died because it got really aggressive but I biked away. I have a pic of it. The members here are really cool they actually make funny jokes that I understand. Sometimes they say stuff and I don't know if it's like a Thai inside joke but I don't understand why it's funny. I'm starting to understand more so it's definitely a miracle and because of all the prayers from family and members around the world.

So this week, we did a lot of biking. Like a lot. It wasn't my bike ride amount but it felt like a lot. We were visiting a lot of the sick people in the ward that can't go to church. They have so much faith they just can't get to church because it's hard to get a ride there and they're just not physically capable to. We also visited a lot of Less Active members because there are so many lost sheep here. We actually had a miracle. Brother Rod who the elders have been trying to get a hold of finally talked to us when we went to his house and he got chairs for us. Apparently before, he would just ignore them or he would say he was someone else, tell them he was going home and walk down the train tracks even though his house was right there haha. He would walk back after 15 minutes and go into his house and close the door. He built his house and it's like a little shack. He's so buff he built his own weight lifting stuff out of cement. He also has this little garden. He doesn't really have much and works everyday so he says he can't come to church. We gave him ice cream one day when we caught him leaving his house. He's a really nice guy with a lot of faith. We just have to keep praying for him.

We trimmed a members tree and helped put up a fence for her. Her dad was there and he speaks straight Laotian so I had no clue what he was saying. It's similar to Thai but the tones are different and they don't have as many letters. I didn't know the vocab for it so I did a lot of pointing and yes/no questions haha. But yeah it's different work than in Bangkok so it's good. The food is so SPICY. 

We watched a missionary conference from Bangkok because we're too far away to go and I think the new Primary President talked and Elder Evans from the Seventy talked. It was really good. They talked about following up with people and helping them understand what you're asking them to do and seeing if they know why it's important. Also about working with Church Leaders because sometimes they do stuff that isn't the way you would do it but you have to do it because they have the keys. It was really good.

There's this old member named Brother Tian. He's a straight boss. He plays these two instruments and he's like 85 years old and can't come to church because it's too cold now I guess. But he's so cool. He talks about his 45 year old son who lives at home all the time haha. He said he's the only one in Buriram that can play them and he got so happy and I was impressed. I have the videos. But yeah he's my favorite.

So we're having problems getting investigators to church. A lot of them have a testimony that the Book of Mormon is true they just don't come to church so they can't get baptized. We're trying our hardest to get them to church but they just don't show up. It's so frustrating haha but salvation shouldn't come easy. Just gotta keep praying and doing your best and miracles will come. It's so true. 

We met this former instigator named Danni and he speaks the craziest Thainglish. It's so hard to understand but he's really cool his family lives in Texas and he said he'll read the Book of Mormon. He reads Warren Buffett hahahaha. I saw it on his desk, I don't know too much about him though. 

So this week in my studies I was reading Helaman 5 and it's such a good chapter. In Helaman 5:12 it says 
 12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

If your foundation is built on Christ, you literally can't fall. You build a strong foundation by doing the basics (reading scriptures, praying, going to church, keeping God's commandments). On these things your foundation is built. I love 1 Corinthians 10:13

 13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Every temptation you meet can be overcome. God doesn't send us to earth to fail. He wants us to succeed and come back to live with Him again because He loves us and wants the best for us. He has given us ways to overcome temptation and that is to pray always. If you always have a prayer in your heart, Satan has no power over you. If you do the basics and build that foundation of faith, you can overcome any temptation. I love teaching the Thai people the basics to help them develop their faith and overcome temptation that everyone faces. It's so cool to see the Atonement work in the lives of people. This work is God's work and I see miracles everyday. Miracles aren't always these huge things. They can be small - we just don't take time to step back and realize what it is. 

I love you all and miss errybody!!!

Elder Decker

เอ็ลเดอร์ เดคเคอร์

Thailand Bangkok Mission​

 DSCF0444.MOV

​​

 DSCF0446.MOV

​

Fwd: Buriram! Buriram! and Biking

Hello everyone. This last week has been good and full of change. I got transferred to Buriram which is a province on the border of Cambodia. It's a big soccer place because they have the best soccer team in Thailand here. I also had to buy a bike because it's a biking area. I just love biking haha. But it's pretty cool and the weather is cold right now it's all the way down to 80 degrees. All the people here have on coats haha. They speak really unclear here and it's a different dialect so it's really cool. They're more friendly than the Bangkok people. My companion is Elder Manwaring and he also is a transfer ahead of me so we're both really young still haha. It's a two Elder area so it's just us here. He's really cool and he's a white guy from Southern Cali. 

So I left my greenie area finally. The members in Rangsit sang God Be With You Till We Meet Again and said they'll miss me, so I'm glad they liked me. Brother Tea left his work to give me one of his omelettes which are so good. But yeah last Thursday I left Bangkok on a bus to Buriram which took 7 hours and made a couple of stops in the middle of no where. The food here is so much more spicy. Our days here are really cool. We actually meet at member's or investigator's houses here instead of the church. We visit a lot of Less Active member houses because Buriram is a ward but only 30 something people go every week. It's really funny. Church starts at 9, and it was 9:08 and there was one person there. Apparently everyone thinks church starts at 9:10 here because everyone just showed up at that time and church started at 9:10. I asked my companion if it was normal and he said yeah so it's gonna be a fun couple of transfers here haha. We're trying to get more priesthood members back to church so there's actually enough people to have a Bishopric and also so we can split the stake and bring the temple to THAILAND! But yeah the members here are so cool and actually make jokes and I sometimes understand them. We were teaching this former investigator and if you don't say his entire full name with his title he'll correct you even during the prayer. I can never tell if he's serious or not. But yeah. That's Buriram. 

So this week during my studies, I was studying in Alma 42 about mercy and justice and it's really interesting. Adam and Eve broke the commandments of God so that we can exist and have a body and experience mortality but because of that we need someone to save us because we all sin and are unclean. We can't return to live with God again if we have sin, so He loves us and sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth to suffer and die for the sins of all mankind and make it possible for us to return to live with Him again. In the chapter it says if there was no law against sin, people wouldn't be afraid to sin. But there is a law against sin and there is a punishment but God is also merciful, so through Jesus Christ we can be saved and clean from sin through the Atonement. We can use the Atonement everyday in our lives. It doesn't cost anything for us. We just have to humble ourselves and ask for forgiveness and God is merciful and will forgive us of our sin if we do it with sincerity. He will not remember it. People here don't know this. They don't know they can be clean from sin. They don't have a knowledge that Jesus Christ atoned for their sins and you can use it everyday. You don't have to have these feelings of guilt and shame. Repentance brings people happiness and changes their lives. No one can ever fully understand the Atonement. In Alma 36, Alma was talking about his conversion story and he was talking about how he remembered all the bad things he did and was tormented by them but in verses 18-21 it says:

  18 Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.

  19 And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.

  20 And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!

   21 Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy. 

My faith in Jesus Christ grows each time I use the Atonement. Everyone sins every day. No one is perfect. Use this gift that Heavenly Father has given us and feel the joy that comes through the Atonement. I love everyone and miss you all!!!

Pics:My bike is the red one it's American It's probably fake haha and the other picture explains Buriram.

Elder Decker

เอ็ลเดอร์ เดคเคอร์

Thailand Bangkok Mission

Pics of the Day to Ratchaburi

This is a place in the western part of Thailand that we went to last P day (last week) when we went to Brother Day's grandmas house.

Fwd: 6 Months Down Already

Begin forwarded message:

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

Subject: 6 Months Down Already

Date: February 5, 2017 at 7:20:10 PM PST

To: Robin Decker <Robinlynnd@gmail.com>

Hello Everyone! This week has been good like usual. I passed my 6 month mark which was weird. It hasn't felt that long but it also has felt really long. I don't know how to explain it. Last P-Day we went to Ice Skate again at Future Park and it was cool. I'm not really good at it. But Tuesday, I had an interview with President Johnson and he's such a cool guy. He's like 6 foot 6 or something and said he played basketball with Michael Jordan sometime but idk. He was behind schedule so we had to take the toll way to get back home in time for English Class. I don't know why I like teaching English so much it's such a stupid language that doesn't make sense haha.

We got a new investigator named Brother Keem. He's another Cambodian who speaks Thai as his second language, so it's good to have someone else to translate some of the words he doesn't know. It's cool we're getting a lot of Cambodian Investigators.

A cool, weird thing that happened is we got a referral from some Elders in Bangbuatong about a former investigator that lives in our area. So we set up a dinner appointment with him because he really wanted to cook us dinner. We get there and he's not even there yet. He shows up late and than we sit down with him and he offers us wine haha. I couldn't tell what he was saying because I thought he was saying a Thai word for wine but he was just saying wai and didn't add an n so I was so confused. He starts making food and his daughter and son show up and they're super nice and not surprised that we were there. The food was good and they're a super polite family almost like too polite if there could be. They were really accepting of the Gospel and said they would read and go to church. They also had a dog named Charcoal and it's a mix of a Lab and Husky.

A miracle that happened is we had a bunch of appointments cancel on us so we were in Future Park and something told me to go up the escalator to the 2nd floor and we met Brother Tai and he had a new phone so that's why he wasn't answering. So we got his number and now can contact him. It's crazy how the Lord works.    

Saturday, we met with Brother Tea, Brother Angkhan, and Brother Keem, and had like a little Cambodian squad. They're so cool. I'd be down to hang out with them after my mission cause they're that cool. But Brother Tea who just got baptized last Christmas keeps on inviting his friends to learn about Jesus and getting people to learn with us. They all have dates for baptism and it's such a blessing to have these people I get to teach. These people I teach are actually teaching me more than I teach. We're still teaching Sister Ice and she's slowly moving along. She's been an investigator for a long time. 

We brought food over to the Vietnamese because they're sick. They're doing better. I met the Dad for the first time and his leg was hurt or something. We have to bring a translator with us every time we go but we met another guy who walked in on the lesson who wanted us to go to his house to see his 1 month old baby. So we went there and it's his wife and little cute baby there. He can't speak Thai but his wife could and during that lesson we had more people show up and we invited them to church and English class and it was so cool. So we're working a lot with the Refugees here and the Cambodians and Vietnamese. I'm really blessed to to be able to have this opportunity to teach them about the Gospel. 

So this week during my personal studies I came across this story about faith in Alma 32:27-43

 27 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.
 28 Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.

I love this story about faith. When you get taught the Gospel and hear about the truths and have the spirit testify to you it's true, your faith grows. Your desire to learn more and keep on having those good feelings increases and your life begins to change. But you first need to plant that seed or nothing will happen. If you don't exercise your faith, it won't get stronger. The seed, or your faith will lie dormant in you if you don't water it. You'll remember the feelings and the truth still because you can't ever forget that feeling but it won't grow.

 41 But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life.
 42 And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst.
 43 Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you.

If you do nourish the tree and exercise your faith, it will grow and you will see great change in your life. You will see the effects of the change and it will be only for good. Eternal life is more important than worldly happiness. This time on earth is short. Eternity is longer. Keep on exercising faith in Christ and you will get the reward of Eternal Life. I love you all and miss you all! Sorry for the long email.

Elder Decker

เอ็ลเดอร์ เดคเคอร์

Thailand Bangkok Mission

Papaya Salad. It's actually really good. It's pretty spicy and you eat it with sticky rice

We live in the green house!

Fwd: herro

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Colby John Decker <colby.decker@myldsmail.net>
Date: Sun, Jan 29, 2017 at 6:11 PM
Subject: Re: herro
To: Robin Decker <robinlynnd@gmail.com>

Hello Mother!!! How are you? My week has been really good. We have a new missionary schedule it's pretty cool. I'm feeling good. My stomach is better i'm getting used to food. I like rice. I eat it plain sometimes. It's weird I just realized that. My companion is cool. I'm leaving in a week though. I want to share this sacred experience with you that happened this week that I wont put in my letter because it's really dear to me. So I was on a switch off with Elder Blad the district leader, and we were going to a baptismal interview for one of my investigators Ankhan. So we get there and Brother tea is there who got baptized on Christmas. We sat down together after the other two went off to do the interview so I had some one on one with him. So I decided to open up the scriptures to Mosiah 28:3 (which I love right now) and talked about missionary work. Little background on Tea he's a cambodian who is here for work. He got baptized in another church and loves jesus and we were an answer to his prayers because he was looking for a church to go to and we asked him if he wanted to go to church. So we're talking about missionary work and he's pretty much a missionary because he tells people he's christian and he works from 1pm-2 in the morning because he wants to show his boss christians are good people. He's most humble cute little guy that I have ever met and probably ever will meet. He gives the little food he has to little children. So I was talking about how we share the gospel in order to give happiness to other people and he's already doing that and he just started to open up. He said when he came here he had no job, no money, nothing and was asking people to work for just food and they wouldn't give it to him. Than he started to cry and talk about how he had to eat out of the trash can to get food and it made me cry. He said what brought him happiness in that time was God and the Bible he carries around with him cause that was all he had. I bore my testimony about something I can't remember but I've never felt the spirit so strongly. It also made me reevaluate myself and try to be a better person. I love this mission and the joy it's bringing to me right now even though it's so hard. I wanted to share this with you because I felt like you needed it right now but you can share it to whoever you like. I love you and miss you Mom!!! You're the best!  

Elder Decker

เอ็ลเดอร์ เดคเคอร์

Thailand Bangkok Mission

Fwd: I Think It's Going to Rain

Begin forwarded message:

From: Colby John Decker <colby.decker@myldsmail.net>
Date: January 29, 2017 at 7:30:08 PM PST
To: Robin Decker <Robinlynnd@gmail.com>
Subject: I Think It's Going to Rain

วัสดีครับ!!! This week has been so good. First, I want to talk about the title "I Think It's Going to Rain" because I think it's funny. So in Thailand the weather is a big deal for them for some reason and if it rains they say they can't do anything cause I guess they're all allergic to it or something. But we were taught a way to avoid questions and redirect the conversation. We get a lot of questions about if my daughter is attractive or not, or if we like Trump and it puts us in a weird situation. So our Zone Leader taught us a way to get out of these situations. You ask them "Is it going to rain?" or say something about the rain and they'll tell you, "it's not going to rain", and you say "It definitely will rain" and they forgot what they asked before. It works, I've tested it a couple times already. I honestly don't know how to answer those questions. But I think it's going to rain.

This week has been so much fun. I already talked about last P-Day, but Brother Day's Grandma was so cool. His dad actually doesn't know his whole family is getting baptized so we asked him to tell him because his dad is working as a chef in Taiwan and doesn't realize his whole family is getting baptized haha. It would be funny to come back and find out his whole family is Christian.

I ate a dried prick or a dried pepper that burnt my mouth for days and my stomach felt burnt for a couple days too, so there was that. Coco Buns are really good I'm addicted to them. We taught a guy named Isis sitting on the platform of a spirit house. One of our investigators wanted to learn about Jesus and Christianity because of Assassin's Creed. We're teaching a guy who makes Golden Trees that Buddhists worship. He does it just to Tham Buun. It's not his living. It's interesting. I love English class. I still can't speak English. The word for rose in Thai isn't pretty at all. Its Dog Gu Laab. We have a lot of appointments cancel on us because no one really has time. It's hot and it's cold season here. Apparently I'm handsome for an American. 

I went on a switch off with the District Leader and it was cool. We visited this Less Active member who has a ton of faith, just doesn't go to church, same with her family. I don't really understand it. They have a car and everything but the Dad isn't baptized and isn't interested so it's hard. Sunday we had an hour of church where we talked about getting more involved in missionary work. They have a lot of good ideas just need to put some action into it. My favorite person in the world is Brother Tea. Humblest guy I know. We visited a less active who asked us where our spirits come from in Pre-Earth life and we asked him if it was gonna rain. Haha. Just kidding. We didn't really know how to explain it well enough and didn't want to get to into it. He's a really cool guy named Brother Bob who works for Fabrinet. That was my week pretty much haha.

So last Friday, we had a Missionary Broadcast which was really good. Our schedules changed so now we have an hour at night to either sleep early or study. But there was something that Elder Bednar said in it that I really liked. I've been thinking lately, why do people not feel the spirit I'm feeling or why don't they accept the things I'm saying through the Holy Ghost because it is there. Why can't they recognize it and want to change. But he said we can do all we can to bring it unto the hearts of the people, but we can't bring it into. It's their choice to accept the Gospel and have a desire to feel what is there in the lesson. You can't deny the evidence of the Holy Ghost if you've felt it before. People recognize it even if they've never heard about God before or Jesus Christ before and the Holy Ghost. It's a burning sensation and a peace and happiness that only the Gospel and the Truth brings and that's why this work is so successful. Good will always conquer evil. I was talking to one of the members here about why they got baptized and she said it just made sense. The Gospel just makes sense really. Everything else doesn't make sense. If we're following the teachings of Jesus Christ, things make more sense and we can be guided on the path to live with God again. This Gospel changes peoples lives and I've seen it in so many people here. It's a beautiful thing. I love it here in the other side of the world. Miss and Love you all!

Sorry I don't have a lot of pictures this week but that's our church that holds over 100 people

Elder Decker

เอ็ลเดอร์ เดคเคอร์

Thailand Bangkok Mission

Fwd: Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes

Begin forwarded message:

From: Colby John Decker <colby.decker@myldsmail.net>
Date: January 23, 2017 at 12:57:04 AM PST
To: Robin Decker <Robinlynnd@gmail.com>
Subject: Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes

Hello everyone! This week I don't have that much time. My P-day today hasn't gone as planned haha. But yeah today was fun we left to go teach one of my recent converts grandma who lives 3 hours away and ended up leaving late because we were on khon thai time. His grandma is so cute but she has a thick western accent so it's hard to understand haha. His uncle is a director at a school and we taught some 8-10 year olds english and taught them to sing head shoulders knees and toes. I don't know why I keep teaching kids haha. It's so fun though. They have never seen white people. It's some area a little outside Bangkok. 

But this week Brother Tea and Brother BawBia got the priesthood which was so cool. Brother Bawg got the Holy Ghost at the last minute haha he came late. It's been hard getting new investigators because they keep missing the appointments or telling us they aren't free. Later on that Sunday, we went to Brother Wisud's house, the one who just baptized Bawg, and had a little intervention thing with his mom. A lot of the ward went. He's had some issues in the past with money stuff and gambling and he was apologizing to her. I didn't know what was going on. It was really interesting to see the culture.

I had Zone conference the other day and it was cool. I had to give a little talk about the miracle that happened last week with one of the less active member I was trying to get back to church (Wisud) baptizing Brother Bawg. They are changing some thing with the schedule of our day this week. There is some big broadcast Thursday so that's really exciting.

Since I don't have that much time I like to leave off with a couple of scriptures that relate to everyone in their life. I like them a lot. 

2 Nephi 28:7-9 & 2 Nephi 31:20-21. 

Love you all and miss you all!

Sorry no pictures I'll be better next week.

Elder Decker

เอ็ลเดอร์ เดคเคอร์

Thailand Bangkok Mission

7 Yea, and there shall be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us.

8 And there shall also be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God--he will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God.

9 Yea, and there shall be many which shall teach after this manner, false and vain and foolish doctrines, and shall be puffed up in their hearts, and shall seek deep to hide their counsels from the Lord; and their works shall be in the dark.

20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

21 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen.

Fwd: Another week down

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

Fwd: English Camp and Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam

Begin forwarded message:

From: Colby John Decker <colby.decker@myldsmail.net>
Date: January 9, 2017 at 1:05:52 AM PST
To: Robin Decker <Robinlynnd@gmail.com>
Subject: English Camp and Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam

Hello Everyone! This past week I've been thinking about how I get to be a missionary for the entire year of 2017. It's so much fun. This week has been such a good week. Last Tuesday, I got a call from one of our potentials telling me that she wants to meet and to teach her kids or (deg deg in Thai). So on Wednesday, I was on a switch off with an Elder from the group that came 6 weeks before me. So we hardly know that much Thai or enough just to manage. I get to the place after taking forever to find it and it's a little Christian preschool with a bunch of 4-6 year olds. I was so confused because I thought we were going to teach a family but it turned out she meant her students. So they wanted us to teach a little short story about Jesus and a song. So we shared about Jesus loves everyone and wants you to love everyone and I'm pretty sure the little kids had no clue what we were saying but it was fun. Than they wanted us to sing with them and I was like we have just the right song and I taught them how to sing Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam in English. It brought me back to Primary. I told them to jump every time they heard sunbeam and they had so much energy. But yeah they want us to come back but we can't because we're not allowed to. But it was fun. Later that day we bumped into one of our investigators and asked him if he wanted to eat with us. The power went out and we ended up eating a candlelight dinner. It was really fun. I also met a lady that wants me to tiaw (sight see) with her and she calls me all the time. I tell her to come tiaw at the church at 9 am on Sunday haha. She didn't come though.
Last Friday, we had a service project where we went to a Massage University to teach English. So we had 6 Elders go to a school to teach English from 9-4 and most of the students were 19-21 year old, mostly girl, college students who spoke a little English. Each companionship had a class and our class was to help them pronounce hard sounds in English for Thai people. Like R's and V's. I Really liked that part. We played games with them and I led them in the Cha Cha Slide in the end. The purpose of it was to get them more confident in their English. We invited them all to our English Class and said a prayer before and after the camp. It was a great opportunity to show that we are actually people and not some crazy foreigners who want to convert you. Thailand isn't what I expected it to be haha.
Saturday, we met with an investigator (Sister Ice) who is having problems and hadn't met us in weeks. She has been taking the lessons for some time now and is sort of making excuses for not keeping the commandments. But she's reading the scriptures and praying everyday. It's cool to see all the changes people make in the conversion process.
Sunday, I was sitting in church waiting for it to start and Brother Tea walked in who I thought was in Cambodia for two weeks. So he ended up getting the Holy Ghost in Cambodian which was cool. He came home early because he missed me. He's such a cool guy. After church we went to the Vietnamese Family apartment room thingy. They are a recently baptized "family". Both families came here from Vietnam and are refugees and are going to apply to move somewhere else in the world. It's so sad all of the refugees in the world. I'm glad I have the opportunity to serve all of these families in need of help. They are all sick with some sort of disease. Some forget stuff like how to eat and how to put on clothes and some half of their body gets paralyzed. So they asked for a blessing and the spirit was really strong in that little room. We taught Brother Bawg and his family and he's getting baptized next week. He's such a happy, cute, little older guy. His family is being taught the lessons too. I'm blessed that I get to teach that cute family. He's so cool.  
This week I was studying about obedience and came across D&C 93:24, 26-28 and it reads
24) And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come;
26) The Spirit of truth is of God. I am the Spirit of truth,and John bore record of me, saying: He received a fulness of truth, yea, even of all truth;

27) And no man receiveth a fulness unless he keepeth his commandments. 

28) He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.

It's a simple message. If you keep the commandments your questions and testimony will be answered and strengthened and you'll continue to learn and grow and understand more truths about the Gospel. People who follow the commandments are happy and are blessed. People who go out and party all the time and do bad things aren't happy and why would you not want happiness in your life. It's so much better to have joy than to be sad, or have that worldy "happiness" that you get from breaking the commandments because it brings you temporary pleasure. It's not happiness. Wickedness never was happiness. On that happy note if you follow the commandments, you're on the straight and narrow path that leads to eternal happiness :). Love you all and miss you all!!!

Elder Decker
เอ็ลเดอร์ เดคเคอร์
Thailand Bangkok Mission

A mom visiting Thailand with her recently returned son sent this pic to mom

Fwd: White Christmas and Green No more

Begin forwarded message:

From: Colby John Decker <colby.decker@myldsmail.net>
Date: January 1, 2017 at 9:49:12 PM PST
To: Robin Decker <Robinlynnd@gmail.com>
Subject: White Christmas and Green No more

Hello everyone. These past two weeks have been so fun. Christmas was a blast. It was such a White Christmas. We had three baptisms, two of the people were our investigators (Brother Tea and Brother Baw Bia) and ate at so many peoples houses. So much rice. It was cool getting to talk to all of you guys through the skype thing. We had transfers this last week and I'm not a greenie anymore which is weird because it feels like I still don't know anything. My new companion is Elder Hansen he is my phii or has been here a transfer longer than me. He's really cool. He has two black siblings. We didn't get any pictures together but I will this week hopefully. His last area was the Esan so he says some Esan words and people are so confused most the time cause he's white and speaking Esan. I'm in Rangsit for another transfer so I'm leading the area which is weird too. Bangkok is hard to get around. It'll be fun. In church all the missionaries had to give a talk and people actually said my Thai doesn't suck so I'm slowly progressing. 

Water Monitor Lizard is a swear word here, so weird. Some animal names are really offensive so you have to be careful. 

Everyone in Rangsit was gone because it's the holidays and schools out for awhile, so no one is on the campuses and are all out of the city visiting their families. Really hard getting appointments cause everyone says they aren't free. So we did a lot of contacting. Our goal is to get this ward to split because they're really close. We want Temple workers for the Temple that is being built here (I think) and they need more Stakes. The Lao elders are back in Thailand for some time until they can get a church in Lao again. I can't really remember what has happened these past two weeks. We're working hard and it's still really hot in cold season. I've talked to many drunk people including our taxi drivers. New Years is a big thing here in Thailand and they like eat with their families and party. It's a big holiday usually there is fireworks but not this year. We had curfews. Thailand is so much fun จริงๆ. The language is hard and it's frustrating at times, but the Thai people are so cool. It's so different from America. I ate squid and some other stuff I don't even know what it was. They don't really like Desserts here which is sad. For P-Day we went to play soccer with a bunch of missionaries. It was really cool except it was hard to find. Last P-Day we went to MBK which we went to before just a place you can get fake name brand stuff. I'm starting to enjoy contacting more. Here, it's a thing where you ask people who are smoking if they want to quit and if they say yes you ask for their cigarette and throw it on the ground. You can step on it for dramatic effect. Than you get their number and set up an appointment. It's a really good because pretty much everyone in Thailand has had Word of Wisdom problem so we have a lot of help and people know it's not good for their health. Through Faith in Jesus Christ you can stop smoking. One of the members here used to smoke 100 cigarettes a day but stopped because miracles do happen if you have enough faith.

These past couple weeks I have been studying about prayer because it's one of the most important things in conversion. It's a way to converse with your Father in Heaven and a lot of people in Thailand have never prayed before in their lives. God wants to answer your prayers but if you aren't willing to put the work and effort into it, it's not sincere. I've been trying to make my prayers more meaningful and not repetitious. You can receive revelation, help, and blessings from prayer but a lot of people don't make the time for it. In True to the Faith it says if you don't feel like praying, pray until you do feel like praying. You can't learn spiritual truths if you don't pray. God does answer prayers, It might not be on our time but He will answer it in his time and in a way you might not expect. When we sacrifice our time for God, He gives so much more back. I've seen it on my mission. I've learned this crazy hard language. I've seen the change in my life for the better. I'm happier because I'm not thinking about myself. This next year I want to keep changing and keep serving God and bringing others this Gospel I've had my whole life. I've learned so much from my mission already and I'm not even at six months yet. I have never been good at making goals but if you want change and growth you need to make goals so I challenge all of you to make goals for this year. Work towards that goal and have a constant reminder of it and be accountable for that goal. What's the point of a goal if there's no accountability. I love you all and คิดถึง everyone!! Happy New Years! สุขสันต์วันปีใหม่ !!!!!!! 

   

Elder Decker

เอ็ลเดอร์ เดคเคอร์

Thailand Bangkok Mission