Hey hey there Dad!
This week was just fine! I got to see all the videos from home finally. That was pretty cool! I'm glad to hear the quartet. Sounded pretty great!
Sounds like you're getting a little bit in to missionary work, no? Have fun teaching that investigator in Chinese! Did you use discussions when you were a missionary? I suppose discussions were used all the way up until Preach My Gospel came out. Maybe you could get that in Chinese! Otherwise, it will be fun. Get to do a little bit of what we are doing out here, for the second time for you! Members are super great for lessons, so you're currently that cool member that all missionaries love!
We did play volleyball! The students here are really good, it's not funny. Hitting the ball anyways (i.e. spiking). But yeah! It was a ton of fun, and we're going to play again today, somewhere else!
I think it would be fun to work at the Thai restaurant near our house, but who knows? I just want to speak Thai at this point so we'll see in the future! I'm not too worried right now. I'm just worried about working hard out here, and serving with all of my heart, might, mind and strength! Some people here just think I'm really native (probably because I've become increasingly dark in this last month). It's fun, because I can actually understand what they're saying now, and make decent conversation, and have them understand! The Gift of Tongues, no doubt about it!
So this week was fun! We still haven't had Brother N receive baptism, but that's ok! We'll keep working with him. We clarified the Word of Wisdom with him, and renewed his commitment to keep it, and gave a pamphlet to help in that department as well! However, we did receive 4 new investigators! All of them are kids. 2 are from a nonmember family (one brother and one sister) who are willing to learn! We'll see how teaching him and her go. Hopefully, they'll keep interested! We're also planning to try to teach their father too, so that he can be there to support them as well! I don't know about the mom. I've only ever seen the kids. Brother P still hasn't come to church, but that's ok! Keep working, and keep teaching. Next week, we're praying for it! As for the other two kids, their parents aren't members, but they go to church with their grandma, and they're both over 8 years old, so they are treated as normal investigators meaning that we have to teach them all the lessons, but they've already been to church a lot. We typically teach them at one of the member's house who has weird talking birds which talk in tones, to each other. So weird, but funny, and pretty cool! I have videos, so you can hear that too!
So funny story now, about transfers, of course! So I have a step-dad now! His name is... Elder Johnson. As in the one I went on Splits with a couple weeks ago. Yep he stayed, and his companion moved. "But what about your companion?" Someone might ask. Well, apparently I need extra help because he stayed. So only one elder left (our old district leader Elder Duke) this last transfer so now we are a trio! So I have two trainers now.... For better or for worse. We'll see how that goes! Trios are weird to begin with, but now I'm in one, as a greenie, and I have two trainers, and its all pretty weird. So when we go contacting I just put my jacket on, to look different from them a bit, so the people don't get intimidated when there are 3 guys in white shirts and ties trying to tell them about Jesus Christ. Might be a tad intimidating. So I was somewhat solo inviting in the background (sight and sound of course) while they were kind of contacting with each other. So, it's good for me! More practice, more people to talk to, and opportunities to grow my faith, and confidence!
We went to cut down trees this last saturday! Again. Except with hand axes and machetes. It was fun! I've never actually tried to hit something at full force, so doing that was a lot of fun for me! I have pictures, and some videos of that too! As for the other parts, you might hear me speaking Thai just a tad, but who knows? Just always trying to get better here! Just focus on speaking Chat.
Just have to act a little independent when inviting lest we scare potential investigators! Though people seem to like talking to me, so that's fine! So people say they don't have time but hey, that's how it goes! Everyone has agency after all!
Pushing all the time on the language! I definitely have a working vocabulary now, but I know I can expand it, and learn more! Learning nouns is the worst though. Verbs are far more useful for me, and you can get by with just a couple adjectives and it will be all good! But definitely learning more all the time!
Talking with everyone helps too! It's always a nice compliment when someone thinks I'm from here or something. It also helps with a conversation starter too (because a lot of people ask). Vocabulary comes a little bit at a time! Somethings are easier to say in Thai, than in English at this point!
Definitely praying for the Spirit always helps me. The Gift of Tongues, always working, always trying, always trying to improve!
Thank you Dad! I try, these people, all the people, deserve nothing less than the best I can give. Everyone deserves a shot at Salvation, deserves a chance to hear this embodiment of hope that we have in this church. All the experiences in life that I have had have been for my own gain, and for the gain of people here and now. Take everything that I have learned, exercise common sense and the Spirit, and all of this will help me, and all of these people. I'm glad to be here, and glad to make my weaknesses, strengths!
Just working the Spirit, in all times and in all places will help me!
Don’t worry about me not wearing pants. Apparently they have King Cobras here... Scary! Snake bites can be cured with the Priesthood…
All right, that's it from me! Love you a lot. Hope to hear from you soon, and be safe! Don't get sick now!
- Elder Collin Decker
(P.S. I'm cold all the time now - but it is fine!!
:))
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