Hey there Dad!
First and foremost... MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!! ððððēðĻ❄⛄ððð
So it's Christmas here today! I hope that you know that
P-Day is today... because it hasn't changed! We'll still be Skyping tomorrow
though, probably about 7:00 P.M. your time.
So this last week has been... interesting! It was a great
week though, but I felt a little off at the beginning of the week. I don't know
if anyone has, and I'm not sure if anyone thinks like this, but I will be the
first to say that missionary work isn't easy. I remember thinking "If I
can just follow the Spirit, everything will be A-OK and it will all fly
smoothly!" But to be honest, it hasn't been like that so far. The Spirit
isn't something that is easy to follow at every moment, and the Lord constantly
expects us to take thought to those things which we are going to teach, to
discern the needs of our investigators, and to figure out solutions to the
problems our investigators have. We struggle, even to the utmost of our
abilities. Then, we see miracles come more frequently. That being said, the
Lord will always give us miracles, such as:
We were riding our bikes to go study at the church after an
appointment had fallen through. That day, I had been feeling particularly
stressed, about all aspects of missionary work. Preach My Gospel tells us about
what a successful missionary does, what their attributes are, but the most
outstanding thing in the first paragraph talking about being a successful
missionary says that our success is measured primarily by our commitment to do
those things listed. For example, be exactly obedient, to find and baptize
investigators, etc. Well I had been feeling that the new investigators pool was
a little lacking, not that we didn't have any, but we hadn't got close to our
goals that we set, that I felt was realistic, so I was feeling pretty stressed
about what to do. Commitment is one thing, but I was feeling that commitment
should lead to results at some point (for it had been several weeks I felt
like, that we hadn't reached our goals).
Then an old guy, along the way to the Church, called out to
us, asking in English "Where you go?" And the funny thing that us, as
missionaries here, will always reply in the language they ask us questions in.
So, naturally, we replied "We go to church!" (exactly like that!).
(Sidenote: I hope I don't send my English down the drain by speaking like
that...) Then, his eyes lit up, and he waved for us to come onto his property
(his yard?). He brought out two chairs and then proceeded to ask us, in Thai, āļ§่āļē "What do you
have to share with me today, missionaries?" (just about that as far as
translation goes.) Turns out he was a former investigator from when the Lao
Elders were working in Nong Khai! We didn't know that until he brought out a Book
of Mormon from inside his house. We weren't even going to invite him, but he
invited us. At that point, I knew exactly that the Lord loves us, and he is
preparing people for us to meet and teach.
After that Elder King and I had a super great switch-off
that was full of fire! We met a lot of potential investigators and visited an
L.A. It was a lot of fun and I learned a lot. I have a lot of respect for Elder
King and how he works. This mission is just full of great missionaries, as I'm
sure all missions are. There's nowhere I'd rather be than in Thailand right
now!
Later last week, we went to the Ward Christmas Party. It was
a lot of fun! Got to bond with the members, and eat food together! They made
Elder Smith be Santa... way funny! I had the opportunity to read the Nativity
story for everyone there in the very first part (and play the piano as always).
I had an opportunity to bear my testimony as well. I'll share one of my
favorite scriptures I read in a little bit.
Yesterday, we only had one hour of church meetings (just the
sacrament portion, which is the most important one after all!) and then we went
off to go teach investigators after doing some Ward Clerk work... Later on that
day, we went to carol with the members! I got to map out some way far out
members! It was really fun! And that ended our Christmas Eve!
This season truly is a season of great happiness. I hope
everyone remembers and thinks to Jesus Christ in the season. He truly is the
light and life of the world.
I believe I've already shared this scripture before, but
it's one of the scriptures I read the other day as well, which reads as
thus:
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is
given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name
shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God,
The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6, 2
Nephi 19:6)
I know and testify that Jesus Christ is our Savior and
Redeemer. Our older brother, and the Master Healer. Jesus Christ truly is
Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of
Peace. I love Christmas, I love the Church. I'm thankful for the restored
Gospel of Jesus Christ, and I'm thankful and eternally indebted for the ones
who gave us this Gospel, Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. I love
them, and am privileged to be a missionary in these latter days.
Love you all! Talk to you soon! Have fun on Christmas Eve
over there!
- Elder Collin Decker
Thailand, Bangkok Mission
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