6-11-18 Samut Prakaan Thailand Week 4

Stake Conference and Ministering (Samut Prakaan Week 4)

Hey hey there Dad!

It hurts my heart to think about all the people going out this transfer. Almost all the Zone Leaders, the District Leaders, One of the Assistants. So many people are going out. I can't really wrap my head around it. And also President and Sister Johnson. The people left will be just people who are younger than me, and a couple older ones, with a new mission President. In two weeks, the a large part of the mission will be gone with no one to fill the places of the old ones, at least for right now, meaning that we'll be down about 15 or so missionaries. Such is the nature of transfers, and the mission. I was going through the infamous "Greenie Book" which has a list of all the missionaries and where they were serving when I first came into country, and I was marking off all of the people who had already finished their missions are would be finishing in this next transfer. Let me say that there are not a ton of people in that list. I'm old, and I accept the fact that I'm old, and that's way scary. It's hard to tell what's going to happen in these next couple of transfers, but I know that whatever happens, it will be for good of the people here in Thailand.

However, this last week has been a wild week! We've been working really hard this past week. It's been fairly difficult this past little while for finding new investigators. So we decided to devote a lot of our time to doing some more finding activities, including finding and trying to work with members. Even on our switch off this last Wednesday that I had with the District Leader, we spent a large majority of our time just street contacting, with a couple lessons in between. However we found no one. Wow! That was sad. Perhaps it wasn't the will of the Lord for us to go inviting. Or we were meant to learn something, which I did, or perhaps we were being tested. Either way, I felt like a lot happened, and at the very least we were meant to see if we would be faithful in doing what we were commanded. Or at last we weren't listening carefully enough for the Spirit. Either way, it was a great experience. It makes me feel energized, strangely enough, when I get rejected. I hope everyone can understand what I mean when I say "Being received is best. Being rejected is sad. But not being rejected at all, nor received, once in the entire day, is the worst." Does this mean I want to be rejected? No! However, it means this: If I'm not being rejected once throughout the day nor being received the entire day means I'm not opening my mouth and I'm not doing my job. So rejection is a good sign! It means I'm working and if I'm truly trying my best, we'll see miracles and finally be received.

So after this lesson/confirmation of a known feeling that I've had, Elder English and I went out to go inviting some more this week. We found 2 new investigators, in a row, within 5 minutes of each other the very next day after our switch-off. It was way fun! Then we received a referral the very next day. Suddenly, we were seeing many miracles! The righteous exercise of faith and obedience results in miracles. We ended up finding four new investigators this past week, all by way of miracle. I'm really really grateful for all the blessings we have received from the Lord. Now the next task is to find more and help them all to progress.

Oh and another thing: You'd be surprised how long it can take one to walk 400 meters when you stop and talk to every single person on the way there. Perhaps about 2 hours might do it for us.

One aspect of missionary work that we have been focusing on is using the Book of Mormon in everything that we do, especially in street contacting. We've seen people's hearts open because of it, because we speak to their needs by using the Book of Mormon, and help them feel the Spirit. We bear testimony with the Book of Mormon, and that has resulted in helping us see miracles. If not the Word of God, then what is the Book of Mormon? It truly is one of the most valuable things that we have right now. It helps us to know God, and His Son Jesus Christ. There is power in the Word.

We also had Stake conference in this last week! We showed up way early for the Saturday evening session... we thought that there was going to be traffic but in the end there was no traffic.... So we got there an hour early. The Spirit was really strong in both sessions. But one of my favorite parts was when the Stake Choir sang "I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus" in Thai. That's one of my favorite songs honestly. It represents all of our goals in this life, that one day we may be perfect. The Spirit was especially strong there.

We had an opportunity to hear from the Asia Area President, Elder Evans, about Ministering. We have to go about it one by one. Loving people. Finding their needs and addressing them. Doing all that we can to help these people to grow and become even better, by inviting them to come unto Christ. It is about love. We are hear to love them and be the extended arm of the Lord. I hope I never again have to hear the words "If they have enough faith, they can do it on their own." Well that's not right! We are here to be the answers to another person's prayers. It may require us to sacrifice a little, but that sacrifice is pretty small compared to the sacrifice that the Savior made for us. Should we not be on the Lord's errand? The Lord answers prayers in a lot of ways, but most often prayers are answered through people.

In 3 Nephi, we learn about this concept of One by One. 2500 people, or more, went up to the Savior when He first appeared among the Nephites, one by one. Supposing that each person took only 1 minute, individually, with the Savior, that would be 2500 minutes. Divide that by 60 and guess what? That's about 42 hours. Did it take 42 hours? I don't know, but the Savior was willing to do so. He is willing to spend time with each of us, but we must go unto him, and he will always have time for us. We must go to others, however, and make time for them, and help them also come unto the Savior. Ministering is pure, Christlike Service.

Remember the words in Moroni 7:33, if we ever feel that a task is beyond our capability: 33 And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me.

I also like the next verse: 34 And he hath said: Repent all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, and have faith in me, that ye may be saved.

Let's all repent, and make sure we are keeping our baptismal covenants at all times. If we need strength, repent, and be strengthened! Pray always, and the Lord will deliver us.

Love you all, keep it up the hard work!

- Elder Collin Decker

6-3-18 Samut Prakaan Thailand

Hey hey there Dad!

So​ this last week has been fun! Had a lot of appointments to go to so we were busy! Everyday I wonder where the time has gone. Every week seems to pass by so fast. So does the time.

We have one investigator who is progressing very very well! But he lives in a different area so we need to give him over...​So sad! He has a date for Baptism on the 17th! He's way good and way golden. We found him by street contacting and he apparently knew who Mormons were from about 5 years ago. But he didn't want to learn then, but really really wants to learn now! He really wants to join the church, so it will be a great day for him when he does!

Otherwise we're trying to help our other investigators progress. Really a challenge at times. We're also trying to get our investigator pool to be up and to be more accountable for our goals that we set and really set goals in faith and work towards those goals.

We also had Zone Conference this last week! It was weird going to a new place for Zone Conference. I've only ever been in two places for Zone Conference, meaning two Zones. Now I've reached my third Zone, with that not much time left... So it was fun! It was actually President Johnson's last Zone Conference...​It was a little somber. He shared a scripture, mostly for us I feel, in 2 Kings, about the story of Elijah and Elisha, and the mantle being passed on. The new mission president will be just as capable, and also guided by revelation, but it will still be sad. I will miss them a lot, and definitely want to visit them at some point later in my life.

I also saw my first trainer, Elder Bjarnson, give his Finishing Testimony. So sad! After this transfer I will know not that many people. I will be pretty old to be honest. I know that though things change, they will all be good!

In Zone Conference we learned about applying things we have learned from Zone Conference and also about using the Book of Mormon in all that we do...​Including in inviting. Wow! I would like to thank my older brother for helping me by already giving me advice about this as well.

Anyways, something interesting I learned this week was about the Plan of Salvation.​ The whole events which transpired in the Garden of Eden never really made a whole ton of sense to me, until I really read through 2 Nephi 2. I always wondered about why Heavenly Father and the Savior would set two laws in opposition to each other. But in 2 Nephi 2:10, in part, reads:

"Wherefore, the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given, unto the inflicting of the punishment which is affixed."

We know Spiritual Death to be a punishment, but in Preach My Gospel, it helps to define Spiritual Death as a separation from God, which is exactly what sin causes. The Lord is bound by rules and laws as well. We know that the Lord cannot lie, and can only invite and entice us to do good, as given in Moroni Chapter 7. Therefore, in this verse, we learn that God will punish us only as we disobey him. If we are perfect, in everyway, we need not be punished for we don't need to learn. In this case, if Adam and Eve were to fall, they would be cut off from the direct presence of God. But first they need to transgress. Thus the Plan and the laws for the Lord cannot punish Adam and Eve without the law and a transgression thereof brought about by temptation. 

This is a little deep, possibly not correct and nor do I claim to know everything. But we know that God is faithful in everything. We learn this in the example of Adam and Eve. Disobedience brings about captivity and punishment, including Spiritual Death. Obedience brings about freedom and blessings, including Eternal Life.

Remember that obedience to the law is freedom. Never forget that! Let us always be obedient and enjoy being in the prescence and communication with God! Love you all, and talk to you soon!

- Elder Decker

5-27-18 Samut Prakaan Thailand

Hey hey there Dad!

So this last week has been pretty fun, and I'm starting to get back in the rhythm of the big city. It's definitely not laid back, nor is it slow. Without stretching this analogy too far, let's just say that I need to be on the dot, and correctly in rhythm at a fast tempo. The tempo is not a reflection on how the work is going, but it's definitely different. Biking areas are slower. You need to be on the dot, but in a different way. But in the end, the Lord is the maestro and the Master Conductor. 

An analogy that I want to share: The work will have crescendos and decrescendos, maybe some staccato and a little bit of legatos here and there, but the work will move on with, or without us. After all, we're not a one man band. We're a symphony and we work together. If we want to see success, we work together, or if you want to wreck your own part, that is up to you. It is good to remember that sometimes, and that people's lives are affected by your actions, in public and in private. So play your part. Even during the rests play your part. Don't wander off into a daydream, but count your rests, use them wisely, and remember that the song is not done until the Conductor give a sweeping cut off to the symphony. It's up to us if we want to do our part, be disciplined, and help contribute to this great and marvelous work, which is coming forth among the children of men.

Anyways, so we had a couple of investigators at church! One of them is way way cool. I invited him while he was on his motorcycle, and he already knew who Mormons were! (and he wasn't from Europe or America or the Philippines!) He was pretty cool, and said that he was free on Sunday, so we invited him to church, and he actually came! Way cool miracle! We also had a progressing investigator come, and we're working really hard to try to help her get baptized, but we're just struggling on a couple issues, not many though!

Last week, we didn't do much on P-Day. We watched videos from lds.org, and played pool, but not in a swimming pool. The one with a table. Otherwise, not much was interesting there.

This ward is doing pretty well it seems! It might be small, but it's growing, so I'll be anxious to see it grow, and how I can help it grow even more!

One of the greatest parts about being a missionary is the constant realization that I am in a foreign country, preaching the Gospel to these people! Our actions here actually affect other peoples lives! In public and in private, peoples lives will be affected, for eternity some cases. It is a great responsibility. Truly how great is the calling of a missionary.

Remember, we must honor God. We must consecrate ourselves. Then we will see miracles. For as President Monson said in October 1995: "Who honors God, God honors." Let us honor God with our actions, our thoughts, our efforts and our desires. The Lord will bless us if we do so. 

Love you all! May you ever be blessed, and be ever obedient to the will of the Lord. Be safe and have fun! I love Thailand, I love my mission, and I love the work! It truly is of God.

- Elder Collin Decker