WEEK 47
HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICK AND WYN
This past week has been crazy! Rexburg was flooded, many basements were destroyed,  29 in just one of our wards. We've been doing a ton of service.
Undeniable evidence has caused us to know that prayers are answered. We prayed that we could be able to baptize 2 people in August. About an hour later we received a text telling us about 2 young men who want to get baptized, who we haven't met yet. There is NO DENYING that Heavenly Father is in this missionary work. He desires the salvation of his children, and HE ANSWERS PRAYERS.

Philippians 4:6-7
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

As we pray to Heavenly Father for what we need and are grateful, we are blessed with peace.

Prayer is SO IMPORTANT. So I'd like to challenge all of you to improve your prayers. Pray and ask Heavenly Father how you need to improve them.
Honoring God
Elder Decker

GERMANY WON THE WORLD CUP! 

I HAD A LOVELY TRIP TO THE ER!

I FEEL ALMOST COMPLETELY HEALED!

WE HAD A BAPTISM! WOOT! WOOT!

Most important things first, the baptism went amazingly. M.M.

is amazing and way prepared. She typed out her testimony for us, but I don't currently have a copy of that to attach... sad. BUT I have a few pictures! She's 18 and was prepared incredibly. She has SUCH a strong testimony. Plus, about 120 people came to her baptismal service. (that's a lot of people.) I guess that's what happens when one of the few non members in the High School gets baptized. We had everyone write their testimonies on note cards and made her a little baptism journal!

I am SO thankful for the opportunity that I've had to help her to draw closer to Jesus Christ through baptism. Just like her, I know that this is the Restored Church of Jesus Christ.

The trip to the ER was exciting. I called the Doctor about an increased pain since last Sunday, and he told us to head for the emergency room in IF immediately. He thought that I might have a bile leak... which isn't a good thing at all... 

I didn't have a bile leak, but it has been discovered that bile has been flooding into my stomach, which has been causing the increased pain. The Mission Doctor put me on some meds that shield my stomach, so, I'm feeling FANTASTIC! Almost normal, which I have not felt for the past 2 months. 

We should be getting iPads by the end of the year. Fun stuff!

Heavenly Father allows us to go through challenges so that we may learn. C.S. Lewis said "Courage is the testing point of every virtue." I really feel that I was pushed to my limits. It was really hard to keep spirits high and to try to help my companion in the work, but I did it, and only could, because of Jesus Christ. He helped me as I relied on him. THAT is true courage, relying of Christ to help us, when we know that there is no other way. Courage is difficult. It's HARD. It requires faith. 

We are given opportunities to exercise faith and courage so that we may grow. I know that as we rely on Christ, we can and WILL overcome ALL things. Then we will prove our virtues. Then we will grow to be more like Christ. THEN we will be who God wants us to be.

 Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Honoring God

Elder Decker

Week 45 was probably the most interesting week of my mission thus far:

- surgery

- 4th of July

- great success

- I am currently high on Hydrocodone (which has been prescribed to me) and is an Opiate. It is also used in Vicodin.

So if something sounds strange or out of it, that's normal.

Surgery went well. It was actually kinda fun. 3 other Elders and I created some havoc in our pre operation room. We were having a good time. They asked us to close the door. I wonder how often people who are about to have surgery need to close the door because they're being to loud... 

I was recovering pretty well until yesterday (Sunday.) I just felt awful and discovered a new yellow splotch around one of my incisions. I really hope that I am not ...infected...

The 4th of July was alright. We had the entire day off. I am SICK of resting, so the whole day I was just incredibly bored, until fireworks with the Brown family. That was fun. Let it be known that not doing anything is the bane of my existence. I feel like a useless schmuck. (I JUST SPELLED SCHMUCK CORRECTLY ON MY FIRST TRY! Most will not understand how much of a step that is for me. My spelling is atrocious.- I misspelled atrocious on my first try....) 

We've had a fantastic week in the work! We found 2 new people to teach and taught a LOT (well, my companion did while I was resting.) We got a whole bunch of referrals also, so EVEN MORE people who are prepared for the gospel. Heavenly Father is the best. In our times of trials, he blesses us with the motivation/ability to continue when all of our strength is lost.

Moroni 7:33

33 And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me.

If we have faith in Jesus Christ and do all in our power, we are PROMISED power to do all things that we are required to do. You have no idea how much that promise means to me.

I know that this is the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have modern prophets, guides, to help us in these days of tribulation. Don't doubt, but be believing. 

Honoring God

Elder Decker

Week 44!

So, just in case anybody didn't know, I'll bet getting surgery tomorrow (Tuesday) to get my Gall Bladder removed! Isn't that FUN! I'll FINALLY be able to eat more than fruits and vegetables! Say "HELLO!" to Dairy Queen! I will be quite high on Tuesday, so my companion and I will play Pokemon Master Trainer (the old board game) and he will be taking video. It will be fantastic! :D

They won't let me keep my Gall Bladder. I wanted to put it in a jar and send it home with a note saying "I figured that you missed me, so I thought that I'd send a piece of me home!" That's would have been fantastic, but NOOOO. Thay have to send it to pathology and make sure that it's not cancerous! lame. 

It was SUPER cool to have lunch with the Heath family on Saturday! It was fun to catch up. JOE ALDRIDGE: INDIA?!?!?! THE CRAP??? It was fun to find out about everyone going on a mission! Our stake is the best. I'm a tad disappointed in my parents for not telling me anything. 

Today I want to talk about God's love for us. We taught a silly teenager a few days ago who thought that he was the coolest thing ever and didn't need Christ in his life. That was the saddest thing ever. 

I WISH THAT I COULD MAKE YOU ALL UNDERSTAND EXACTLY HOW MUCH GOD LOVES YOU! With all my heart. This scripture accurately describes it:

Isaiah 53:3-5

3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Christ suffered for you. He experienced every single thing that everyone has experienced and will ever experienced. He is a celebrity who's only purpose is to help you to become like him. He is all love and all righteousness. He is everything. In every instance his love is infinite. He loves you so much and wants you to come back to him. Please accept him.

 Honoring God

Elder Decker

week 43!

shout out to Katelyn Heath who is now married... or will be this week. I don't actually know...

This week has been pretty grand. We had a bunch of ups and downs, as usual, but we found 2 new people to teach and they're solid! yay! 

Oh yeah, maybe I should tell you all about the gall bladder test. So... They did a test on me. First they shot me up with some fun radioactive... juice... so they could see my inner... ness under a scanner. Then, after an hour, they shot me up with the enzyme that the stomach shoots out when it needs the assistance of the gall bladder. During this time, I was not having an enjoyable experience. I thought that I was going to throw up because of pain. That was not fun. So, they're taking my gall bladder out in the next few weeks. It's functioning at 50%. 

I asked the lady who did the test how likely it would be for me to get super powers. She said that it was unlikely. I died a little bit inside. But at least I could say that I was radioactive for a while there. #thatsong

Also, the doctor put me on a zero fat diet. I can't even eat chicken. I've been eating fruit ant pretzels. It's interesting to see what members make for our . 

So yeah. What I'd like to talk a little bit about today is the word "disciple." My mind was blown this past week: "Disciple-Discipline" We cannot be a disciple unless we are disciplined and do what we are told to do by he who we follow. If we want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ we must follow him and do what he says. Every definition that I can find for "disciple" has to do with accepting and spreading the teachings of someone else. 

First question: Are you a DISCIPLE of Jesus Christ or do you just praise him? The distinction is applying his teachings to your life.

Second question: What do you need to do to be a better disciple? Might you need to discipline yourself more in one way or another?

a few scriptures to think about: 

Matt 7:21

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

-We need to keep the commandments. (be disciplined)

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.

-You will not be tempted to sin above your ability to resist it, and God will help you to be his real disciple.

I testify that as we CHANGE ourselves to follow the will of God, we will be blessed beyond our capacity to receive it. He loves us so much. The path of His Son, Jesus Christ, is the path that we must follow in order to become like like and be his disciple.

Disciple-Discipline

Honoring God

Elder Decker  

This past week was a roller coaster of emotions and happenstances. It was pretty crazy, but THAT'S LIFE! Yay! I love it when life is experienced! 

Last week we has that couple drop, and we were a bit discouraged. THIS WEEK we got 3 referrals from the members on people to visit, so it looks like the work is moving forward anyway!

 Last week we went spelunking and that's where we got those pictures! 

God is currently blessing me with opportunities to exercise patience. 

I want to talk a bit about finding out truth for yourself. James 1:5 "If any of you lack wisdom, lest him ask of God; that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given you."

We must all find, for ourselves, the truth. We cannot depend on someone else's beliefs, we must know for ourselves. We need to ask God what the truth is. He will tell us. 

 The amazing thing about this Restored Gospel is that the only way to find the truth about it is to follow the example of Joseph Smith. He wanted to know, for himself, which church is true, so he prayed and asked God.

He received an answer. God and Jesus Christ appeared to him and called him to be a new prophet. He was called at a young age, like Samuel, and he was unlearned, like Peter. 

I know that he was called to restore the truth on the earth, and I know that you can know it too. God will answer your prayer if you ask in faith and real intent. If he knows that you will act on what you receive, he will give. 

Honoring God

Elder Decker

To be honest this week (41) has probably been the worst week I've had as a missionary. 

The abdominal pain continues. The ultrasound didn't show any problems. They're going to have me meet with the GI soon.

Some people who we've been teaching, and were going to get baptized next week, fell of the deep end in a super-massive fiery ball that was visible from space. Long story short: They both got drunk (and maybe high), got in a fight, and hit each other with a baseball bat and broken beer bottles. One is in jail and the other is moving to Washington state. Isn't that just delightful?

I was feeling kinda down and discouraged after that happened but this morning I felt impressed to read Helamen chapters 4-5. In there it has this scripture:

11 "Now this great loss of the Nephites, and the great slaughter which was among them, would not have happened had it not been for their wickedness and their abomination which was among them..."

This gave me comfort, because it stated that what happened is not my fault at all. The super sad thing happened because of their unrighteous decisions. 

Let us all learn to destroy the guilt the "I could have done better" thoughts about friends and family who have taken wrong paths. We cannot change the past and people have their agency. All that we can do is change the future. What will you do to make things better? What you do to help them? 

I testify that God loves each and every one of us. I testify that everyone has their ability to chose (no matter how annoying it is sometimes.) 

Something that helped me a lot with what happened was a talk given by Cheryl on Sunday. My entire mission is worth it because of her. She is a light and an example to all of us about conversion and prayer. 

Thank you all for all that you do. Thank you for supporting me! 

oh yeah... HAPPY FREAKING LATE BIRTHDAY MOM AND MARIA! :D I hope you don't get sick!

Honoring God

Elder Decker