April 16, 2012

I'm healthy this week and the doc says the e coli is gone but I still don't digest a lot of my food and I'm trying to eat a lot of fiber and do what the doc says.  Every day starts with a bowl of oatmeal then we study and work hard and I sweat a ton and drink a ton of water.  The branch party was fun.  We didn't do a lot of teaching this week but I'm doing good and I'm having fun doing whatever we have going on.  It's alwayt fun and I have lots of pics this week that that will be good.  The Khmae is coming.  I know a lot but not enough and listening and talking back and forth is easier.  I have good talks with the neakmings at the markets and then our investigators and members are way fun but I'm still learning.

I love the market and shopping.  All the mings want to tell me that the girls will like this shirt on me cause its tight and shows off my muscles and they love the decker nose!  I got told that this morning at the market by 3 neakmings.  Haha, as I was buying a waffle for breakfast, lol!  Cambodia is super fun and I love my p-day and can't wait for you to see all the pics.  I love you and being a missionary is awesome! 

Love Elder Decker

Buying Treats from old ladies

Doing some gardening with Ming Phalle

Me and elder Garlick from the MTC

My week before Easter

This week was pretty good.  We only had about 3 days of actually proselyting.  Transfers were on Thur. and Fri. so I was planning on staying with the other Elder while my companion and his comp. went to the city for transfers and zone leader training but I've been taking an antibiotic for a week and talked with Sister Smedley and she said that I should come down with my companion to go to the doctor and see what is up.  So the doctor said that I have e coli.  He said that the antibiotic was helping and to keep taking it and he wants me to come back this week.  So this Thursday I go to Seim Reap to go to the doctor again and see what's up.  I feel fine.  I eat enough, and I sleep fine and I'm not in much pain.  It's strange that I have it because we are really clean with food and I know you saw the meat we buy last week in the blog but we clean everything after we buy it.  Someone else had it and was in the hospital and out of commission for a week....but I'm doing great mom.  I just worry that in the last 2 weeks we haven't been in our area much and I need to be helping the people more so its tough not to get discouraged when you feel you aren't doing missionary work, but trials and bad things come up every day and little annoying things just don't bother you too much after awhile and life is still good. 

So, I'm happy and somewhat healthy right now.  Easter weekend was way good and we got to see conference in English and we had lunch with the senior couple both days, really good!  Then last week I rode a cow at a members house and I have pics, lol!  It's not as fun as it looks!

There was a huge storm last Friday and the thunder and lightning was the loudest and brightest of any storm I've ever witnessed in America.  So crazy and the last 3 nights before we went to the city, no power all night so no ac for 3 nights sleeping and then our 2 nights back from the city we didn't have power.  I'm still sleeping even though its really annoying and super hot.  Then this week it's khmae new year and we have 2 days off.  Friday and Sat. we have 6 hours of house cleaning Fri. and 4 hours of work in our member record book and then we get to go to a cool place with everyone and the branch is having a party at the church so I'm hoping for delicious treats to eat, lol!  But we still don't have much time to go out and teach this week either but I'm doing way good.  I got your package and mail from grandma.  The treats were all great and I love the letters and I love all the emails!

They love angry birds here but they don't know why, so it's hilarious.  They have all kinds of angry birds shirts, hats, cups, everything for cheap!  I need to write more letters but I'm just really busy. But I love you bunches and I love Cambodia!

I love you all - Love Elder Joshua Decker
posted and edited by Mom

March 26, 2012

aight well my week was good.  Pretty normal week with nothing too big happening and its starting to get to the point where days are blending together and soon weeks will, and months and years.  But its way good.  The rash is good and I still use the stuff I got from the Ming at the computer/pharmacy store.  I love her and she is super funny.  I talk with here a little every p-day and I wave as we go by sometimes.  Super nice family runs this place.  Last Monday I got my first khmae hair cut and masssage combo pack for a buck and quarter (lol) could have got the hair wash cut shave and massage if i wanted...maybe next time. (lol)   Then Monday night we had exchanges with the assistants so we had a 3 of us together for Monday night and Tuesday afternooon.  Then we had a good long day Wednesday and it rained a few times here and it was just an American rain but a lot of water quick and it floods fast in places. Didn't bike through it, cause the Khmae try and keeep their houses dry and coming in soaking wet is something they don't really like.  But we just sit and wait for a break.  Khmae shut down when it rains. (lol)  Super funny. 

Then we did confirm the family and they made it there and are doing soo good.  The lookpuu or husband of the family calls us when he can't make it to church and feels bad so its just awesome!  They are so cool!  I bought a little speaker thing and flash drive last week and the speaker is great for my mp3 thing and I have a flash drive I can put music on and play it from the speaker I bought and its really nice and i got it from chinese to english so thats a lot better lol super fun! 

I found a delicious treat that dad would love.  Its an omelet style stuff in a cooked dough bread ball.  It's delicious!  And 33 cents lol I love them soo much!  And every treat has some kind of bean in it, so I'm diggin those.  We eat rice and noodles everyday.  I will need a wok and rice cooker and a good set of knifes lol, we cook once or twice a dad and I eat oatmeal or cereal or egg and rice and pork in the morning for breakfast just as tidbits of what I'm up too.  Then this week it rained a few more times but that is good luck for the year and the Khmae new year is coming up and apparently the whole mission get owned by it, cause everyone goes off somewhere and don't really tell you.  It's not america lol.

Then this week there is someone that wants to serve a mission in our branch and he is working really hard to get there.  He came out with us last night and he knows a lot of english and is really good and teaching with us and explains things super good.  Soo that is always fun when we help guys get ready to serve missions and he hopes he goes to America to learn english better and come home and get a good job. so that is something Khmae needs, smart people with plans to do something with their life.

Then we work with the branch more and more and try and find the recent less active members in our area.  Cambodia has 11000 members and 2500 come in the country every week.  Soo its trying to balance work with investigators and work finding and helping less active is always a balance we are working for!  It's tough but everything is worth our time when we do it with the spirit as our guide! Helping some stay active and come back to church is just as important as baptizing a new convert.

First Baptism

Well we are teaching a family and they are awesome!  They have 3 kids and one is 13 and one is going to 8 in 3 weeks and one is like 3.  Girl boy girl sandwich.  They have super strong faith and know that this is true and are working soo hard to get there and be baptised and everything!  

 The mom and dad can't read but the older girl can.  So we told them last week they were ready to be baptized and she, the mom, had this trip coming up where she was going to Thailand to work for a while and that she was nervous about not gettting baptized before she went and she prayed (yes!) and then that night her daughter had a dream and saw her mom getting baptized and then we showed up that night and told them they were ready!  She was sooo happy and just told us more about her dream and seriously when she said this I know that God works in all kinds of ways to help his children return.  She said that maybe because khmae people can't read and aren't very educated that heavenly father gives them dreams to know that this is true and I know that she is right.  Because so many people I've heard have had dreams and are now the storngest members in khmae!  She is soo cool and the whole family is strong!  So then we scheduled the baptism on Saturday so they could be confirmed at church the next day.  And their interview was at 2 Saturday also before the baptism at 4.  

 So we are waiting there at the church for them and they don't show for like a half an hour after 2 and still not there so we call them and they just got hit by a moto on their bikes as they were turning into the road to the church!  And we race over there and play big bad white guys to make sure the moto guy doesn't just speed off with out paying cause thats the rule, if you hit them you pay.  And things were going well and the guy that hit them was being cool about it but super rich khmae skinny guy. lol Anyways we bought the kids some ice cream from the gas station and took them to the church and the oldest girl interview and passed and then we went back to help the mom and dad and littlest girl get to church and get everything straighten out.  

 But they all eventually got to the church and interview and passed. then we got ready to start and at first I was thinking Elder Wilcox, my comp, was doing them all but then we ask the girl, Sokhea, who she wanted and she said elder decka.  And I was like wow, I'm gonna baptize someone in khmae!!!  Then I thought crap!   I barely know khmae!! Haha.   It was the coolest feeling and the coolest thing to do ever! All white, speaking khmae and baptizing someone in a fountain outside in brown water!  Haha.  I love khame!  And it was the coolest thing ever!  And i didn't mess up and she got under the first time and it was quick and simple but the feeling was strong!  

Then the next day we were planning to do their confirmation and they didn't show again!  It was 830 when they got there and the whole time I was worried about them not coming cause if she goes to Thailand without being confirmed she would have to be baptized again and it would just not be good.  But the whole time I just sat there waiting and knowing and feeling this peace that they would come and all would be well.  And I just said ok.  I trust you.  And it was all good and they all got confirmed and I was in the circle with all of them!  It was like the coolest first baptism ever!  I was loving every minute of it!  I love being a a missionary and now we have another new family and they have 2 kids of age and it will be soo cool to have more baptism and more families just like this one.! :)

 aight well thats my story for the week and i have money and food and everything is good! i love you all soo much and i will take lots of pics and hope you know that i am loving it and tell everyone that no matter what i am having a great time. even with all the annoying things this place is awesome! i love my mission!! :) i'm doing great! and no little rash can slow me down!!! :) love you mom! bunches and bunches! :) :) get better soon and i always keep all of you in my prayers! i love you soo much!!!

 love joshua elder decker