From e-mail 9/2/2012
This week went by really fast. We were able to find more inactive members and have success there and that's all good and the house is good too, I got a bed this week and I like it! I got more dictionaries to learn Khmae and I'm learning a lot only speaking Khmae in the house all the time and it's super funny sometimes. I love hangin out with these 3 elders! Last Monday we played futsol at the church and I got some volleyball in this week too. Yesterday we road out to an investigator's house that has been investigating the church for 2 years or more and couldn't get baptized because she didn't have a house or a family book which is like a certificate saying your married and now they just got a new house so 2 months more and they should be getting baptized but we biked 2 and a half hours to their house and an hour and a half back with 2 members but without the members we could have got there in 30 mins and back in 20 so there ya go. But it was good cause Elder Wilcox started teaching her and her husband when he first started his mission so now I'll get to finish his work he started. Super cool.
I'll take some pictures from home if you can send some. They don't know what swim team is when I tell them and they don't believe me when I tell them I know how to play soccer until I bring my ball out that I bought and take with me now, haha!
Trying to find 100 less actives that have no phone numbers and no address and no map to their house is loads of fun. Elder Ny is doing good and getting better and the house is good. I go up to the third floor and juggle some nights and compete with the blasting music from the house attached to ours, lol. I have the big super market close to the house so I have everything I need and peanut butter and oreos keep me happy. I still eat a ton of rice and pork and chicken. Well, my english is getting worse cause I don't use it a lot and I don't know what to say sometimes! Haha, I love you! I'm putting pictures up and I'm off for the day and going to have some fun with my 3 Khmae brothers!!
Love Joshua!
Thursday, September 6, 2012
From e-mail 8/19-26/2012
Well, this week was quick but different being in the city and we did a ton of different stuff like actually going out contacting and we never did that in Kampong Thom. It's slow work but I'm still having a lot of fun. The house is doing better. I still have to get some more stuff but we have a microwave and a place to put my clothes. My companion still needs to rest or sleep most days to get feeling better but I try and do as much as I can to learn about the people in our area and then study more cause he is really just trying to finish the mission and not have to stop early because of sickness.This week we had district meeting and it's still weird to see so many Elders in the city cause you just run into them on pday or whatever and it's weird to actually go to a church building and sit in a chapel for the first time in 8 months so that was cool for zone conference.
I got some custom shirts cut for 7 bucks a piece cause all my shirts are permanently dirty so I'll pick them up today and I'll put pics up next week as I didn't take any this week! Yesterday I got to spend 3 hours helping a senior couple do family history for our branch and that was a lot of fun and sent like 100 more ordinances to the temple so that was really cool and to do family history in Cambodia is super fun! I just want to be there when they try and read the names!
This week our house has more stuff and finally looks like a house. I took some pics and when you look at the kitchen, there was nothing there when we got here. I got all that stuff! I picked up my new shirts and the long sleeve ones are really nice and they aren't that hot and really soft and custom fitted! The senior couple took us to a chicken place and ice cream place here and we ate lunch together cause it was the senior sister's birthday and I got some good chicken and the earthquake ice cream bowl which is super weak and only 8 scoops and I put that down easy then ate half of someone elses's so it was good. I love ice cream!
We spent lots of time at the dentist for my comp this week. We had our PEC meeting and I tried to help the branch president here as much as I could. He is a returned missionary and knows a ton of English and translates the Liahona in Khmae and is stressed. I want to help him not have to do lots of stuff by himself. Sunday I gave a talk and that was alright but I still have lots to learn and I spoke for ten minutes in Khmae so that was cool and then we had to teach Elder's quorum too yesterday. I am having fun teaching my Khmae elders (in the house) english and am learning more Khmae every day. Elder Som is super funny and I taught him holy crap and translated in Khmae for him as crap that is holy and he laughed like crazy and uses it all the time! He is a favorite Khmae elder, super smart and funny and a super good missionary.
Thanks to everyone for all the letters! I love getting them! And yes mom, that is my bed on the floor! I like the floor, it's cooler than a bed--I love it here! I just want a better chair for my desk and I'm good! I'll be back next week and it's already September! Holy smokes, 3 months and I'm already out a year! Crazy! I love you - Love Joshua
Well, this week was quick but different being in the city and we did a ton of different stuff like actually going out contacting and we never did that in Kampong Thom. It's slow work but I'm still having a lot of fun. The house is doing better. I still have to get some more stuff but we have a microwave and a place to put my clothes. My companion still needs to rest or sleep most days to get feeling better but I try and do as much as I can to learn about the people in our area and then study more cause he is really just trying to finish the mission and not have to stop early because of sickness.This week we had district meeting and it's still weird to see so many Elders in the city cause you just run into them on pday or whatever and it's weird to actually go to a church building and sit in a chapel for the first time in 8 months so that was cool for zone conference.
I got some custom shirts cut for 7 bucks a piece cause all my shirts are permanently dirty so I'll pick them up today and I'll put pics up next week as I didn't take any this week! Yesterday I got to spend 3 hours helping a senior couple do family history for our branch and that was a lot of fun and sent like 100 more ordinances to the temple so that was really cool and to do family history in Cambodia is super fun! I just want to be there when they try and read the names!
This week our house has more stuff and finally looks like a house. I took some pics and when you look at the kitchen, there was nothing there when we got here. I got all that stuff! I picked up my new shirts and the long sleeve ones are really nice and they aren't that hot and really soft and custom fitted! The senior couple took us to a chicken place and ice cream place here and we ate lunch together cause it was the senior sister's birthday and I got some good chicken and the earthquake ice cream bowl which is super weak and only 8 scoops and I put that down easy then ate half of someone elses's so it was good. I love ice cream!
We spent lots of time at the dentist for my comp this week. We had our PEC meeting and I tried to help the branch president here as much as I could. He is a returned missionary and knows a ton of English and translates the Liahona in Khmae and is stressed. I want to help him not have to do lots of stuff by himself. Sunday I gave a talk and that was alright but I still have lots to learn and I spoke for ten minutes in Khmae so that was cool and then we had to teach Elder's quorum too yesterday. I am having fun teaching my Khmae elders (in the house) english and am learning more Khmae every day. Elder Som is super funny and I taught him holy crap and translated in Khmae for him as crap that is holy and he laughed like crazy and uses it all the time! He is a favorite Khmae elder, super smart and funny and a super good missionary.
Thanks to everyone for all the letters! I love getting them! And yes mom, that is my bed on the floor! I like the floor, it's cooler than a bed--I love it here! I just want a better chair for my desk and I'm good! I'll be back next week and it's already September! Holy smokes, 3 months and I'm already out a year! Crazy! I love you - Love Joshua
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Still having too much fun as a missionary! :)
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| Branch pres, BM pres, and Branch pres wife!!! |
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| Random Khmae hangout place. sweet too! |
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| My goofy companion! |
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| I'm tried of monkin' around!! |
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| Me and elder Ny |
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| The elephant!! |
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| Thats Khmae stye! |
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Pochentong Branch
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| This is our room |
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| This is my bed and sometimes where i study |
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| The view from out rooftop |
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| Rooftop veiw |
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| Our kitchen |
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| The 3rd floor and our room is that big window and we have a balcony too |
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| The first floor and our lame dinner table and we put out bikes inside every night |
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| Elder Ny taking pics |
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| Our room is not very tall...its made for little people |
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| My comp, Elder Ny |
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| Our recent convert Pheakdei |
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
From e-mail 8/12/2012
Well, things are good here. Friday was the day of transfers but the beginning of the week I spent in Kampong Thom packing and saying my goodbyes to everyone and I miss them alot but I know I'm supposed to come here and there is so much work here that I know I'm going to be good at especially with my companion right now so it will be really good. His name is Elder Ny and he's Khmae and I live in a brand new house in the mission that they just got. When we got here on Friday we didn't have a thing, no power cords, no desks, really and literally a completely empty 3 story house. So it was tough right away and I'm living in the house with 3 Khmae Elders and me so I have to kinda be the thinker and remember what we need to get and do for the house. The only thing we had were mattresses and that's it so I had to work on that with the mission and the landlord and had to go buy everything myself too, so it was a little stressful right away but I'm ok, just living on the floor right now and doing just fine. I eat on the floor, sleep on the floor and study on the floor. I'm always sittin on the ground, lol.
Anyway, Elder Ny has 5 months left and he has more health problems than I do so it's been tough to get started. We just barely met with people together last night for the first time. I went from having no time in my week to having really a lot of time because we have 3 investigators and in KT I had about 20 and not many recent converts but a ton of less actives to find so that will be good. I'm excited to have this area to work with and my health is ok.
Our branch is called Pochetong it's pretty small but I'm going to be finding less actives and trying to get the area books a ton better than they are right now so that will be exciting and I'll be busy and trying to use a lot of my time trying to do book work at the house. Today is busy with other stuff expecially with my comp, cause he has had nose surgery and they just found Friday night that he has micro kidney stones and he just wants to be healthy so it's a little tough right now. But we have a great Branch President and it will be great to work with him, a returned missionary who is smart and wants to help and make sure the missionaries are being helped too. His wife is a returned Sister too and super smart and the members here are really great and super nice and friendly. They tell me I speak really clear and just like a Khmae for only 6 months in country so I'm doing really good. Now I'm in a house with all Khmaes so we will see how much Khmae I learn, lol! The Khmae all say that only white people eat bread but I make fun of them because they eat a ton of it so it's fun in the house.
I heard that 4 people that I started teaching in Kampong Thom got baptized yesterday so that was awesome and I was super excited. This area is pretty good and it's just busy all the time and crowded with people and a lot different from KT but my bike is good and the ac is good and the power is good too. We are right next to a big grocery store and there is a volley ball court right outside our house that I'm going to challenge them all to 4 on 4 to listen to the gospel. Four Elders vs the moto guys, haha, so I'll let you know how that goes. Anyway, it's all good here and I love you all a ton. I put lots of pics up of the people of KT! Till next week!
Love, Elder Joshua Decker
Well, things are good here. Friday was the day of transfers but the beginning of the week I spent in Kampong Thom packing and saying my goodbyes to everyone and I miss them alot but I know I'm supposed to come here and there is so much work here that I know I'm going to be good at especially with my companion right now so it will be really good. His name is Elder Ny and he's Khmae and I live in a brand new house in the mission that they just got. When we got here on Friday we didn't have a thing, no power cords, no desks, really and literally a completely empty 3 story house. So it was tough right away and I'm living in the house with 3 Khmae Elders and me so I have to kinda be the thinker and remember what we need to get and do for the house. The only thing we had were mattresses and that's it so I had to work on that with the mission and the landlord and had to go buy everything myself too, so it was a little stressful right away but I'm ok, just living on the floor right now and doing just fine. I eat on the floor, sleep on the floor and study on the floor. I'm always sittin on the ground, lol.
Anyway, Elder Ny has 5 months left and he has more health problems than I do so it's been tough to get started. We just barely met with people together last night for the first time. I went from having no time in my week to having really a lot of time because we have 3 investigators and in KT I had about 20 and not many recent converts but a ton of less actives to find so that will be good. I'm excited to have this area to work with and my health is ok.
Our branch is called Pochetong it's pretty small but I'm going to be finding less actives and trying to get the area books a ton better than they are right now so that will be exciting and I'll be busy and trying to use a lot of my time trying to do book work at the house. Today is busy with other stuff expecially with my comp, cause he has had nose surgery and they just found Friday night that he has micro kidney stones and he just wants to be healthy so it's a little tough right now. But we have a great Branch President and it will be great to work with him, a returned missionary who is smart and wants to help and make sure the missionaries are being helped too. His wife is a returned Sister too and super smart and the members here are really great and super nice and friendly. They tell me I speak really clear and just like a Khmae for only 6 months in country so I'm doing really good. Now I'm in a house with all Khmaes so we will see how much Khmae I learn, lol! The Khmae all say that only white people eat bread but I make fun of them because they eat a ton of it so it's fun in the house.
I heard that 4 people that I started teaching in Kampong Thom got baptized yesterday so that was awesome and I was super excited. This area is pretty good and it's just busy all the time and crowded with people and a lot different from KT but my bike is good and the ac is good and the power is good too. We are right next to a big grocery store and there is a volley ball court right outside our house that I'm going to challenge them all to 4 on 4 to listen to the gospel. Four Elders vs the moto guys, haha, so I'll let you know how that goes. Anyway, it's all good here and I love you all a ton. I put lots of pics up of the people of KT! Till next week!
Love, Elder Joshua Decker
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Monday, August 6, 2012
From e-mail 8/6/2012
Well, I'm being transferred to the city on the north side. I'm white washing and I'm co-senior comp already. Doesn't mean much but I have a tough area so the mission president talked to me about it last night and gave me lots of advice on what he wants me to do. I'm feeling better and doing fine. I got the box with the candy and peppermint oil pills and I use the stuff and it's working pretty good so we'll see after some longer time. I can take my bike seat and my horn with me so that's good! I love Kampong Thom and I can't wait to come back with you and you should come for two weeks! It will be super fun and a hotel room in Kampon Thom with ac is 8 bucks a night with 2 beds...anything like that in America!????? Haha!
It was a pretty normal week and not a ton of crazy things happened. Monday to Wednesday I was companions with the senion Elder cause my comp was in the city for training. I took out some of the young men too and Monday I had a relaxing p-day and got a two hour nap in my hammock with power. But it was busy because when I'm out with the senior Elder I do all the translating and it is hard work. Tuesday, spent the whole day with Elder Grimnes riding in the car and not sweating like crazy biking, lol! And got lunch and dinner from Sophal and it was great! Then Wed. was just crazy, I went out with Elder and Sister Grimnes and Sophal to an engagement thing for a member then took another comp that lived there, I didn't have a bike or helmet, and we taught 2 lessons together out there and then I hung out with Chuon and Chanthy's family as we are still teaching her mother and they are the best. Then took another young man out with me in the evening and had some fun english classes. Then a couple more busy days and then Sunday we had 3 new members receive the Holy Ghost and a little 12 year old boy, smaller than Bobby B. get the Priesthood. It was great and then I gave 4 kids a blessing as they are taking their 12 grade exams and they all rely on the Elders so much and I love them all a ton! I'm just really looking forward to the next time I get to meet with all of them and I love this area a ton.
I have tons of pictures to put up and I still have to pack so not much this week. Lots of fun taking pictures this week with everyone! Love Elder, brother, son, Joshua!
Well, I'm being transferred to the city on the north side. I'm white washing and I'm co-senior comp already. Doesn't mean much but I have a tough area so the mission president talked to me about it last night and gave me lots of advice on what he wants me to do. I'm feeling better and doing fine. I got the box with the candy and peppermint oil pills and I use the stuff and it's working pretty good so we'll see after some longer time. I can take my bike seat and my horn with me so that's good! I love Kampong Thom and I can't wait to come back with you and you should come for two weeks! It will be super fun and a hotel room in Kampon Thom with ac is 8 bucks a night with 2 beds...anything like that in America!????? Haha!
It was a pretty normal week and not a ton of crazy things happened. Monday to Wednesday I was companions with the senion Elder cause my comp was in the city for training. I took out some of the young men too and Monday I had a relaxing p-day and got a two hour nap in my hammock with power. But it was busy because when I'm out with the senior Elder I do all the translating and it is hard work. Tuesday, spent the whole day with Elder Grimnes riding in the car and not sweating like crazy biking, lol! And got lunch and dinner from Sophal and it was great! Then Wed. was just crazy, I went out with Elder and Sister Grimnes and Sophal to an engagement thing for a member then took another comp that lived there, I didn't have a bike or helmet, and we taught 2 lessons together out there and then I hung out with Chuon and Chanthy's family as we are still teaching her mother and they are the best. Then took another young man out with me in the evening and had some fun english classes. Then a couple more busy days and then Sunday we had 3 new members receive the Holy Ghost and a little 12 year old boy, smaller than Bobby B. get the Priesthood. It was great and then I gave 4 kids a blessing as they are taking their 12 grade exams and they all rely on the Elders so much and I love them all a ton! I'm just really looking forward to the next time I get to meet with all of them and I love this area a ton.
I have tons of pictures to put up and I still have to pack so not much this week. Lots of fun taking pictures this week with everyone! Love Elder, brother, son, Joshua!
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