April 21 - Happy Easter!! And .... a surprise!

Dear friends and family,

Happy Easter!!  I hope you had the most amazing Easter and were able to remember out Savior yesterday and this past Passover week.

If you didn't get a chance to see the video I posted on my Facebook page, here's the link: 

mormon.org/easter

It's the first video called "Because of Him."  PLEASE watch it!  It is the most breath-taking, beautiful, incredible 2 1/2 minute video about Jesus Christ.  

For this week's news:

I CHOPPED MY HAIR OFF!!  Last night actually.  Sister Petersen has really long hair and decided she was going to cut it off.   She took the scissors and cut off a whole 12 inches of her hair!  Then I decided, "Why not?!"  And she cut my hair off too!  Pictures to come :)  I feel so FREE!  I love it.  Of course...it's not super professional.  My companion cut it.  But she cut it even and straight, and that's all that matters.

We had a miraculous, weird, hilarious, and toasty (it's getting pretty warm) week!!

Here's a funny story I included to President Alba this week about a new investigator we picked up:

We met Raz, this 20-year-old guy who works at his parents' winery, on the street walking back to our apartment and ended up teaching him the restoration. He loved hearing about prophets and wanted to know how he could hear one speak, and we told about lds.org and how to look up the General Conference talks. We left him with a pamphlet with our number on it but didn't get his. We realized that and prayed he would get back to us, and later that evening, we got a call!

"Hi, this is Sister Decker and Sister Petersen!"
"Hi, when can we meet again?"
"May I ask who is calling?"
"Raz."

SO COOL! Then...he texted us and asked us out on a date. Both of us. It was sad. He said he would come to church yesterday, too, but he did not. We were going to meet with him again last night but I think because we told him no and that we are servants of Jesus Christ, he doesn't want to meet. It was pretty sad because he seemed really elect. Ha maybe it sounds weird, but is it possible to get the Spirit mixed up with other feelings? Because when we were teaching Raz, the Spirit was there so powerfully and he really seemed enlightened.  Sister Nimmer is so funny.  When we told her the story, she said, "Maybe he confused the feelings he had for you for the Spirit and you can help him recognize what he is feeling."  ...Yup.  I guess we'll see what happens!  But if he really is ready, things will work out just fine, I know it.
Here's another cool story this week:

We also picked up this guy, Nestor! He is so cool. He is also 20 years old, and is friends with Christian, another one of our investigators. We went by Christian's and Nestor was there as well. We ended up teaching them, of all things, the Word of Wisdom! It was neat, though - they both committed to live it. They wanted to meet the next day, so we did, and it was awesome! We taught where we came from from the Plan of Salvation pamphlet. Nestor especially was just eating it up. He kept saying to us, "This is answering all my questions."

At the end of the lesson Sister Petersen asked, "Well, any questions?"
Nestor replied, "Yeah. When can we meet again?"
!!! It was neat :) However, he and Christian have fallen off the Earth the rest of the week! Calistoga is a small town and we would see them everywhere, but after that lesson we haven't seen them! We've been praying really hard to be able to meet with them. We talked to Nestor's mom the other day when we dropped by to see if he was home. His mom is very Catholic, but was very appreciative that we were meeting with him. She said he's been doing bad stuff on the streets, and feels much better knowing he is talking with us.

As for our lovely Teresa, she is doing great!  We finally started teaching her husband, Jose, this week! Woot woot!  Here's the story of Teresa:

We also taught a great lesson to Teresa, and also taught her husband, Jose! They both agreed to be baptized on May 24th!! We're working hard to help them reach that date. Jose has Word of Wisdom problems, so we need to address those, and we aren't entirely sure if they are legally married...lots of work to be done, but they are so prepared to hear the Gospel! It is so amazing to see how Teresa's attitude towards life has changed. She told us when we met with her last, "Meeting with you has given me hope." She is so much more positive and calm and happy. Her family has been praying together every night, too, and her relationships with her daughter Nayeli and her husband Jose are improving so much. The Gospel truly does bless individuals and families.
And here's my insight to President Alba that I shared about scripture study.  I just want to bear my testimony to all of you that studying the scriptures really does open up the door to personal inspiration from God.  He has put these sacred books of scripture in front of us for a reason.  So many people say, "God never answers my prayers."  But so many times we ask, "Have you ever read the scriptures to try to receive an answer?"  And they will almost always say, "No."

Read the scriptures!  The Bible and the Book of Mormon are the most amazing books in the entire world.  We can feel God's love, learn about Jesus Christ, and learn all we need to do in this life to return back to our Heavenly Father.  We can also learn from others' mistakes so that we need not make those mistakes ourselves.  See 2 Nephi 31:20 and 2 Nephi 32:3-4.  Also, for those of you who question having more book of scripture other than the Bible, I'd encourage you to read 2 Nephi 29:7-9.

Anyway, here's that insight haha:

This week I've received amazing insight on reading the scriptures. Sister Petersen and I like to call our really great studies "Loaded potato" studies. Not just a raw potato, but a feast of butter, green onions, chives, bacon, sour cream, salt and pepper...all that good stuff. 

I just feel so enlightened and hunger for more and more whenever I study. Our hour of study slips by like 5 minutes. I love studying the scriptures. It is so true that when we feast on the words of Christ, they [the words] "will tell you all things what ye should do" (2 Nephi 32:3). I have been trying personally to improve on helping investigators and less-active members understand how great and enlightening and filling "feasting" in the scriptures is.

As for Sister Petersen, this week especially I see such leadership quality in her! Honestly, at the rate she's going, she could train and be an STL at the end of this transfer, no problem. Really, though. She is so bold and has such a strong testimony. She is a natural leader, but doesn't force anything. She is exactly obedient. She works HARD. She is definitely ready to train and be a leader :) I am so proud of her! 

As for other highlights this week:

An old man talked to us for 45 minutes the other day.  He kissed my head about 4 times in that conversation.  It was weird.  Why do things like this always happen to me?

Ed Mowry - another old man and also the 98-year-old investigator we are attempting to teach - is SNEAKY!  He always gives us goldfish kisses on our hand (but really, imagine a goldfish coming up and giving you a kiss - that's what his kisses on our hands are like).  Yesterday at church I ALMOST escaped.  But then he grabbed my hand at the last minute and goldfish-kissed it.  He has crazy-fast reflexes for a 98-year-old man.  One second my hand is by my side and the next...BAM.  I've been goldfish-kissed.

Sister Petersen and I get along SO well. We teach well together, and we also are having an absolute blast out here in wine country.  We always quote The Best Two Years:

"I also know that Joseph Smith is a pamphlet...I mean, a prophet."

And lastly, this lady in our branch who will not be named is having a hysterectomy this week.  In Relief Society she compared it to In 'N' Out: "You go in, they yank it, and you go out."

Then this tiny little lady yells out, "Minus the fries!"

Haha oh Relief Society.  It's the best.

I am doing so well!  Really, though.  Sister Petersen's hips are taking a toll.  She's walking like a Grandma.  We're going to the doctor later this week to figure out what's wrong.  But as for my body and mind and spirit, and her mind and spirit, it's all good!  

I love you all so much!  Please know how much I care for all of you individually.  I pray for all of you often, and miss you all very much.  I hope you have the most amazing week.  Remember that God loves you and that forgiveness is always available for those willing to repent and move forward.  "Faith is pointed toward the future."

Love,

Sister Kolee Decker

P.S.  Want a mind blowing insight on the creation of the world?  Read Genesis 1:4 about light.  God wasn't talking about day and night at that moment - He hadn't created the moon, sun, stars, or day and night as of yet - He is talking about good and evil (see Alma 32:35 and Moroni 7:15-17).

P.P.S. I LOVE YOU!!!!!

Before the haircut...

...and After!