Dear friends and family,
Hi from Vallejo! Hope you all had a fun week :)
I wanted to start my letter with an excerpt I wrote to President Alba this week, and then I'll end with not as serious stuff:
"I've felt a little bit in a funk this transfer, for some reason. I love Sis. Naqia and she is such a wonderful example, but I felt like I was plateauing again and I didn't want that to happen.
So this week I decided to do something about it. I really tried to stop thinking about myself and do two things: have a good attitude and serve others. And guess what? I feel much better.
Amazing how if we just stop thinking about ourselves, everything works out well. It takes me a while even now to figure it out, but when I feel stuck, the solution is to push a little further, ask God for help, and just serve. Amazing how simple it is.
We taught Akesa Nakatouga this week and she shared her favorite scripture in Alma 26:27 with us:
"Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success."
:) It struck me really hard that I needed to take time out to feel God's comfort, and keep pushing through.
So I did just that this week, and I feel like I'm breaking through once again. And oh boy does it feel great!
Our area is doing so much better! We picked up 3 really, really solid new investigators - 1 missionary contact, 1 member referral, and 1 from ward council. We have been able to talk to 20 new people almost every day this week, and WILL every single day this week :) We have been working HARD this week, and it feels so good.
Sis. Naqia is doing great and we are working well together. She is so fun and desires to be obedient and kind and loving.
Thank you so much for putting me with Sis. Naqia. She is teaching me so much. She is so kind and humble and patient and loving and genuine and bold. You know how? She prays for it in every prayer, but not rotely. She really MEANS it. I love and respect her so so so much.
As much as I want to stay with her for the next transfer coming up, though, I really, truly feel she would be a wonderful trainer for the new sisters coming in. She teaches SO well and so powerfully and she talks to EVERYONE. She is full of love. She has been improving by MILES on timing (keeping with the schedule). She is obedient. She has started to really open up and be more vocal about what she feels prompted to do (And I love that - open communication is key).
She is helping me raise my vision of who I am. She is just so happy! I love being around her. And I know a new missionary would especially love being around her. She is amazing.
I just wanted to write specifically what I have learned from her this transfer:
1. It is okay our investigators don't talk to us at times. "Sister Decker, they are just using their agency. It is okay."
2. Laugh often and be happy. It is the best way to be.
3. Sing loud and proud even if you are off-key: "I will be the first Fijian on the Mormon Tabernacle Choir."
4. Just be yourself. She is so quirky and embraces it and I just love her so much for those quirks!
5. Give hugs often.
6. Pray like you are talking to God. I have never met anyone who prays so sincerely.
7. Talk to EVERYONE. "We need to raise a voice of warning and hope, Sister Decker."
So again, thank you President Alba. I feel so grateful to be with Sister Naqia in this ward at this time.
Okay funny story from language study this week. Sister Naqia wanted to learn more conversational English so we worked on learning to talk about dance. I told her about ballet and how ballerinas usually wear tutus. In reply, she said,
"Oh, okay, a pupu?"
Hahaha
"No, a tutu."
"Oh." *Cracks up laughing*
She is such a goober and I love her tons."
Alright, so I want to tell you all about our three new amazing investigators!
First:
Holly Yoho.
1. Her last name is hilarious
2. Her story: she downloaded the BoM on her Kindle and really liked it, so she Googled where the nearest church was and showed up at church yesterday! She stayed for all 3 hours of church and at the end told us how much she loved that is was 3 hours instead of 1. She said that just one isn't enough! She loved how interactive church was and she set up an appointment to meet with us again on Wednesday!
3. She loves the Book of Mormon and reads it whenever she has a free moment.
So excited to teach her on Wednesday!
Second:
Dennis Erfe.
His story is cool, too. He was dating a member of our congregation, Alanna. Alanna broke up with him because they were in love and she knew she couldn't marry him in the temple. It was really hard for her, but after praying she knew she needed to do it. She let Dennis know and he said he would become a member for her, but she told him he could never do that. If he wanted to join, he needed to do it because he knows it is true, not for her. (I respect that. This church is not just a "baptized and you're done" deal. It is the Church of Jesus Christ, and as such is a lifetime commitment - a way of life)
They were both really sad and Dennis was pretty turned-off to the church after that. However, one day he asked Alanna's mom how she joined the church (Alanna's parents are both converts to the church). She shared her story and Dennis was really touched, and decided to ask to meet with the missionaries and see what this church was all about.
We had a first lesson with him last week (and he has actually come to church 3 weeks in a row now)! We asked what he wanted to get out of it, and he said he wants to learn who Joseph Smith is and how the Book of Mormon is connected to our church. He also wants to learn what it is that makes Alanna so devoted to the Church. He prayed at the end for the first time EVER and really felt the Spirit! He also accepted the invitation to be baptized and is reading the Book of Mormon! We are meeting with him this coming Saturday!
Third:
Phoua Vang.
She is Hmong and is our ward missionary Kristen Parker's best friend. She is so open and willing to learn more. We had a first lesson and it went super well. We are meeting with her again tonight :)
Alright, so other random quotes and stories this week:
1. Sister Naqia has taught me how to blow up balloons! Finally! We blew up 10 of them for Sis. Anderson's birthday (she is a sister in my zone) on Tuesday!
2. We gave 18 elders kazoos to blow for Sister Anderson's birthday and it was a horrible idea haha. SO STINKIN LOUD. Hahaha.
3. The elders left a fake arm on our doorstep the other day for some reason...anyway, I hid the fake arm in Sis. Naqia's sheets and that night when she was getting ready for bed she let out a HUGE scream and yelled, "Sista Decka!!!" Then she saw it was fake and we both died laughing hahaha. Oh good times.
4. For some reason, all the members have been taking us out to eat this week. I thought I liked eating out but nope I do not haha. The food has been making me feel HORRIBLE. I would rather eat a PB&J than go out to eat again.
5. I ate mussels for the first time this week! They were pretty good...very chewy.
6. Sis. Naqia and I have been feeling SO sick this week from all the heavy restaurant food haha. Funny quotes from her about it:
"Fish from Fiji, please swim over to California and get in my belly so it can stop hurting." (She's used to only eating fish for her meat)
"Why can't people just feed us some bread and butter?! No more meat."
"I feel like a bear."
Haha poor girl. If MY stomach has been hurting a lot this week, I can't imagine how HER stomach is feeling. So next time you want to take the missionaries out to eat, think again!!! Haha.
Well, I hope you all have a wonderful week! Remember that you are worth so much in God's eyes and that He loves you.
Love,
Sister Kolee Decker
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