November 10 - Baby #3 on the way!

Dear family and friends,

Hi!! Hope you all had a wonderful week! Shoutout to Bruyn Decker and Justin and Mom and Dad for the letters! Thank you, I really appreciate them!

Ok. So crazy thing: another transfer is gone! Where does time go? 

Transfer information: staying in Vacaville!! I am still a Sister Training Leader (STL). And I am training again!! Baby #3! Haha I am excited to bring another new missionary into the mission field :) Training new missionaries is always so humbling and so much fun. I love helping people grow and become leaders themselves. I realized this transfer that a strength I have developed on my mission is learning how to help people desire to be leaders themselves. It's neat to see, for example, my first "baby" Sister Petersen, who is now an STL herself and is changing and growing SO much on her own mission. I love being out here and becoming more like Christ! It's the best.

Highlights from this week:

Destiny!! She is so elect. A member of our's, Kelsey, took her to the temple and Destiny got to go inside the front part and clean the waiting room and kitchen area. She has anxiety and depression but said inside the temple it all went away. I know that is because the priesthood power of the temple is real - it truly is a house of God. It made her so excited to be baptized so she could go inside and help other people in the Spirit World feel the peace she feels in this Gospel! 

Alex!! He is the less-active member we are working with. He is doing amazing!his testimony is growing, slowly but surely. We had a legitimate spiritual "CPR" (church, prayer, and reading the scriptures - the spiritual essentials to survive) lesson with him this week. He kept texting us crazy stuff throughout the day that got consistently negative and sad, to the point where he was questioning the existence of God. We called him and asked if we could meet, and he said yes. We met in front of the church and sat outside on the grass. I have never felt God speaking through me like that before, but I was praying so hard for God to use me as His instrument and I felt this amazing, calm feeling come over me and decided to simply open my mouth. As I did words came out that Alex needed to hear - the same thing happened to Sister Kwan. We talked with him for a loooong time, especially about faith in Jesus Christ, since we discovered that he doesn't have much faith in Christ. He believes in Heavenly Father, but not Jesus Christ. It is amazing to see, though, how if you have a desire to know if something is true, that God will let you know! Slowly but surely, as he prays to God, God is letting Alex know that Jesus is his Savior and that God loves Alex so so much. 

I also know God is our loving Heavenly Father, and Jesus Christ is His Beloved Son. Without Christ, the resurrection of our bodies to come back to God's presence to be judged would not be possible. We would not be able to be clean from our mistakes and would never live with God again. But because of Christ and His atoning sacrifice, we are able to come back to God physically and spiritually. 

If you aren't sure about that, go to the source of ALL truth: God. And if you aren't sure about God, go to that higher power you believe in - that higher power IS God, our Heavenly Father. And he loves YOU. Very, very personally, at that. In His eyes, "You are magnificent." Remember the beauty that can come from the ashes (The Butterfly Circus).

To end this email off, I wanted to tell you some funny quotes and stories from this week/transfer with Sister Kwan:

-Quote from Sis. Kwan:

"That car is horrible. They don't know how to drive! It is poopooing! Look at it!!!"

*Big diesel truck with exhaust coming out whenever he pushes the gas pedal. 

-I tried to give away pumpkin bread in a bag while we were contacting this week as a creative way to get people to talk to is...no one took it haha. I asked, "Why won't anyone take the bread?" Sis. Kwan: "Because it's creepy! They think you poison them!!" 

-While teaching how the Gospel blesses families, Sister Kwan said, "Imagine if you had no family and no parents. Imagine if God said to everyone, 'You is all BABIES!!' What would happen then?" Hahahahaha I ended up dying laughing...so did Alex, who we were teaching. 

-Whenever I got negative with myself or others, Sister Kwan would always remind me, "Think of the goodness, Sister Decker! The goodness."

I have learned a LOT from Sister Kwan. I am so sad we only get to spend 6 weeks together, but I am happy for the fun times and the growth we had together! "Look ahead and remember that faith is always pointed towards the future" (Jeffrey R. Holland).

Haha life is so good. I am so happy. I am so grateful. In these two weeks before Thanksgiving, I invite you to write one thing you are grateful for every day and put it somewhere where you will see it. :) You will see that you have LOADS to be thankful for! 

Have an absolutely terrific week, everyone! I love you all!

Love,

Sister Nikole Decker

October 27 - A week full of short hair!

Dear family and friends,

Hi!!

This week has been a week full of short hair. #shorthairdontcare

First off, Mom, I don't know if I told you, but your short hair is so cute!!! How do you like it?

Second, Sister Kwan kept asking me for two weeks if I could chop her hair. Finally, Monday night, I did a test-cut of about 3 inches of her hair and after that, she said, "Okay, I call someone to cut for me."
Haha. Cutting hair is harder than you'd think!
#whereisjeneewhenineedher So we called a member of the stake who cuts hair and Sis. Kwan got it cut cute and short on Wednesday at lunchtime! Yay!

Next on the short hair list: Holly Yoho from Napa YSA! We had a tri-stake FHE activity and I got to see Holly, since the Napa ward and the Fairfield ward joined the Vacaville ward for Monday night FHE.
Turns out, Holly also chopped her hair off! It is so cute! She is so fun :)

Also, a girl at church yesterday, Irene Bonner, came up to us and told us we'd inspired her to chop her hair off again haha.

Everyone chops their hair off after they spend time around me ;) Haha nah, but for some reason this week everyone was cutting their hair.

Highlight of the week: I got to Skype in for Holly's baptism on Saturday!! <3 She looked so happy and excited. She was smiling super big and said she just felt GOOD inside. She is such an amazing, sweet girl. And she brought 5 nonmembers to her baptism!! Her grandparents, her parents, and her mom's best friend. SO amazing - she gave her grandma a Book of Mormon and her grandmother is enjoying it. Already a missionary! So proud of her!! I am also so grateful for modern technology so I could still be a part of her special day.

Other random fun things that happened this week:
-Sis. Kwan and I sang all 9 verses to "Follow the Prophet" in companionship study just because we can. It was great. Learned about Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Samuel, Jonah, Daniel, and prophets today! Very informative and fun.
-Sis. Kwan ate oatmeal for breakfast on Thursday and it just killed her stomach for some reason. In our prayer to end companionship study she said, "Dear God, I am sorry that I had to take time out of studying to poopoo, but thank you for letting my body poopoo so I can feel better and do your work." HAHA :) She is the best. By the way, don't tell her I told you that story...ha.

Guess what else happened this week? It rained!!! Fall and winter are coming in, which means 6 months of rain...whew. I may need to invest in a better raincoat. And new boots. I found out last winter my raincoat does squat. And my boots are rather grungy now from two winters of use. But the rain was fun - Sister Kwan and I contacted people outside when it started to POUR. I love the quote, "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass; it is about learning to dance in the rain." So I was having a good ole' time getting soaked and Sis.
Kwan next to me hates rain haha. She was all grumbly the whole time.
It took away from the happiness of the rain a little bit, but when the rain stopped, there was a HUGE double rainbow across the whole sky :) Tender mercy of the Lord.

My studies have been so loaded and awesome this week! I made some goals for the last part of my mission that's coming up, and as I prayed to know how to accomplish them, I was surprised to receive an answer by a thought that popped into my head soon after: "Make your daily personal study count." So I was able to make some great goals and plans to help my personal study turn from a basic baked potato to a loaded-with-goodness, heaven-worthy potato. ;)

As I've been striving to achieve my goals, my study in the scriptures and other Church materials has deepened and widened - I have been feeling more patient, loving, understanding, and obedient. I know that the promise in the Book of Mormon is true about studying the scriptures daily: "...Feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do" (2 Nephi 32:3).

We have started teaching a few new people this week and they are awesome! Destiny - a 19-year-old young woman who is so open and willing to learn. She came to church on Sunday and loved it!

Also, we started teaching this sweet 20-year-old girl named Dulce who is also super open and kind. She has the strongest faith in God, even through some traumatic experiences in her life.

I know this Church is true and that the Book of Mormon is evidence of the Restoration of Christ's original church on the Earth once again.
If you want more lasting happiness than anything else in the world, come and try this out. I testify in the name of Jesus Christ you will feel something new and amazing enter into your life. You can have full access to the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He and God love you. You matter to Them. They want you back!

Have a good week, everyone! Be safe this weekend!

Love,

Sister Kolee Decker

October 20 - Found a family!!!!

Dear family and friends,

Hi from Vacaville!!

This week just BLAZED by! The weeks go by so stinkin' fast haha. I love being out here and serving the Lord and His children in Northern California. I will always have a special place in my heart for the people here...but I don't think I will ever move here because it is so expensive haha. Unless my future husband and I are super wealthy ;)

Ok. So highlights from this week!

Found an awesome family - a married couple, Sonya and Joe, with two teenage kids! They are super funny and open to our church. Sonya used to be Jehovah's Witness but feels it is not true, and they have been searching as a family for a new church to join. Sadly, we have to pass them off to a family ward set of missionaries this week...haha we can only teach YSA age people. It's a bummer but they are so prepared and I am excited to see where they go!

We get fed SO well here! This is the best I've been fed for a loooong time. And our ward mission leader, Justin Gray, gave us the most giant apples I have seen in my entire life haha. It took all my might to eat just one today! I have pictures I'll send of them.

It felt SO amazing to take the Sacrament this week! It was my first week in a normal Sacrament Meeting service since this new transfer - two weekends ago it was General Conference and last weekend it was stake conference. So this past weekend was amazing. I don't know how people can go inactive and not feel the effects of denying themselves the Sacrament. I realized yesterday how powerful that ordinance is - partaking of the bread and water each week to renew our covenants with God and to receive remission of our sins and remember His Son, Jesus Christ. I know that this Church truly holds the priesthood authority of God - the authority to baptize, give the gift of the Holy Ghost, give blessings, bless and pass the Sacrament, and all other ordinances needed to help us go back to Heavenly Father. I felt a literal lifting come off my shoulders when I partook yesterday, and I know that you can feel that every week too if you come to an LDS Sacrament Meeting service. Come join with us :) There's nothing like it.

I went on exchanges with a new sister in our mission, Sis.
Christianson, this past week and it was so neat to see how prepared and willing to improve she was coming out and still is today. I have such a testimony that the prophet today is inspired, and that having sisters serve at 19 and elders at 18 is inspired. I am now serving with many elders and sisters from the graduating class of 2014, which is kind of weird but also really cool that right after high school these men and women come out and consecrate their time to God.

I know this is God's work and that this Church is truly His and our Savior's church on the Earth today to help us have the saving ordinances and support we need to come back to Them someday. I know that the Book of Mormon is convincing evidence that God has called another prophet and restored His church to the Earth in this last period of time before Christ comes again.

I had such a good, spiritual week! Sister Kwan and I had a rough patch, but we are working through it and working hard to bring souls unto Christ in the Solano YSA ward!

Also, to let Dad and others who have asked know about Holly and Thierno and the 5 other investigators with dates back in Napa YSA ward, there are 5 of them getting baptized this weekend!!! I am so stinkin' excited for them! President Alba is letting me Skype for the baptism and I am so excited and happy to be able to be a tiny part of their special day!

Shout out to Dad and Mom for the letters this week - thank you!

I love you all very much and hope you have a wonderful week!

Love,

Sister Nikole Decker

October 13 - Surprise? A Baptism!

Dear family and friends,

Hi!!! This week was absolute chaos and I loved it! You know why? 

We had a surprise baptism here in the Vacaville YSA ward! Among other things :) Her name is Emily McCurdy - she is 20 and has been investigating the church for about a year and decided on Tuesday she wanted to get baptized on Saturday! ?!?!!!?! Yay! She wanted it to be small so we kept it little like she wanted - only the Bishopric, her two good friends, her boyfriend and his parents, and us and two elders who witnessed. It ran so smoothly. It was the neatest thing. She went into the water and when she came up she was just SHINING. Her smile was so big. And the Spirit was so strong - it made me get goosebumps, in a good way :) I know this Church is true and provides the narrow gate needed to go back to Heavenly Father! 

Oh, and I got to sing at it, too: "A Child's Prayer" with her friend Kat. Random side note: I have actually sung quite a lot out here in church, at baptisms, at fire sides, etc. I just always forget to write about it haha. But it's fun, I love singing. 

Everything was super crazy this week - had a few doctor's appointments for Sis. Kwan's foot which has been hurting, had LOADS of meetings (the stake presidency here is awesome and we meet together often to discuss missionary work. It makes proselyting time a little harder though), ate lots of really odd Asian food, laughed a lot, had zone conference, slept like rocks, did a whole bunch of service, and proselyted in between. 

This week should be much calmer and we should be able to be more settled in our area.

I went over my General Conference notes and am just so grateful for living prophets! General Conference strengthened my testimony of the Savior. Helped remind me not to focus on the tiny things that don't matter, but to focus on the doctrine of Christ.

That's all this week! Oh!! I went on exchanges with Sister Reid this week and guess what I got?! A pomegranate!! This family we taught had a pomegranate tree! God loves me haha. Proof! He provided me with the opportunity to eat a pomegranate off the tree. So stinkin good.

I love you all, hope you have a wonderful week!

Love,

Sister Nikole Decker

October 6th - 13 Months!!!

Dear family and friends,

Hi from Vacaville!! Hope you had a wonderful week! My week was great :)

On Saturday, I hit my 13-month mark! Whew! So crazy that there is only 5 months left. Time really does fly, and simultaneously move as slow as molasses haha. The days are slow, the weeks are fast.

Ok. So everything is a psycho blur this week and I can't really remember too much...I'll tell you some things I DO remember haha.

My last day in Vallejo was good - Kristen Parker and I taught Sis. Naqia how to ride a bike! Well...we tried. By the time Sis. Naqia started to get a hang of it, she was too tired to keep going haha. 

Okay, so Tuesday was transfers day! It was crazy. We drove there and had a meeting, then the Sister Training Leaders (myself included) and the Zone Leaders had to stay the rest of the day in Santa Rosa and proselyte. I was with Sister Hamilton and Sister Anderson who had both served in Santa Rosa, so we had an absolute blast there and contacted and visited recent converts and investigators!

I dropped by the Foley family and had the opportunity to teach them again! Yay! They had stopped investigating because of some misconceptions they had, but we were able to clear some up and at the end when we left, Sis. Foley said, "You know, I need to ask God if this Church is true and if the Book of Mormon is true. I will. I am going to ask!" Good! Finally haha. 

Then Wednesday we had Mission Leadership Council (MLC) and it was so good, as always! We got to do something super fun: watch "Meet the Mormons" the new movie the church is coming out with this weekend! It was so cute and good! I recommend it to all :) We are watching it in zone conference this Friday as well. But sh! The other missionaries don't know ;)

I love Vacaville!! It is like Arizona, nice and toast you! In the 90-100's haha. I have been so spoiled so far on my mission, I don't mind the heat. The people are very nice here, as well, and almost everyone we contact knows a member! There are 6 wards in Vacaville! It is awesome :) Also, everyone is super gung-ho about missionary work and helps us out. It is soooo nice. I am serving with Sis. Hamilton as my co-STL, too, and I just love her to pieces! This is her last transfer...weird. The weird thing about Vacaville though is there is very little ethnic diversity! It is very odd coming from Vallejo where I can count the number of white people on my hand to now Vacaville where I can count the number of black people on my hand ha.

Okay, Sis. Kwan is hilarious! #Asianalltheway Here's some funny quotes and happenings from this week:

-"Asian power!" *peace signs with both hands*

-From Hong Kong

-Has 2 siblings and is a middle child...I've been with 2 middle-child companions in a row!

-Her English is pretty darn good for not knowing any pre-mission

-She has been out for almost 12 months - she came in the transfer after me.

-She was trained by my "sister" so she is my "niece"

-"Wow you a strong woman!" *After I do 5 push-ups haha*

-"Can I borrow your skirt?" *She's already wearing it lol*

I also LOVED General Conference. I am so grateful for prophets and apostles today. I know this Church is true! If you want to know, "come and see!" (Elder Bednar)

Choose the right this week and SMILE. "Be the reason someone smiles today."

Love,

Sister Nikole Decker

Headed to Vacaville!

Dear family and friends,

Hi for the last time from Vallejo!  I am transferring tomorrow to Vacaville, which is only about 30-minutes east of Vallejo haha.  I haven't been very north in this mission, mostly southeast.  

But hey!  I love it - no complaints.  I am going to be serving in the Solano YSA ward - the YSA ward in Vacaville.  Haha #foreverYSA.  Seriously, though.  It's crazy.  I love working with people my age, though.

Also, I am staying a sister training leader and going to be with Sister Kwan, a sister from Hong Kong!  Yay!!  Two international companions in a row!  I loved learning about Fiji from Sis. Naqia this transfer, so I'm sure I'll love learning about Hong Kong from Sis. Kwan next transfer!

My love for learning has only increased since I've come out here.  Man.  It's just the best.  I get to learn about different people each day, how they work, how God works in their lives, how God answers prayers, how to say random phrases in Fijian ("Bulumakau, Yava i va, na ose tale ga.  Na toa yava i rua, ke iau tale ga" - A cow have 4 legs and so does a horse.  A chicken has two legs and so do I...haha).

Learning is just awesome.

Something that E. Wright, my zone leader, said this week in a meeting really struck me, and I agree with it.  He said there are so many people who spend YEARS and thousands of dollars trying to "find" themselves.

If they only realized that life isn't about "finding" ourselves, but about creating ourselves.  We have gifts given to us that may just remain hidden if we specifically search them out.  However, if we work on creating something new and beautiful, we end up revealing those gifts we have been searching for.

I know that that is true.  Life is so beautiful, I am so grateful each day when I wake up and my lungs and my heart and my brain and my body work.  I am grateful for the opportunity to run every morning and feel my heart pounding in my chest and my legs burning.  I am grateful that I am safe and live in a house with a roof over my head.  I am grateful for so many things.  I just love life so so much.

I know this is where I am supposed to be.  I also know where YOU are right now is where YOU are supposed to be, too.  Work on creating something new in the situation you are in right now, with the people you are with.  Stop searching and just DO.  Like Yoda always says, "Do or do not, there is no try."  Haha. ;)

As for my last week here in Vallejo, it went well!

I'm just going to attach what I wrote to President Alba for what happend this week:

I have loved serving with Sister Naqia the past transfer. She has been such a blessing in my life, and now I have a reason to go to Fiji ;) Haha but in all seriousness, Sister Naqia has helped me to relax and enjoy the journey so much more. We have seen so much success in our area lately - we have 7 baptismal dates with 7 super solid children of God! I am sad to leave the area with so much going on and so many wonderful people, but I am happy that I left the area MUCH better than when I came in.

I feel like God is pleased with my work in this area, and it makes me happy happy happy to feel that way.

Holly Yoho, who has a date for October 25th, is the most elect sister I have ever taught. I love her like she really is my sister, and I am sad to say good bye to her. We are going to FHE tonight, so I get to see her one more time before I leave. She is just eating everything up and absolutely loves the Book of Mormon - she is in ALMA!!! 

She told us the other day, "I was going to finish the Book of Mormon before I came to church, but I just couldn't wait!" She is incredible. She also came to the General Women's Broadcast and afterwards, there was a baptism for David Sanchez in the St. Helena branch, so she was able to attend a baptism! She loved it and it made her excited for her own. She is looking forward to October 25th and is already inviting all of her family and friends to come.


Aside from Holly, we are also teaching just amazing and wonderful people right now. Anthony and Isaac Ray (YSA family! Yay!!), Tom Wise, Phoua Vang, Pepe Gallegos, Thierno Diallo, Alex Doria. 

These are all such amazing people. I am so happy I got to meet them and that God put them in my life at this time!

Life is good, life is good.

I do know that God exists.  I know that Christ is His Son.  I know that Christ suffered for each and every one of us and that because of Him, we can receive relief and peace and love.  I know this because it just makes sense.  I also know this because I have felt that peace come directly after praying, or even during my prayer.  If God is just a fairytale, then He is the realest, most tangible fairytale I have ever been in.  But I know God is not just a fairytale.  He is real.  I have felt His love.  He has let me know He is there.  But not all at once.  I often doubt, but I always receive confirmation that melts those doubts away.

If this isn't it, then what else is there?  

I know this is true with all my heart, might, mind, and soul.

I love you all and hope you remember these three simple words this week: God loves you.

Choose the right!

Love,

Sister Kolee Decker

P.S. Thanks to Mom & Dad and Justin for the letters this week.

P.P.S. Just send letters to the mission address this week, as I will not be in Vallejo for much longer :)

September 22 - Last week of the transfer!

Dear family and friends,

Hi hi hi!  Shout out to Mom and Dad for their letters this week - thank you so much!  I always love getting mail...*hint hint wink wink nod nod*

Haha but hello!  This week was SO GOOD.  All weeks are good, but this week was especially good!  You know why?

Because Sis. Naqia and I are teaching the most elect young woman EVER named Holly.  I talked about her last time, and she still does not fail to amaze me!

This week we taught her the Plan of Salvation and she kept tearing up and said, "This just feels right!"  We taught her again after church and she said she just loved it.  She said, "I don't know why, but this already feels like home!"

You all would LOVE her.  She is so excited for her baptismal date on October 18th and is progressing perfectly :)  She told us that she was feeling sad on Saturday, but the things we've been teaching her just helped.  She knew that the sadness would go away and she prayed and it did!

I know that God does answer prayers and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints truly is Christ's church restored on the Earth through a prophet.  I also know we have a prophet today, Thomas S. Monson, and that he receives revelation directly from Christ and Heavenly Father for what we need to do to come back to Them again.  

Isn't just amazing we have a prophet?  I am stoked for the General Woman's Broadcast this weekend!  For all you ladies 8 and up, GO!  Listen to the prophet and have a question in your mind that you need an answer to, and I promise that God will answer it through one of the talks!

Also, General Conference is coming up in a couple of weekends - GO!  Or watch it online or on BYUtv.  It is SO worth it.  They speak for the benefit of the whole world, and you are a part of this world, so General Conference is meant for you! :)

Anyway...for the rest of this week haha:

We set a date with Thierno for October 25th, and with Dennis for November 8th.  Dennis didn't come to church yesterday, though!  He had too much studying to do since it is his last semester of school before he graduates.  Gah!  Agency.  I was kind of annoyed but then Sis. Naqia said, "You know Sister Decker, we all have the gift of agency."  Haha she has such a good attitude.

It's a great feeling to trust and love each and every missionary in this zone.  Sis. Naqia has also helped me to feel more love for others.  

You know what else we did?  We went to the temple!! Yay!!!  It made me so so happy.  It was JUST the boost I needed.  I love the temple so much.  I am so grateful for the temple and know it is the house of the Lord.  For anyone who is not worthy or who is not a member of this church and cannot enter the temple, I invite all of you to repent and be baptized so you may receive the blessings in the temple :)  I know this is God's true church on the Earth once again.

Well, that's all I can think of for this week!  I love you all and hope you know how much God loves you :)

Love,

Sister Kolee Decker

P.S. Pictures to come!

P.P.S.  I was in the newspaper! We did a service project the other day and a guy photographed us! It was cool haha. My moment of fame. (Click on the picture and go to #2.)

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v1/url?u=http://www.timesheraldonline.com/breaking_news/ci_26575414/less-trash-more-volunteers-mark-vallejos-coastal-cleanup&k=wlPCrglRP6kzT4RbABWMaw%3D%3D%0A&r=mx%2Bd8%2FrwWmoxRijwTBIs0hRUI%2BKEh19hldy%2BbjzX1Qs%3D%0A&m=R5z8RcE2nAd%2FIn1tnOuJk9fPt%2FlY3wNFOukDHZyIC84%3D%0A&s=127fd5c25819254f90c00545542a66ede87b5f37ac23b45eb3efda67ed8b6b4c