Hola

Y'all know that saying by Charles Dickens, "It was the best of times,
it was the worst of times"? I feel that pretty sums up a typical day
of a missionary ;) With so many things going on around us, you would
think it was the worst of times. Satan works harder on us as
missionaries than ever before, and on our investigators like nobodies
business. But! We have the gospel. What is more better than the
wonderful assurity that no matter what happens, no matter what we do,
Christ's grace is enough to save us all and to bring light in
darkness. That's why I love being a missionary :) I have never seen
the grace of Christ work so much not only in my life, but those around
me. So I'm grateful for that.

You know what else I'm grateful for? Service. Nothing softens a
persons heart more than service! And it doesn't just soften the heart
of the recipient but of the one giving the service as well. Sometimes
I'm in a bad mood (I know crazy right) but as much as I want to throw
myself a pity party, service heals a hardened heart. Everytime I feel
that way, I think of what President Hinckley's dad said to him,
"Forget yourself and get to work." And it is so true, when you lose
yourself for Christ sake, you find yourself. Anywho, we have been
serving this one Less Active, who was pretty much forced into being a
member by her crazy ex and now, she told us she would like us to come
back sometime and teach her! Elders have been trying forever to teach
her but she wouldn't have it. Service. It opened her heart to hear
more because service is the gospel. All this teaching is just a branch
off all of that.

Jesus came to church again! (I never get over how funny that sounds ;)
) This guy is a crack up. I wish y'all could meet him. He is the
funniest little ol' mexican you will ever meet. And he's the cutest.
He's progressing slowly but surely. This week we really focused on
doing the daily stuff like reading and praying. Seriously, if
investigators would just do that, we would have baptisms out of the
wawzoo... (I don't know if that's how you spell it). I don't know if
we can pound it into his head anymore than we already have. He is just
waiting for his answer, but he doesn't understand, you gotta read the
dang book! Really though, power of the Book of Mormon, it's real.

Rey is being a drama king ;) No not really, he's going through some
rough stuff right now financially so instead of coming to church on
Sunday where he could be healed by Jesus, he decided to go to the gym.
Haha. He is getting closer to baptism though, I can just feel it! We
had a really good lesson with him yesterday. We talked about 3 Nephi
13:33, seeking first the kingdom of God. Oh! he also came with us this
week to a members house to eat dinner and watch the restoration. Note:
starting a spanish branch in a room full of gringo americans is like
trying to... well, it's hard. I havent been down in the south enough
to come up with a good analogy ;) It's a good thing we got Christ and
his spirit on our side ;) And can I just say that Satan is a bum! He
tried to throw everything at Rey so he couldn't come with us to that
members. But he made it! Anyways, he's getting there. Soon.

Shay came to church! Woot! I don't know if y'all remember her. We have
been teaching her for a while, but it has been hard to meet with her
and get her to church because she works all the time. Can I just tell
y'all that the scriptures are awesome! First with Rey and the 3 Nephi
scripture and then Hermana Barroso and I had an idea to make a little
card for Shay with some scriptures on it. We put James 1:5 and then
Alma 26:12. We left it on her car at work and then we went over
Saturday night to visit her and calm her nerves about coming to church
and she said she loved the scripture. She didn't get out of it what we
were intending for her to get out of it, but that is what is so great
about the scriptures, everyone is touched by the words of Christ in
different ways. And it helped her get to church. And she loved Church!
It's a little hard because she's black and everyone else is white. She
brought that up as a bit of a concern but we really do need to get
some diversity in our church! I guess that's where we come in with all
of the Latinos and black people we keep bringing :)

We are also teaching this cute little american chica named Denise.
She's the one we helped push her car. Her novio is from Mexico and she
has the cutest little balls of energy of boys I have ever met. I want
to take them home with me. Sister Barroso has to kindly remind me that
we can't :) We went over there this week and we hear from inside the
house, "Is that my friends!". It was the little 5 year old Cesar. He
came and sat by me while we were teaching the lesson and wrapped his
arm around mine and said, "You're my friend." Heart breaker! They were
supposed to come to church yesterday but they thought their car would
be out of the shop and it wasn't. Speaking of Children! We had our
primary program yesterday. I wish the little kids would just do
sacrament meeting every week. They bring such a strong spirit! Not to
mention, I don't have to translate when they do ;)

Can I just say how much I love this area. I love the little small town
feel, and while I miss being in a Spanish Branch, I love the people I
have met here. We have met so many amazing people and I have made some
great friends. I know that's not our main purpose out here, but you
can't help but love the people you serve and the people you serve
with. Love :) I just can't explain the love you feel as a missionary.
And it's not our own love, it's the love of Christ working through us.

Thanks yall for the love and support! I can feel your prayers and
love. Wish I could have been there with y'all for Grandma and
Grandpa's farewell. Sending my love your way!

Love, Hermana Decker.

P.S. Just read this in our letter from President Hanks this week. What
a powerful quote!
"This is hard work. It is the hardest work you will ever do. That's
why I say this is the most important work you will ever do..."Plan
right now! Plan right now for the stories you will tell your children
about your mission. Live right now in every way to look them in the
eye and put them on your knee and rock them on your lap and tell them
as I'm telling you, that you loved every day of your mission. That you
worked your head off! That you've never worked so hard in your life.
That you were tired and sweaty and dirty and hungry and you knew how
Paul felt and you knew how Peter felt and you knew how Mormon felt and
you knew how Moroni felt...Live now for those generations...You live
right now in a way that you can pierce their hearts and touch their
lives." (Elder Jeffrey R Holland