From your favorite missionary

Hola Family!!!

Well this week has been pretty good. It's been pretty much the same old same old, but I guess that kind of happens when you've been at the MTC as long as I have. It really is a great experience and I am so grateful for it and the lessons I have learned here. It's so crazy how much someone can grow in only 6 weeks here. I could never grow as much as I have here anywhere else and I can only say that this mission is an amazing experience and it has only been 6 weeks. So boys (ahem.. Colby and Serph), definitely start preparing RIGHT NOW. I guess I'll start by just telling ya'll how my week has been.

Thursday we had TRC and it was a great experience. My companion and I are getting a lot better at teaching in spanish and I feel like our TRC experience wento a lot better this week. We just taught a couple members about the importance of going to church and how we can recieve revelation there. I could feel the love so strong for these people and they really aren't even my investigators. It makes me so excited to go out and serve the people in Alabama because I know I will grow to have the same love for them as well.

On Saturday I had an interesting experience. I think in previous letters I have told you about Elder G and how crazy he is. He's the one who likes to be mean to everyone and we can never really tell if he is serious or not. Well on Saturday I brought one of the letters I had gotten from all ya'll to class to write a quote on the board that Mom sent me. I accidently left it on the table instead of putting it back in my bag and Elder G has a habit of reading things that do not belong to him so he got a hold of it, clearly aware that it was mine since it had my name on it and read it. This isn't the first time he has read something personal of mine, he read my journal about a week ago which was in my bag and he just happened to be going through it. Suffice it to say, I was a little bit angry at him and when I get angry, I start to cry, so I was trying to not explode. He was offended because in the letter it said something about the elders not being fully committed so he freaked out saying that I was writing about how horrible they were and he said some other things but I was too angry to really listen and then he left the room saying something about how he was going to get more baptisms than me. I was pretty livid, and sat there for a moment, then put my head down and just said a prayer that God would bless me to forget the hard feelings I was feeling for this Elder and to help me to handle this in a mature manner and help me calm down. When he came back in I told him that I had told my family that the elders were a little bit distracted and I was sorry if that offended him but I would appreciate it if he wouldn't read my personal things. He was plugging his ears and acting like a child while I was apologizing, but it was really good for me. It really helped me realize that the Lord truly does answer our prayers and he can help us forgive and love others even when it seems imposible. I know that to be true with all of my heart and I am so grateful that he helped me handle that situation. Now elder G is acting a little bit better. I don't know if it had anything to do with me but I he is being a lot more courteous. I love that kid, I just don't always like him ;) The other day he was counting all of his sins on the board and that included mean things he said... he had a lot of marks, but hey he's learning :)

My companion was sick on Saturday again so I had to stay in the residence with her. I took like an hour nap which I know we've been asked not to do, but I wasn't sure if I was being disobedient since my companion was sick and all. There is a lot of sicknesses going around here. One of our Elders has been in his bed for about 4 days now. I am so blessed to not have gotten sick yet (knock on wood).

Sunday was awesome. Sheri Dew came and talked to us for Relief society and she was AWESOME. She talked about the importance of women in the church and how the world doesn't see it. It was really really good. She is such a strong independent woman. Afterwards I got to meet her and she gave me a hug and grabbed my hand and said, "Go get 'em." We taught the branch president the first vision on sunday and I can happily say I got the whole story memorized in spanish.... that's about the only part of any lesson that I have memorized, but it's good because I will be teaching that A LOT.

On Monday I talked in only spanish for a good 6-8 hours in the day. I didn't really get to say much in those hours, but it was really good for me and they really encourage us to do that because it helps so much. That's now my goal, to speak in spanish as much as possible because I still have so much to learn and so little time.

Yesterday we had a devotional which was great by Elder Koelliker of the 70, and I got to sing in the choir. We sang and arrangement of, "Precious Savior, Dear Redeemer" and when we sung the spirit was so so strong. Most of the song is quite and then it gets really strong in one part and many people told us that they could feel the spirit so strongly at that part and I know the choir could as well.

I have been studying Humility this week because I feel that sometimes I can be a bit prideful and I would just like to share a bit that I've learned. In Alma 26:12 it talks about how we are nothing and we are weak but through God's strength we can do all things. Phillipians says something similar in 4:13 "I can do all things through christ which strentheneth me." That reminded me of something that President Uchtdorf taught when he said, "Compared to god we are nothing, but to God, we are everything." I know that I cannot do any of this on my own. None of us can go through this life on our own. We need Christ in our life to make it through each day and he will always help us if we are humble and realize that we can't do it by ourselves. I have such a strong testimony of the Atonement and have felt its power in my life, everyday of my life.

For the kids. Keep up the good work! I love hearing about all of your extracurricular activities, so keep me updated. Brayden, I'll write you a letter because I don't have enough time left. Brooky, you should totally try tennis. I think that would be so awesome. Kids, keep up with the piano, it will bless you and others so so much and for the boys, the chicks love it. Eli, keep up with football, you are awesome and I bet you are a beast out on that field. You're like the biggest kid out there, you can take em all. Kate and Sheky, I bet you are the cutest cheerleaders. Mom and Dad, you are seriously the greatest parents ever, and I'm not just saying that. I have realized how blessed our family is compared to so many others and that is all because of you raising us so well in the Gospel, doing things like praying and such.

To everyone else, thank you for your support and your letters. you all have no idea how much it means to me.

Love you all and miss you all!!!! See ya in 17 months!!

Love, Hermana Masey Decker