Fwd: Hello

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

From: Seraphin Decker <seraphin.decker@myldsmail.net>
Date: November 24, 2014 at 7:10:09 AM PST
To: "R. Decker" <robinlynnd@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Hello

Hey momma ! Hey everyone she sends this to ! Things are good and getting better everyday. I love Brazil and everyone in it ! The members are so funny and welcoming. Especially the kids, the women too. People are so surprised that there's black people in America haha. They are so nice and humble and you would never be able to just look at them and see that they have nothing compared to us American's. It kind of makes me check myself when I'm feeling bad about something, you know? I love them though, Irma Nice is like my mom here, she likes me alot and idk why. The first time she met me and thought I couldn't understand what she was saying, she said, "Ohhhh Estados Unidos? Legal(cool), Negro e bonito ! I get that from all the old people ha but I love her she's the best. She has a son who's serving a mission but I can't remember where. His girlfriend is always at the house too, she's a member and is really funny and chill too. I would send a picture of Irma Nice but my computor I got today is bummy so I'll have to send it next week. My trainer is an awesome guy, he's so good with people and loves to laugh and have a good time. His family members aren't members but his mom and dad still write him and stuff. He helps me out a lot with the language when I don't know what something is. Sometimes he just knows the word in English. My Portuguese is coming along pretty well. The Lord is definitely blessing me with that and I'm so grateful because it'd be so frustrating if I didn't know any Portuguese. It's not even the speaking it's the hearing that's the hardest part because my ears are used to English and so a lot of the time I have to hear the sentence twice. People are patient and very friendly about it though so no worries. We live in a pretty normal place actually, I'll send pictures of it next week if ya want. But, no we don't have a cleaning lady or anything like that so I've messed up my laundry a couple times already and we cleaned a little this morning (my favorite things to do). I'm glad to hear that everything back home is going well. Gotta have Mcdonalds after service, that's a must. We don't have Mcdonalds in Jacobina but we have Subway. I'll probably have that for lunch today. You're a great mother, mom. And we are all so lucky to have you in our lives. Whatever choice you make about the working thing will be the right choice, I know you'll do what's best, you always do. There are so many uncountable things that took for granted, and still take for granted. And one of those things was you, but just know that ,just like your other kids, I love you so much. You're doing great. 

This week was a fun one. We taught some English, we had reunião familiar at the Elders Quorum President's house. I don't know what that is in English. Church was awesome and very spiritual. We had so many people at church yesterday too ! Recent converts, less actives, everyone, it was awesome. We visited a sister in the hospital last night. That was scary and I saw some thangs that I did not need to see but her and another sister (I think it's her daughter) that were their were so awesome. We gave them the sacrament and a blessing. We also gave a lady who has cancer but is just rooming with the sister a blessing too, it was a pretty good night. I took a lot of pictures with the youth this week that I will send to y'all next week, I love the youth so much. They're awesome. I had splits, I think that's what you call it, with some Elders in our district in the other area. I was with another American Elder, Elder Lee. We spoke a little more English than I would've liked but he's a really really cool guy. We talked about EVERYTHING on the bus ride. He's super cool and his "story" is really really really really really cool. I wish I had time to tell you but I don't. He's got Portuguese down like a boss and so I asked him how he learned so well and he didn't know. Wasn't much help but we have zone meeting tomorrow so we're sleeping at his place for the next 2 nights and him and the other 3 Elders in his casa are super cool. One's from Mozambique and is so funny. Our investigators aren't doing so hot right now. We have a sister that has a son Pedro or Pedrinho and they're awesome people. Pedrinho kind of reminds me of myself at 10 years old. He plays soccer and I guess he's really good. They always have an excuse for things though so it's a little frustrating but they'll come around. We're are teaching this man and his family called Valter. And the day I'm able to understand every word that comes out of his mouth is the day that I can understand Portuguese. He's such and awesome guy though. He's buff so I make sure to stay on his good side hahaha. We learned that he lost his parents when he was a child and so The Plan of Salvation will be perfect for him to learn more about. When we said a little something about eternal families he sat up a little. So we'll see what we can do there because his wife is pretty strong in her faith, she's evangelic. And finally we have Lucas. He's brothers with Caio, a member that we see all the time and is one of the youth that I love. Lucas is 22 I think and he and his mom and sister aren't members. Lucas came to church though and we were so happy ! So we stopped by their house yesterday and talked and he said the best thing ever........."I noticed that your church is different than the others". And I said, "Yes it is Lucas, can I tell you about a man named Joseph Smith?" Then my companion stopped me and told me to chill. No, I'm just kidding but Heavenly Father is definitely helping us out because yesterday's sacrament meeting was awesome. Now that I think about it, I think he came because Caio gave a talk. Oh and one more thing, there's this return missionary who is the bomb.org and he hasn't been coming to church. So no he has a calling, I don't what it is because everybody was speaking Portugues but our Branch President is a smarty. Anyways, just a little something that I want to share with y'all before I head out. Earlier this week I was having a bit of a hard time and then I started speaking and teaching and loving people and having fun and that all went away. But, what changed my attitude was 2 things. When my companion was leading the district meeting we had, because he's the district leader, he was talking about serving and how we need to be serving. I took upon me the name of Christ, meaning I need to be doing everything I can to do what Christ would do. Down to the very last breath I take. Now, sulking and feeling sorry for myself isn't gonna help me invite others to come unto Christ. So, I forced myself to smile, and to laugh, and to speak and when I did that I could converse with people, and I forgot why I was so down before, and small miricales started happening. But what changed my attitude completely is a scripture that Elder Lee shared with me, 3 Nephi 5:13, in Enlgish it's something like, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, The Son of God. And I was called to preach his word unto the people so that they might have eternal life. Something along those lines and everytime I say that scripture in my head, all of my troubles go away. Because that's what I'm doing, I'm sharing this sweet message with everyone that I can that Christ lives, and God loves them. That we have a living prophet, just like Moses and Noah, that we can look to for guidance. And that we can truly happy and have eternal life, living with our families forever. And if I can change someones life the way this gospel has changed mine then that'll be enough because that's why I'm here. As a missionary it helps SOOOOOO much to have members in on lessons, and to have the people we're teaching feel like they have friendship outside of these weird 18-20 year olds that call themselves Elmer. And I don't wanna sound like, oh I'm a missionary listen to me, but I hope you're all doing the same. With baptism we took upon us the name of Christ and we need to be doing our best to be true disciples of Jesus Christ. I fall short every. single. day. But my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, makes up for the rest. I just try and do my best every second of every day. I'm so grateful for my Savior and His Atonement. And for Heavenly and the plan he has for me. We forget sometimes that we are His greatest creation, we are destined and made to be great. Our Heavenly Father didn't send us where we are to fail. He loves every single one of His children and I know that for a fact because I see and feel that everyday. I told Dad in his e-mail that I heard somewhere a little while ago that the mission makes you realize that you need your Heavenly Father. So, I'm going to trust in him and I know that in the end, everything will be okay. 

I'm so glad I get to open all of your e-mails every week. They seriously are the best and to know I have all these people rooting for me is great. I love all of you so much and I can't wait to hear from you next week. I love you I love you I love you ! tchau tchau xoxo