Fwd: Tudo do Fogo

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Begin forwarded message:

From: Seraphin Decker <seraphin.decker@myldsmail.net>
Date: September 7, 2015 at 4:01:19 PM PDT
To: Robin Decker <robinlynnd@gmail.com>, D Decker <7halcon@gmail.com>
Subject: Tudo do Fogo

Hi mom and dad, I just wanted to apologize, now, thinking and looking back on how I waited till the very end to write to you (which seemed liked such a good idea to wrap things up every week) wasn't such a good idea. I don't forget about either of you ever, I promise you that. Today we're writing super late because it's a holiday so everything was closed. It's Brasil's Independence Day so the festas are gonna start soon and I will not be outside when they do. It's soooooo hot these days too. Like it sounds like the weather in Vegas is really nice during the day then cools down at night. Here summers gonna start pretty soon and I'm already dying. Winter doesn't really exist here though but it's getting hotter :/

Tell the family I miss them ! Tell Kate to relax too hahaha why are her and Brooklyn fighting so much ? Kate plays the cello and piano now ? Goodness, I doubt I'll recognize her when I get back, everyone is growing too fast.

Elder Teasley and I are good ! I only have 3 more weeks here. Yesterday I realized that in 3 weeks I'm leaving Dias Dávila and I don't know how I feel about that. I love this place.  We only had 4 investigators at church yesterday but 2 really good investigatores that came back to visiting the church and taking our lessons because of this family in the church. See how much of a difference you can make for someone's salvation just by being a good friend? It's cool like that. The ward is growing and growing and things are looking a lot better these days. 

This woman her name is Suelí came from Salvador looking for work. This family in the church took her in and is housing her. We started teaching her and the first time we taught her she was telling us of all these feelings of how she didn't feel God's love in her life. Saturday she was baptized and that was the most special baptism I've seen. It was cool because she was baptized in the pool of the member and he confirmed her the next day. I'd never seen anyone cry so much in 2 days but those were true tears of joy. It made me feel so good to know that a little bit of my effort brought such a happiness to this poor womans life. It's really sad how some people need to be humbled before they can be blessed with this gospel (or even those who already are apart of it) but I could see how I was being used to represent Christ in his mission to preach the gospel to the poor (Luke 4:18). 

Every single day I'm here in Brasil I have a confirmation that this is The Lord's work. It can only be heaven designed because the things I see are heavenly. 

I hope everyone has a great week. Seize the day and be what you were made to be. 

P.S. the title "Tudo do Fogo" is become I've finally embraced my African heritage and A Ilha do fogo (The island of fire) is an island in Cabo Verde. I might start to tell people I'm Cabo Verdian, who knows. 

--

Élder Serph Alain Decker

        Missão Brasil Salvador 

A Igreja de Jesus Cristo dos Santos

            Dos Ultimos Dias