Salvador

After Nate showed me around the city, we met up with his friend Carlos Andre, his son, and his mother (who I don't have any pictures of unfortunately). Nate baptized Carlos Andre. He then served a mission, was sealed in the temple, and is active in the church. Nate was so happy to see him again and to see how he has progressed in the gospel. Carlos Andre took us through a different part of the city to see their friend Fernando. Nate did not know we were going to see Fernando while we were there. Fernando is blind and Nate has not been able to keep in touch with him since the mission. Nate baptized him, but didn't have a lot of hope for him because he was blind and also because right before Nate left the area, Fernando told him his girlfriend was pregnant. Well, fast forward almost 20 years and Fernando is active in the church, has been through the temple, and his son (the one his girlfriend was pregnant with) is preparing for a mission. Their reunion was so sweet. Fernando said, "I didn't ever think I would see the missionary who baptized me again and here you are." It was such a great moment and one I will always remember. We took a picture of Nate by the little lunch stand because that was where he taught Fernando. It used to be a newspaper stand where Fernando sold newspapers. Nate always felt like he and his companion had a captive audience in Fernando mostly because he didn't have anywhere else to be. Little did they know what would become of him. Carlos Andre was his home teacher for a lot of years and stays in touch with him even though he has now moved out of the ward Fernando lives in. 

We then went to Carlos Andre's house. It was his son Pedro's birthday and his wife Rosa was preparing for his birthday party. I was blown away by all the food she had prepared in her tiny kitchen. And even though she had a lot to do, she was so gracious to have us over and feed us. Carlos Andre also showed Nate how to do Capoeira. It's an Afro-Brazilian martial art that Nate loved watching on his mission. Carlos Andre, Rosa, and Pedro were so nice and it was so great to meet them. I felt their love and tried to communicate mine. It was so evident what a miracle the gospel is and how it truly changes lives. Carlos Andre and his family do not have a lot, but I was so impressed with them and how grateful they are for what they have. It was a blessing for me to get to meet them and Fernando.

On our way home, we saw a group of guys playing dominos. We stopped and watched them for a few minutes so we could see them slam down their tiles just like Nate remembered from his mission. And finally, we went in the famous church by our hotel called the Sao Francisco Church and Convent of Salvador, or the "Golden Church." Everything inside, and I mean everything, was covered in gold. It was pretty incredible.