Don Leaf
I was born and raised in an independent Baptist home in Salt Lake City, Utah. From the time that I was a baby, my parents took me to church so that I heard the Gospel from the time that I can remember. At the age of 5, I went to a Bible club held by one of the ladies in our church. I made a profession of faith during that time and later at age 8, I was baptized. However, during all of my years of growing up, there was always a doubt deep in my heart as to whether I was saved or not. I had always tried to live as a Christian, but never seemed to really have the ability to be what I knew I should be. After finishing high school, I attended Pillsbury Baptist Bible College in Owatonna, Minnesota, with the purpose of preparing for the mission field. My family had always had much contact with missionaries, and there was a great desire to be one myself. While at Bible college during my 3rd year and one morning reading my Bible, I realized that there was a reason for the doubts about my salvation. I began to think back on that experience and realized that there were two outstanding things concerning the event. First, I had been scared about hell, and I had felt sad about Jesus dying. Second, I realized that I was not trusting in the Person and work of Christ, but in my prayer. I had been informed that by praying I would be saved, not by believing and trusting in Christ. That day, I confessed to God that I did not know if I was really saved and that from that moment on I was going to trust in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ alone. The doubt ceased and has never returned. I was baptized in the First Baptist Church of New Ulm, Minnesota, where I served as youth director.
The night that I went forward to make a public profession of my faith, the pastor of the church asked me what I was planning to do with my life. I told him that night that I had been preparing to go to the mission field and saw no reason to change that unless God did. I finished that school year, was married in the summer and graduated the next year. God not only did not change the direction I was headed, but confirmed even more the call to the mission field. I had a strong burden for Brazil through the influence of personal missionary friends and of a Brazilian roommate during my 3rd year of college. After graduation, Linda and I returned to Salt Lake City where I served as the associate pastor for one year. By this time, we were sure that Brazil was the place of God’s calling, but we were unsure of the time frame to go. During that year in Salt Lake City, we prayed and asked God to show us. The next spring a missionary from Brazil who was a member of our church, came through on furlough. He encouraged me to prepare to go to Brazil as soon as possible. We prayed about it, filled out application forms for the World Baptist Fellowship Mission Agency and were approved in August 1970 even though we were complete strangers to the men on the mission board.
The Lord led us to Brazil where we served during 26 years after deputation. In 1998, God led me to take the position of mission director of the IBFI. We served there until May of 2006. After praying much and seeking the Lord’s leadership, it is evident to us that He wants us to return to Brazil.