Fear No Man in Itapoã

Bom Dia Americanos :)

Eu estou ótimo!!! Estou muito animado por o jogo hoje!! NOSSA vai ser muito legal, estou pensando vai ser 4-1, Brasil!!!! COPA DO MUNDO!!!!!!!

So we just got done playing soccer early this morning!! After watchin some World Cup games it makes me want to be a soccer player, haha! So today Brasil vs. Camarões will be played here in BRASÍLIA!!!! At the Stadium about 20 minutes by car from where im at right now!!! So pumped!!! 5:00 tonight!!!

It's in the morning right now, but people in the streets are already getting excited and blowing horns!! haha The World Cup experience is so legit here!!

Last night I was able to see the final period of the USA vs. Portugal game... wow!! Two golaços (way awesome goals) by the US but then Portugal just has to put one in during extra-time with only like 30 seconds left.. muito triste! but Everyone here was talkin crap about the US sayin we would get killed!! So I get super defensive about it and I get mad ha :)

This week here in Itapoã was awesome!! The first couple days were rough, and I missed Gama but now I’m gettin in the hang of things here and finding my way around. We found 5 new investigators this week and marked a baptism date with each one!!! We also marked a date with this guy named Luiz, whose two sons got baptised last week. He is way cool, one of the few Brasilians that actually wants the USA to do good!!! ha

The members here are way awesome!! The Bishop served a mission in California and him and his family are way cool! All the members made me feel super welcomed here in Itapoã!! The church here is a rented out 3 story building that I think was an apartment complex before or something. But it is renovated really nice!!! Itapoã doesn’t have a "chapel" yet because its not a legalized city, so the church can't build a chapel. But I love it here!!!. So we do our baptisms and stuff in Paranoa, about 10 minutes away on bus. The people really are awesome here!! I just don’t like it when some people hate on the states! makes me bravo! (mad) lol

It’s way sick living with two other missionaries. It’s alot of fun!! but tonight we will watch the game at a members house, with Pizza, brasilian food, coca cola, and hot chocolate so it will be a blast!! :)

I love yall a ton!!! I’m eating a protein bar right now from the package that Grandpa gave to Elder Koelikers mom. apple pie flavor :) that’s wats up!! haha

So there is this challenge that Elder Lant gave me to do, FEAR NO MAN.

I did it a couple weeks ago in Gama. A lot of pastors here like to preach a message on the buses and then demand money and people give them money. So for the challenge what you have to do is go to the front of the bus and preach about the Book of Mormon. So I decided to do it. So with a bus packed full of people, I walked to the front and talked about the Bible and Book of Mormon. I had to yell cause of the noise outside!! It was incredibly awesome!!! like an adrenaline rush!!!

I said my message for about 3 minutes and about why I believed it to be true and then I demanded "Who wants one" 

I said how it was free cause you can’t put a price on it. And that I wouldn’t accept money cause that is wrong!!

 5 people raised their hands!!! I was able to give 3 out and noted the addresses of the other ones. I passed the reference to the sisters where they work. I heard that he is progressing and wants to get baptised!! whooop.  I felt like an idiot getting up there, but afterwards it was like a spiritual high :))) it was sooo awesome and legit!!!!! really powerful

So this week we also had a farewell conference for President and Sister Gaertner! They return home this Saturday!! It was so hard saying goodbye to them!! I love President and Sister Gaertner and I’ll miss them so much!! I learned so much from them and their example to me!! 

tchau tchau,  eu amo vocês!!!

Pictures are from the last week in Gama and the first week in Itapoã

With Elder Lant, wearing our Zone t-shirt 

Futebol in the streets

In Gama watching the first World Cup game!!

After Brasil won the first game we had to go home and put on our jerseys!!

There are so many cars with the flag on them, some are even painted on.

Saying goodbye to Sowards when he left for home.

With Labrada, and Sowards

Church building in Gama

 Lamôni had me sign and write a message on his football :)

With President and Sister Gaertner

With the Bishop of the Gama ward

My district from the MTC, still missing 2 guys

Saying goodbye to President and Sister Gaertner was so hard, they
are amazing and I am so grateful to have them in my life!

Saw my old companion, Elder Lima at the farewell conference