Maringa January 9, 2012

Bom dia! (here they say bom dia until you eat lunch, not until any specific time)
That’s awesome that you had some snow. Here is has been unseasonably hot. That’s good to know that the world tilted and we´re all going to die. Haha!
Sounds like Provo is pretty excited right now with all of the weddings and missionaries and cat murders. Thanks for all the news. That’s too bad that Isis died :( are the new neighbors cool? Missionaries have a new neighbor alarm built in because people who moved recently sometimes are more open to the gospel. Say hi to them for me!

So in Brazil it is pretty pattern to have 9:00 church. I have seen a few at 3:00, but 1:00 here would cause a civil uprising because of the sacred lunch and sleep hour. Our building shares 2 wards, but it is also the stake center. Elder Larsen is in Espírito Santo, Vitória. I got a letter from him and he is doing well! The family of Rosemeire is doing great! They all went to church yesterday and loved it and Alex is preparing to be baptized this week! Yea! This week we did a division with another area and it was pretty sweet. We found some great people and things are going well. The coolest thing that happened this week as the whole entire mission started doing the Summer Olympics. President chose some of the most important indicators and assigned point values to help the missionaries work hard and have a fun completion. For example teaching with a member is 10 points, taking someone to church is 12, new investigators is 6 etc. Everybody worked really hard this week and our zone took 2nd place in the mission. Yeah! We are pretty excited. Let’s do even better next week! Today we are leaving to have leadership council in Londrina again. It should be pretty cool. We also made a hymn for our zone that is pretty awesome:
Hino da Zona Maringá:
(Para o melodia do hino 184)
O Jardim de Eden foi lindo,
A cidade de Enoque também
Mas bem-vindo a nossa zona,
A Cidade que vai além!
As ruas bonitas e limpas,
As arvores nos protegem,
Com nossa fé e trabalho,
Milagres se-realizem!
Presidente por favor me mande
Pra Maringá, Maringá, Maringá!
Só batiza família grande,
Em Maringá, Maringá, Maringá!
Magnificando o chamado,
Batizamos sem vacilar!
O Elderes de nossa zona,
Vamos lá, batizar Maringá!
Na praça nos construiremos,
O templo de Maringá.
Vamos por o anjo Moroni,
Em cima da catedral!
Oh, vamos trazer o milênio,
E a lei de consagração.
Para que não paguemos,
Dois setenta e cinco no buzão!
Presidente por favor me mande
Pra Maringá, Maringá, Maringá!
Só batiza família grande,
Em Maringá, Maringá, Maringá!
Magnificando o chamado,
Batizamos sem vacilar!
O Elderes de nossa zona,
Vamos lá, batizar Maringá!

Peterson and Larise were confirmed yesterday and their mom is receiving the lessons. There were a bunch of new people in church and we are really excited!
I love you both so very much. I am excited for all the good things that are happening for you.
I know that the church is true and that we have a living prophet. I know families are forever. The Book of Mormon is a book from God.
Love
-Elder Iron Man