Last Email from Florida

Last burger in America! Five Guys is amazing!

Guess what?!   I leave in a couple of hours! AWW! The assistants will pick me up from the Stake Center and ship me out to the airport. I'm having some very very mixed feelings right now. I'm way excited to experience this new opportunity in Brasil but I just don't want to leave Orlando. I love it here. Elder Costa was just called as District Leader and some great things are happening in the Portuguese work here. Oh well...what a miracle it is that I get to leave.

The most exciting part of this week is the fact that we taught a lady named Tatiana. I talked about her a little bit in my letter home but man is she awesome. Her sister from Brasil is a member and she is always saying how much she wants what her sister has. AND she has a desire to be baptized! Her date is on August 17th so now we just need to loosen her schedule so she can get to Church. (I mean they need to...) 

Another miracle in Portuguese work is that President Berry is really involved in improving the work here. With Elder and Sister Nielson we have been going into the smallest details about where to find Brasilians, members who can speak Portuguese or are Brasilian, where in the mission should the missionaries be, etc. I can see some great success happening here in the near future. It's exciting. President Berry is absolutely amazing!

Speaking of him...we had interviews with him last Tuesday. This is where I found out about my VISA. He sat me down, pulled out his phone and said, "alright...Elder Untch...let me pull up your travel itinerary." Imagine my face after hearing that! But yep now I'm leaving! :)

I gave a training a week ago in District Meeting on Daily Planning. That was a lot of fun! And then Elder Duffy told me to sing "God Be With You" for the closing song. I hated that. :P 

Last Friday was my last chance to teach English in the class we put on. We had four classes with 4 students who we got to know very well. Gina (one of the students) has gradually started talking about the Church. These things are very good to showing how the Church works and who the people are. I'll miss having those. 

But geez, I can't believe this is the last couple of hours I'll be in America. I've had so many great experiences so far in Orlando. I plan on coming back sometime later in my life. 

Love you sooooooooo much!!!!!! Tem um bom dia!  (Have a nice day!)

Sincerely, 

Elder Steven Matthew Untch

Joao Pessoa, Brasil Mission

P.S.  Mom do you know the Scherffius family? They knew you and Grandma and Grandpa super well. They were super happy when I told them I'm your son. Attached is a photo.