Happy New Year

Hey Guys,
Feliz Ano Novo!
Well, my new year here wasn't anything amazing. Just another day of work, and at midnight it was pouring rain, so no one let fireworks off. So ya, ha ha, it was just another day of work.
Things here are going great. The branch here is asleep, so we have some activities planned to wake some people up and get this work going.
This morning I played basketball with 2 professional street basketball players. And his name is Alan, he is a Member but is inactive and his friend Antonio. Dang, they were amazing! They can play ball. Alan balled up, mesmo [on the same level] with Liandro Barbosa so that's saying something. This Saturday they are playing street basketball against an American team in Rio and he said it's going to be on TV so if your home Saturday night, maybe you'll see him.
Well, as for the work. We have taught some amazing lessons these past few days. We have been teaching a man named Wilson that we contacted the first couple days I was here. At first we didn't know if we wanted to continue with him because he smoked. And by smoking, I mean smoke! One lesson and he already smoked 4 or 5 cigarettes. It was bad, but we gave him a Book of Mormon and just told him to read it when he gets the urge to smoke. He has been going to church the past few weeks and he is really enjoying it. Then just yesterday we taught him and it was amazing. When we showed up he was already reading the Book of Mormon. He said, "I already read what you marked for me, so I started to read it from the beginning, I hope that's alright." We were like, haha "That's perfect!" So we were teaching and he said again, "Everything just makes sense, I don't know why I didn't think this way before." It was amazing. We marked a date for baptism, the 17th of this month. We asked him how that will be with smoking and everything, and he said I stopped yesterday, and took up reading this Book of Mormon. Guys, I can't tell you how powerful the Book of Mormon is. I'm not converting this guy, the Book is. It's amazing. I want you to read the Book of Mormon and really think about what is going on and it too will change your life.
I love you all,
Elder Manis