Answer to DAD:

Well here I am, in Santo André, right next to Mauá. I can literally see my old zone from on top of some of the hills in our area. Our area borders Mauá. So I didn't go to far at all. But it's very different here. A little bit more well off here, but it still has it's favelas. And my new companion is Elder F. Oliveira. They had to put an F in the front because there are so many Oliveiras in the mission. Our zone has a W. Oliveira, N. Oliveira, and F. Oliveira. He is from Rio Grande do Sul. It's the very bottom of the country. He's cool though. He has 6 months on the mission so he just got out of being a greenie, but he is a good worker. He has already been here 3 months in the area so he knows it pretty well.
 
The NFL sounds like everything is wrong. Wasn't the NFC west the worst division in history two years ago?
 
Well I shall go read the Mother's email now, até mais.
 
Elder Cameron Bruce



Answer to MOM:

So as I said to Dad. I'm in Santo André, and am currently without any mission funds. Haha. That's why I had to use the card here. Our allowance was supposed to fall for us today but hasn't. Luckily the lan house guy knows the missionaries and trusts us to pay tomorrow.
 
The area here is MUCH bigger that the last. It's really nice though. I think I needed a change of view. Lots of new area to work in now. So we got the call about transfers about 5 minutes after we left the lan house....... but we did go to a chapel that is always used for missionary meetings and the transfers were read by the mission secretary and we all had to find our companions and then leave. It was very different. Pretty cool though. Everybody was laughing and yelling stuff and having fun hearing where people were going and who would be there companion. I don't really understand why President did it like that. He wasn't even there, since he was doing orientation for the new missionaries. But then we were off. Basically Santo André is like Olympia to Lacey. We got off the train one stop before Mauá. The house is nice, it is two stories, with a little kitchen and bathroom downstairs and the bedroom and study upstairs. Oh funny story, Elder Perrell got transferred to Santo André too and he is my District Leader. So we have now been in the same zone since March. It's pretty cool and now we can do divisions together since he is my leader. Everyone thought that was pretty funny. My companion is Elder F. Oliveira. He's a cool guy and has a family that is very old in the church for Brazil. It's actually pretty rare to see a missionary that was born in the covenant.
 
The weather here is strange, it was super hot, but then it was cold and rainy and today it warmed up again. I'm not exactly sure what's going on here.
 
I'm eagerly waiting for all the letters. And I haven't thought of anything for my Christmas list. Sooo just whatever. I still have the stocking and hat. No need for another. And I still use the pillow case haha. Obviously it gets washed and such, but it is used just as much as the other two I have. I actually was using it when I got transferred and I just carry my pillow in my hand since it doesn't fit anywhere and a few people commented on it in the metro.

Yeah I don't think that Mormon Times would show the real fashion here. Not so modest. Yes there is a very large amount of Evangelicals here. And a lot of them do dress modestly to go to church. There are some that are very strict, requiring women to always use skirts or dresses, not cutting hair, and no make up or jewelry. Usually I can identify what church someone goes to by what they are wearing and their age. By the way that Universal Church is one of the biggest in Brazil. Let me just say that I think there are certain verses in the Bible and Book of Mormon that refer to this church.  Let your mind wander on what I'm trying to say. All in all the evangelical experience is very strange, they kind of brainwash people into giving us responses that don't really make any sense. Most of their meetings consist of lots of yelling and shaking and falling to the ground and convulsing......... different. But as far as the fashion really being that popular. Ehhhhhhhh more or less.
 
Well everything is going great here. Thanks for everything. Até mais.
 
Com amor,
Elder Cameron Bruce