Answer to DAD:

(Dad told him that 298 people attended sacrament meeting on the Primary Program Sunday.)

298!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! What? I can't even imagine that anymore, the most I have seen in a ward since I have been here is like 150 at a ward conference. Very different.
 
Last night we had a meeting with President Tanner, his councilors, all the Bishops, all the Stake Presidents, and all the Ward Mission Leaders. I got a ride their with one of the Mission Councilors, he drives an 06 Honda Accord. You don't see Accords here very often. It was a VERY surreal experience. VERY trunky. But he also gave some great advice. He was a mission president in Recife, up in the North of Brazil, he had a ton of success and even brought a Temple to the city.
 
Is McChord going to be a significant change in driving time to the clinic or not so bad? Is it closer to the Golf Course up there?
 
Well sounds like it just isn't meant to be BYU's year.
 
Off to mother's email. Tchau tchau.
 
Elder Bruce


Answer to MOM:

Before I forget, I was thinking about Thanksgiving and I would like to make a big dinner, could you send some recipes and stuff to help me out a little. I completely forgot about it last year and this year I need to make up for it.
 
I'm doing really well. The area here is difficult, it has only baptized once in the last 6 months. The ward has an attendance of 50-70 I think. But we already have some people that are progressing and should be baptized here shortly. We just need to work. That reminds me of an experience in our District meeting last week. The Zone leader asked if anyone had any questions on how to improve and I jokingly asked "yeah, how do you baptize more" he then opened Preach My Gospel and read a quote from President Benson I think, that talks about how the biggest secret in missionary work is often the work. He says if we work we will have success. But even then Preach My Gospel says that our success isn't measured by numbers of baptisms and lessons, but on our effort to find, teach, baptize and confirm. I'm currently re-reading Preach My Gospel in my personal study, I think that after the Book of Mormon it might be the most correct book on the Earth.
 
The church is a rented building. Not so nice. Bigger than the one I had in Diadema for a while but still a little incommidating. Also they have a fair (like a farmers market kind of) right in front of the chapel so there is a bunch of noise coming in. But all in all the ward is good. Just small.
 
I'll be doing a division with Elder Perrell tomorrow, we are putting together another package to send home. I'm mostly going to send home books and stuff that I have collected on the mission. I want to have a bunch of things in Português when I get home. And maybe a few gift type items too.
 
Being Senior companion isn't too different. You just feel a little more responsibility. Elder F. Oliveira didn't have a very good trainer so President asked us to do the training program. I hope that maybe this is a sign of things to come. But since I'm new in the area I still depend on Elder F. Oliveira to make a lot of decisions and show me around and stuff.
 
I'm thinking we might steal the 40 day fast idea. Our new Ward Mission Leader wants to excite the ward and feel like the fast could help quite a bit. Also we are going to plan an activity/training for the ward on how to share the gospel with friends.
 
Well I haven't heard about any new missionaries coming. The age limit was already 18 for boys here, but I'm expecting a massive amount of sisters to be coming in. I wouldn't be surprised if Santo André turns into an only sister zone. There are already 3 companionships of sisters and its a nice safe area so the sisters could go everywhere here.
 
If Hannah and Stephen both leave soon that'll mean like 3 and a half years at least till we see each other. Bummer. But still that will be sweet to have so many from the family in the field at the same time.
 
They have a holiday on November 2nd. The Day of the Dead. But it's not real strong here and nothing like Halloween really. I don't know if I will do anything for Halloween. Maybe I'll go knock some doors. (ba dum tish)
 
Of course I remember Ben. He was my big brother on trek when we first moved to Washington. His sister is in our ward? Older sister I assume since he had a sister younger than me and I hope she doesn't have a little family yet. She can't be more than 18.
 
Wait a Popeyes close to Goodwill? Isn't there a KFC right there? That could be dangerous. I can already see the popcorn chicken wars that are bound to come.
 
Well I'm doing great here. Working, tired, but happy. Agradeço por tudo. Amo vocês.
 
Elder Cameron Bruce