Been here about a week now. It`ll be a week tomorrow. So I can`t send pics until I`m out in the field which will be 2 months from now, but I will when I can. If my camera doesn`t get stolen. All the Brazillian elders ask me where I`m going and when I tell them Rio de Janeiro they make guns with their hands and make shooting noises. Then they act like they are pointing it at me and say give me your money! Kinda scary. But, I`m not too worried about it. The mtc here is cool. There are probably only like between 300 and 400 missionaries here at a time. Because of visas. I guess most of the elders here from america are from Washington, Oregon, and California. It`s crazy. So not that many people. Like 90% of the elders here are from South America. Mostly Brazil. I`m doing well it`s not too hot here but it`s also their fall. It`s like between 75 and 80 in our room all the time. Even at night. Turns out the Church owns most of the land around the MTC so we can go shop on P days within a 2 or 3 block radius. So thats something col about being here at this MTC. in Provo you can`t go out at all. Except for going to the temple and you can only go a certain path for that. The Language is coming. Slowly but surely. We`re taking in alot of info everyday. We usually sit with Brazillians at meals and help them with english and they help us with Portuguese. So its good. I´m starting to recognize some phrases. It´s very much like Spanish but alot of their vocabulary is very different. Verbs are very very similar. The Food is good. lots of rice and beans but also alot of other food. So thats good. Not so good for nice smelling classrooms or bedrooms. Haha I forgot my pillow at home and I lost my shampoo the second day here. So, I´ve been borrowing my companions shampoo. I´m in a threesome companionship. Elder Sanchez and Elder Leete. They´re pretty cool and help me alot to not be a slacker and stuff. We are the only ones in our district. Which kind of sucks. But oh well. São Paulo is crazy! It´s the biggest city I´ve ever seen. When i flew in all I could see were buildings. Tons of them. And looking out the window of our room on the top floor of the MTC it´s crazy, buildings and city as far as the eye can see. Not just buildings either, tons of high rise buildings. Traffic here is CRAZY! Motorcycles split the lines all the time. not only that but they go around cars in the opposite lane and stuff it´s awesome. They squeeze through cars and trucks on the highways constantly. It makes me miss my motorcycle. There are so many on the roads. Alot of times there´s more motorcycles than cars on the road. The brazillian elders are really cool. They are way fun and loving. They accept everyone, all accept for Argentinians. they hate them. But only because of Soccer. Major rivalry. Apparently Argentina paid off their game between them and Peru giving them a ton of points in the championship making them win it over Brazil even though Brazil won all their games. Anyways tell mom I´m alive and well. All is good. Send my love to the rest of the family. I love and miss all of you. Love, Elder Bender