Missionary News - Kelly

Christmas is really awesome here. My teacher and the staff and the other staff gave us lots and lots of candy. I am pretty much going to throw up if I eat any more. And there is lots of singing. In spanish and Portuguese and English, but lots of practice and lots of performing. And the Choir director is not very nice. You can imagine how excited we were to have a special musical fireside on Sunday where we spent an hour and a half practicing and then another hour performing outside for the neighbors. In fact some of the videos are on youtube. Try "erguei-vos cantando coral do CTM Brasil". Another man was doing videos of all the songs, but I don't know if he posted them on youtube... you can look around.

I saw all the pictures and showed my beautiful family to my companion. Heather wasn't in any of the photos. or grandma and grandpa. I showed the photo from the funeral to my teacher and he thought Keri was me, and then when I said it wasn't me he thought I was lying. So if you could send a picture that has both of us in it that would be great.

Today is my P-day but we don't get to go out. Even if we did everything would be closed. The speaker today was a member of the 70 Elder Costa? I can't remember how to spell his name. Apparently he had some calling in Arizona or including Arizona because when he asked me where I was from he told me all about it. Last night the MTC President and his wife and all the missionary couples came and caroled down the hallway and gave us christmas goodies. And for Lanche we had brownies and ice cream.

I have never used skype or the google equivalent. And I have no idea if I'll have access to a computer with a camera. But if we can figure it out I am totally down.

It is so hot here. Right now I just came from our Christmas Day Free Time in the gym and I am sooooo hot. It doesn't feel like Christmas cause there is no snow, all the christmas "carols" are hyms we've sung 8 times each already, and Santa brought my present to Belem and I won't get it for a couple more weeks. We DID NOT have a christmas party with my teacher yesterday and he DID NOT supply us with food and specially chosen items that were NOT gifts, but the entire place is decorated and fireworks have been going off all day. And I mean ALL day, they started at midnight and occasionally I'll still hear them.

Lots of Love
Sister Mendenhall