week 1: Missionary Training Center (MTC)

No email today; it is possible that Preparation Day is not on Monday in South Africa.  Or that internet is down - they've been having crazy weather.  Luckily, we still have an update!  Earlier in the week we received some pictures and notes from Sister Reber.  She and her husband preside at the South Africa MTC.  She is Kelly's "mission mom" until he moves out into the field with the Mission President and his wife.  I was planning on attaching her emails to Kelly's news, but we will go with what we have!  From Sister Weber:

"The missionaries have all arrived at the MTC.  Their luggage all arrived too... which is rare.  They have companions now and have started the intense training.  There are 4 Sisters and 27 Elders from 8 different countries comprising this group of missionaries."
(Can you find Elder McClellan?  Third row back, second from the left?  He looks good!)

"We had a huge hail storm here at the MTC.  It flooded the atrium... as rain came after the hail stopped.  Water came in under the front door of the MTC.  Many of the African missionaries had never seen hail before and they loved it.  The excitement was amazing.  Sorry if your missionary isn't in the photo... I was busy mopping up water."
(I am including the top photo to show how huge the hail was; Elder McClellan is in the middle back of the second photo.)

 

 

I will post Elder McClellan's impressions of life at the MTC as soon as we hear from him!