Barrett's email, December 31st

Well, I think it was the best christmas of my entire life. The impossible was achieved and we all skyped. Thank you for setting that up. Merry Christmas...

N and D got married! A and A are off to school!! G has facial hair!!! Holy cow. You're gone for two years and everything up and changes!

It sounds like everyone had a good christmas. I sent some letters a few weeks ago? Have you gotten them?  I just sent them all to your address.

It's been a good week here in Podolsk. It warmed up after we talked. My companion said to me the other morning as we walked past a building with a thermometer, "Do you remember back in the day when 0*C (32*F) was cold?" Yeah, I remember thoses days. haha

Today is new years eve. Happy New Years! As per tradition we get to watch a movie or two. We're not going to our senior couple's house like last year, so we get to stay home. And they're starting another new tradition: New Years Day Apartment Clean-up! yippee.

The exciting event of the coming week is the all-mission christmas party on the 4th. It should be fun.

Thank you so much for all the pictures. It's good to see everyone, especially Aunt G, the cousins, and S. It's been a good year. The only year that I will have spent every day as a full-time missionary. Wow. Well, Have a great day. See you next year. And as we go into this new year let us all remember that which is of true importance and strive to not sweat the petty things... or pet the sweaty things.
С новым годом (Happy New Year)

Love

Elder Hamp