SEASON'S GREETINGS FROM OWENSBORO!

Hermana Wilbur wishes everyone a very Merry Christmas. 

Thanksgiving in Owensboro!

Dia de Pavo!  Dia de Accion de Gracias!




Serving in Owensboro, KY!

Hermana Wilbur had a great Thanksgiving in Owensboro, KY.  It is a non-proselyting day, but Hermana Wilbur and her companion visited many people instead of staying home.  Their Thanksgiving started the night before when they attended a Pie Party.  It is an annual tradition where they have about twenty different types of pie which they enjoy before Thanksgiving dinner.  On Thursday, Hermana Wilbur and her companion had breakfast at a member's house, and ate a big feast at another member's house.  They also visited some less active families in the ward, and in Hermana Wilbur's words, "...all in all, I had a really great Thanksgiving, full of love, laughs, and great food!"

Loving the State of Kentucky!

 Unfortunately, a few of their investigators have decided not to keep taking the lessons.  It hurts, but Hermana Wilbur believes in Heavenly Father's timing.  She and her companion plan to tract a lot in the coming weeks in some new apartment complexes in Owensboro. 

Quote for the Week:  "I know that there are people here that are being prepared by Heavenly Father to hear about the restored Gospel - we just have to find them.  And I can't wait to do so!"




I love being a missionary!

Enjoy some pictures from our wacky missionary in Kentucky!



Hermana Wilbur with her new boyfriend!







Walking around town

Obedience Brings Blessings

Alma 58:47 reads, "That if they did not doubt, God would deliver them." 


Hermana Wilbur and her companion decided this week to "raise the bar on obedience".  For those that know Hermana Wilbur, you know she is a fairly obedient person naturally, but as with all of us, there is always room for improvement and more exactness.  To that end, they made a goal to keep all the mission rules, and Nicole reports that she is seeing the effects of being EXACTLY obedient.  In her words, "It is cool to see!"

Due to an appointment cancellation, Hermana Wilbur and her companion decided to tract for a little while in a close by apartment complex.  Of the seven doors that were knocked on, they were able to talk to one Spanish family and two English families about the gospel.  On another occasion, while tracting, Hermana Wilbur and her companion felt they were not in the right place, so they said a prayer and ended up teaching a lesson at another location.

Quote for the Week:  "It is just cool to see that the Spirit prompts us to do things and we may not even realize it."

The Lord Protects His Missionaries

Several experience this week helped Hermana Wilbur to know that she is watched over by the Lord and his angels while she is serving in Owensboro, Kentucky.

First story:  Nicole was biking along in a neighborhood with her companion.  As she was crossing through an intersection, a truck hauling a huge trailer did not take the time to stop at the stop sign and started heading right towards her.  Both Nicole and the trucker slammed on brakes and barely missed each other.  It was a very close call!

Tornados in Kentucky!

Second, a few tornados touched down in Owensboro last Sunday and Nicole and her companion were told to shelter in the apartment, in the bathtub, with a mattress over their heads.  As you can imagine, the experience was a new one for Nicole (coming from New Mexico) so she and her companion said a prayer that all would be well, and that they wouldn't be scared.  During the prayer, Nicole's companion mentioned that the apartment had been dedicated before they moved in and that she was confident that angels would watch over them during the tornado.  Nicole felt great peace and comfort.  It turns out that over 70 tornados touched down in Kentucky last week. 

On the positive side, Nicole attended her first Zone Conference in Evansville, Indiana.  She reports it was a great experience and she received a lot a valuable instruction that she has used while tracting and talking to people in Owensboro.

Quote from Hermana Wilbur:  "I really don't know how I got so lucky to come to the Great Kentucky Louisville Mission (GKLM)...this mission is the best mission in the world and we have the best mission president and wife."

Raking Leaves Brings Joy!




Jumping in them makes the raking worth it!

Hermana Wilbur was very busy doing service for those in Owensboro this week.  After wearing a skirt every day for months, Nicole said it was weird to change to jeans and provide some service to the Owensboro members and community.  First of all, Nicole and her companion helped on older sister in their ward to sand and paint some dressers as the woman was not able to do it herself due to back pain.  They also served in the local soup kitchen, and Nicole realized for the first time that soup kitchens serve more than soup!!    They also cleaned the church (especially the font) as they are hoping that one of those they are teaching will be baptized soon.  Finally, they offered to help a member by raking their huge lawn of fallen leaves because this family does so much for the missionaries. 

This week was "Faith Fest" in Owensboro, which is an annual festival where people can learn more about all the different religions in the community.  All the missionaries helped with an Open House of the LDS chapel, where they provided tours and explanations about our faith.  Their last tour was with a professor of philosophy and he has been studying the relationship between justice and mercy.  Nicole was amazed because she happened to study that particular subject the day before in her personal study.   "It's pretty great how Heavenly Father works!" 

Quote for the Week:  "Wow!  I can't believe another week has come and gone!  I have to say, this has been the best week yet...I am happy!"

Spooks and Frights: Halloween in Owensboro, Kentucky

Still crazy even in Kentucky!

While most children were Trick-or-Treating on October 31st, the children in Kentucky were sad as the tornado sirens postponed their fun for a night.  You can see from the photos that Hermana Wilbur and her companion got in the Halloween Spirit with bright orange blouses and funky glasses. 


Hermana Wilbur and her Companion

Hermana Wilbur spent Halloween with two other sets of Elders and her companion at a member's home eating soup and playing Apples to Apples (Bible Edition).




Hermana Wilbur and her Companion

Hermana Wilbur is keeping very busy in Owensboro.  One day, she rode 19 miles on her bike going from appointment to appointment.  She reports that by the end of the day, her legs were a little tired, but she likes that she is getting toned and strong. 

Spiritual Thought for the day:  "This week my most spiritual moment was when we were teaching one of the families that we found while tracting door-to-door.  I was reading a scripture about Jesus Christ and His role in our life as Savior.  Usually, I have to go slowly so as to pronounce the words correctly, but this time was different.  The scripture came out perfectly; and I read it at a quicker pace.  It was a little miracle and I realized that Jesus Christ is here to help me with everything, even bridging the language barrier." 
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Hermana Wilbur Arrives in Kentucky!



With Mission President and his Wife

Nicole arrived in Kentucky on October 14th.  She was assigned a companion to be her trainer.  She now resides in Owensboro, KY which is about an hour and a half away from Louisville, and on the border of Indiana.  The Spanish area in Owensboro is relatively new and there is a lot of work for Nicole to do.  Currently, there is a small, English branch, but the eventual goal is to make this group into a ward, and add a Spanish branch as well!

Quote from Nicole:

I love being a missionary!

"I love serving a mission.  This is the best thing.  When we get into a lesson, it is like time has stopped and it is only us and our investigator.  To the world, these people might be forgotten.  But in lessons I always get a confirmation that to Heavenly Father, these people are His children.  He knows who they are, what they need, and they are not forgotten.  They matter to Him, and because I am here to do what He would do if He were on the Earth, they matter to me."

KY Landscape

My new bike!

Hermana Wilbur and her companion

Happy in Mexico!

I'm Here!

Nicole arrived at the Mexican MTC on Tuesday, September 2nd.  By that Friday, she was teaching her first investigator (in Spanish!).  His name is Angel, and they taught him about God as a loving Heavenly Father.  Nicole was able to bear her testimony that God hears and answers our prayers.  She has now taught him three lessons, and is picking up Spanish quite quickly.

My companion

She is enormously happy.  In her words...."It really is a privilege to be among the first missionaries who have the opportunity to come to the Centro de Capacitacion Misional Mexico.  It is really touching to see how much the people love us missionaries and look forward to helping in the work."

Her P-Days are Thursday, and she has a short amount of time on the computer to write emails.  More news to come....

I love the MTC food!

The Open House

Because I will be gone for a year and a half, my family and I decided to host an open house so that I could say goodbye! 

We themed it using the colors of the Kentucky flag (blue and yellow). This included blue and yellow M&Ms, frosted blue and yellow cupcakes, blue and yellow plates, blue and yellow cups..... The list goes on. Basically imagine anything blue and yellow and it was probably at my open house. 

The food table - yum!

In an attempt to be creative, I placed interesting Kentucky facts around my house (on blue and yellow paper, of course). For your entertainment, here are some of those facts:

1. The state bird of Kentucky is the cardinal. 
2. The state flower of Kentucky is the goldenrod (another yellow thing). 
3. Cheeseburgers were first served in 1934 at Kaolin's restaurant in Louisville. 
4. The song, "Happy Birthday to You" was the creation of two Louisville sisters in 1893. 
5. Post-it Notes are manufactured exclusively in Cynthiana. The exact number made annually of these popular notes is a trade secret. 
6. The public saw an electric light for the first time in Louisville. Thomas Edison introduced his incandescent light bulb to crowds at the Southern Exposition in 1883. 
7. The name "Kentucky" is based on the Iroquois Indian word "Ken-tah-ten," meaning "land of tomorrow". 
8. Kentucky has more miles of running water than any other state except Alaska. 
9. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Kentucky's population was 4,269,245, with 1.5 million in Louisville alone. 
10. While it may not be scientifically proven, it's believed that Kentucky's pure-filtered limestone water provides the state's famous Thoroughbred horse with the competitive edge to reach the winner's circle so frequently. 
11. Some church history: Kentucky has 33,455 church members, 1 mission (woot woot!), 77 congregations, 1 temple, and 23 family history centers. 
12. More church history: Joseph Smith, the first President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, likely preached in Louisville, Kentucky, on his way to Missouri. He stayed in the city for three days and later revisited in 1832. An Indiana convert began the first congregation in Licking River. In 1835, two missionaries baptized 22 people. The first group of Kentucky Saints to join other Church members in the West left for Missouri in September 1836. In July 1843, Church leaders Brigham Young and Wilford Woodruff preached in Kentucky. Though persecution existed, some 1,170 members of the Church lived in the state in 1900. 

A big thanks to everyone that came!! 

Mission Farewell Address

For those that may have missed it, I had the opportunity to speak to my church congregation before I left. Here's what I said, if you are interested!

                Good morning, brothers and sisters! I am excited I have the opportunity to speak to you, and I am even more excited to go serve in the Great Kentucky Louisville Mission, Spanish speaking! In thinking about a topic to speak about today, I wanted to speak about a deciding factor in my serving a mission. I have a couple reasons for wanting to serve a mission, but the main one revolves around the happiness I have felt through the love of my Savior Jesus Christ. I can only hope that on my mission I have the opportunity to help someone else feel that love and happiness that I have felt in my own life.

                I believe that Jesus plays three distinct roles in our lives. First, Jesus Christ is our perfect teacher and example. His life shows us the right way, and gives us something to strive for. He taught of hope, charity, and love, and then went on to show those characteristics in His actions. Through His many instances of healing the afflicted, He taught us that He has time for each and every one of us individually. In his preachings on the Sermon on the Mount, He taught us characteristics that should be aimed for. His interactions with the adulteress woman who was to be stoned and her accusers taught us that He loves us endlessly no matter what we may have done in our past, a knowledge that allows us to move forward in hope. These are just a few examples of His teachings; the list is endless.

Thomas S. Monson, the current prophet here on the Earth today, said, “In the home, the school, or the house of God, there is one teacher whose life overshadows all others. He taught of life and death, of duty and destiny. He lived not to be served, but to serve; not to receive, but to give; not to save his life, but to sacrifice it for others. He described a love more beautiful than lust, a poverty richer than treasure. It was said of this teacher that he taught with authority and not as did the scribes. I speak of the Master Teacher, even Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer of all mankind.” When we respond to Christ’s gentle invitation, ‘Come learn of me,’ we do learn, but we also become partakers of His divine power.

Christ is our teacher, which makes us His students. Our lives here on the Earth are like a test, or a continuous classroom. God, our loving Father and caring Parent, sent us down to Earth to be tested, to learn, to grow. We have our good days where our focus is solely on Christ the Teacher and the good things that He teaches us to do. Other days, we may need a friendly reminder to return to the important tasks at hand. We have the tests that we excel at, and we have the tests that require much preparation and diligence. Sometimes, we even have the tests that we may fail that require us to go to the Teacher for help.  I am thankful to have Jesus Christ as the head of that classroom, as an ever-present teacher that is willing to do anything to help us succeed.

The second role that Jesus Christ plays in our lives is as our Brother. We are all children of Heavenly Father; Christ is our perfect brother who Father sent down to Earth for a time to help us along our way. As our Brother, He loves us endlessly. Romans 8:37-39 states, “Nay, in all things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Because of this love which He has for us, He can heal us from things that plague us, just as He did with the people He came in contact with during His time on Earth. Christ cares about everything we care about, and He dislikes the things that make us unhappy. If we come to Him, He can take away any pain. Like my own two brothers that came to cheer me on in my softball games, Christ is in our fan section. One of my favorite scriptures is Romans 8:31, which basically says, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” It’s a comfort for me to know that Christ is there for me in everything.

The third role of Jesus Christ in our lives is as the Savior of the world. This is the most powerful position for someone to hold, but also the most merciful. John 3:17-18 states this perfectly. It says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

I love the second chapter of the 2^nd book of Nephi in the Book of Mormon. It gives me hope that when we make a mistake, it allows us to grow and learn. Verses 11-14 read, 

11. “For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.

 12 Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation.

 13 And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not there is no God. And if there is no God we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished away.

 14 And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit and learning; for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon.”

Those scriptures are very deep, but they fill me with hope. We are here on Earth to choose between good and bad. It is those decisions and their consequences that bring purpose to our lives. Mistakes do not have to be the end; we do not need to give up when a mistake is made! It is only when we make mistakes that we grow. Christ’s sacrifice and Atonement is there to complete us, to make up where we lack, to make us whole.

Brad Wilcox, who is a professor at Brigham Young University, once spoke in a devotional about Christ’s grace. If we had time in this meeting, I would read you the whole talk as it is very good, but instead, I will just pull some of my favorite parts. He said, “Too many are giving up because they are tired of constantly feeling like they are falling short. They have tried in the past, but they always feel like they are just not good enough. They don’t understand grace. There are young women who know they are daughters of a Heavenly Father who loves them, and they love Him. Then they graduate from high school, and the values they memorized are put to the test. They slip up. They let things go too far, and suddenly they think it is all over. These young women don’t understand grace.

“There are young men who grow up their whole lives singing, “I hope they call me on a mission,” and then they do actually grow a foot or two and flake out completely. They get their Eagles, graduate from high school, and go away to college. Then suddenly these young men find out how easy it is to not be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, or reverent. They mess up. They say, “I’ll never do it again,” and then they do it. They say, “I’ll never do it again,” and then they do it. They say, “This is stupid. I will never do it again.” And then they do it. The guilt is almost unbearable. They don’t dare talk to a bishop. Instead, they hide. They say, “I can’t do this Mormon thing. I’ve tried, and the expectations are just way too high.” So they quit. These young men don’t understand grace.

“In all of these cases there should never be just two options: perfection or giving up. When learning the piano, are the only options performing at Carnegie Hall or quitting? No. Growth and development take time. Learning takes time. When we understand grace, we understand that God is long-suffering, that change is a process, and that repentance is a pattern in our lives. When we understand grace, we understand that the blessings of Christ’s Atonement are continuous and His strength is perfect in our weakness.”

I love the metaphor of Christ as a Shepherd. Mosiah 14:6 states, “All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all.” We all stray, we all make mistakes. Christ is not going to leave us to get lost. Instead, He will find us. He will continue to find us time after time. I know that Christ as our Savior will never let us down and will never leave us on our own. The Good Shepherd who knows his sheep has proven to me personally that I am numbered among that flock.

To end, I want to read a poem that I heard when I was attending BYU this past year that convinced me that I needed to serve a mission.

"I’d been in that hole for a very long time. In the dark and the damp, in the cold and the slime.

The shaft was above me; I could see it quite clear, but there’s no way I ever could reach it from here.

Nor could I remember the world way up there, so I lost all my hope and gave into despair.

I knew nothing but darkness, the floors, and the walls, when from off in the distance I heard someone call,

“Get up! Get ready! There’s nothing the matter! Take rocks and take sticks and build up a fine ladder.”

This had never occurred to me, had not crossed my mind, so I started to stack all the stones I could find.

When I ran out of stones, the old sticks were my goal, for some way or another I’d get out of that hole.

So I soon had a ladder that was really quite tall, and I thought, “I’ll soon leave this place once and for all!”

Then I climbed up my ladder, it was no easy chore. For from lifting those boulders my shoulders were sore.

So I worked and I climbed and at last had to stop, for my ladder stopped short – some ten feet from the top.

I climbed back down the ladder and felt all around, but there were no more boulders nor sticks to be found.

I went back to my ladder and started to cry. I’d done all I could do; I gave my best try.

But in spite of my work, in this hole I must die, and all I could do was to sit and think, “Why?”

Was my ladder too short? Or my hole much too deep? Then from way up on high came a voice: “Do not weep.”

And then hope, love, and faith entered my chest, as the voice said to me that I’d done my best.

He said, “Nothing’s the matter.  There’s reason to hope. Just climb up your ladder; I’ll throw down my rope.

You have worked very hard, and your labor’s been rough, but the ladder you've built is at last tall enough.”

I climbed up the ladder, then climbed up the cord. When I stood at the top, there stood the Lord.

I’ve never been happier; my struggle was done. I blinked in the brightness that came from the Son.

I fell to the ground; his feet did I kiss. I cried, “What can I do to repay thee for this?”

He looked all around Him – there were holes in the ground. They had people inside, and were seen all around.

There were thousands of holes that were damp, dark, and deep. Then the Lord turned to me and He said, “Feed my sheep.”

Then He went on His way to help other lost souls. And I got right to work, calling down to the holes,

“Get up!  Get ready! There’s nothing the matter! Take rocks and take sticks and build up a fine ladder!”

It now was my turn to spread the good word. The most glorious message that man ever heard.

That there’s One who is willing to save one and all, and we've got to be ready when He gives the call.

He’ll pull us all out of the hole that we’re in, and save all our souls from death and from sin.

So do not lose faith; there is reason to hope: Just build up your ladder; He’ll throw down His rope."

I am eternally grateful for my Teacher, my Brother, my Savior, Jesus Christ. His love, his grace, is life-changing. No matter what we may have done, no matter if we may do it again; His love is all encompassing. His power in my life gives me hope for what is to come. I look forward to teaching this message of salvation on my mission to Kentucky, along with the other joys that the gospel provides to my life. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Why My Mission is Basically the Best.

Kentucky: we've all heard of it. Land of horse races, right? Well, be prepared to be amazed, because my mission is so much more than that. 

Warning: Jealous symptoms may arise. To cure these feelings, continue to follow this blog to satisfy your KY cravings or take a trip to Kentucky yourself!

1. Home of KY Fry

Based in Louisville, KFC started with a certain Colonel Harland Sanders who created a list of secret herbs and spices that, when combined, would create a famous recipe for chicken that would eventually take over the world. There are more than 15,000 KFC outlets in 105 countries all over the world, but I have a feeling that KFC is going to taste much better when I am actually in Kentucky.

2. The Hills are Alive

The first thing I hear from people when I say that I am going to Kentucky is, "You're going to love it. It's so green out there." Being from the West originally, green is a big deal. I will make sure to post pictures of these green, rolling hills that make Kentucky famous. 

3. Let's Address the Obvious...

Horses, hats, and money lost all characterize the Kentucky Derby. This is one part of Kentucky that you can't miss. 

4. The Biggest Bat in the World

Being a softball girl myself, I was excited to go to the birthplace of the famous Louisville Slugger. While I never dared to play with a wooden bat myself (call me a weenie, I went with metal), I would not mind taking a visit to the Slugger Museum. 

5. One of the Greatest Love Stories of all Time

If you know me, you should know I love the novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Do you remember that's where Gatsby and Daisy met? Daisy, popular among the military men stationed there at the time, met and fell in love with Gatsby right there in good ol' Louisville. 

And don't get me started on how perfect the casting was for the latest film version. Sigh. 

6. The Rivalry

While I am still prepping myself to speak sports, I can't wait to get out there to see what the rivalry is all about!

7. Good Ol' Southern Hospitality

Feed me, please!

8. Say It Right: The L Word

Who else has to watch a YouTube video to learn how to say the name of their mission correctly? By learning how to combine the right amount of suave and southern twang, one can quickly master the pronunciation of "Louisville". 

Like I said, isn't my mission the best? It's alright, be jealous. 

The Days that Matter

October 6, 2012

I was in my dorm room, snuggled in bed, and relying on the shaky wireless internet to watch General Conference, which is a biannual program that includes messages from the general officers of the church. Right as President Thomas S. Monson stood up to make an announcement, my wifi went out and I spent the next ten minutes having a war with my computer. I checked my phone, and read a text from one of my roommates who was at home watching conference with her family. She summarized President Monson's announcement by stating that 18 year old young men could now serve missions, when previously they had to be 19. Even more exciting was that now 19 year old women could serve missions, when it was formerly a distant 21 years of age! I tried to listen to the rest of conference, but the only thing on my mind was how my life was going to change because of this announcement.

To see President Monson's announcement (I watched it afterwards on YouTube when I finally had the internet working), watch below! It sends shivers down my spine!

May 10, 2013

It was my youngest brother's birthday, and it was also the day when I received a very important white envelope in the mail. After six weeks of waiting for my mission call to come from Salt Lake City, and a few months previous to that completing the mission application paperwork, the day had finally come when I would find out where in the world I would be serving my mission.

Sidenote: Why did I decide to serve a mission? (Excuse my self-centered moment here.)

1. My mom served a mission in Scotland, and she has always encouraged me to serve one too. It is evident that her life, and my life, have been positively affected because of her decision to serve. A mission had always been part of my life plans.
2. A mission is the only time in life where I can focus solely on my religion and on serving God without the worries of school or life. 
3. But most importantly, I decided to serve a mission because of my recently renewed testimony of Jesus Christ. I cannot imagine my life without the influence of Christ the Savior, and I hope to focus my my mission on spreading the joy that can come through Him.

Back to the story. I was working days at that time, and I had fervently instructed my brothers to call me as soon as the mail came each day to let me know if my call had arrived. The fateful day finally arrived, and I will admit that I could not focus much on work after I heard that the envelope had come. 

I had several close friends come over, and as they arrived, each made a guess for where I would go. The closest person would receive a prize. I sat in anticipation as post-it notes were added to a map one by one until it grew quiet and the moment came to open the envelope. 

Here's a picture play-by-play: 

Opening the Envelope

I had a hard time flipping the paper so I could read it line-by-line.

Finally ready to read!

And the result is...... Kentucky Louisville Mission!

Trying not to cry as I find out the details. 

The mystery was solved. This girl would be headed to the Great Kentucky Louisville Mission, speaking Spanish, and leaving on September 4th (which then seemed like eternities away). 

Interestingly enough, my mission call said that I would be going to the Provo Missionary Training Center (MTC), but I received a call stating that I would actually be headed to the Mexico City MTC to better learn Spanish. Booyah!

September 4th, 2013

The fateful day is fast approaching. As I sit here writing this, my room is empty and all that needs to be done still is packing my bags to leave.

My travel plans have me set to leave on Tuesday morning, bright and early, so that I can get to Mexico City with plenty of time to spare. Let me say, time flew by, but I can not be more excited or more nervous to get going. 

I can't wait for you to follow me on my adventure!