And it begins!!!!!!!!!! The first email!

AH! Where to begin?! How about I owe a huge apology for all of the times I made fun of Devan and Derek's grammer, because these spanish keyboards are super confusing. Nothing is where it usually is! So I'm going to be like them and just apologize in advance for any grammer mistakes and hopefully that will just make up for it all ;)

So Mexico is great! Even though its a little bipolar, one day it is soo cold and rainy, and the next it is so hot you just don't stop sweating. But what can you do? I am absolutely loving it here! Besides the fact I got hustled within 5 minutes of being in this country, I really think I like it here.

Okay, maybe that was a little bit over exagerated, but really. I had just landed in Mexico (All by myself. I made the mistake of thinking the girl next to me on the plane was a missionary as well, but she most definatly wasn´t) and I was looking everywhere for just some boys in suits or someone with a sign that said MEXICO MTC! I thought for sure I would be greated by a crowd of LDS people welcoming me, or just a group of other missionaries. But I couldn't find anyone, except for this old man who kept talking to me in spanish. I kept saying...´´no se, no se!´´ But he just went ahead and grabbed my bags and put them on his cart. He then made hand signals and what I understood was that he just wanted to help me. So I said thank you and he followed me around while I was looking for someone or something to direct me to the LDS missionaries! After I tried my best to explain my situation to him he took me directly to the currency exchange where he so generously helped me exchange my american cash and then just stook his hand out. I just stared at him but he was very persistant. So I handed him 10 pesos.... he just looked at me and then stook out his hand again. And before I could reach down to hand him more money I saw another man in a suit running towards us screaming something in spanish, and the old man handed me my bags and walked away. The man in a suit came up to me, said something to me in spanish, saw that I clearly could not understand him and said, "You missionary? Come with me." Not quite the welcome I was expecting but I made it here nonetheless:)

After awkwardly standing next to this man for about 30 min. waiting for the next flight to come in, which had another batch of missionaries, we finally headed off to the CCM! (MTC in spanish... took me a minute to figure that one out. Probably should have learned that before I left) I was in a van with 5 SUPER hyper and excited Elders, that thankfully only spoke english as well. We pulled in and were immediatly greated by a huge crowed of missionaries who were so sweet to us. They told us to quickly email your parents, to let them know you were home safe, and then to unpack.

I met my companion later that night, and haven't left her sight since! Ha this is definatly hard to get used to but it makes it easier since I absolutely love her! Sometimes I just get up to go to the bathroom and forget I have to take her with me everywhere I go... ha but I'm getting better! Her name is Hermana Davidson and she is from California! She also has a sibling serving a mission, her sister is in the Provo MTC right now. I am so grateful for a mother who prayed so hard for me to have an amazing companion because she truely is. We have so much in common its a little scary! She has instantly become one of my really good friends, I guess it kind of comes with being around each other 24/7 but I feel so lucky to have her as a companion! We live in a casa with about 16 other Hermanas, and the Elders have to live in the dorms. Not that it really makes a difference because we are literally only in there to sleep. But our casa is super cute! All of the houses here are bright colors, and we live in a purple one:)

I don´t think I've stopped learning since I've been here! I didn´t think it was possible to have your testimony literally double in strength but it has.... and its all happened in just a week! I know everyone just talks about how much they feel the spirit at the MTC, but its no joke. This place truely is special. I already know more spanish then I thought was possible. The first day was a little daunting, since our teacher literally only speaks spanish...I just remember thinking there was no way I would ever be able to understand this language but I can already pray in spanish and I can bare my testimony! THATS NUTS!! I'm picking it up pretty well, its easier for me to understand what is being said then it is to actually speak what I want to say, but I keep having to remind myself I've only been here a week! Which is crazy since it feels like I've been here for months already. It helps that I have a pretty amazing district as well. We are all Chile bound missionaries, but going to two sepereate missions. Half are going to Concepcion South and half are going to Antofagasta. Me and Hermana Davidson are the only sisters in our branch, which is not different then what I'm used to at home so I don't mind at all:) They are all pretty much straight out of high school except a few who went to college for a year before serving there missions. Which makes me feel soo old, so thats great. Everyday I look around and find a few missionaries who look like they should still be in elementary school to me. There are even a few Elders in our district who had never been on an airplane until they left for the CCM. Seriously? I´m so old compared to these guys! But its all good, because I couldn't ask for a more perfect distict. We laugh so much together, and and at the same time are able to have the most interesting gospel discussions its been amazing.

There are a few guilty pleasures here in the Mexico CCM that I have learned to take advantage of every second I can. The first is the nutella bar. Yes. A NUTELLA bar. You bet I've hit that up everyday. Sometimes its all I think about. The minute I saw it I knew I was going to be okay here. The second is Ping-Pong. Everyday we get about an hour to excersise, and after me and Hermana Davidson attempt to work out we always end up playing Ping-Pong. Which apparently is an unknown talent that I've been hiding my whole life because I'm pretty good, not gonna lie. The third is singing. Anytime there are a bunch of missionaries together we end up singing. Every night at the end class, about 10 min. before we are supposed to leave for bed we all gather in the hallway and sing hymns in spanish. Its one of the most beautiful things I have ever witnessed. If we are just walking to another classroom, or if we are just waiting for a devotional to begin. We sing. And I love every second of it.

Since today was our first P-day we were able to go to the Mexico City Temple. Which was absolutely stunning. It is a HUGE temple! It is designed after the old aztec temples which makes it super unique. Its so big inside that there are literally esqulators! Its so cool! We were able to do a session...which was in spanish... they told us that since it was our first time visiting we were able to have head phones and listen to it in english, but that we had better enjoy it since it was the last time they would translate it for us. So next time is going to be an adventure for sure.

Every now and then I'll see some Elders walk by in pairs and I'll just feel like crying. Sometimes because it makes me think about Devan and Derek, and other times its just because I am truely touched by their devotion and willingness to serve. It blows my mind to think of young kids willing to give up 2 years of their life soley for the purpose of service and bring this gospel to the lives of people who simply "know not where to find it." And then it hits me. I'm here doing the same thing. Sometimes I can't believe I'm actually here. That I'm actually preparing to teach the Doctrine of Christ to the people in Concepcion. I would have never of guessed that I would be here today (and I know mom wasn't expecting it either...sorry mom!) but I've never been more proud of a dission that I've made for myself in my entire life. I am truely honored to be here, and to be here with such vallient brave people.

Sorry for the super long email, but so much has happened and I just had to tell you all:)

I love and miss you all!! I already can't wait to hear from you next week!

Love,

Hermana Lamb

I'm going on a mission say whaaaat???

I keep having to pinch myself to actually believe the fact that I am serving a mission! Its crazy that its here already!

IS THIS REAL LIFE??

If you would have asked me a couple of months ago I would have said that my mission couldn't come any sooner! But now that its actually here I feel like its come all too fast! But nonetheless.... the time has come!

I'm going to take this time to state why I know I should be serving a mission. (Because I probably am going to need reminders for when things get rough)

#1. I KNOW this gospel to be true. There is nothing else I am more passionate about then this. I love to dance, and play lacrosse, and I love art. But this gospel, consumes me. Its what gives me purpose and value. Its what gives me the ultimate happiness, how can you not want to share it with everyone you know?

#2 I KNOW the atonement to be real. I've been pushed to my limits before and had to fight for what I believe in. I've made mistakes, and will make many more mistakes. But that's what makes me human. And knowing the fact that I have a savior who is on MY side makes everything a whole lot easier. I want everyone to know that they too have a savior, and that its okay to make mistakes, you can always come back!

#3 I am supposed to be in Chile. Anyone who knows me knows the fact that I am probably the last person who ever thought I was going on a mission. It was NEVER apart of my plan. I always respected those who decided to go but just always thought to myself, "that's just not for me." But Heavenly Father knew better. 

I was living in New York interning at a graphic design agency called Case, and loving life! I was literally living the dream! I was working in Manhattan (with free rent thanks to my wonderful Grandparents;) and working with the most amazing people. I became really close with my co-workers especially a girl named Kristine. She was a return missionary and working exactly where I have dreamed to be. I believe she was the example that got me going. Seeing how she was so passionate about the gospel and design, helped put things in perspective for me. Needless to say I thought about going on a mission and everything worked out perfectly from there.

I was so overwhelmed with what I was feeling I went to the one person I always go to when I need help. My dad. 

I will never forget the advice he gave me. So anyone who is thinking about going on a mission LISTEN UP! This changed everything for me.

He said to me, "I want you to decide right here and now that you want to go on a mission. If you are truly serious about this decide now that its what you are going to do. But don't tell a soul. Just tell Heavenly Father and ponder on it for about a week. Act like its what you are going to do, start reading your scriptures every morning like a missionary should, start studying preach my gospel, and most importantly pray every night and morning and ask now that you have decided this is what you are going to do, for a conformation." 

So I did. And sure enough I got my answer loud and clear. But what made this advice so great was that there was no outside pressure. It was okay if I wanted to change my mind. I wouldn't have to post or announce to everyone that I changed my mind. There is no shame in it at all. This is a fantastic way to decipher if you are truly going for the right reasons!

Anyway, after I knew I was going it all just unfolded in front of me. I talked with my bishop that Sunday, I had a doctors appointment that Tuesday, a dentist appointment that Wednesday and my papers were in that Thursday. So all of those Elders out there who took months to do their papers I have no pity for you... (a.k.a Devan and Derek!) ;) just playin.

So after receiving my call I had to wait 3 days for my family to fly into New York. Which was EXTREME torture. Believe me I thought about everything. I tried holding it up to the light to sneak a peak. I though about the "steam method" but my mother kept my grandparents on watch. 

The best part about this clip is my mothers reaction to my call. Right about at 0:34.....You can literally see the worry hit her face the second she realizes I'm going to Chile. This is my mother who told me, mind you, that she was literally praying that I got a state-side mission.