Hold On, I Just Got Here...

...and after a short 6 weeks I am being transferred... I am disappointed because Sarah and Lis are progressing so well and I wanted to bad to stay and help them but I know they will, be just fine with Sister Chiriz and Sister Acevedo, who will take my place here in Jardim Alagoas. She arrived in my group and is awesome.

LOTS of changes this week, so to avoid writing a novel I am just going to list them off:
Hit my 8 month mark!! I will have a little less than 18 months in the mission so I am at my halfway mark next week!!
Our chapel officially closed yesterday due to the danger of the situation here in our area. So from now on, the 2 wards that meet there will have all of their activities and meetings at the other chapel about 15 minutes away. It will be crazy because now that chapel has 4 wards, the single adult program, AND the mission office and all the activities for the mission. Should be interesting.
On the same note, we are officially moving! For real this time! We spent ALL weekend packing and cleaning our apartment and will move out today. I will go to my new area tomorrow and Chiriz and Acevedo will stay with 2 other sisters.
Our area that was already pretty small got cut in half because we are not allowed to be in the areas of danger.
The city had a training about the evacuation plan but they didnt really end up doing anything or giving us any information so people got angry and caused a protest that closed the main road here for an hour(see video). We caught the beginning of it and went back to our apartment before it got bad.
Spent all of Friday at the hospital with Sister Chiriz because she got worse and they still cannot figure out what is wrong, poor thing.
I got called as a Sister Training Leader, which is basically a zone leader but a sister. With my new companion, we will take care of and do divisions with a third of the sisters here in the mission and also have meetings and trainings with President and the assistants of the mission. I am very very nervous and once again feel extremely inadequate and unqualified but I know by now that every transfer is inspired and it will all work out. And my new companion, Sister Lisboa, is awesome! I am so excited to work with her.
Found out an hour before church yesterday that I would have to give a talk... thank goodness it was about missionaryu work which is eaier to talk on, more or less. Dad, you should be proud, used your orange juice analogy ;)
Best part of the week: WE GET TO CALL HOME EVERY WEEK NOW! New announcement from the church!!! When our leader called to tell us, we didn't believe him for a good 10 minutes. I am so excited to be able to see and talk to my family every week.
It's been a crazy week and today will be even crazier with our move but I am excited to see how this next transfer will lay out. Feeling nervous and sad and excited all at the same time but I am so grateful to be here regardless of everything that has been happening. Maybe one day I will come back to visit and show my kids the giant hole that used to be my area?! Who knows what will happen but here's to LOTS of changes!!

Love,
Sister Lauren Mather

Photos and videos:
 the price I pay for spending the day at the beach...FRIED
alert we receieved this week
açai to celebrate 8 months(per tradition)
canudos to treat ourselves after all day at the hospital
our apartment... :'(
8 months and the shoes are officially being thrown out
family night with members of the ward
protest