Are you two related?

Is the most asked question this week! I am training an American, Sister Hamilton from Oklahoma!! I never saw an American sister train a new American so it came as quite the surprise but I love to train. She is the cutest thing ever and I am so grateful to have her as my last companion!! She is super obedient and does everything I ask her to do and help me with without complaining at all. I know it is a huge shock and she is so tired but she doesn't show it and is always happy and positive.

I left Aracaju at 2am Monday night and it was really hard to leave. Left a lot of people I really love there and it was surreal to think that my time as a missionary in Sergipe is over. Transfers are always hard but this one was a little harder with that knowledge that I am going to my last area of the mission... Sister Barco and I decided to spend our last pday together at the beach, taking advantage of my last day there!

Anyways, we got to Maceio Tuesday morning and spent the day with Seumanu and the other trainers! We went to President and Sister Taylor's house, where we got our greenies, and arrived here in our area Tuesday night. I have never been here so it is all new to both of us and the work here wasn't going so well these last few transfers so we are pretty much starting from zero. But the area is awesome!! There are a lot of grotas and it is a pretty normal area, not super rich like a majority of my other areas. We are exploring and spent a lot of time lost this week but we will get there. It is a lot, and even more so when I am doing almost everything alone and explaining everything to my companion in Portuguese that she can understand, but I really like the area nd the ward so far and once we get the hang of things it will be alot easier. President banned us from speaking any English to the Americans, so I have to speak really slow, repeat alot of what i say, and do alot of mimes :) it is taking a lot of patience but i also know exactly how she feels and she is already learning so quickly.

Good news of the week: Erdenia was baptized!!! I got the pictures today and I am SO SO SO happy for her. I really really really wanted to be there but aso know I did what I needed to do to help her get there. Sister Barco said that it was amazing and the baptismal program had many in tears.

Kind of a harder week but I am grateful because I am being puched way out of my comfort zone once again. It is a new challenge and a new opportunity to learn and grow. And it i frustrating sometimes but when it all comes down to it I really am very grateful to be here and especially to be training!!

Love you all,
Sister Lauren Mather

Pics:
farewells.... vozinha, vania, and friends that stayed in sergipe
day with sister seumanu and jackson
meeting my filha!!
shots of the area
sister hamilton!!!
tortoise at a members house
açai to celebrate 15 months in the mission!!
also the photos from Erdenia's baptism!!!