July 7th

So I have definitely been struggling this past week. It's just hit me that I'm going to be going home soon. Heavenly Father loves me though so we got a call on Thursday saying that we were going to have a conference & interviews with President on Friday. The conference on Friday was super good, & uplifting. I always love hearing my president talk because he is so intelligent & really knows the scriptures. I finally had my interview with him. He asked if there was anything he could do, or anything I was struggling with. I just told him how I was feeling. I told him I'm struggling with the idea of going home. He asked me why I was so stressed about going home & I mentioned that I miss my family, but that I feel like there never was anything before this mission & that there won't be anything after. I told him that I have progressed and changed so much in my mission but that I worry that I won't be able to progress as much afterwards. He calmly talked to me & told me that this is normal. That almost every missionary goes through this & that it isn't a sin to struggle. He said that my love for the mission shows that I served a good mission, & then he said something I wasn't expecting. He told me that this means I have done everything I've needed to do on my mission. He told me that when missionaries start feeling the way I do it's because they are ready to go home. He then pulled a Nanny Mcphee quote on me and said that when we arrive in our missions we need them, but think about home & don't really want or appreciate them. When we want & appreciate them is when we don't need them anymore and it's time to go. He told me that I just need to focus on one day at a time & just do my best. He thanked me for my service & said that I have been a blessing to this mission & that he is sure my family is proud & then sent me on my way. The interview I had with him really helped me feel better. I'm so grateful for my mission and my president. 

From left to right: Sister Soares, Sister Renae, & Sister Aráujo

We got matching shirts!

Part of our area

Most of the roads in our area are like this or are dirt...

My favorite member in the world! Irmã Zilda. She is 90 years old & was the first member in her family. She raised 8 kids in the church & bares her testimony about it every fast Sunday. She is so cute.