August 3, 2015 Final week in America!!

Hello familia! How is everyone doing? Hope it's all going well!

I'm doing well. This week has been another VERY slow, fairly

frustrating week. We did have a fair amount of meetings as district

leader, so that didn't help our proselyting efforts at all. But, those

were good. It's good to see some of the behind the scenes stuff and be

able to take part in it. I'm definitely learning a lot. Sometimes not

in the most fun way, but learning lots haha.

Elder Baldridge as a missionary in Oregon.
He will miss this place so much as he heads to Brazil!

It still doesn't feel like I am leaving the country soon. Doesn't feel

real at all. I am definitely sad to be leaving the Oregon Salem Mission. I love

everyone here. I don't think you could find a better mission president

anywhere, and I love all the other missionaries. Plus I love this

area. Next Monday will be very sad...

But, I'm also excited. Excited for new adventures and new challenges.

Probably more challenges than I want to think about right now. But,

you can't grow in your comfort zone. There will be plenty of growing

in the coming months.

I have learned so much here. I have realized that you learn a whole

lot more from the bad times and the mistakes you make then when things

are easy. Bad times don't seem fun when you are in them, but looking

back they are so important. When you are going through something

rough, try to figure out what you should learn from it. That's

something I have learned I need to improve on, for sure.

Anyways, I love you all! Have a wonderful week! That temple picture

was awesome and I'm kinda jealous. Love you!

Elder Baldridge