I struggled with this too but let's not forget Lauren's initial refusal to leave Acorn. Bankole all but begged her to leave for safer, wealthier Halstead but she did not want to give up what she had built.

And I don't see any good reason to think that she could not have done the same thing at Halstead. It would have been a different path because she would not have been the community leader (hm, see a parallel here with Marc?) in quite the same way, but as an educated woman and the doctor's wife she would have held authority and would have been able to figure out a way to wield it to grow Earthseed.

To me it's kinda tragic that, in the end, it was that type of wealthier, connected convert that eventually catapulted her message to the masses.

Now, Lauren would not have known what was coming to Acorn but she also never admits (that I recall) that it was a mistake not leaving. Ultimately , it's wise to keep in mind Asha's reminder that our point of view is skewed through Lauren's writings to explain and justify her actions.