Faith in Every Footstep: "People who don't believe in God don't look up enough." --Me (Photos at end.)

Dear Family,

I was anxiously waiting to hear about the departure of Hope. I had a dream that I came home from my mission (I`ve been having them like every night...dang it. Little influences from the devil trying to take away my focus!) and Hope was there. And after two hours I said, "Wait! Why aren`t you on your mission?!" And she said, "I postponed so I could see you first!" So, I am SO happy to see that she made it into the MTC. Seeing those pictures made me think back to the same curb and the same crying Matthew, Katie, and Melanie and the same tight hug mom and dad gave me as I made that difficult goodbye. Gah. Hardest day of the mission.

I had a similar goodbye to make the same day to Hna. Greer. We all miss her. But now I am with Hna. Macahuachi, who is as fun and cool as her name! I love saying her name. She is from Peru and has one less change than me, so one year in the mission. Mom, I just have one new companion. The other sister training leaders who were called have their own area. So now we are over half the sisters in the mission, and them the other half. Somos un equipo (We are a team). Es mejor asi porque hay muchisimas hermanas ahora (It's better like this becaue we have so many sister missionaries now).

On Tuesday Hna. Greer and I went to spend the night in the mission nurse`s home with 6 brand new sisters, because the nurse was traveling and couldn't be there with them. So we were there to take care of the new hermanas for the night before they met their trainers. Five are from the U.S. It was fun to get to know them and talk in english together. This change, ten new sisters came and 1 elder. As Elastigirl says in The Incredibles, "C`mon girls, are we going to leave the saving the world to the men?.....I don`t think so." Yeah. :) There are now 42 sisters in the mission. When I came, there were 14.

Today we woke up at 5:30 and went to the office for the monthly mission leadership council. We gave a presentation on how learning a new language should be a blessing, and not a barrier. We did a little skit using terrible spanish that showed how it can cause frustration in a companionship; it was funny. I was saying that I felt "embarazada" to speak and my companion was like, "What?" and we did a few plays on words like that. You`ll only get this if you know Spanish. Anyway. It was a great meeting. I feel very thankful to be able to attend such meetings. It`s good public speaking practice to present in Spanish to a room of zone leaders. ("Embarazada" sounds like it would mean "embarrassed," but it really means "pregnant." It's a common Spanish mistake that new speakers make.)

Tomorrow I am getting on an overnight bus to Concepcion to present at a zone meeting and then do a division with the sisters there! I get to see the dear Meza family and several other people we taught and dear Presidente Gomez, and so many more! I am so excited! It is such a blessing to get to travel the whole country of Paraguay to do divisions.

I am also excited for the June 23rd big worldwide missionary broadcast. Hopefully we can see it.

Yesterday Leoncio`s family went to church for the second time and loved it, again! It is such a joy to go to church and see the Benitez family, Analia, Gabriel (in his cute little new white shirt and Sunday pants), Rossana, and our other converts parcipating and being active. I could definitely sit there and think of all the people we invited that didn`t come, but I prefer to just focus on the progress when I write letters.....haha. Analia is progressing so much. She went to the temple to do baptisms on Saturday and gave the closing prayer in Sacrament Meeting yesterday, and is getting her patriarchal blessing soon. I keep pestering the bishop to give our converts callings but nothing is happening.

Today we were singing at the end of our leadership council, and....man. I just KNOW this is the Lord`s work, the Lord`s Church. I want so badly to return to live with God again. I want to be with my family forever. I want to go to the Celestial Kingdom. I want to wear the victor`s crown. But I am so far from perfect, so far from deserving that. It`s depressing and hopeless, to think that can never be ours....until we remember Jesus Christ. I am so thankful that with Him it truly IS possible. I, a sinner, CAN repent and receive forgiveness and deserve salvation! If I follow God and give my all, Christ`s atonement can allow me to live in His presence. Oh, it is so marvelous. It is indescribably beautiful. I have learned a lot about the principles of faith and repentance on my mission. I will forever work to spread the knowledge of the gospel of my dear Savior who I love so much, so that more of my brothers and sisters can gain their own salvation. I am so thankful to wear His name on my shoulder for 18 months. Hope, it`s the best 18 months of your life thus far.

I love you each so very much. Remember to look up. Look up at the beautiful stars at night and look up when you need an answer.

Love,

Your Sister Missionary,

Sister Goimarac I