God is our Strength, Gospel Light and Rita's Baptism!

Beautiful São Paulo, Brazil.

This past week was difficult yet rewarding with lots of miracles! I have learned and gained an even stronger testimony regarding when we as members and missionaries do our part and have even more faith, the Savior will complete the rest. We were a bit nervous this past Tuesday as we went to an appointment to talk with Rita about what she thought about attending church and her feelings about baptism. Sister Melo and I had prior to Tuesday extended a challenge with an invitation for her to be baptized on Sunday the 21st of October. I had faith but was a bit concerned she was going to say that it was really sudden to be baptized; or that she would say she needed more time. She had been saying the week before she had went to church that she was needing more time. As we talked with her she suddenly says, "Oh, my baptism is on the 21st right? I want to be baptized." Sister Melo and I were in shock but filled with so much joy  and smiling from ear to ear! We had prayed all week that she would be protected and that nothing would stop her from being baptized.
We weren't able to talk with her on Saturday and were somewhat nervous that she had changed her mind. We had asked Heavenly Father for help to know that everything would be okay. I was reminded of a scripture in the Book of Mormon, in Alma 26, verse 5 and 12. I know that God saw our labors and work and that he blessed Rita, and both of us immensely. As we trust in the strength of God, with faith, he will help us do all things.

(Left to Right) Elder Dias, Elder Rogers, Sister Smart, Rita, Sister Melo

Sandro was also able to attend church with us. He is diligently reading the Book of Mormon and praying every day. He said that he feels lighter and happier and he feels the Spirit testifying to him of truth and light. He has changed so much. Now as I look into his eyes, I see joy and light instead of pain and darkness. We hope he will be baptized this coming week!

It has rained a ton which makes our work a lot harder. With rain as Spring is here and Summer approaching, the rain keeps everyone off the street; harder to talk to people and at times will not answer the door 😏. Needless to say I have taken a lot 'baths' in the rain being drenched from head to toe - even with the umbrella and rain coat we get soaked. When it rains here it is a huge downpour and ends with about a foot of water going down the streets that reside on the many hills. We are in the rainy season. It has rained almost everyday 😏. We are approaching Summer so then it will be super, super, super humid and hot. The missionary Vargas 'blitz' went well. It gave Sister Melo and I in this new area a little bit of a 'jumpstart.' One of the Sisters that was there for the blitz, Sister Larsen stayed in Vargas for about a week last transfer with the Sisters because her companion was sick. She  and other missionaries helped a lot!

I send my love. Thanks for the prayers, love, and support. Have an awesome week!

Sister Smart - "Having fun with the city map of the new area - Vargas - São Paulo, Brazil"

A Missionary's Purpose - Sister Melo and a New Area, Vargas.

Its been a little bit since I have written but things have been a little crazy adjusting to my new area and new experiences! I am now in Cidade Vargas, 'white-washing' or opening this area and training my amazing 'newbee' companion, Sister Melo! She is from Brasília, Brazil. Sister Melo is really great! She has such a kind heart and strong testimony! She is a convert to the church and was baptized when she was fourteen years old. Only two of her cousins are members of the church and she decided to dedicate this time to the Lord. She knows that the Gospel changes ones life and she never quits even when things are extremely hard.

This week it has rained a ton and I mean a TON! Got soaked from head to toe more than once 😒, lots of rain 💦. General Conference was a busy time trying to get our investigators notified and attend the General Conference broadcast at the church. We were able to listen and see most of it. It was an awesome experience; especially hearing the wonderful messages and to listen in Portuguese.

Sister Smart and Sister Melo.

Something that I learned this week is that God sometimes allows us to pass through difficult circumstances so that we can understand only a little of what our Savior went through when he was here on the Earth. I know that when we have difficulties we often ask like our Savior, ´"Is there not another way?" I know that God lives and our Savior Jesus Christ lives and that he paid for all of our sins. He knows our challenges, thoughts, weaknesses and difficulties. God only asks that we continue forward and bear with patience our afflictions for it will be for our good and give us experience. Like it says in John 16:30 and 33:

20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. 

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

This past week we have found a man named Sandro. We stopped him as he was walking down the street. We bore our testimonies about how much God loves him and how the Gospel of Jesus Christ can change his life if he is willing to listen and do what his Heavenly Father wants him to do - and most of all accept the Gospel and be baptized. He began to cry and told us that he needs this 'light'. We read a church pamphlet together and we had a prayer together.  He said that he felt more 'light' than he has felt in a long time! We also found a woman named Rita that is a mom of two wonderful children in their early twenties. She said that she has always wanted to follow a religion but never found the right one. She said that she would go to church with us soon. We challenged her to attend church with us the following Sunday. We called her on Saturday night and she didn't respond so we expected that she wouldn't be able to go. Sunday came, we walked into the church house looking for Rita. Two minutes after the meeting started Rita walks in and sits next to us remembering our invite to visit church. What an awesome thing to happen!

- Have a fantastic week and know that God loves each one of you! Take courage Christ overcame the world for YOU 💙.

( The following link is to a video created for the mission inviting all  to come unto Christ, titled 'A Missionary's Purpose.' Click on the image or the text below to view the video. Watch for Sister Smart at approximately 3:19 in the video - Sul/Saúde Zona (Brazil São Paulo South Mission Zone))

A Missionary's Purpose - Brasil Missão São Paulo Sul

YouTube Channel:  Missão São Paulo Sul

Missionary Work and the Atonement

By Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

From a talk given at the Provo (Utah) Missionary Training Center on 20 June 2000.The Atonement of Jesus Christ is rightfully seen as the central fact, the crucial foundation, and the chief doctrine of the plan of salvation, which we are called to teach.

"Anyone who does any kind of missionary work will have occasion to ask, Why is this so hard? Why doesn’t it go better? Why can’t our success be more rapid? Why aren’t there more people joining the Church? It is the truth. We believe in angels. We trust in miracles. Why don’t people just flock to the font? Why isn’t the only risk in missionary work that of pneumonia from being soaking wet all day and all night in the baptismal font. You will have occasion to ask those questions. I have thought about this a great deal. I offer this as my personal feeling. I am convinced that missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience.Salvation never was easy. We are The Church of Jesus Christ, this is the truth, and He is our Great Eternal Head. How could we believe it would be easy for us when it was never, ever easy for Him? It seems to me that missionaries and mission leaders have to spend at least a few moments in Gethsemane. Missionaries and mission leaders have to take at least a step or two toward the summit of Calvary. Now, please don’t misunderstand. I’m not talking about anything anywhere near what Christ experienced. That would be presumptuous and sacrilegious. But I believe that missionaries and investigators, to come to the truth, to come to salvation, to know something of this price that has been paid, will have to pay a token of that same price. For that reason I don’t believe missionary work has ever been easy, nor that conversion is, nor that retention is, nor that continued faithfulness is. I believe it is supposed to require some effort, something from the depths of our soul. If He could come forward in the night, kneel down, fall on His face, bleed from every pore, and cry, “Abba, Father (Papa), if this cup can pass, let it pass,” then little wonder that salvation is not a whimsical or easy thing for us. If you wonder if there isn’t an easier way, you should remember you are not the first one to ask that. Someone a lot greater and a lot grander asked a long time ago if there wasn’t an easier way. The Atonement will carry the missionaries perhaps even more importantly than it will carry the investigators. When you struggle, when you are rejected, when you are spit upon and cast out and made a hiss and a byword, you are standing with the best life this world has ever known, the only pure and perfect life ever lived. You have reason to stand tall and be grateful that the Living Son of the Living God knows all about your sorrows and afflictions. The only way to salvation is through Gethsemane and on to Calvary. The only way to eternity is through Him—the Way, the Truth, and the Life."

Missionary's Purpose

"... invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end." (Preach My Gospel, 1).