Transfer 5 week 3

Can I just say by sunday, I am dead? This past week the trio of Verdão was running like crazy to get to appointments, to get people committed, to get people to church. It is a good feeling when you feel like you´ve done all you can do. But its also frustrating when you feel like you have done all that you can do and its still not enough. We´ve had a few baptisms fall through, which is devistating. One thing I am seeing on my mission in this time, is that satan is working double time to derail the train of this work. As missionaries, we have to do everything we can to help people understand and have the opportinity to recive this gospel; but in the end it is their agency to act. Fear of change, lack of desire to change, and the cunning deceptions of satan really hinder the progression of a soul. Its sad when you see someone who rejects this glad message, but you recieve comfort knowning you offered to them this gift. Yesterday I got the opportunity to give a talk in sacrament meeting. Of course sister Morais and I talked about missionary work. :) I was pondering all week about how to talk to this ward, what exactly to say to help this memebers understand their role in this work. We have some members who are willing to help us and are great missionaries, but still, this ward needs to grasp the excitment of sharing the gospel. as I was preparing my talk, my mind settled in on a phrase in Jacob 5. I ended up pretty much reading that chapter to my ward. I started, ``Ouve, Ala Verdão!`` or listen, verdao ward! I compared this ward to that olive tree. This ward started out miniscule, they met in the house of a memeber. they grew enoguh to have a rented building. But the retention, is sad. our records have us at 340 more or less members. We do good to have 110 people every week. I related to them how the Lord of the vineyard wept, because of the work He did, yet the tree was corrupt. `´Who has corrupted my vineyard?´´ Satan. Oh gosh he is such a pain in the neck. He is so miserable. I think sometimes we forget how much power satan does have, when ever i am feeling down or angry or frustrated (which I feel everyday, along with the opooiste feeling of complete joy and happiness) i remember its satan that is trying to make me feel this way, to give up, to go home. But God has the higher ground. He prolongs His hand over His creations, His children. We have to work with the Lord to help the olive tree grow strong and produce good fruit. the final verse I shared I tiink is verse 79, near the end of the chapter where the Lord sees that the vineyard is good, and says blessed art thou because youhave labored diligently and worked in my vineyard. As members of the church, it is our responisiblity, our priveldge to work in the vineyard, to strengthen our brothers and sisters. I am so grateful that the Lord directed me to serving a mission; I am really coming to understand what I need to be doing with my life. ITs simple, the Christ taught that the purpose of this live is to prepare to meet God. But not only prepare ourselves, but each other. To me, when the Lord says to return to him as a family, its not just my intermediate family, but OUR family. EVERYONE. So ya´ll, lets make it back home to our Father!!Love you all.sister smith