BOM DIA FAMILIA!!!!!!!!!!
What, what ,what, what, the 'flipping dippidy' crazy?! I'm in BRAZIL !!!!!!!!
I'M SO IN LOVE, I JUST WANT TO CRY WRITING THIS !!!!
So, we got in in the morning at 6am, and it's only 12:30pm right now so not alot to report on yet. Today (Wednesday) might be our P-day but we won't know until tonight, it's ethier today or Friday, so you might hear from me again really soon..
lol! You hear from me so much. LUCKY FAMILYYYYYY
Already I am so in love with the Sao Paulo MTC!!! It's beautiful!!!!!!!!!! So Spanishy/ Latin!!! It is way nicer than Provo, also a lot smaller but I am so extremely excited and GRATEFUL to be here.
Flying into Sao Paulo this morning was magic upon magic, sunrise and mate, this city is HUGGGGGEEE!!! So soooooo beautiful though!!!
I was traveling with 4 others, Sister Van Ry, Elder Mickle also from my Zone, then another sister, same week as me but from another zone, Sister Freeland got her visa last minute and another Elder, Elder Lowe that has been out serving in Oregon for 3 transfers 'visa waiting'. SOOO the squad! None of them had never been out of the Untied States, so they where all freaking out! hahahha! Most of them had never got that east past Atlanta. Lolololol, so funny. Sister B, so proud of them. None of us where sitting next to each other but this beautiful Brazillian man switched with me so I could sit next to Sister Van Ry, OBRIGADA!!!!! He was still in the same seat, just a few rows behind me. He was so nice, we love Brazillians already. Everyone knows what missionaries are here, sooooo cool.
Walking/driving out of the airport was insane, like this is Sao Paulo, my new home!!!!!! It is sooooo cool here, third world then, boom! Fancy Brazil. Alot like Mexico. But from the airport, the first half an hour was sooooooo ghetto like, G h e t t o. Watching all my Americanos was sooooo exciting, one Elder I swear, has only left Utah once, he couldn't stop staring out the window. AWWWWW soooo exciting for everyone!!!!
SOOOO MY DREAMS/prayers came true and Sister Van Ry and I are companions, hehehe but we are also in a threeo with Sister Freeman which is the best, her portuguese is really good! We share a room with us 3 and two Brazillian sisters that we haven't met yet, which is super exciting!!!!!!
All the Bazillian sisters here are soooo nice, like when you go to the bathroom they all hug amd kiss you and speak such fast portuguese that you have no idea what they are saying! hahahahah it's soooo exciting though, like when I was in the shower, they where all singing in Portuguese. I'M SO HAPPPPPYYYYYY...
SOoo whenever it is P-day, we get to go to the Temple which is the best thing of my life. We also aren't confined like the Provo MTC, we can walk around the streets, get a feel for Brazil and talk to people and buy brazillian goodies. SO excited for that.
SO the buliding here is just one big building with huge windows everywhere so you can see the city. In our room, the lady opened our curtains and BOOOOM the city was right there. SO incredible.
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| The view from our room - Brazil CTM |
The food so far is sooo different, they fed us as soon as we got here. The elas (ladies) where just giving you different food to try, haha okayyyyy HEHEH THANK YOU. I drank mango juice for breakkie, hahaha it's a hard life here.
Nahhh, but it will be really hard, we have classes later today, sooo I´m nervous/super pumped to get started here, get back in the swing of things. I think it's just going to be us three sisters in the class so that will be SOOOOO GOOD for my Portuguese. No hiding, they'll know exactly where we are at.
I feel so incredibly blessed on my mission so far. I really have seen the miracles of the power of prayer, ready to work hard and to teach these beautiful, beautiful people!!!
"Far and wide we tell our fathers story…"
GOD IS GOOD
Sister Bennallack
The highlight of my week was on Thursday where we got to go proselying!! I FELT LIKE A REAL MISSIONARYYYYYY! Mate, I can't wait to get into the field....but I do need these last 2.5 weeks left for my Portuguese! So, we went on the local bus for 45 mins to these markets in the middle of Sao Paulo. (On a side note, I knew that Sao Paulo was huge, BUT ooooohhh my goodness, it's sooooo huge!!!) So these markets are soooo extremely busy and I'm in a threesome which is always more 'awks' to try and talk to people because three is such a crowd, expesh when we are all 'grings' and there are so many people EVERYWHERE, ahhh! But because of traffic, we only had an hour and 12 Book of Mormons! But it was the best hour of my life, talking to people in broken Portugues and telling them that I love this book and it will change their life. "Do you love Jesus???" Everyone loves Jesus in Brazil! And people are soooo friendly here, they hug and kiss you straight away when they meet you!! ahhhh so we did get rid of all 'O livro de mormon´s!' SOOO HAPPY. Missionary work is truely happiness!!!!!
It was soo cool, l can't say it enough and be to able to get more of a view for Sao Paulo!!!! It's soooo 'ghetto' here, heaps more than I expected, but I guess when I 'googled' all about Sao Paulo, they show you the prettiest parts!
I have sport at 7-8pm at night which is the best time to get out once you've been in one buliding all day. We walk to the closest chapel, that is only a few streets away, and play volleyball, basketball and whatever on the outside courts.
After Relief Society last week, this lady that was speaking came up to me after and was so excited to me, meet me because she lives in Sao Paulo sul (south) boundaries and wants to have me over for dinner! YAY! Brazilan food is the best thing of my life, I just can't even describe it adequately. IT'S SO GOOOOOD! We have the best meats for lunch and dinner, all you can eat rice, beans and salad and fruit - but it's sooo not good for you, this amount of food. I try really hard to eat well, but it's not a self serve thing, the ladies give you your food when you come in and in Brazillian culture it's rude not to take their food that they are so proud of.. soo I just don't eat desert. But it's all good. I wish you could all taste the goodness I've been eating.
We went to the Temple this morning again, we got to do everything in English which was a lot less stressful, but Sao Paulo Temple is so pretty!! On the way back to the CTM (MTC) the tyre popped, they drive crazy here in Brazil (just like Bali). Sooo we all just hopped into the other van with the Latinos. So cool, yolo right, I'm so white here, there are only us three white sisters and two other american Elders. So we stand out a lot. This morning, I was in the bathroom washing my hands and the cleaner lady just come and touches my face and is saying "bonita! bonita! bonita! Where are you from?" Hahha, awwww, love getting hugged every time I go to the loo.
We commited our 2 investogters to baptism this week!!! Soooo cool!! My Portugues has come a long way in a week but I get so lost when people speak at a normal speed.
Till next sermana!
Sister Bennallack
6 June 2015
Boa Tarde FAMILIA!!!!!!
What? Man as if it's already P-day again!!! I swear it was only yesterday! The phrase "the days feels like weeks and the weeks feels like days" is way too true!
This week was obviously amazing!So many ups and downs, but in a good way? You're always stressing about something as a missionary even when your investigators aren't even real! Haha! Learning a language always will be a little stressful BUT missions are mostly lots and lots of ups!!!! l'm laughing most of the day!! Funny story time for you all.. already laughing again while writing this!
We teach a minimum of two lessons a day but up to 5 or 6 some days so you have lots of funny, funny, Portugues moments. Sister Van Ry (my companion/ best
friend) was teaching about prophets in one of the lessons and we had a picture of Thomas S. Monson and the 12 apostles. SO Van Ry was in the middle of teaching and forgot the Portugues word for 'apostles' hahhaha, so she just said pointing to the picture "and these are his 12 amigos" But hahahah! We taught about Thomas Monson's 12 friends. I was dying in the lesson!!!! Our investigator even laughed. Toooo good, "Oh? he has 12 friends?" hahahah umm, yes?
On a more spirtual note, we get to have a weekly doctrine class on Sundays taught by the MTC President, Pres Swensen. It's seriously one of the highlights of my week. Such a powerful speaker. And since it's just us 5 "Americans" (hate always being called an American, hahha I'm actaully Brazilian guys!) It's just a little class for this English doctrine, and we get to know President and Sister Swensen so well. Sister Swensen even used me in an example last Sunday in the devotinal, so nice. Anyway, after the devontional on Tuedays Sister Van Ry told Pres Swensen that even though Provo MTC just got the hear Elder Holland speak, we get to hear you speak each week which is pretty much the same. SO true though, so inspired. He loved that we said that thought! Then in doctrine class on Sunday he tells the class that he has a surprise for Sister Bennallack and tells me that he got the devotional from Provo MTC with Elder Holland speaking just for me and that everyone is watching it that night! WHAaaaattt THANK YOUUUU!!! He's the best!!!
So Sunday was even more cool as we got to watch the Devotional, of course I don't have my notes with me but the biggest thing I got out of it was the knowledge no one can be converted if I don't open my mouth, so simple right? But just like Satan held Jose Smith's tounge, he'll do anything to keep us from opening our mouths. That hit home to me beautifully, I am not afraid of talking to people, that doesnt scare me 1% but I do get so nervous about how average my Portuguese is, but "fear not, the Lord is with me". SO this week when I doubted myself and when I couldn't find the words, I would just drop that sentence and try to express what was needed to be said in a different way. The people of São Paulo need to have a change to hear this amazing/ exciting message that we missionaries have, and I WILL open my mouth.
I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY
Sister Bennallack
13 June 2015
23 May 2015
OL it´s sister B again… lol, I've talked to you all so much! But it's P-day!!
It turns out God is so good. At the Atlanta airport when I was trying to ring home and couldn't find a public phone, along came this Indian man that let me use his phone. It turned out he is a member!!!!! He used to be the 1st counsellor in the Stake Pres in India!!! So perfect. hahaha we had a cute chat after I hung up the phone, but he was an answer to prayer!
I am so inlove with Brazil, we have been able to see a lot of Sao Paulo, which is amazing since this is my home. Sao Paulo is alot more third world than I thought, likeeeeee heaps. I already stand out so much being a 'gringa' so I have hardly been wearing make-up here and haven't blow dried or straightened my hair once!
The food here is AMAZINGGGGGG! Oh my goodness, so yummy, like rice and beans (of course) and fresh juices and all different meats and salads and fresh breads.
My Portuguese is coming, we teach 2-3 times a day, sooooo it just has to come. I can bear my testimony pretty well now, but still have along way to come. However, the Brazilians love to help you. There are only 5 Americans here and me! wool! Then the rest are Brazillian/ Latinos/ Africans.
My Portuguese is coming, we teach 2-3 times a day, sooooo it just has to come. I can bear my testimony pretty well now, but still have along way to come. However, the Brazilians love to help you. There are only 5 Americans here and me! wool! Then the rest are Brazillian/ Latinos/ Africans.
My zone is the Americans, Mexicans (soooo many Mexicans here, like wow!) and the Chillians. All such beautiful people, I love this culture so muchhhhhh!!!!! We just all speak porta-spanlish, hahhah, but it's so fun. I'm excited to see what else is to come.
I had to get up 5:30 this morning for the Temple, we do service at the Temple for two hours before our session. The Sao Paulo Temple is soooooooooo stunning. The inside - Wow, wow, wow! hahah! The ladies that work at the Temple just kiss and hug you and call you 'bonita' all the time, haha, so 'white' here. It's the best.
Sister Bennallack
30 May 2015
I love Brazil and the people here so, so, so much!!!! The coolest part about the Brazil MTC is that they really do trust you. We have been able to walk in and out of the MTC all the time! There are random shops all around us! Last week after emailing, we went to the local grocery shops, it was HUGE! Sooo cool seeing all the Brazillian food! ahhh home sweet home.
I love Brazil and the people here so, so, so much!!!! The coolest part about the Brazil MTC is that they really do trust you. We have been able to walk in and out of the MTC all the time! There are random shops all around us! Last week after emailing, we went to the local grocery shops, it was HUGE! Sooo cool seeing all the Brazillian food! ahhh home sweet home.
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| The streets in Sao Paulo |
The highlight of my week was on Thursday where we got to go proselying!! I FELT LIKE A REAL MISSIONARYYYYYY! Mate, I can't wait to get into the field....but I do need these last 2.5 weeks left for my Portuguese! So, we went on the local bus for 45 mins to these markets in the middle of Sao Paulo. (On a side note, I knew that Sao Paulo was huge, BUT ooooohhh my goodness, it's sooooo huge!!!) So these markets are soooo extremely busy and I'm in a threesome which is always more 'awks' to try and talk to people because three is such a crowd, expesh when we are all 'grings' and there are so many people EVERYWHERE, ahhh! But because of traffic, we only had an hour and 12 Book of Mormons! But it was the best hour of my life, talking to people in broken Portugues and telling them that I love this book and it will change their life. "Do you love Jesus???" Everyone loves Jesus in Brazil! And people are soooo friendly here, they hug and kiss you straight away when they meet you!! ahhhh so we did get rid of all 'O livro de mormon´s!' SOOO HAPPY. Missionary work is truely happiness!!!!!
It was soo cool, l can't say it enough and be to able to get more of a view for Sao Paulo!!!! It's soooo 'ghetto' here, heaps more than I expected, but I guess when I 'googled' all about Sao Paulo, they show you the prettiest parts!
I have sport at 7-8pm at night which is the best time to get out once you've been in one buliding all day. We walk to the closest chapel, that is only a few streets away, and play volleyball, basketball and whatever on the outside courts.
The streets here are so crazy, the footpaths are so cracked and not smooth, I can't even think of the word right now and also there are mass hills everywhere. Soooo straight skirts are a 'no go' here, can't even walk! hahha, I'm going to have to buy more skirts when I get into the field, but I've got a few for now. Anyway... so we got to the church and it makes me soooo happy, like playing sport with my Brazilian and Latinos friends in the hood, members are always at the chapel as well as playing basketball, it's really cool. But soccer is banned, since there isn't any grass.
After Relief Society last week, this lady that was speaking came up to me after and was so excited to me, meet me because she lives in Sao Paulo sul (south) boundaries and wants to have me over for dinner! YAY! Brazilan food is the best thing of my life, I just can't even describe it adequately. IT'S SO GOOOOOD! We have the best meats for lunch and dinner, all you can eat rice, beans and salad and fruit - but it's sooo not good for you, this amount of food. I try really hard to eat well, but it's not a self serve thing, the ladies give you your food when you come in and in Brazillian culture it's rude not to take their food that they are so proud of.. soo I just don't eat desert. But it's all good. I wish you could all taste the goodness I've been eating.
We went to the Temple this morning again, we got to do everything in English which was a lot less stressful, but Sao Paulo Temple is so pretty!! On the way back to the CTM (MTC) the tyre popped, they drive crazy here in Brazil (just like Bali). Sooo we all just hopped into the other van with the Latinos. So cool, yolo right, I'm so white here, there are only us three white sisters and two other american Elders. So we stand out a lot. This morning, I was in the bathroom washing my hands and the cleaner lady just come and touches my face and is saying "bonita! bonita! bonita! Where are you from?" Hahha, awwww, love getting hugged every time I go to the loo.
We commited our 2 investogters to baptism this week!!! Soooo cool!! My Portugues has come a long way in a week but I get so lost when people speak at a normal speed.
Till next sermana!
Sister Bennallack
6 June 2015
Boa Tarde FAMILIA!!!!!!
What? Man as if it's already P-day again!!! I swear it was only yesterday! The phrase "the days feels like weeks and the weeks feels like days" is way too true!
This week was obviously amazing!So many ups and downs, but in a good way? You're always stressing about something as a missionary even when your investigators aren't even real! Haha! Learning a language always will be a little stressful BUT missions are mostly lots and lots of ups!!!! l'm laughing most of the day!! Funny story time for you all.. already laughing again while writing this!
We teach a minimum of two lessons a day but up to 5 or 6 some days so you have lots of funny, funny, Portugues moments. Sister Van Ry (my companion/ best
friend) was teaching about prophets in one of the lessons and we had a picture of Thomas S. Monson and the 12 apostles. SO Van Ry was in the middle of teaching and forgot the Portugues word for 'apostles' hahhaha, so she just said pointing to the picture "and these are his 12 amigos" But hahahah! We taught about Thomas Monson's 12 friends. I was dying in the lesson!!!! Our investigator even laughed. Toooo good, "Oh? he has 12 friends?" hahahah umm, yes?
On a more spirtual note, we get to have a weekly doctrine class on Sundays taught by the MTC President, Pres Swensen. It's seriously one of the highlights of my week. Such a powerful speaker. And since it's just us 5 "Americans" (hate always being called an American, hahha I'm actaully Brazilian guys!) It's just a little class for this English doctrine, and we get to know President and Sister Swensen so well. Sister Swensen even used me in an example last Sunday in the devotinal, so nice. Anyway, after the devontional on Tuedays Sister Van Ry told Pres Swensen that even though Provo MTC just got the hear Elder Holland speak, we get to hear you speak each week which is pretty much the same. SO true though, so inspired. He loved that we said that thought! Then in doctrine class on Sunday he tells the class that he has a surprise for Sister Bennallack and tells me that he got the devotional from Provo MTC with Elder Holland speaking just for me and that everyone is watching it that night! WHAaaaattt THANK YOUUUU!!! He's the best!!!
So Sunday was even more cool as we got to watch the Devotional, of course I don't have my notes with me but the biggest thing I got out of it was the knowledge no one can be converted if I don't open my mouth, so simple right? But just like Satan held Jose Smith's tounge, he'll do anything to keep us from opening our mouths. That hit home to me beautifully, I am not afraid of talking to people, that doesnt scare me 1% but I do get so nervous about how average my Portuguese is, but "fear not, the Lord is with me". SO this week when I doubted myself and when I couldn't find the words, I would just drop that sentence and try to express what was needed to be said in a different way. The people of São Paulo need to have a change to hear this amazing/ exciting message that we missionaries have, and I WILL open my mouth.
I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY
Sister Bennallack
13 June 2015
No waysssssss - Elder Mbera!
Elder Mbera is the funniest Elder from Malwai, Africa who spoke to us with the craziest stories about people always dying and how he was so hungry one day and didn't have any food, so he prayed to God to send some food. Then a bird flew straight into the window and BOOOM food, cooked and ate the bird for dinner.
AMAZING FAITH MAAAATE
The Elders in our district left for the field last Tuesday which was sooooo sad! These people become your family, one on them Elder Mickel was even in our District in Provo and flew with us to São Paulo, so sad saying goodbye. Which brings me to having to think about saying goodbye to Sister Van Ry and Sister Freeland. I leave to the field on TUESDAY!
Where the crazy, did the time go????
But I'm so excited about getting out there, also pretty nervous about my Portuguese, but it will get there! So this will be pretty short as next time I write, I will have SO MUCH to say!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AHHHHH CRAZY
But cool stories:
This week ,we had 10 new Americans come. Yayayaay, English speakers. We got asked to do a lesson 'demo' for them on stage, then right before we went on, they told us "of course you'll be speaking English" as it's their first day etc. Ohhhh, yayayya! We get to preach the gospel using big words, BUT what the crazy? I couldn't even speak English!!!! It was the craziest thing I've ever experienced, talking about the gospel in English..NOPE.
Eu não falo ingles..
Sister Van Ry was saying that I was from Australia
and I went to go say "yes, very far away"
but I said "sim, Muito far away"
I mean "yes, muito far away"
ahhhh the words just would come out! My companions were the same!! sooo funky!
Also random fact, even when I tell people I'm going to São Paulo Sul, they always say ohhhhh very rich! Like everyone, then yesterday my teacher was telling us about the places we are going and told me that São Paulo South is like Brazil Hollywood!! sooo cool. But I'll find the ghetto aswell, it's still Brazil.
HAHAHAH where Sister Van Ry is going, Belo Horizonte is also a big city but also where all the farms are and they have this HILARIOUS accent that my teacher was putting on. hahhaha They also have rodeos there, so funny she's going country!
This week was awesome, my life rules and I love Brazil so much!!!!
Excited /Nervous about this coming week.
Excited /Nervous about this coming week.
Sister Bennallack
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