Sunday 26 June 2016

March 2016 - The 'Thrill of Hope'

1 March 2016

Muito obrigada for all your emails!!! your all excellent humans <3

Okay………… this was like the most humbling week of my mission, okay maybe not my mission but that I’ve had in a long time! :(
This week I remembered that missions are actually hard as, BUT it was a great week to learn right??
SO it was a mixture between hectic heat and the most extreme rain you have ever seen in your life or in your wildest dreams, it rained heaps as!!
Because of the loco weather, our Baptism for Angelica fell through since shes so sick! Poor thing, and I was so devo as well, but I have the biggest hope for this week to come. Hey hey.

Since we are opening our area again, (as we lost half of our area and heaps of our solid investigators) I had a lot of time to think to myself why we spent our days knocking doors?  I thought of you Mum, and how you always quote to me that line from the hymn Silent night,
“The thrill of hope” 

I know you always said it to me when we were talking about boys, but I applied your wise wisdom into missionary work this week.
The thrill of hope: in finding people to talk to, people to teach and people to BAPTISE.
This week I needed to change the way I thought about working.
I thought about my all converts and the very first time I met them and how you do always get that “thrill” when you have a really good conversation about the Gospel and they tell you that you can come back.  I sought to find that feeling as we went finding, all week to have that “Thrill”,  that feeling of strong excitement to come back and to teach that person again.

(Faith and) Hope is essential as a missionary. I loved these verses in Ezekiel 36:26-28 <3 <3
“ A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
(…) and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.”

I felt the hand of the Lord this week in giving me that new hope that I needed to really work this week.

Since we pretty much spent our week finding don’t really have lol stories for you all BUT I’ll write some highlights of this week:
- I saw my first snake in Brazil this week, lol! I
 hid behind Sister Curtis. HAHAH, I'm the worst companion, take her life instead of mine plzz mr snake, we laughed about this after.  But we laughed even harder when we realised that the snake WAS DEAD!! ahahhahaha!
-With hectic rain we saw “A DOUBLE RAINBOW” Seriously, two rainbows, and they were so impressive.
-I got both hectic sunburnt and drenched in the rain this week.
-We are teaching a FAMILY that I love so much and he made us Mexican food, hehehe, (But seriously this family is gold!! The dad is an in-active member and he wants to return, and for his family to be baptised. AAAhh, we can help you)
-We ALWAYS find at this bus/train station near our house, like everyday, but now the people who work there are heaps good friends with us, and there is this one old mate named João who sells chocolate.  We literally see him every night, but he's a crack up because he's just this cute old man with literally ONE tooth and he always gives us free chocolate…. Okay now that I've typed this, it kinda sounds creepy but he's not, he’s the best and we will baptise him.

I KNOW that this week coming will be a week of GOLD, we knocked on so many doors so we can knock less this week :P hahah and teach a million lessons!!!

Sister Bennallack 


hectic rain and hectic sunburn!!!



8 March 2016
Buenos dias
1 Néfi 17:47
“....Behold, I am filled of the spirit of God, insomuch that my frame has no strength.”

This is pretty much my current feelings right now, so beautifully said by Nephi.
This was a crazy week with such highs and lows… ^.^

Angelica didn’t get baptized yesterday, I honestly don’t know what happened, I maybe cried Saturday night (BUT it was the first time in ages that I cried okay!? haha, I’m heaps tough remember! hehe). We spent the whole week teaching, preparing her for Sunday. We fasted TWICE! She was in such a good place.. then we went with the Elders to her house Friday night for her baptismal interview and…….(insert that cricket noise)
No one was home/answered the door and we called her two numbers like 1.3 thousand times. But she didn’t answer. The worst part is that we still haven’t been able to get a hold of her. I’ve literally broken my own heart over this, BUT I still have the highest hope for her, we’ve had way to many spiritual experiences and she knows that what we are teaching is true, she was always telling us how “light” she feels, she  honestly is just so elect, one of Heavenly Father's set apart daughters I swear, but …?

“Nevertheless, after much tribulation, the Lord did hear my cries, and did answer my prayers, and has made me an instrument in his hands in bringing so many of you to a knowledge of his truth.” –Mosiah 23:10. 
All in his timing.

Butttt a little bit of a lol story…so when we were out the front of Angelica's house with the LD´s trying  to call her, Elder Alvim my district leader could see on our faces how stressed out to the max we were getting, but he’s a legend and told me to chill and told us that it will all work out and that “we are going to wait all night if we have to!!!"...okay we can't actually do that, but we are going to wait until 9pm (if we have too!) Hahha, then he disappears with his companion and brings back pizza and coca-cola <3 I'm not going to lie, it eased the sting a little bit.  He also gave me his phone so Sister Curtis and I had one each and told us to “eat and keep calling”.
Elder Alvim is such a good LD, like he’s such a legend, he’s only been a member for two years and has one year already on the mission!!!

Last district meeting we just got hectic and made the highest goals and everyone got so pumped, BATISMO!!!!
So this week sister Curtis and I literally got so ballsy and just started inviting everyone on the street to be baptised! It was so fun, we got into probs more Bible bash’s than we should have, but we also found some SOILD new investigators. <3 <3 AND  this one man accepted to be baptised!!!! From a street contact, so now we are teaching him and he knows that we are preparing him for baptism. <3 <3

But finding is always interesting, Sister Curtis and I always find at the bus and train station (thanks to working at 'Educate Yourself' lol) but just last night we had so many hilarious stories, 
-Sister Curtis burnt this old lady in a hectic bible bash
-a man accepted a baptismal date in the first contact!!!
-I got kissed on the hand twice
-I got asked out for icecream lel
-a man was selling deodorant and I told him that we can’t buy it because it's Sunday, and that it's the day of the Lord… long story short as I was walking off, HE LITERALLY THREW deodorant at me!!! And it splatted all up my leg, hahaha, oh my goodness, I just looked at Sister Curtis.. what even is my life. #damission
-We talked to 100 people in 1.5 hour. Whatttt uppp mate ;)

Ahhh, this week it was hectic rain, but I'm not even bothered about it, as long as I don’t get sick. We got given clothes by our investigator and when Brazilians try and give you something you just accept it, or else you’ll be saying  “no thank-you” 500 times before they give up! hahah, aww, love Brazilians <3, but anyway, one of the things we got given was this ugly as, swade red blazer, but one day after we got RAINED on we went back to our apartment to change and I was so cold that I just used that red jacket, hahahhaha this is probably a 100% you had to be there moment, but it was soooooo funny. Sister Curtis   “what are you wearing? you cant be serious!” hahahhahah call me sistaaaaaaaaaa ;)

Anyways, I now love that jacket (because it's so ugly) and I wear it all the time. 

But this week was hard as, but Heavenly Father needs his most courageous daughters to serve him so I know that this all has a purpose, but pray for me and Angelica plz <3

Sister Bennallack



14 March 2016

Today is 14th March, is the exact day I went through the temple a year ago!!!!! Woooooooo, it feels like yesterday.  During studies today, we were talking so much about the temple and how perfect it is. How grateful I am for the House of the Lord and how remembering my covenants and the promised blessings has been such strength to me on my mission. I heaps want to work in the temple when I get back <3 ps. how old am i now? hahahah

What I random week I had………It rained so much and because of this, my beloved companion Sister Curtis got mad sick. :( it’s the worst watching someone be sick and you can’t do anything, but I tried being you mum, and made her toast and sat on her bed with her, hahaha. BUT despite Curtis' dying, we still saw some miracles!!!!!! 

Also this week, my dreams came true and I had a trade off with….get ready for this… SISTER GUDGEON!!! AHhh, I was so excited all week, haha, how much love I have for that woman. It was such a crack up day, but it was so cool seeing how much we have grown since the MTC. Truly, we will be sisters forever, and she’ll be the most easiest to visit after my mission, hehe.
Sister Gudgeon and Sister Bennallack

We also had a conference this week with one third of the mission, it was so good! HOW INSPIRED is President?? He knows exactly what to say!! He talked so much about obedience firstly, since our mission had some heaps apostasy things going on and people went home ect, but it's all goods now. But President talks with such love! He also talked about the Godhead and how we as missionaries need to explain who the Godhead is before we teach anything else, how our investigators can’t really be converted if they didn’t understand this simple doctrine .
THEN we did role plays, Ohhh how I have a love/hate relationship with role plays. BUT I loved them at this conference, it was SO HELPFUL, one of them was when people have things that randomly come up for the day of their baptism and how we can save the baptism. SO GOOD. Like when they need to work, or will go on holidays ect. Sister Curtis and I had a role play that this boy had to play soccer. (lol so brazil) that day and he forgot that it was the final ect ect. It was so funny, first time I promised that if he gets baptized that morning he will play soccer the best he’s ever played, hahhaah but it was so in the moment and so fuuny. But President and one of the assistants was there and they loved it, haha…….. but way to make me nervous. But it was just a good activity.

WE COMMITED a woman named Marina to baptism!!!!! One of the mircles while Sister Curtis was dying <3   She's a catholic so it's been a process with her, but ahhh <3 <3 <3 it was such a good lesson and we helped her realise that she already knew this is true “yeah you're right, I do feel that way”.  But we still have to work with her on some things…..lol normal

ANGELCIA!!!! No, she didn’t get baptised. BUT we finally got to talk to her and she went to church with us yesterday!!!!!!!! Love her, but she's having some mad depression and that day she was so down and didn’t want to talk to anyone, but that makes so much sense. We taught about the atonement, like only the atonement again, I LOVE when we have to really study for our lessons and how we probably get more out of the lesson. But it was such a spiritual lesson and how the atonement literally carries us through EVERYTHING. 
So much love in this photo!  All three companions from the mish so far...

This was such a random, heaps FAST week but between my sicky companion and too much rain I saw the Lord's hand in our work here and couldn't be a more happier missionary <3 <3


Sister Bennallack



22 March 2016

Wow, another week down, this was just a solid week, like I would like this week on replay please.

Firstly let talk about Angelica:
I had such a weird day on Saturday, like I totally lost my swag, haha, I was so nervous about our baptism interview with Angelica that night, I was doubting hardcore, i.e. in myself that this will actually happen. I taught so average that day and even said a word in ENGLISH in one of our lessons. ^.^ But my lovely companion was perfect, like she had enough faith for the both of us. 

We said so many prayers on the street together. As we prayed in this random street in Brazil, I honestly could say to the Lord that I have done everything that I can for Angelica, I put my total: my whole heart, might, mind and strength. I have never said so many prayers or FASTED so many times for any of my investigators on my mission. But knowing that we have literally done our all, we pleaded with the Lord and told him how now it’s his turn to do his part, we knew we could ask for a miracle, and ohhhh we asked.

After we prayed our guts out I felt a little but better, but still Angelica wasn’t answering the phone.
“but we went it faith” with the Elders to her house for her interview…… for the 3 time… haha and while we were walking the other sisters that we live with called me just to say that everything will be fine, that it will all work out and not to stress. AWWWW OBRIGADA SISTERS <3 (deffs answer to a prayer)

We got to her house and she was HOME and she had her interview.. nearly two hours later she came out with THE BIGGEST SMILE.  I literally felt the biggest calming spirit come over me. It all worked out.
ANGELICA  WILL BE BAPTISED ON SATURDAY AT 7PM <3 <3 <3 <3

She came to church yesterday and invited people to her baptism and then she came back for this fireside Sunday night aswell.
I still will be praying my guts out this week that all will work out and it will go perfectly for this Saturday.

The rest of my week was THE best, on Thursday Sister Curtis and I were giggling our heads off in our beds in awe about our day, like did that really just happen? A few weeks ago we knocked doors in the rain…. But on Thursday we went to that street and visited everyone that said we could come back. We taught 4 new people that were like GOLDEN, in four houses in a row!!! IT WAS THE COOLEST THING EVER!! By the fourth house we were joking around about how perfect this day was and how we are going to meet another elect and invite him to be baptised…..next minute we are teaching this man who lives at this house named Antonio and it was such a good lesson and HE ACCEPTED baptism.
What da hell mate.
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 Blesssingggggggggs. #ÔHGLÓRIA!
 

Sunday was such a mad day, since we are still working in two wards, we are mostly going to the other ward because that's where our investigators are, but this week we had such a miracle week that we knew we would have investigators here as well.   We had a trade off yesterday with the sister who live with us, I went with Sister Das Graças to the other chapel and Sister Curtis stayed here. We had two new investigators come to church here! 

I'm not going to lie though, Sunday will be SO much nicer when I get back, and when I can actually focus on the sacrament and Jesus Cristo and not be freaking about investigators and whispering to members to talk to them. Ahh one day <3 haha will be nice.

OH but because we are working in two wards this means we have more people who can come out and teach with us! It’s the best, we have two RM's from this other ward that taught with us this week, it was so good, I love hearing how other missionaries/people teach. Plus they speak Portuguese pretty good as well ;) hahaha
THIS is one thing that I have also learnt on my mission, how to be a member, like when I get back I’m so excited to be that member who's always down to help, and to serve and to go out with the missionaries. Lol, I was such a crap member before.. I didn’t go to anything and always planning my primary lessons in sacrament..  But I'm excited to help build the kingdom of God in Australia...

LOl stories from this week:
I was making contacts and stopped this man, we were talking about how we have a message about Jesus Christ ect ect. He stops me so dramatically… and starts pulling his sleeve up…. I waited.. and waited… then BAM! he reveals his arm heaps dramatically and tattooed to his arm he has GIANTLY written “JESUS CRISTO” It was such a suspense and he showed me so dramatically and it was SO huge that I found my self saying “WOW” and touching his arm hahahahha then I remember who I am and repented hahaha. But good try mate in following Jesus Christ, but we have a message about how to really be a true follower of Christ”- (we are visiting him tonight. Lol)

THEN,
on the way to church at 8am in the morning I had this guy talking to me at the bus stop proposing marriage to me.. “ sorry I’m a missionary ect ect…!” Then he tells that he is a missionary too and take his arm out of his sling (he has a broken arm) to take his jacket off to show me his HUGE tattoo of Jesus and Mary….
hahhahhah what the crazy is going on?
Sister Curtis just looks at me… “its going to be an interesting day lol”

BUT I think that’s all I can think that happened to me this week, it really was such a good week!!!
Sister Bennallack 



29 March 2016
ANGLEICA WAS BAPTISED!!!!
Oh my goodness, this happiness I felt was so crazy, but this week was so crazy, we worked so hard and prayed so hard for this to happen.
I hope you´re ready for this hectic story….

So last Saturday was her baptism interview right? And she just had to stop drinking coffee for this week to prepare, she was doing GREAT and we talk to her to follow up every day. Then Wednesday –Saturday she disappeared…..
like didn’t answer her phone and wasn’t home.
I can’t tell you how discouraged I got on Friday night, just seeing this baptism fall through, I was so sad- seriously guys haha this isn’t funny, I ate nearly a whole cake, hahaha, I DON’T EVEN LIKE cake.

Saturday morning (the day of her baptism) we still hadn’t been able to catch her. We went and taught English like we do every Saturday morning and after tried to call her. Nada.
I sat with Sister Das Graças in the sacrament room so disappointed, and confused!!! Then we kneeled and Sister Das Graças offered the most perfect prayer of my life, our last humble plea. She has the impression to go to Angelica's house like in the exact moment. We had already been to her house so many times this week (and she lives at the end of the worlddddddd) but we skipped our lunch apt and just the other Sisters went, and Sister Das Graças and I went to her house. I had the strongest hope, we got the house and she had JUST got home. SHE WAS IN HER CASA!!!!!!!!!!!! 

We told her we are going to lunch and for her to get ready while she was getting ready I call a new convert Caio who had depression as well but finding the gospel helped so much, anyways we told him to come to lunch as well and we all met up. We talked and every word Caio said was so PERFECT - he's never met Angelica in his life. She said how she wants to be baptised and SHE WILL but she didn’t feel ready because of her problems, but she was so prepared and overcame her coffee addiction this whole week!!!! She was still not really solid but I had the impression just to go to the chapel. I called the Elders to meet us at the chapel and to fill the baptismal font. (hehe  I had so much faith mate) and when we got there we sat in the sacrament room and she opened up, and we shared scriptures and sung to her (lol we are such Sister missionaries) and then when Elder Alvim arrived he finished his interview - just following up on her coffee and she left that room with the biggest smile!!!! MY HEART MELTED. Elder Alivm just screams “get that jumpsuit ready, Angelicia wants to be baptised.”

Angelica, the newest memeber of a Igreja de Cristo<3 <3 <3

It was such a CRAZY DAY!!!!!!!!!!!
but I know that the Lord heard every single one of our prayers and pleas. This was the craziest miracle of my mission - like this week tested me in ways that I never thought I could be tested.
But if was the best moment to hear Angelica say she wants this, not because we know this gospel is true and WE know it will bless her - but she wanted and was ready to take this step and start her jouney in be a follower of Christ.
Sunday was so beautiful as well, when she recived the gift of the Holy  Ghost her blessing was so perfect and personal, was so her.
MATE this church is just so true.

Ahhhh hahah, writing this I was just reliving this week and felt so stressed again.. haha
Angelica was pretty much the highlight of the week and took up a lot of our time but we did meet some really cool people this week AND have our other investigators are progressing.

My brazilian food brings all the boys to the yard
YESTERDAY this family we are teaching came to church!!! A WHOLE FAMILY!!! I love teaching  families the most.  Anyway, I have probably told you about this family already. Helder and Vanha and their two children. We Met Vanha weeks ago on the street. (One of those “its nearly 9pm let talk to a few more people miracles”) and she told us that her partner used to be a member of this church and when we visted them, Helder was SOOOO happy to have us in his house and had the biggest desire to come
back. But they had some crazy trials and was a bit hectic but he changed jobs and NOW HE DOESN’T WORK SUNDAYS and they all came to church yesterday. AHHH Church was so on point yesterday, like the lessons and the speakers <3 <3 It was so perfect; Vanha and the kids loved church! We just need them to get married!!

I’m so happy, seriously this week, well really just Friday, was the worst and I got a little home sick, but after watching someone accept the gospel it makes all those hard times SO WORTH IT.
“For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things…”

Sister Bennallack

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