June 2016 -

7 June 2016 - Rain, rain, go away...

BOM DIA,

This week went by so fast!! So much happened!

We made so many new investigators this week, I got way excited about my life again hehhehee #willbaptiseyouall

Friday night was like the best, we taught this new family, Cristiano and Nade. We were teaching them for the second time and taught about the restoration, we nailed it…well the spirit nailed it haha, but we taught really well together Sister Escoto and I… those morning role plays I’ve been making her do are paying off ;)

But we taught really simply but personally to this family. The spirit was so strong and I knew that they were understanding everything (nodding their heads while we were speaking). Then Sister Escoto was about to say the first vision, Joseph's words, right …

When flipping satan walks in……. okay lol, so harsh, not really satan, but the pastor of Cristianos church….what. NOOOOOOOO. Go way. Like for one second I thought about just testifying and closing this lesson because I knew that they had no doubts and the spirit was testifying and I didn’t want to Bible bash with this pastor but then, I don't know, I just heard myself say don’t be weak Sez.. you're literally a missionary of God. Finish what you started!… so then André (the pastor) sits down with us, I introduced myself to him and ask him to explain to us what is a prophet? hehehe, I'm so sneaky, like he fully thought I wanted him to teach me something, but he got it so wrong, like he told everyone that he was a prophet. I thanked him heaps and got my Bible out then explained what we had kinda already talked about, but I used Cristano and Nade to help me expain (but really just to test their new knowledge, hehe) then we were pronto for Sister Escoto to talk about Joseph. SHE DID SO GOOD, mate, so much spirit and she really does teach so well. Andre the pastor was thinking so much, but we committed them ALL to church. And left so happy.

Then we were running to our last appt of the day with Pablo when our other investigator Manuel literally ran after us, because he saw us in the street and was so excited to tell us that his English teacher is a member of our church as well!!! He told him how he had an Australian friend..lol… and the teacher asked how he knew me and he explained how we are missionaries ect ect and obviously the teacher got so excited and happy, taught Manuel more and told him that he needs to continue meeting with us ect. Ahhhhh thank you teacher of Manuel!!!

It's serious people, how much missionaries need member’s help, it's crazy what just one testimony or “welcome” at church can do!!

When I actually remembered to bring my umbrella...

This week I had a trade-off with Sister Machuca from Chile, I love her so much#bemyfuturecompanion - it was such a good day and it was so cool to see her area and to help her find new people as well. But wow, so nervous that I'm a STL…such a fake it to you make it moment.

Buttttttttt

Then Thursday this week us STL’S had a training with President Broadbent and wow, it helped so much knowing exactly what my role is. The training was at President’s house and Sister Broadbent made the best breakfast!!!! Just love them so much. 

Then after lunch all the sisters of the mission came to his house as well for the first Sister meeting? Or conference? I don't know what you’d call it but it was cool as!! Just love my mission and all these sisters here. We talked about a lot of things, our roles as women of the church, the mission doctor’s wife who’s a nurse as well came and talked to us about our physical and mental health and then President gave a talk to us about our roles as Sisters. Ahhh, it was the best!! And I was so excited to see Sister Curtis this week…

With Sister Curtis at the Sister's meeting

….which brings me to the next point, I was so excited to see her and to know about our investigators that I left, (mate so homesick for Ribeirão) anways she tells me the updates about everyone but especially Luiz and his family, I don't know if you remember about him?? I talked about him heaps on Skype, anyway he's the best, like so perfect and he came to church for the first time when everyone bore the strangest testimonies but he loved it anyway and he kept coming and literally knew that he found Christ’s church…but he had a crazy problem with smoking!!! He cut down from smoking 20 a day to 2 a day!!! Ahhhh Sister Curtis called him on her phone so I could speak to him! It's crazy how much love I have from this 50 something Brazilian man, it reminds me about how much God really loves us. Sister Curtis and I talked to President and begged him to let me go to him baptism!!!! Hehehe and President at the end let me yayyayayyayaya, his baptism will be this Saturday (if all goes well, but it will!!) so this week I fasted for my old investigator but it was the easiest fast of my life.

Sister Bennallack with President Broadbent

This week was pretty great except that we thought we’d have 8 people in sacrament meeting….and then what happened? We woke up Sunday morning to the HEAVIEST RAIN of my life…. You know what this is?? Satan..or maybe it was just the weather but im blaming it on Satan. None of the 8 came!! Ahhhh, I was so stressed, but you just have to breathe in and out and know that you did all you could. At least Pablo was confirmed yesterday in sacrament!! It was testimony meeting and he leans over and says to me “since I’m a member now do I have to go up there and say something too?” awww love this kid.

Also lol… we met this guy named Jorge knocking doors and he was so elect and said to come back he's home like everyday… then we’ve never been able to catch him at home. We tried like every day.
Sister Escoto was literally trying to convince me that he doesn’t exist, that he was a spirit of God that we saw to help us stay excited and to keep knocking doors. Hahah like it’s a good point you got there amgiaaaaa, but hahhaha, noooo he was real I swear.

Sister Bennallack 

May 2016 - "Be not faithless, but believing" (John 20:27)

3 May 2016

Bom DIAAAAAAAAAA,

So remember how I used to always write about the weather here…well that’s probably going to be a thing again since it literally dropped 20 degrees this week. It was so sudden and now it's like fully WINTER. Ewww you all know how I hate the cold. But all goods mateeeeyyys, I’ll adjust again ^.^

But besides freezing my head off, this was GREAT week here in Riberião!!

MARIANA WAS BAPTISED AND CONFIRMED!! <3  <3 

Her baptism was on Saturday morning at 11am, it was such a random time but since she’s such a busy girl we worked around her to have the best baptismal service! And it really was, it was very special and both of her parents came to support her!!!! You could tell that her Dad was a bit unsure about this but was still so happy he came!! Yay!

SO I have the funniest story about Mariana, like she is STUNNING, well like the whole of Brazil is stunning but Mari really is a pretty girl. Anyways, we invited this RM to come and teach with us, since he just got off his mission and I love teaching with RM's, they get so excited and help so much.

ANYWAY, we went to go teach her again with this guy and you can just see that they were giving each other these looks and smiles and I was like, whaaaaat daaaaa hell is going here??? Im thinking oh my goodness, he fully has kissed our investigator! Then after the lesson she tells us how they went to the beach that weekend.  I KNEW IT. Anyways it was the biggest scandal of our week and I just loved this so much. 

Baptism of Mariana

When we went to the chapel this week for her baptismal interview… guess who walked in holding hands… yepppp. Mahahah but this is great because every new member needs a friend right? ;) Just need to find a friend like this for our other new convert Angelica! haha!

We have started teaching a new family as well and yesterday Luiz, the Dad, came to church!!! Ohhh he loved it so much, he has SO many questions and probably heaps more since testimony meeting was a little funky yesterday…(I always get sooo nervous when investigators come to church on Fast Sundays, like please, people just say normal things! haha)
But even though it wasn’t the most normal meeting he still really enjoyed church and everyone was so friendly to him!!

Once again Jonny has a new baptismal date for this Saturday!!!! Let us hope.

P-Day breakfast with the girls...

HOW EXICTED am I to skype this week, I already talked to Mum and im going to sypke you all Saturday morning here which will be like Saturday night there. YAYAYAYYAY

So also this week, Sister Curtis and I got mad cold´s.  I got sick first…. But because it’s so cold in our house we moved our beds together, and then for some reason Sister Curtis got sick too! hahah, oops.  But it was funny being zombies

The Japanese Park near our house,
don't be fooled by the blue skies,
it's freezing!

together this week. Lol, this one morning Sister Curtis looked sooo sick, and she was like ready to go and work and I was like 

"umm Sister, maybe you should brush your hair today and use a little make-up?” hahha she looks in the mirror and says “ohh yeah I probably should hey..thanks Sister B you’re a good companion” awww bless us. 

I'm excited for you to meet sister Curtis, her accent is CRAZYYYYYY strong hehe.

TALK TO YOU ALL SATURDAY!!

Sister Bennallack,

PS. It’s May - I've officially been out a year! 

I saw Sister Costa for the last time this week!!! She finishes her mission next week! mateeee, time goes so fast. How grateful I am for this lady. Mãe na missão

7 May 2016 - Mother's Day Skype!

We shared a wonderful long chat with Sister Bennallack, a 4-way Skype between Sao Paulo Brazil, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide in Australia.  How wonderful to connect in real time together..


10 May 2016

Feliz dia das mães 
- HAPPY MOTHERS DAY AGAIN MUMMA B!!!!!!!!!!

Ahhhhh, it still feels like a dream that I talked to you all -  it was so weird after I talked to you, like that day..English kept coming out of my mouth again and I totally remember that I actually have  family!  But it’s all goods bcause I have big transfer news right now that's soooo freaking crazy, that it will help think about you all a little less...

So the Ribeirão family split up…I'm so sad thinking that my time here is over, especially with my Sister Curtis. But anyways.. finally at 11pm we found of the news…( I nearly ate a whole tray of brownies stress eating waiting for this phone call! hahahaha)

“Sister Bennallack is being TRANSFERED to Diadema,Vila Nogueira (literally the hood of the mish maheheh) OPENING the area as a SISTER TRAINER LEADER

Ohh mate, life just a little real.

Hahaha when they said that I'm going to be STL, all the Sister's jumped on me, awwww. I hope one day I can be their STL and have a trade-off and a meeting with them!!

SO, like I am pretty much freaking out and I have SO MUCH stuff everywhere that is probably not going  to fit, and I have to take ALL my stuff to Diadema.. ALONE. This new way of transfer is sooo weird. But lets us pray right? aahh..

I don’t really have much else right now since I talked to you guys so much, but just know how much I love you all and how proud I am to be Sistaaa Benallack, I love my calling and I’ll be so excited to email you next week and tell you all ways, my crazy/amazing week I’m about to have!!

Tuchuuuuuu- District Ribeirão Pires

Our District getting excited to Skype - But I have already!!

1 Nephi 3:7 (it's so famous but its such a goodie)
“ And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.”

Sister Bennallack

Sao Paulo South Mission
11 May 2016

Dear Family,

It is with great joy that I inform you that Sister Bennallack has been called to serve as a Sister Training Leader.  In the mission, this is an assignment of great responsibility.  The Sister Training Leaders work with me and Sister Broadbent in training the missionaries in their designated areas.  Sister Trainer Leaders are essential and important members of the Leadership Council of the mission, which meets monthly to help establish the policies, programs and vision of the mission and plan mission conferences and meetings.

Sister Bennallack is an experienced missionary that is obedient to the Lord and mission rules.  She works to achieve the highest standards of conduct and excellence in the mission.  She humbly shows the way forward through her example to other missionaries.  Sister Bennallack is indeed this class of missionary and we are grateful to be able to serve with her.

We pray that the blessings from the exemplary service of Sister Bennallack may be felt in your home and in your lives.

Sincerely

Phillip E. Broadbent

Mission President

Brazil Sao Paulo South Mission

17 May 2016

Bom dia!!

Wow what a week. 'RIP' me, I am literally so tired right now - I feel like I just had the first week of my mission again. I thought I loved changes but this week I learn't that I only love changes when I choose to move, haha, but my life will rule again..that I’m sure of once I’m used to my new area ;)

So my new companion is a Hondurhna!  Sister Escoto from Honduras, she's so cute, like a litte firework but, my, she talks so fast! She gets so excited and no one can understand her (including Sister Machuca the other Hispanic we live with.)  But bless her, we are becoming the best of friends and I know I'm in with her now since last night she wanted to tell me all her secrets awwww, minha amiga. And oh, my goodness, she can sing, nossa, she sings like a angel and like in all our lessons she ends by singing to our investigators! Then every night she sings to me in Spanish, awww.

Since my camera broke, I stole this photo off Sister Newell's camera.

My new family - Sister Escoto is the shorty next to me, heheh

So since I’m opening this area, it was a REALLY slow start to this week, lots of finding and knocking doors to start our teaching pool here. I went to bed on Wednesday soooo smashed and sad, ohhh, Sezzzaaa stop being so weak, but I was so homesick for Sister Curtis and our investigors in Ribeirao. But I prayed hard and asked that I could just wake up as my happy self the next day with that missionary spirit. And then Thursday was the best day!! Like heaps long and cold still, but it was a really good day and Heavenly Father blessed me with a little bit of sun in the afternoon. We started teaching people we found earlier in the week and I got so excited to be here in Diadema. 

Sister Newell, Sister Machuca, Sister Escoto and  MEEEEEEEEE 

SO my area is literally a favela, like only favela. But the best part is that the chapel here is in the middle of the favelas as well, so we are going to baptise heaps!!!

Okay talking about baptism. I’m so going to baptised two boys next week!!!! So we found this boy Pablo in the street of the chapel and we went to his house to talk to his Dad if we could start teaching him and his family, since they literally live on the street of the chapel. The Dad had already heard so much about the church and wasn’t that keen himself, but was more than happy for us to teach Pablo.

Pablo is 10 and he’s my favorite, but seriously, I don’t know why I haven’t tried teaching more children in my mission???? Pablo, the first time we taught him was way shy and didn’t really talk much but we made friends with him and then the next time we taught him he was so excited and told us that God is his first bestfriend and then his second bestfriend is Bruno. We taught him so simply, using examples of things that he likes to explain church doctrine. Then we taught him Saturday night again and he invited his friend Bruno as well who is 11, and then PABLO invited Bruno to church with us. AWWW Pabs!

Our first Sunday at church here, we rock up walking with two kids! Hahaha, but they loved church so much and we have a lesson appointment to teach Bruno's family. Teaching them was my highlight from this week, like children truly have that pure love of Christ and I learnt so much just watching them listen and believe and saying their first prayers ever. But teaching is where I felt the sprit so strongly, guiding my words and putting new ideas in my mind.

I know that I'm still maybe 2% sad to be here still, BUT I already have learnt so much this week and I know my relationship with my Father in Heaven was deeply strengthened. I know we as missionaries, and just humans in general, need changes to help us grow and to strengthen our faith. I know God lives and is aware of every one of our needs and I’m excited for this transfer in Diadema.

Normally I write funny things that happen this week but this week it will be just random things that happened

-Sis Escoto loves cereal and guacamole, how perfect!
-I’ve smelt more week in the week then in my year in other parts of SP. Lol, Diadema.
-I live with Sister Newell from my district from the Provo MTC! YAY
-I got pressured to sing at the end of our lesson from a 10 year old ^.^
-We tried talking to three people this week that turned out to be members! haha
-I went to my first leadership meeting thing with President and the Zone Leader, it was so on point, I love President, he’s so inspired.
-We locked ourselves out of our house. Lol don’t even ask..
- I LOST my planner…people, this is so seriously, so sad..I had so much in that planner. I put my planner on the top of some parked car to clap my hands to (like knock on the door Brazilian style) and I forgot to pick it up and then when I realised it was gone) I'm so sad, but it could have been worse.. lucky it's only week 1 and not week 5.
- Ohhh, I had the craziest Hic-ups (or however you spell it) We started teaching this family, and my hic-ups were out of control while we were talking to them and getting to know them. BUT then, when I started to teach, my hic-ups just went away. It was just a tiny thing but I knew it was a little blessing from God, hehe.

And that was Sis B´s week.

Com amor, 

Sister Bennallack 

24 May 2016

What a week. 

So Pablo didn’t get baptized. Don’t you even worry I’ll tell you all about it….

We called our LD to organise his baptismal interview and when I was talking to him on the phone he was so negative, like he slammed me with questions, but I knew we had taught Pablo everything…more than one time so he can really understand. Anyway it's good, we marked the interview.

Then while we were walking there, my LD starts talking to me about Pablo's Dad and if we are teaching him as well. We explained the sitch, how we have tried every time we teach Pablo and he stays for the opening prayer then leaves. BUT HE HAS APPRROVED THE BAPTISM!!!!

Then Pabs had his interview and when they finished I could just see that our LD didn’t pass him. Hmmmmmmmm. As we are walking to our house from Pablo's (which like a 3 min walk) we start asking questions like “sooooo….??”  What happened?

Oh, my goodness. All his reasons where so rubbish. Like not even real…like he wants us to teach Pablo's Dad first and baptised everyone together….ahhhhhh why do people have to be so difficult. Anyway, we continued to talk and then he started giving me a 30 min talk about how 80% of members in Brasil are inactive members ect. Woooooow, hold on mate…

Like as a missionary you CAN NOT think this - or you won’t baptise anyone, you have to teach and invite and people have to decide. I asked him if he asked Pablo why he wants to be baptized. Ahhh hes such a special kid and prepared. Ready.

Anways after listening to this talk he was giving me I was so unimpressed like he fully went into this interview with a mind closed and was looking for any reason not to pass him and then he was saying how he gets to decide since he is LD.  Nooo stop, we are a team here? Like this is Gods church we are talking about!! It’s not some secret club that only adults can join. (Mosiah 18:8-11) Alma, but more importantly Jesus Christ invites EVERYONE to be baptised. To feel the song of redeeming love, to promise to keep his commandments and to be baptised.

Sooooo maybe, just maybe, I got so mad, hahhahah, I even started talking to him in English since he’s American, I was so mad. Anyways that night my LZ called me right after he got off the phone with my LD.  MY LZ was also my LZ in Riberao as well and he trusts me a lot, and as I explained what happed, he told me to not worry because Pablo will be baptised Sunday still since he’ll talk to President.

Next minute I have the Assistants calling me as well, hahhaha wow, so much drama for your causal Thursday night. I told him my thoughts about everything and he even told me how in PMG it says when you are teaching a family your can’t wait for anyone, once someone is ready they should be baptised. Then I went to sleep. ZZZZZZZzzzzzzz

My LZ called me Saturday morning and said that President approved him to come to do another interview that day if I still want him to, but after thinking about it, I know my LD would be way annoyed and I do want to get along with him you know? So we are going to wait another week and Pablo will be baptised SATURDAY and my LZ will do the interview. Oh happy days.

Wow that took way longer than I thought to write this….

The rest of my week was good, way hard and cold. We spent our nights knocking a lot of doors in the dark, since I lost my Planner after that first week of opening… saaaaa sad.
lol those random thoughts  I still have.. I think it was Friday night and I was on one side on the street and Sister Escoto on the other side as we were knocking doors.. I just started laughing… like what even is my life??? Like who else talks about God on their Friday nights, but it made me happy knowing how this literally feels so normal to me, like this is my life. Such a missionary.

Other random things that happened this week:
-Sister Escoto and I were planning one night and we hear the other sisters SCREAMING! We run to their room and, hahahha, they are jumping on their beds like crying since Sister Newell opened her draw and like 6 cockcroches escaped into their room. Eewwwwww. So happy that was their room and not mine! mahahaha! THEN, she's killing them all and finds a LIZARD under her bed. Ahhhh, I died laughing but we helped them kill all these deadly creatures.
-I scared Sister Escoto so good the other day, hahaha waiting for her to come into the kitchen.
-I started teaching English here as well, the Hispanic Sisters are going to teach Spanish. Perhaps we are gonna get heaps of investigators? hehe

I'm excitied for this new week J

Enos 1: 12 “And it came to pass that after I had prayed and labored with all diligence, the Lord said unto me: I will grant unto thee according to thy desires, because of thy faith.”

Sister Bennallack 

31 May 2016

Óla!

This week went by so fast. Wow!

I'm SO HAPPY that Pablo was BAPTISED!!! Yayayay, awww, Pabs, love this kid so much! But it wasn’t that simple as I thought it would be, since he was like an hour late but all goods because he finally showed up (…Brazilian's are always late).. he had a lot of family members that came as well!! Yayaya! It was such a stressful hour though.. 

BATISMO DO PABLO 

But it was a beautiful service and he was so excited. The LZ’s did his baptism interview and he passed with flying colours, (totally knew he would). ;)

This week we had a Zone meeting with two other zones and ours, with President. WOW, it was of the best ones of my mission, I made so many notes but I will share what I learnt that I think was most important.

1-Obedience. We all knew that at some stage of the meeting that President will talk about obedience. He always does and he always will. Because as missionaries ( or members) we can ALWAYS be more obedient, we can always strive to be more like Christ and keeps his commandants with more righteousness and we will do this for the rest of our lives. That continuous human progression, quite beautiful really. But I like how President talks about us practicing what we teach, everything that we invite our investigators to do we should do as well. Change our lives together. “Wickedness never was happiness” I have no doubt that in my life I was/ am most happy when I keep God's commandments. <3

2- Commitments. (lol I hope this is the word I'm searching for…like the things you give your investigators after your lessons, like homework ahaha I don't know, this word sounds weird to me?).
ANYWAYS, we need to follow up heaps better than we do. Like a third of our lesson should be following up and listening to their new spiritual experiences. Without our investigators searching and praying alone they can’t really have their own conversion, like I don’t know how to express what I'm trying to say, but I just loved how President talked about this. Give simple, clear but important commitments to our investigators to help them start their relationship with God

3-Companionship. I love this so much, Sister Broadbent gave this talk, it was so on point and so what I needed. She spoke how we need to believe that our companion is the best companion in the mission and how we need to help them learn about them because it’s hard not to love someone when you really know them.  Her counsel was so simple but I needed it, I was feeling pretty like tired? I felt like more of her mum than her companion, always reminding her to do things and when we needed go and to speak Portuguese.. ahhhh BUT I really do love Sister Escoto and after listening to Sister Broadbent I am more determined to make her one of my best amigas.

1 Nephi 3:6 “ 6 Therefore go, my son, and thou shalt be favored of the Lord, because thou hast not murmured.”

Hehe, I liked this scripture.
After the zone meeting, we went to McDonalds on the way home and President and all the Elders from the office were there, haha! Presidente buys us mucdonals and we all stayed there talking until about 11pm, wowowow, a big night out for me but it was so fun and ahhh, I just love my mission.

This was pretty much my week, I'm going to buy a camera today since my camera broke like 4 months ago and I’ve missed way to many photo opportunities. 

Sister Bennallack 

April 2016 - Lost in the work

5 April 2016

BOM DIA FAMILIA!

GENERAL CONFERENCE was so good, like so on point. I LOVED it, I just love this gospel and loved hearing all these inspired speakers. What a blessing conference is. And Brasil is getting another Temple, wooooo! hehe #teambrasil
SO many talks I loved, the Temple was talked about so much, also the Tree of Life, hope, and a million other things. I'm SO excited for you all to watch it this weekend.

Easter Eggs!!

TRANSFERS- transfers news was last night, since all of us four sisters in our house have been here two transfers we thought at least one of us would leave….it made me so sad this week thinking about that since I LOVE these sisters I live with. Anyways, we had a transfer party last night and made heaps of food and then….ALL OF US A STAYING
So I'm pleased to announce that the adventures of Sister Bennallack and Sister Curtis will continue!   Gringas take 3. Hehhe

Sooooooooooo this week was honestly THE most random week of my life!! Get ready for my hectic week… I shall dot point:

-We saw this lady trying to cut down her tree, we asked if we could help… next minute Sister Bennallack is in this tree, chopping down all these branches...in a skirt, haha, this was a first.

-At one of our lunch appointments this week, one of my favorite irmãs in the ward gave us chicken that….wasn't really that cooked, but Sister Curtis and I blessed our food with so much faith and ate this chicken because we love this irmã so much. Yolo?

-last week I was talking to people as per usual at the bus

Flowers??

terminal and I invited this man to church ect ect… then this week this same man Roberto come up to me and gives me FLOWERS to say sorry for not coming to church!!! WHAT THE CRAZY hahahah I was given flowers, it was so funny walking into our house as the end of the day and the other Sisters “Whats is going here???” mahahahha

-I went with sister Das Graças to help with some lesson, anyways I NEEDED to pee so badly… but her area has so much forest …… and then she pressured me to just go in the forest, hahahah…I guess I'm still a bogan?

sicky head..

-also, I went to hospital this week, just causally lol. I have sinusitis... it’s so common in the mission, since Sao Paulo’s has so much pollution. Anyway, I had some hectic cold this week, and by Friday my face was hurting so much, like I don’t even know how to describe it but President sent me to hospital to get antibiotics. But like it's no drama, I'm feeling SO GOOD NOW, Sister Curtis was so cute, hahah braiding my hair for me J

Anywas that was my way too dramatic week, I'm SOOOO excited for this week to come and for the miracles I’m going to see this next transfer!!

Sister Bennallack 

12 April 2016

BOM DIA!

OH what a glorious week, we're so excited to email today (lol I always am) to tell you about the miracles I saw this week!

Ahhhhh we dropped a lot of people at the start of the week, a lot of investigators that I love as well, they accepted baptismal dates and read and prayed but NEVER go to church…. But because of that we needed to FIND so many elect newbies.

We spent a whole day knocking doors, street contacting and found a few people but nothing really solid, but yesterday we were looking for an address and somehow got so lost, but we know this area so well that we were working in, it was honestly like we were meant to get lost on purpose because we found 4 new investigators that are GOLDEN without trying!!! It was the craziest/coolest thing. Heavenly Father answered our prayers in the weirdest way. The last person what we found last night, I was STILL looking for this street and ahhhh.. then this man outside of his house said “are you missionaries?” UMMM YESSS WE AREEEEEEEE and we taught for like 30 minutes and are coming back this week to teach his whole family.
Anyway, we never found that street, and when we looked on our map when we got home IT WAS SO SIMPLE.  I don’t know, maybe we are just silly girls who can't read maps or maybe it was a part of a bigger plan ;)
I have the biggest testimony that our convert Angelica was found because we talked to her brother on the street and he told us to teach him but that was the way the Lord worked to meet Angelica! I have no doubt about that.

Isaiah 55:8-9“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

We have some amazing people that we taught this week including a guy named Jonny! That will….be baptized this Saturday (With a lot of fasting and prayers) because it seems to be that none of my baptism here in Ribeirâo are simple ^.^ but I have faith :) 

We taught him the Restoration and invited him to pray and ask God ect ect and he said he will, but then bore HIS TESTIMONY to us and TOLD us that he wants to be baptised.
We all cried, hahahah, but hes only 17 so there could be a problem with his parents but he seems pretty confident. 

We also found this other guy who literally lives in front of the church… like LITERALLY and we gave our first tour of the chapel. It was really cool and then we taught him again in the chapel.  Ahh there is always a special spirit when you teach in the church.
aww.. The house of my Father <3

I didn’t really think there where many excited or random stories to tell you.. but now I think about it, there always is with me…

-Okay firstly, since it's a new transfer we did have a few changes, and our zone combined with other zone called Mauá.  Sister Ramos was transferred to that zone… and when we saw each other at zone conference it was like the sons of Mosiah seeing each other again!  We jumped and squealed and cried with such happiness! Hahahh lol how gay are we, but I love her so much.  And then she told me that she asked President to extend her mission one more transfer so that we will finish our missions at the same time <3 <3 YAAAAAAy

NOVA ZONA <3 with Sister Ramos and Sister Gudgeon <3 

- When we were so lost last night we also found so many avocados on the side of the road that we fully took home.

-So Brazilians always have the funniest and random theories about everything, anyway, Sister Curtis has this cut on her arm and the Brazilians Sisters told her that she's only allowed to take COLD showers while it heals, she just looks at me like “ohhh here we go again”.  But I’m so evil and told her that it's true, that my mum said this as well and that it’s not just Brazilian, hahahah, so since I said that she’s been talking freezing cold showers all this week. I just laugh so hard whenever she gets out of the shower mahahah. Then I told her like Saturday that I needed to tell her something. And I told her that I've never heard of this theory in my life hahahhah! she says “I KNEW IT…You know what Sister Bennallack? liars go to hell” awww love her. <3

-I went ghetto, like on a whole new level. So Tom and Jordan remember those sandals you bought me??? Anyways I loved them and they broke and I got them repaired and then this week they broke again but It was so hot that I didn’t want to wear proper shoes. Anyway, I had the genius idea just to buy chewing gum and stick the sole back together. HAHAHA it fully worked for that day!! But then the next day it became unstuck and Sister Curtis made me throw my shoes out…

Sister Bennallack 



19 April 2016  O Livro De Mormon

Goodness, this week went so fast, like this transfer is going by way too fast….eeek

How I love the Book of Mormon, I just love how you can have your testimony strengthened or refreshed every time you read this sacred scripture. I had the best experiences about the Book of Mormon this week.. HOPE YOU ARE READYYYYYY ??

We were literally running to an appointment at the chapel, but I felt I needed to stop and talk to this couple. I knew Sister Curtis was getting a little annoyed since I always think people on the street are like ELECTS and I need to talk to them and then we are late for other appointments. Hehe, oops, sorry Sissssy <3 BUT,  I started talking to them and explaining who we are ect.. this women Isabella told me that they saw us 6 times that day! 6! “you guys walk a lot.” Lol you don’t even know… 

Every time she saw us she thought we would talk to her…  then, as we continued to talk to her we found out that she doesn’t really believe in the Bible since it's been translated too many times and she doesn’t really believe in God, because if God loved us he would't let all those horrible things in the world happen…ect ect. But we taught the teachings of Nephi how there has to be an opposition in all things. And we taught about how we believe in another scripture as well that has only been translated one time, and we bore a bold testimony of the Book of Mormon and told her that it could move her life. But we really needed to go…so we marked up to visit her the next day..which was also the best and now she’s a full on investigator!

Remember when I said that we found that golden street with four people, in four houses in a row?  In one of the houses we only taught the Dad and the kids but never the wife since she is Catholic and busy ect ect. One of our lessons fell through on that street and we thought we should try and visit that family one last time. Only the wife was home, Emilene. She had a new glow about her, she was SO happy to see us and she invited us in. What changed?? Her friend at work, Claudio, gave her .. A Book of Mormon, and she was so excited to tell us and she had so many questions. We taught her basic, simple doctrines that we believe and that being a catholic, she’s believes as well.  We used lots of scriptures from the Bible to compliment the Book of Mormon, THEN we taught about the scared book in her hand, and after we taught she showed us the note that her friend had written about The Book Of Mormon when he gave it to her… she was so surprised to see that we bore the same testimony!!!! We then FINIALLY marked up to teach her WITH her family. <3

Then yesterday we went to the other ward since we had investigators that were meant to go…but they didn’t come. So sad, haha always breaks my heart. Anyways since we didn’t have investigators and this isn’t our official ward/or chapel, I told sister Curtis that there is no point to staying and we should go visit the people we have in this area now since we'd be working in a completely other area after lunch. I don't know…probs should of stayed at church but I was way too stressed just sitting there with no investigators just thinking about everything …but  I felt good about leaving and working.
ANYWAY, we have people on this street that we had never heard of but we asked a few people where to find the street and it was actually that street we were on. IT WAS TOO EASY. We taught this lady name Elane and it was such a perfect lesson. After the prayer she told us that her brother was recently baptised in this church and GAVE HER A BOOK OF MORMON. SOooo we did what we do best and taught about the Book of Mormon..

I was thinking a lot this week, as usual but especially about the Book of Mormon, and how with these examples we were only let in because of the Book of Mormon.
SOOOOO hehehe, I have a challenge for you family dearest, we have so many books of Mormons in our house…. Write a mini testimony in the cover and give it to a friend or a work member, it doesn’t need to be a novel but just something about how this book is important to you and because you care about them you want to share this happiness. You never know what could happen, probs they will just except with a smile and not really want to heard anything else… but maybe later down the track they with meet the Sister Missionaries in Adelaide and let them in.

These stories were so much longer than I thought….but the rest of my week was great as well, JONNNY didn’t get baptized, he knows it is true but is nervous since his family aren’t members ect ect. But we are going to fast tomorrow all together and we promised some pretty bold things. SO ahhhh, I'm praying that it will all go to plan, and THIS Saturday with be his baptism.

We also have a investigator named Mariana who's so close to baptism as well, we are seeing her Wednesday and will invite her to be baptised next Sunday, I'm a lot more confident about her. She's perfect and I love her so much.

OHHHHH ALSO this week, I went with Sister Gudgeon and have a sleepover at the senior couples house.. woooo but only because we had to get up at 5am the next day to renew our visas, since we are about to hit our one year mark. Woooooooo
I love seeing Sister Gudgeon, but it was so nice when I got back to my area - haha, Home sweet home.

 SISTER BENNALLACK 

26 April 2016

Whaaaaaataaa week

So Jonny didn’t get baptised this weekend, it broke my heart a little BUT he still went to church yesterday so I still have the highest hopes.  I don't know,  I hate feeling like stuck or idea-less (don’t even know if that’s a real word lol) like we prayed and fasted and still had no idea how to help him, like what he really needs.. but what we need will come- it’s always does. All in the Lord's timing I guess.

But yeah, I got a little/heaps stressed out about this, but then I read this quote that helped me chill and know that really it will all work out..

“There can be no failure in the work of the Lord when we do our best. We are but instruments; this is the Lord´s work. This is his church. His Gospel plan. These are his children we are working with. He will not permit us to fail if we do our part. He will magnify us even beyond our own talents and abilities when necessary. This I know.”
-Ezra taft Benson

<3 <3 <3 <3 Good one Ezra!

BUT after we taught Jonny we then go and teach Mariana who will be baptised this weekend, ahhhh I love her, she reminds me of me when I was 15 but Brazilian haha, she so special and teaching her will always be my favorite part of the day.   Her answers are perfect and her questions are so beautifully thought out. The only problem with her baptism could be her family, but we have already talked to her mum and she said she will approve, so let us pray.. <3   BATISMO!

We went to the Temple last Tuesday, it was stunning, Sister Curtis and I were so excited all week, I love feeling that spirit in the house of my Father, it was so good seeing everyone in the mission as well!!!

At the Temple, with President & Sister Broadbent

On Wednesday night President calls me to tell me that he and sister Broadbent are coming to our house the next morning for interviews.. haha, it was so funny how we all just looked at each other and started cleaning like crazyyyyyyy, our house was so perfect. You’d be so proud Mumma B. Interviews were so good, both with Sister Broadbent and President Broadbent. Sister Broadbent literally sat on my bed with me and we just talked about everything! The mission, my family, my plans for the future..was the cutest. Then President asked me a lot of questions, why I’m so happy, how's my relationship with Heavenly Father, asked me my opinions of on a few things in the mission then decided to talk to me for the rest of my interview about marriage. Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwl I got so nervous I could only talk about this in Portuguese with him! hahah but I love President so much, like my Dad on the mission, and I love hearing his wise wisdom.

After interviews he told us that he’ll take us to our lunch appt, but we didn’t have a lunch appt that day so he then tells us that we’ll lunch with him and sister Broadbent and that we could choose ANYWHERE WE WANTED TO EAT AT… hahah the Brazilian Sisters got too excited, like their faces just lit up!  We ate at the fanciest place here in Ribierão. The waiter asked President if we wanted bread or something and President said “we want everything you have!” hahhaha, it was the best!

Also talking about food we had the best lunch of my life on Saturday, Churrasco Brasilerio ( Brazilian BBQ) oh my gosh, it was so much food that we ate and ate, then hahahaha Sister Das Graças leans forward to reach more food from the table that her chair literally broke! HAHHAHAHA I’m a terrible friend because I laughed so much.

It was another great/hard/funny week here in Riberião, I'm so obsessed with my life being a Missionary of Jesus Christ.

Sister Bennallack 

PS. TWO WEEKS TILL SKYPE.