5 December 2011
"Who loves emergency transfers" is the first thing I heard when getting off the train in the "gare de Dijon", as I saw Elders Allen and Mitchell greet me and offer to grab my luggage. So yes, I'm no longer in Saint-Etienne, and no, I'm not in Dijon.
"Who loves emergency transfers" is the first thing I heard when getting off the train in the "gare de Dijon", as I saw Elders Allen and Mitchell greet me and offer to grab my luggage. So yes, I'm no longer in Saint-Etienne, and no, I'm not in Dijon.
What a week, full of adventure, so I'll start from the top.
The work in St Etienne is going alright. It's difficult fitting in all the time for studies and also be able to get out and work, but it's going good. It's interesting in 3, but things were going well. The ward wasn't too excited about our Romanian find, but they're still awesome. We taught the uncle and the father of the member girl who glows with the spirit. They are both really Christian and really humble, and accept our message well. I wonder why they weren't ever baptised in Romania because they've both read about half of the Book of Mormon. But no doubt they'll be baptised soon.
Euloge is also progressing really well, her only worry is she has to be officially and not culturally married before baptism, that could take a little bit, but all is well.
Euloge is also progressing really well, her only worry is she has to be officially and not culturally married before baptism, that could take a little bit, but all is well.
So the week is normal just until Thursday. We go to Lyon for district meeting, and there's a train strike again (French people strike all the time), so our train is cancelled. We have to take a later one, and it turns out we were 25 mins late to district meeting. No biggie, it was a great meeting and afterwards we went to Subway for lunch together. As we are walking back from Subway, President calls, Elder Noyce answers and then after the pleasentries passes to me. President says, "Elder Bennallack, I'm going to have to transfer you. I need you to go up to Besançon and be the 1st collegue with Elder Han. Can you do that for me??" I said yes, then he said that Elder Han is in his second transfer so I will have to finish his "First 12 Weeks" training. So yes, that's what happened! I packed really, really fast Friday morning, once back in St-Etienne, RAN to the train station because I was late. Got there with 3 minutes to spare, caught a train to Lyon where I met Elder Han, then Lyon to Dijon (yes like dijon mustard) then Dijon to Besançon.
 |
| In Besançon, France |
The work is slow, there are only like 5 investigators. One's stale as beans, but the other 4 will all be baptised, one actually with a date, so that's cool. We'll just have to help them out and then find some new people to teach the restored gospel to. The chapel is part of an apartment unit, in centre ville which is good, but it's a small branch. There were 20 people at church, 5 of which were visitors, one family and a High Councilman, and then us, the missionaries and one of our investigators. So it's definitely different, though they are all super nice and super welcoming.
My companion is from Cambodia, his family moved to France 6 years ago so his french is 'aight', and he's the man of a missionary, so loving and humble and well Christian.
Elder B1ennallack
12 December 2011
As for the work, all our awesome new 'amis' didn't want to see us because of exams, then a whole bunch of them are now out of town visiting their families for Noel. That gave us time to find new 'amis'. Also a whole bunch of memers are out of town, like there were 17 at Sacrament meeting this Sunday, including kids. So there isn't much member help, but this week should be a lot better as our Branch Mission leader is going to help us heaps. yay.
25 December 2011 - Joyeux Noel Elder Bennallack!
26 December 2011
Yes, Dad is getting old, but surprisingly looking younger? Happy Birthdayyyyyyyyy :) :)
12 December 2011
Besancon is great. This week there was 35 at church which I loved. It made things a lot more optimistical. The YW (young women) did the sacrament meeting and I reckon it's the best sacrament meeting I've ever been to, English or French, the spirit was way strong. We had two investigators there that we met this week, two female uni students, and the YW were talking about temples and all that jazz. It was just perfect. A great delight!
Besancon is a university city, there's a massive uni, it's great. I was on exchange with the DL and we went to the university and met a 'million' people who were interested and fixed a bunch of rendez-vous right there on the spot. Like all rendez-vous some of them fell through, and some of them worked and were awesome. Tonight we have 2 more newbies that we met from "street boarding at the uni". One girl is from Peru and did an exchange in Ceder City, Utah a couple years back. Random, but cool and the other one is a TJ or Jehovas Witness, not baptised yet but believing. so we'll see if her heart is still soft enough to teach :)
Besancon is a university city, there's a massive uni, it's great. I was on exchange with the DL and we went to the university and met a 'million' people who were interested and fixed a bunch of rendez-vous right there on the spot. Like all rendez-vous some of them fell through, and some of them worked and were awesome. Tonight we have 2 more newbies that we met from "street boarding at the uni". One girl is from Peru and did an exchange in Ceder City, Utah a couple years back. Random, but cool and the other one is a TJ or Jehovas Witness, not baptised yet but believing. so we'll see if her heart is still soft enough to teach :)
So the work is pumping, weve hit it pretty hard this week. Well actually we had a lot of rendez-vous that fell through, lots of cancellations and at one time we were feeling a little down. But then on Saturday, we had a killer RDV with our two students who came to church with a YSA guy from the branch. He's a RM (return missionary) from Paris here for his studies, and it was amazing.
Then last night, we had another killer RDV with the Relief Society President (who's young, like only 28 and a recent convert of 14 months!!) and her two younger sisters who aren't members, and her younger cousin who also also isn't a member... yet!
Then last night, we had another killer RDV with the Relief Society President (who's young, like only 28 and a recent convert of 14 months!!) and her two younger sisters who aren't members, and her younger cousin who also also isn't a member... yet!
We talked about the gift of the gift of the Holy Ghost and how it's ours after we're baptised. Then we were able to openly talk about what's keeping them back from baptism. Most of them have been taught by the missionaries for a little while but we were really able to (in french we say 'faire le point'. I think that translates to... 'do or make the point' but I dont think that works in English) see where they're at :p The spirit was way strong, and 2 of the girls were really touched. They all expressed interest to get baptised when they're ready. The Relief Society President bore a powerful testimony and then we agreed to be able to see them 3 times a week to help them be prepared. I love that family.
So things are going great here. Elder Han is 23 so naturally he's more mature. He's a solid missionary and we work well together. I'll have to send you a picture to show you how much bigger I am than him, but he eats more than me, beats me in an arm wrestle and is a level 2 black belt in Taekwando, so yeh that's Elder Han! haha!
So things are going great here. Elder Han is 23 so naturally he's more mature. He's a solid missionary and we work well together. I'll have to send you a picture to show you how much bigger I am than him, but he eats more than me, beats me in an arm wrestle and is a level 2 black belt in Taekwando, so yeh that's Elder Han! haha!
19 December 2011 - Noel
What sad new about Nansy. It was random this morning, during my personal study, just towrds the end I started thinking about Nana and that made me want to share an experience that I love of hers. Considering the news of her ill health, it's even that much more appropriate:
So, (this is before Nathan's time in the family), you all remember one new years night over at the Bennallack's 2 story Golden Grove house?? We were in the pool most the night, there were delicious scones with cream and jam which I ate too many of and caused me to throw up 7am the following morning in the bathroom sink ;) So back to the topic, all the grown ups were playing 'Balderdash' and there was a name "Allen Funk". So everyone made up stories as to why he was famous. Taking turns reading the answer, it got to one of the males and he started cracking up readin out Nana's description, (might have been Dad? or Uncle Paul?), choking on laughter he read out "Allen likes to be funky with his brother in the pool" haha! but anyways, it made everyone laugh. Aahh.. Allen Funk!
I got the Christmas package. I did enjoy it. I tore it open a little too fast to see what was in there, as you know I'm not patient, and I unwrapped everything straight away. The next day I noticed a bag saying 'To Elder Han, from the Bennallack Family'. Oh boy I felt bad, so I showed him. I thought there was a tie in there and some candy?? So not being sure, I split everything with him 50/50 And I ADORE the 'Joyeux Noel'. That I absolutely love, "c'est trop bien" I would say. It's good also because there were a couple of photos different to the ones you sent me in the MTC.
 |
| C'est trop bien! |
It snowed in Besancon last night, yaay.. All the locals are saying it's about time. They keep saying how warm this winter is compared to last winter. Today the maximum is 1 degree celcius. Though as the Branch President was telling me, last winter they had a week stright where the temperature wavered between a minimum of minus 22C and maximum of minus 18C. He might have exaggerated, though I'll soon see :p
 |
| Teaching in the home of Sister Pindy, the RS President (not pictured). Her two sisters and her cousin. |
The Relief Society pres has ben having some issues, so it's hard for her sisters to progress when she's down. We saw them all last night, popped around because they didn't come to church, talked to the Relief Society Pres for a bit and were going to see all four of them tonight for a FHE. So things progress slowly but they're going.
Have a great week 'et à dimanche'
See/talk to you Sunday for Christmas; in this case kinda both :)
Elder JB1
 |
| Christmas Skype with the whole family including Elder T. Bennallack (B2) in Ballarat, Melbourne Australia Mission. |
Yes, Dad is getting old, but surprisingly looking younger? Happy Birthdayyyyyyyyy :) :)
Joyeux Noël 2.mov
Une petit spécial Noël pour TOUS nos missionnaires!
00:03:19
|
Before I forget, suss this Christmas gift that President and Sister Carter (my first Mission President) sent to all the missionaries.
That's Sister Carter singing and President Carter harmonizing in parts. I think it's President Carter doing the music, I know he was once in a band in his heyday, so it wouldn't surprise me if he was the one who did the music, but yeh, suss it, it's soo good! And no, I didn't go to 'youtube' to watch it, stayed on myldsmail :)
In Besancon, there is nothing but blue sky and it's sunny, still a bit chilly but for the most part delightful. Yesterday our Christmas was kinda lame, 7 people at the Sacrament meeting, including us, no investigators came :( despite us being at the home of 3 of them when we were skyping, and leaving the door telling them they have 1 hour to get ready and be out the door themsemves to come to church. Two old ladies left after Sacrament meeting leaving the 5 of us. We all took in turns sharing our thoughts on Noel. We did actually have a dinner appointment last night back at the same house where I skyped you, but it turned out, Sister Pindy was with her friend (also one of our investigators) who was having her baby.
 |
| Christmas night in Besancon in one of the streets, full of shoe shops. As you can see, there are lights in betweenthe buildings, all of centreville is like that, so pretty.. |
So instead, after our weekly planning, we did contacting slash taking photos in and of centreville, or the town centre. It was nice, nice at least to get out of the appartment. We discovered new corners of Besanson which were rediculously pretty and talked to sompe nice people.
It was good to talk to everyone yesterday, it feels like we didnt really talk about anything special, but so good to catch up!
There isn't too much new and exciting, no baptism of a family this week like Elder B2, though this week a lot of our investigators that we have newly aquired come back from holidays and so hopefully we will be able to teach a few more lessons, and start to really help solidify some of our 'amis'.
In other news, my widsom teeth are halfway through, they peirced through a couple months ago. But like Dr Channon said, there's room and there are no dramas, though much wisdom is anticipated..
It's interesting that B2 only stayed with his trainer for one transfer (6wks). Our transfers are coming up this week, though I imagine that not much will change, though one never knows.
 |
Here is a photo of 5 read heads! We were all at the Mission Chrismas party at Lyon, the one on the left Elder Garland was in the MTC with me for 3 weeks. He's English and we were going to get a photo of us because we're good friends. Then between us is another Brit who's the ZL then we pulled in the two American red heads because we could. Next thing we know there were at least 15 different people taking photos of us, it was like the paparazzi. We felt loved... the next goal is to convince President to have an exclusively red headed District - pace setters!!
Elder Bennallack, the wise
No comments:
Post a Comment
Any comments are most welcome!