February 2012 - A new companion!

14 February 2012

Elder Bennallack & Elder Frazier

Transfers were yesterday, and Elder Han has moved on and I have a new companion Elder Frazier who has came in from Tarb, 11 hours of train away.  I spent the day in Dijon, and ate a delicious Starwars burgur from a resturant called 'Quick'.  It was my first time at 'Quick' on the mission, other Elders didn't believe me! haha!


 This is Elder Frazier's second ville.  I know his trainer and his polisher really well, and he's a great missionary, impressionant, and is from Kaysville Utah, one of five from there in the mission.  He went to the same High School as Elder Smith and and Elder Allen, who was my district leader at Dijon.  So far, all my favourite missionaries have been from Kaysville, so I think this is going to be a great transfer.  I'm pumped, people are going to get baptised!


 As for the week, yes our golden couple Kelly and her partner Mehdi are going super well.  Our  member talked too long again, but he's getting a good friendship with them so that's the most important thing.
I know the reason I went to church most often wasn't my deep and abiding love for the gospel, but friends, so im happy!


It was way cool, as Kelly is really Christian, and knows the Bible a bit, when our member mentioned Joseph Smith, then  quickly related the First Vision, she was like wow! Hold up! Are you are telling me that he SAW God??  Then she pulled out a scripture in Exodus saying that no one can see God's face etc etc, so she's like it's not possible that he saw God.  Then Mehdi (who was super less beliving and is more quiet) said 'si' (si is hard to explain in English, because we don't have it, it means yes, but is used in a way like 'yahaa' to say yes to a negative comment).  Then he continued to say: "and God said to him, here's my Son, listen to him".  At this point we hadn't related that bit, it's what he read in the 'Testimony of Joseph Smith' brochure that we left him!!!! Haha, I was soo happy, ahh I love teaching couples!  They're doing good, still haven't invited them to baptism, as it's not really us that is teaching at this point, although it's the plan.  As soon as I have the chance I'll do it, peu importe!

France is great, the cold is starting to die down, yesterday it was minus 1 to 0 degrees, sooooooo nice, so nice, so warm, it's a change from the minus teens we had this week, but apparently the cold, cold is over and this morning it snowed, so I'm happy!

I'm just pumped to have Elder Frazier as a collegue, President really seems to think highly of him, so I see many miracles producing themselves this transfer!
Elder Bennallack




20 February 2012

Centreville, Bescanson

I'm still laughing at the photo of Elder T B's valentine photo! hahaha!


So this week was 'aight', we worked hard, but it seemed that nothing wanted to work.  Although, I love working with Elder Frazier!  We had one day where it snowed heaps, and we were gliding everywhere, talking to a bunch of pepple, just working hard and enjoying ourselves.  The next day for our weekly planning he said: "I think we need to have more fun!", haha I think a part of me has forgotten to have fun whilst working.



 The sun is out now in Besançon, it's still cold, but there was one day where it seemed like spring was trying to break through, which will be great.  This morning, I convinced Elder Frazier to go for a run

It's been soo cold, got the ears covered!!

with me.  It was excellent, I'm pretty unfit, but I loved it, running along the river.  It's the first time since September that I've had a companion who's been willing to run with me.

 This week it seems as though all of our investigators took a step back, actually we only taught 3 lessons to investigators, so we did a bunch of finding.  We hope to see the fruits thereof soon so there's not really anything special to write about this week, so ill tell you about my thoughts:

Frozen water!

 I was thinking about how last transfer, I felt like I was dying a little bit, and I didn't realise the difference till I had exchanges with other missionaries (like Elder Allen) which refreshed me and boosted me  :)

I appreciated that boost and it felt as though he gave me to drink.  I then thought of the analogy, and I'm going to say John 4 but could be mistaken, when Jesus goes to the Samarian and asks for water to drink.  Then he tells her after a bit, that his water is different and who ever taps into his water will never thirst but will spring forth to everlasting life etc etc.

The analogy of the spring is interesting.  It reminded me of the grapevine analogy in Matthew, where Jesus is the grapevine, the source, and we should be bringing forth fruit.

This all made me realise that I was needing to be nourished from others and was not the one who had the spring deep enough to be able to be the one helping others, giving them fruit.
 How can I even nourish investigators if my 'well' isn't tapped deeply enough into the source of living waters?


So the past few weeks have been a little humbling in that sense, in knowing that I'm still a little dependant on others who are stronger and hence have given me increased desire to be the strength that others can lean on.


In my mind, it's a very complex analogy, but very clear.  The bible is excellent for analogies..

Life is great, thrilled to have Elder Frazier as a companion.  We are doing good things, hoping to do great things.  Already I hope I pull at least 2 transfers with him.

gros bises
Elder Bennallack
bonne semaine!

27 February 2012

Elder Bennallack & Elder Frazier

This week was a good one, we did an exchange, or more of a blitz, that's to say that the Elders from Dijon came and we all worked here for a day. This was no surprise, we knew the Elders were coming as it was well planned in advance. 

Normally for exchanges we try and have a really well rounded day, a bit of contacting, a bit of teaching, a bit of tracting, a bit of studying, just so we can learn from each other.  Knowing this, we tried as much as we could all this week to try and fix an appointment for Thursday evening, when the Elders were here.   We tried all our 'amis', even tried finding new people, or even less active and new converts, but nobody seemed to be free Thursday night.  We called old 'amis' and potential 'amis' that never became 'amis' and still nothing.   Although this big effort was great as many people were free on Friday or Saturday and we booked a buch of appointments.  But despite all our efforts we had nothing for Thursday.  Well, we had a recent convert but me and the district leader were going to to out contacting and door knocking while my companion taught the recent convert with the other dijon missionary. 


We thus headed out to go finding the elect, when the phone rang and it was a lady we met and taught the previous week.  (or week earlier) So this lady, when we knocked on her door, she was heading out, we talked for 5 mins, and it turns out she has family in Australia etc and told us to come back 20 mins later.  We came back (this is still last week) and taught her, her husband and 2 of her daughters.  Such a beautiful family.  We shared a message about the family and tried to fix another time.  She said that they're always busy and said that she would call me if ever they found the time.  A few days later I called her and she said that they were still busy but told me, "don't worry, I'll call you if ever we are free". (heard that one a million times)

 (Back to Thursday) so the phone rang and it was this lady, she told me that her husband's soccer training was cancelled, hence she had the time in 30 minutes for us.  We caught the bus and were there 30 mins later! Her other daughter was there as well this time, and it was my first time, in all my mission that we were able to teach an entire family.  It was excellent!  Of course I did try and fix another appointment, and she said again they're busy, and that she'll call.   Although this time I believe her a bit more!! haha!

  

The point of the story, the very, very, long story is I am convinced that God made none of our investigators see us Thursday night because He knows everything..

Chopping wood for service!

Anyway that's one of 'mùany' miracles that have happened this past week.  Elder Frazier and I have been working hard and are starting to build some nice things here.  I love Elder Frazier, we get along good and hes is a great missionary.

Having said that, we're still trying to get some of our 'amis' to progress, getting them at church seems soo 'dificile', but I'm sure they will soon.

It's not cold here anymore, well cold but in the positives, and that's great!

This week we also went skipping one morning.  I remember Nate told me that on his mish he skipped to trim down abit, and having found 2 skipping ropes, we did that.  The only thing is, because we are in appartments, to do it we have to go outside, which is cold.  Point of this story, is that skipping in the States is 'jump rope', so when I first proposed the idea, my companion imagined the skipping that you do through greeen pastures and daisies.   It took us 5 minutes to sort out the comunication error and then laughed at the thought!!

Love Elder Bennallack