Missionary heroes
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Two missionaries in the Australia Perth Mission found themselves serving in a way they never had anticipated on July 10, 2008.
While the two missionaries, Elder Zane Beard and Elder Philip Bennallack, were driving down a street in Nollamarra, Australia, they saw a woman frantically motioning them to pull the car over. As they did, they noticed a woman being attacked by a man with a knife.
The missionaries hopped out of the car and approached the scene.
"Our first thought was that we need to break this up," said Elder Bennallack, from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. "We have to do something."
The missionaries then coaxed the man away from the woman, quickly called the police, and managed the scene until law enforcement arrived.
Although the 29-year-old woman who was attacked remains in the hospital recovering, she is still alive because of the missionaries' quick response and help in the situation, according to their mission president.
"Definitely, the Lord had something to do with it, you can see His hand," said Elder Beard, from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. "It was interesting how it all worked out."
After being involved in a situation such as this, Elder Beard and Elder Bennallack said that staying busy with missionary work has helped them recover.
"There couldn't be a better place to be than in the mission field," Elder Bennallack told the Church News. "We have been able to talk it over and things, and we are fine now. The Lord's been kind to us."
Despite the unfortunate situation, some good has come to the Church.
"We're seen as being caring, wonderful Christians," said Perth Australia Mission President Carl Maurer. "The police and the members, and even the media were very touched by our desire to want to be helpful.
"I am really grateful that we have missionaries who are prepared so in the moment of need respond so quickly, and so wonderfully that they were able to protect somebody's life," said President Maurer. "Ultimately, they really did save (the woman's) life. It is wonderful to have missionaries who live what the Church teaches, and do what Jesus Christ would do."
E-mail to: mholman@desnews.com
