Week 18

Hola!!!!

This week was transfers!!! And I am area training.  It is my 3rd transfer which means I am done with being trained! AAhh!! Scary.  This is a good and bad thing for sure. I am so happy that I made it through my first 2 transfers (Hna Marsh would always say that they are the hardest transfers.)  But now I am a little.... I mean a lot nervous to area train!!! My new companion is named Hermana Whiting and she is from Mapleton, Utah.  She has been on the mission for 11 months.. so she's pretty experienced.. haha.. but I am the one who has lived in my area for the last 2 transfers.. so I am in charge of teaching about the area and the people and so forth.  THIS WILL BE INTERESTING.  I am scared to death but I know that I will be very good for me.  I already miss Hermana Finch SO MUCH.  But I am excited to get to know Hermana Whiting!

This last week I couldn't help but miss my family considering Gabi turned 18, Noah graduated high school (WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!), Allie turned 22 and Jared turned 15!!!! I miss you guys and hope everybody had a great week!!!! OKAY I'M DONE BEING TRUNKY. maybe. haha jk.  I loved seeing all of the pics you guys sent me from this last week!!!  St. George sounds like it had lots of festivities with my cool fam.  Love ya'll.

Spanish.  Spanish is hard, but it's comin.  It's crazy to actually understand a lot of things people say.  Especially when I thought I would NEVER learn it.  It's not all there, but it's coming!!!! ¿Solo necesito fe y paciencia, verdad? Anyway, I am excited for this next transfer to improve.. I'm excited to work even harder than I have.

Yesterday was full of visits with members, saying goodbyes, eating a lot of food, (ps strawberries with condensed milk is incredible) and lots and lots of pictures.  It was fun going around so Hermana Finch could say goodbye to everyone.  I'm glad that I am staying because all of the members are so incredible and loving!!!

Okay last thing, I've been really thinking how incredible missions are.  I've never loved praying and reading my scriptures so much. I love learning about this gospel. I love having opportunities to learn and grow.  I am so grateful for the spirit that can help guide me and comfort me on a daily basis. I've been needing a lot of help from my Father in Heaven lately and he has definitely shown how blessed I am. 

This week's challenge is to share with anybody your thoughts on The Book of Mormon.  Why it is important to you and how you're able to know that it is the word of God. READY. GO. DO IT.

Love you lots!!!!  Thanks for all your prayers and support!! I am beyond grateful for the love from home.  Have an incredible week.

p.s. I just realized that THIS TRANSFER I WILL BE TURNING 20. ew gross can I please be 19 forever?

OKay bye,

Hermana Berry!!!

Hola Familia y Amigos!!

Hola Familia y Amigos!!

     Today was a great week!!! Yesterday was so so so fun to skype my family!!  I'll be honest, I stressed out about it just a little because I didn't want to feel homesick or what not. But it ended up being just perfect!!!  The lady's house we skyped at made us super yummy fajitas, couscous, tabouli, cream cheese brownies and ben and jerry's ice cream.  SHE IS THE BEST.  The 3 of us had a good conversation about the blessings of serving a mission.  (She served one too)  Although it is SO SO DIFFICULT, the good things always compensate hard times!!  It was fun talking to her about her mission.

     Speaking of food, two days ago I ate seafood. NOT SEEFOOD, BUT SEAFOOD.  Fish, octopus, clams, and shrimp.  Yes I suffered through it, and the generous Elders taught me how to de-shell shrimp, as in how to rip the head off.  It was an interesting comida we had. haha.

     On Thursday we had a HUGE meeting with all of the missionaries from Madrid!! They even flew in the ones from the Islands and the North!  It was super fun to see everyone!!  We are still waiting for our iPads because of an Apple back order, but we still received instruction from some members of the 70 for being "digital missionaries".  It sounds like it is going to be awesome and really affect mission work in amazing ways!!!!  I can't wait to share what happens when we receive them soon!!

    On Tuesday we had a lesson with a 13 year old girl we contacted on the street.  She is so so sweet and after our lesson about The Young Women's program, she called us her angels!!  I really hope that we can continue to teach her, she is an incredible girl with a lot of faith.

    On Friday, Hermana Finch went to a meeting at the Mission home with other leaders because she is our Sister Training leader.  So this meant that I had to "area train" for a day.  Okay, I was actually pretty scared, I'm not gonna lie... But!  Hermana Brumble was a sweetheart and it was fun to talk with her especially because she is actually going home in a week.  I was able to take ourselves to the lessons and found the pisos just fine!!  It was cool to see that I can do scary things!

     I hate to sound so redundant, but like I've been saying: Missions are so hard, but everyday I see the blessings and I learn something new every week.  It's incredible to think about how much my mission will help me after I come home.  I love this gospel, and I love doing the Lord's work!!

I HOPE ALL OF THE MOMS HAD A GREAT MOTHERS DAY!!!!!  I LOVE YOU ALL, AND HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!!!

Love, Hermana Berry

        

Pictures

Hola Familia!

Hola Familia!!!

     Happy first week of May everyone!!! Wait, what? It was just barely January wasn't it??  Well, I don't know how time is for you guys, but mission time is possibly the weirdest thing!!! Things go by so fast yet it feels like I have been here forever!!!!  It is really starting to warm up here!!!  But Spain weather likes to change its mind a lot.  Some days it's freezing and raining and others it is sun shining and humid. haha, welcome to Spain.

     I want to start off by writing some of my happy thoughts this last week:

     LUNES: We went to a recent convert's house and learned how to make tortilla de patata!!! YUM.  I love this stuff.  It is potatoes, onions, and eggs all cooked up into a big thing of deliciousness!! 

     MARTES: I am starting to get good at reading the map!! Hermana Finch makes me lead our way to someone's piso we want to pass by. I did and I am learning how to follow directions!! Wow, THIS IS A MIRACLE FOR ME. haha.

     MIERCOLES: In the morning, these 2 cute old Jehova Witness men came to our door and said "By the picture of Jesus on your door, we can tell that you are people of faith...."  And then we told them that we were missionaries too and then they left.. haha.

     JUEVES: I finally received my residency card!!  I am now officially legal in Spain!  Oh also, this crazy old Spanish Lady chewed me out for supposedly not speaking Spanish (we were talking to her friend for like 10 seconds).. like she literally yelled at me.. (but I didn't really care) and then the lady next to her told her that I am here learning Spanish.. and then the old lady apologized and said "Oh sorry I am just very Spanish so I am very direct.." haha it was pretty funny. 

     VIERENES: Today wasn't very good... but! In the morning we met with a menos activo (less active) at a place called Bread & Co (very yummy American food) and we had delicious smoothies!!

     SABADO: We had a really fun ward activity!! We played fútbol, and yes I actually played and then I got sooooo sunburned.  oops.  My face is still red. haha. We had a picnic and ate lots of Spanish food: paella and tortilla de patata!!! yum.. (not paella).  Later that night we had arepas made by a Columbian.. I don't really know how to describe these but they tasted absolutley incredible!! They are like this cheesy flat bread thing, YUM.

     

DOMINGO:  We had a lesson with a Brazilian man, but once we sat down to have the lesson he plainly told us that he actually refuses to listen to our message.  It was actually pretty hard because we thought he was very interested but ended up just being super hard-hearted.. Later that night we had a lesson with a man from India.. It was good, but honestly it is hard to teach someone that does not have a christian background!!  I don't know how other missionaries do it!!

This last week was actually pretty tough for us.  We learned a lot of things though.  This week we really want to work harder!!  We learned what happens when you are afraid to contact a lot of people on the streets.  Well, this last week we felt the consequences!!

Spanish is still hard yet I still learn more every day!! Learning a new language is definitely strange!!! But awesome!! I am developing a stronger relationship with my Father and Heaven and Jesus Christ.  Even though missions are so hard,  I am so so grateful to have this opportunity for so much growth in my life.  I love learning why I am apart of this religion.  I do believe that this is the only true church with the restored priesthood.  This knowledge brings me happiness every day!!  My testimony on scripture reading and prayer has also been strengthened!!

I am excited to Skype my family this Mother's day!!!  I want to wish every mother a Happy Mother's day as well!!! HAVE A FANTASTIC WEEK!!

Love, Hermana Berry