Starwars, Book of Mormon stories, and MIEL

Hola everyone!!

    I hope everyone had a great week because as for me we had a bunch of ups and downs.  It started out great by finding a couple of new people to teach and then Wednesday we had a great worldwide missionary conference!  Monday we practiced our little missionary theater piece for the Talent Show on Saturday- which turned out really cool.  But then Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday I was super sick! (Still am 🤒)  Lets just say I've been drinking lots of lemon juice with honey.  It's always depressing when you have to stay in piso and are not able to do missionary work.  But I have learned a lot about patience, principles from The Book of Mormon, appreciation of the priesthood, and the love my Father in heaven has for me.  But some good news is the other day Hermana Modugno made a delicious pesto/bechamel lasagna.  I love Italians. 🇮🇹

    Well let's start out with the talent show!  All of us missionaries in the ward put on a play that had characters including: Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Harry Potter, Mickey Mouse, and Elsa from Frozen. Super random, but it turned out super funny!  And it may or may not was based on a story from the Book of Mormon...haha I didn't think anyone noticed.  Well speaking of the Book of Mormon, since we spent a lot of our time in the piso I have been really studying a lot from the BOM.  The more I read it, the more I feel closer to God and have desires to do what's right.  I feel so blessed that the prophets from this book sacrificed so much for us to be able to have their writings. I'm so grateful for their examples of always keeping the commandments no matter how hard the  circumstances were.

    On Wednesday we had the opportunity to go to Pavones to watch a worldwide broadcast on missionary training.  While there in the church, my companion got to say hi to her best friend who just barely got to the MTC and will be serving in Milan.  Too bad I wasn't able to take a trip to Provo to see my little brother.  I still can't believe that my parents now have two children out serving. (Do you guys feel old yet? Haha just kidding.). Anyway I really liked what was said in the missionary  conference.  It was very spiritually uplifting and good motivators that I really needed to hear.  Elder Bednar talked about how it is so crucial that we teach with the spirit because it is the only way that our investigators will be able to feel the truth in their hearts.  I liked how Elder Anderson talked said if we ever don't know what to say to someone- testify of Christ.  We should always have him on our lips.

     Throughout my mission I have learned to fully appreciate what it means to have the "restored priesthood."  It's the thing that makes this church true.  I was especially grateful for it this last week.  I was able to receive a healing blessing from from the Elders and I also relieved lots of comfort from my Heavenly Father.  I was reminded that I need not forgot that the Lord is always there in every single moment.  This is something I obviously already knew, but for some reason it felt different.  Not just as a missionary but I know he is always there for you guys too.  All you need to do is listen and trust.
     I still can't believe that I've been out here for a year already and this week will end my first transfer with my cute trainee.  I've learned so much about myself and about this gospel.  I hope you all have a great week and are able to always feel peace from our Savior.
Love you all and thanks for all of the support.

Love,
Hermana Sydney Berry

First 2 photos: from our play, 3rd: us with Hermana Bingham y Maza in
Pavones, 4th: Elsa and Micky Mouse. :)






 

"Mi Paz os doy."

Hola!!!

   Yesterday during Relief Society we had a really great lesson on the type of peace that only Christ gives us.  This is something I have been pondering as I thought about this lesson then later when we watched "The testaments" and while I've been studying in the Book of Mormon.  It's so easy to think that we can be happy from worldly things, but true happiness and peace really only comes from following the teachings of our Savior Jesus Christ.  I was able to feel that peace when we went to the temple this week.  Like I always say, I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have to assist the temple as a missionary, I feel so happy every time I get to experience inside the very beautiful temple of  Madrid.

   Well good news!! On Tuesday we had a lesson with Oscar and we set a baptismal date with him for March.  We are excited to see his progression.  After the temple on Wednesday, we went up to the MTC to say goodbye to the Lovell's because they are going home this week!! President wasn't there but we talked to Hermana Lovell and she was so happy to visit with us but they were pretty sad to leave Madrid. Anyway it was super fun to talk to some of my teachers I had.  On Thursday we went to Villalba to do companionship exchanges with two other Hermanas.  It was super fun to learn from them and to do missionary work in another city for a day.

    Sorry my email is so short but I can't leave before saying how I excited I am for my little brother Noah who goes to the MTC tomorrow!! I'm so sad I wasn't at his farewell but I'm so excited for him to experiences the very special exciting things that await him.  You'll do great Elder Berry!!!!! 👍🏻🤗🤓. Speaking of crazy things happening, in two days I turn a year in the mission.  HOLY COW!!!!  I can't even believe how fast the time has flown by!! I have set personal goals that I want to achieve before he end of my mission, so these next 6 months I'm going to try to serve he Lord with all my might, mind and strength, and can't wait to see the rest of the miracles that lie ahead.  I know this gospel is true and that it can bring us so much joy.  That is why I am here in Spain serving the Lord.  A story from the Book of Mormon that I read this morning that really stood out to me was the story of Abanadi.  He is such a strong example to me because of his faith and desires to follow he Lord.  Mosiah 12.

     Love you all and have an amazing week!!!

"Venga Ya!"

Hello Everyone!!

     Wow the days and weeks here are flying by faster and faster!! Things are good though, we have gotten to know a lot more members and we have found more people we are visiting than we had the first week we came to this area.  Things like always are so exciting in the mission world and I can't believe how much of January is already over. Great news!! Oscar, our investigator who wants to get baptized so bad but can't because he works every Sunday, finally came to church yesterday for the first time.  He said he loved it and tomorrow we are going to set a baptismal date.

     As for me more of this week, I honestly can't remember a lot! It still was kind of hard to meet with all of our people because on Jan 6 was a big Spain holiday.  So I think that this next week we will finally start to get back in the groove with this.  As for finding new investigators, we had a new one this week!  Her name is Marta, and she is a young Spanish lady and super cute.  We had a lesson with her and she is super open to listen to our message!!  We tried to make it clear what we are here for as missionaries, and she is very willing to read and pray about the Book of Mormon!  We are super  excited to meet with her again this week.

     My cute little Italian is still doing so good.  We both went to a training meeting in Pavones on Thursday with President Pack and all of the other trainers/trainees.  They gave us a good reminder of the importance of doing the little things as missionaries.  They said that a lot of times we feel like we are not progressing ourselves.  But with the time, we will always be progressing, but when we stop doing the little important things such as companion study, praying, reading the scriptures, etc. etc... Instead of moving forward, we move backwards.  One of the APs told us that we need to be the captain of our own boat in our missions.  Because it really is up to us, our decisions of how our missions go.  This made me feel better as a trainer and so did the companion exchange I had with Hermana Valencia on Friday.  She helped me realize that sometimes we just need to remember that as long as we do our best and work and love thy God with all our might and strength, it's good enough for him!!  It has been overwhelming a few times as a trainee, but I have felt the strength my savior has given me.

Today for Pday we went to Toledo. (My 4th time.) :) So I will send some pictures.

Les quiero mucho!  Sorry this was a bit short.  Enjoy your week and for some back to school!!

Hermana Berry

 


 

"Guess what Dad, I tried caviar!"

Hola!!

Happy 2016 everyone!! So I finished off the year strong by trying
Caviar and Salmon without throwing up so that's pretty good, haha.  I
hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas holiday and had a great New
Year's!  Me and my compy wanted to follow the strange Spanish
tradition of eating 12 grapes the last 12 seconds of the year. (Bueno,
at 11:00pm became we have to follow the rules. 🤗)  In other words,
I'm not going to send the video of us almost choking on all of the
seeds, ha. :).  Even though This week was didn't have a whole lot of
lessons because Spain doesn't stop Christmas celebrations until
January 6th, we sure did keep ourselves busy.  Although sometimes I
feel exhausted from using the metro like 10x a day, I really like my
area and I'm grateful for all of the people I'm meeting and the places
I'm seeing and the things I'm learning.

  I'm not sure if it's from all of the Christmas spirit I felt in
December or more of the fact that I'm about to hit my ONE YEAR mark,
but wow have I been feeling closer and closer to Christ lately.
Yesterday we ate with a family in the ward and then afterwards the
Elders gave a really short but powerful message.  They had us go all
around and say the one thing we would say if Jesus was here right now.
I said that I would say, "why do you love us so much?"  And then after
they invited us to really open our hearts to our Savior that night
when we prayed.  Well this whole week this has really been on my mind,
especially the word "repentance."  Because we know that Christ and
repentance go hand and hand.  A couple of days ago, my companion
shared with me a story that I actually had heard before but I always
love hearing.  It's about a boy in Seminary, whose teacher asks him if
he can do 300 push-ups within a certain amount of time.  One day,
during the class, the teacher asks which students want a cookie.  Some
say yes some say no.  For every single person, whether they wanted a
cookie or not, the boy had to do 10 push-ups in front of the class.
At the end of the 300+ push-ups the boy is very weak and in pain but
was determined to do them for every person.  After this demonstration,
the teacher explains to the class that the atonement is the best gift
in the whole entire world for us, yet so many people reject the
opportunity of repentance, to feel whole and clean again.  I always
get so emotional with this story, because it is so true.  The
atonement of Christ happened because of the love he had, has, and will
have forever for us.  As I have been so blessed to see and experience
wonderful things here in Madrid, I have really begun to see the
difference between worldly and material things and the things that
matter most, this gospel.  Like it might sound a bit redundant, but
wow I've never been so sure about wanting to have a Christ centered
life.  For example today, we went and took a tour in the ROYAL PALCE
OF MADRID!  It was really really cool, but looking at all of the
material things with gold and porcelain that has been adored for many
many centuries by very famous kings and queens; nothing truly can top
spiritual things! ENSERIO. It's just not the same, and if I had to
come clear to Madrid to figure that out, so be it.  😊

  As for training, it's going great!  I'm very spoiled to have such a
sweet hija.  Hermana Modugno is just the greatest and she keeps me
smiling laughing and calms me down when I get stressed.  (The other
day I saw a dog that looked like Sophie, my dog that died right before
I left for my mission.. And she had to hug me so I wouldn't start
crying, haha.) She already speaks Spanish like a champ and I'm
teaching her a bit of English.  The other day I taught her "I am a
child of God" in English and she learned it in like 5 mins!  I'm still
trying to learn it in Italian, but my problem is if a word isn't
English or Spanish, I say it with a French accent, whoops.  Well
anyway, this week we're keepin it Italian in our piso so we are going
to make homemade pizza with the cheese her mom sent us from Italy.
SCORE! 😍

 I hope you all started your 2016 year off well and enjoy your week!!
The gospel blesses lives and you are all in my prayers.  Ciao. 😘

Hermana Berry

 



 

 

Hasta Luego 2015, hola 2016

Hola! Again, it was just 3 days ago right?

    I think it just hit me that in less than a week we will be in the new year.  And to think of the year  2015, I would say it was the most hardest, best, fun, most incredible year I've ever had!! I've never  learned so many things before in such a short amount of time.  In the year 2015, I have learned to speak and understand a whole entire new language; I learned about the culture of Spain (and almost every country in South America,); I've learned how to live with and teach with a companion; I've learned what it's like to get out of your comfort zone like talking to people in the streets that are complete strangers; I've learned how to use the metro and Renfe system in Madrid and what to do to not get robbed; I've learned how to love members and that service is really how you can show your love to the members in the ward; I've learned a few tricks how to be a secretary like call a bazillion people and organize our time to visit everyone in only one week; I've learned more things about La  Iglesia de Jesucristo de Los Santos de Los Últimos días and what great joy it brings to people's lives; and most importantly I have learned that God has an incomprehensible love for his children and he has so many blessings eager to give us.  And if we have faith in Jesus Christ and obey all of the commandments, that is where TRUE happiness comes from.  And that is just a few things I have learned this year.  I can't wait to see what 2016 brings us!!

    This week was bad and good.  The beginning was a bit strange because almost nobody could meet with us because of the holidays.  But oh has it been a wonderful week to reflect on my spirituality and feel the love of Christ.  I testify that his love is real and he wants everyone to partake of his goodness.  Although there are lots people we visit who in this moment are not progressing spiritually,  I have seen some good things. Jared who coincidentally moved from my other area to here, is doing awesome!! He is reading and praying and has lots of desires to help out with the mission work!!  One lesson we had with someone, we read Ether 12, one of my favorite chapters. This talks about when we have faith we can accomplish so much.  I especially like Ether 12:27.  I'm sure I've already shared this but it is so applicable.   "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."  Wow I have seen this so much in my mission.  When I look back at my "weaknesses" I had, I can see that now they are strengths.  Well, already this transfer I am seeing more weakness that I have.  But just like this verse says, I know that he shows us our weaknesses so we may be humble enough to ask for help, and he will strengthen us.

    My companion is awesome and she makes it really easy to train.  She likes cooking I like eating Italian food so we make a great team, haha!  We are trying to learn a little bit of each others language so sometimes at night I will pray in English and she will pray in Italian, and not gonna lie,  we are pretty bad at our own language because we are always speaking Spanish.  But that's a good thing right?  This week we found some people who may have potential so I can't wait to see what happens with them!

I love you all and thanks for all of the support! Maybe for a New Years solution you can think of some ways you can invite the spirit more in your home.  And this could be something simple like praying more often and reading a little more scriptures everyday.

Love,

Hermana Sydney Berry 🇪🇸