Hola everyone!!
Missions are weird. Want to know why? Because despite all of the mini trials that we experience here on a daily basis, you're able to feel a peace and a special love that only comes from God. I'd say this week wasn't one of my favorites. But what I can say is that the moments I felt like I was so close to my Heavenly Father were the nights that I cried in my pillow pleading with him for even a tiny amount of comfort. This week as I was able to reflect on things that might appear to me as burdens, my testimony that there is a Grander Creator who loves me has INCREASED. And perhaps if it took me to come clear out to a different country, learn a new language, and live a new lifestyle to realize it, so be it. It really is weird though. I hate being sad, depressed, frazzled, lonely, confused, hurt, so on. We all know the feelings that no one likes. But thanks to these moments I've had throughout my mission, my eyes have been stretched wide open to be able to see the many many blessings that I have been given. I can testify that these blessings come when we live this gospel and pray and plead to Heavenly Father for help.
What better way was it to end this week than to listen to conference!??? In my mission I have learned to LOVE and cherish general conference talks. Something about being a missionary and watching it, my spiritual ears are just in tuned so high. Unfortunately this was my last General Conference session that I get to watch in my mission as I end in July.. But Oh was I so grateful for the things that I learned and heard from these inspired men of God! I'm so excited to be able to apply it here in my mission and as well as after in my life. As I mentioned above, this week my eyes have been really opened to all of the blessings that I have been given here in Madrid the last 14 months. One of those many blessings I would say are the members and other missionaries that I truly love!! We went to Pavones to watch the conference and guess what! Last night I got to see lots of members from Alcorcón and Barrio 8 that I have missed soooo much. It was a great reminder what this whole mission is about. I believe it is to have love and make good relationships. So many members from my past 2 areas found me and came and hugged and squeezed me and told me how much they missed me. I could feel their love and oh my, how I love these great incredible people!!!!
.
Other thing- The Madrid Temple. I don't know if I have already
mentioned how much not only do I love the Temple, but the temple in
Madrid!! I feel so very lucky to be apart of a mission where we are
able to be around the temple so often. It is so beautiful! Right
before conference started, Hermana Modugno and I were waiting in the
plaza by the temple. The peace I feel there is going to be one of the
things I will miss most when I leave Madrid!
Okay before I forget let's talk about my investigators here in Barrio 5. Josefina is gonna get baptized soon!! Oh we are so excited for her!! She is doing just great. This last week she was doing papers so she could be able to go to Utah, visit her sister and attend General Conference in Salt Lake. Well she ended up not getting her visa, but it's okay because she feels like maybe this might mean that Heavenly Father wants her to get baptized sooner! She came and watched conference with us and loved it! We had a lesson beforehand and talked about Prophets and Apostles and why God has allowed these men to have his authority. We discussed that the gospel is so simple. If we love God, we should obey his commandments and then he will bless us! That's it.
🏻.
Anyway, I felt a very powerful spirit when I heard the Prophet and
other men speak that they really are called of God. I'm so grateful for
this gospel!!
Missions are weird. Want to know why? Because despite all of the mini trials that we experience here on a daily basis, you're able to feel a peace and a special love that only comes from God. I'd say this week wasn't one of my favorites. But what I can say is that the moments I felt like I was so close to my Heavenly Father were the nights that I cried in my pillow pleading with him for even a tiny amount of comfort. This week as I was able to reflect on things that might appear to me as burdens, my testimony that there is a Grander Creator who loves me has INCREASED. And perhaps if it took me to come clear out to a different country, learn a new language, and live a new lifestyle to realize it, so be it. It really is weird though. I hate being sad, depressed, frazzled, lonely, confused, hurt, so on. We all know the feelings that no one likes. But thanks to these moments I've had throughout my mission, my eyes have been stretched wide open to be able to see the many many blessings that I have been given. I can testify that these blessings come when we live this gospel and pray and plead to Heavenly Father for help.
What better way was it to end this week than to listen to conference!??? In my mission I have learned to LOVE and cherish general conference talks. Something about being a missionary and watching it, my spiritual ears are just in tuned so high. Unfortunately this was my last General Conference session that I get to watch in my mission as I end in July.. But Oh was I so grateful for the things that I learned and heard from these inspired men of God! I'm so excited to be able to apply it here in my mission and as well as after in my life. As I mentioned above, this week my eyes have been really opened to all of the blessings that I have been given here in Madrid the last 14 months. One of those many blessings I would say are the members and other missionaries that I truly love!! We went to Pavones to watch the conference and guess what! Last night I got to see lots of members from Alcorcón and Barrio 8 that I have missed soooo much. It was a great reminder what this whole mission is about. I believe it is to have love and make good relationships. So many members from my past 2 areas found me and came and hugged and squeezed me and told me how much they missed me. I could feel their love and oh my, how I love these great incredible people!!!!
Okay before I forget let's talk about my investigators here in Barrio 5. Josefina is gonna get baptized soon!! Oh we are so excited for her!! She is doing just great. This last week she was doing papers so she could be able to go to Utah, visit her sister and attend General Conference in Salt Lake. Well she ended up not getting her visa, but it's okay because she feels like maybe this might mean that Heavenly Father wants her to get baptized sooner! She came and watched conference with us and loved it! We had a lesson beforehand and talked about Prophets and Apostles and why God has allowed these men to have his authority. We discussed that the gospel is so simple. If we love God, we should obey his commandments and then he will bless us! That's it.
We had a lesson with Gianina and she is
just so great! She wasn't able to come to conference because sometimes
it's hard with her son. But she said that she likes when we come and
visit her because she can feel a special peace in her home. But I know I
have nothing to do with it, it was ALL THE SPIRIT!! 
️. We haven't been able to meet with Oscar this week so we will see where his baptism date stands with him..
Okay
before you guys get too bored let me just finish by saying what I loved
most about conference! In my mission I have been trying to ponder and
then write down questions to look for the answers during conference.
Right when the women's session started, I wrote down something along the
lines of service. And boy did that get answered didn't it. I loved
the talks from the Women's session! They talked soooo much about
service and the importance of serving selflessly. I could feel
the spirit so strong that Selfless service is the way to love people.
I'm so very grateful for anyone who has ever served me. And I sure hope
that I will be able to do more service after my mission.
I
loved the talk about being humble. Any blessing that I have ever
received here is when I humbled myself before the Lord to be able to
become closer to Christ. Loved that talk. There was a talk about
Forgiveness. This was another answer to one of my questions. He said
that Forgiveness does not mean that we have to let people mistreat us,
but perhaps we can see their lives in a different perspective. Humbling
ourselves to forgive others will prevent lots and lots of needless
unhappiness and contention. It allows us to feel our homes with the
Spirit and love.
And lastly, President Uchtdorf's talk was wonderful. (I wasn't able to see the last session from Sunday
so there will be lots of making up this week..) he talked about thanks
to the loving plan of our Heavenly Father, we are capable of rebuilding
our lives even when it is left in rubble. Because he loves us soooo
much, Christ is the good shepherd and he will come looking for us. But
God will not force us into Heaven. So if we want it we must exercise
our faith and be obedient. "He will lift you up and put you on his shoulders."
I love this gospel. It's real, I know it because I can feel it.
Have a WONDERFUL week.
Con mucho Amor,
Hermana Sydney Berry 
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