Tengo Gozo dijo Alma

Hola everyone!!!

This week was sooooo good! I'm excited to tell you about it. :) Also this week is the last week of my second transfer here in Barrio 5, and there's a big chance that I'm leaving (to my last area.) 😁. But we are not sad here, we are going to give it our best this next week!!! This week I have seen lots of little miracles. :) I have been learning more how I can apply the atonement in my life, I have felt MUCHISÍMO peace from reading the Book of Mormon, and I have been reminded how lucky I am to be a missionary and the importance of always being happy.

Friday was such a great day. Wanna know why? Because I got to do an intercambio with Mamá Marsh before she goes home!! Oh what a treat it was to serve with Hermana Marsh because I got to show her what I've learned since when were together a year ago.  (Well hopefully there was a lot of improvement, haha).  She has taught me so much and is such a great example to me! 😊. Even though we were caught in the rain all night I had a great time. :) We found a Columbian man who didn't believe in God but it is such a sweet experience to testify of the love our Heavenly Father has for us even if when there are people who just don't understand.  It reminded me of in the Book of Mormon, the story of Alma and Korihor.

This week I saw a lot of miracles with the work we have been doing the last two transfers with some less active members.  There is a lady that we have been trying to meet with for like 3 months that we finally met with on Tuesday!! Yay!! She has gone through a lot in her life and in the lesson we decided to just focus on having her start praying in her life again- getting better at things poco a poco.  Well it really seemed like she was not going to commit to pray this week. But guess what!? After talking a little bit about Enos from the BOM.. She ended up offering the closing prayer and I about teared up, it was such a beautiful prayer.  It made me realize how perhaps sometimes we aren't pondering about who we are talking with enough when we pray to God.  To hear someone pray who hasn't prayed for such a long time, really talk with her Heavenly Father, it just touched my heart so
much!! ☺️

This week I've been really studying the Book Of Mormon about true conversion to Christ and how to apply the atonement.  In Alma 26, it talks about when Ammon glories in his God because he is literally filled with so much joy because of all of the people he was able to bring unto Christ.  In the chapters after that it talks about the joy that Alma has as well.  I've been thinking a lot lately how I want to feel more of that joy myself, so I realized maybe I need to start working a little bit harder and putting my faith more in him. Yesterday I realized that probably the worst part of not being a missionary will be not be able to recognize little miracles on a daily basis so easily.  Yesterday at church we saw tons of little miracles!! So much that I think I may have felt a small portion of joy that Ammon and Alma felt in their ministry.  During Sacrament Meeting 5 of the less active members that we normally visit came to church!! That alone made me so happy! We also had a lesson with a new investigator who wants to get baptized!!  We also had a lesson with an investigator who we haven't seen for a while.. Other Milagro. :). I got my broken glasses fixed again and then we ended the night great by eating delicious Honduran Tacos. :) Good Sunday to end a great week!! 🤓👍🏻

Okay last thing before I bore you to death with my long email. :).  So Saturday night we got a call from a member saying that he would bring his friend who is here working from England to church on Sunday because she is interested in learning about the gospel.  And of course we accept!! Member references are always lo MEJOR!! So we met them on Sunday and she is so darling!  She enjoyed all of the meetings. :) After church we had a lesson with her with the help of two members that are friends with her.  The members were a great help with bearing their testimonies of the restoration and Joseph Smith.  During the lesson I felt the spirit very strongly to invite her to be baptized but I'm always too nervous to be too bold in the first lesson.  Well I followed the spirit and she said of she of course would like to.  She said that she thinks it's really cool how we want people to have a testimony for themselves.  In her prayer it was so cute, she said thank you so much for sending us and for helping her learn about the "Mormons" haha. We excited for our next lesson with her tomorrow.

Well this week I learned that there may be really hard days in he mission, but the really good days are so great. :) I love being a missionary. This really is the Lord's work.  Have a fantastic first week of March!!

Con Amor,
Hermana Sydney Berry 🇪🇸🍓😊

1 pic- Mexican taco restaurant, 2-coolest store I've found. :) 3-A
member I met who knew my dad in France!!

 

 

Happy Febrero

Hola a todos!!!

    Hello my dear ones I hope everyone is doing well!! The days here are still flying by so fast.  We're working hard and learning new things everyday!! This past week I hit my 13th month mark.. Wow I can't believe it's been that long since I've been a missionary!! I hope that next transfer I get to stay here in Barrio 5 because the members and people we visit are just so fantastic!! I learn things from them every time we visit.  This week I've been focusing on counting  all of my many blessings and staying focused in the work of the Lord.  I have came to realize that Heavenly Father has blessed me in so many ways but one of those ways are the people that have come into my life.  I have met so many different people here in my mission from so many different countries and that have different life stories. I'm so grateful for their examples and love I have felt from them.  As I have taught and read things from the scriptures especially the Book of Mormon, my testimony in Christ and the importance of obeying the commandments have increased so much!!  I love this gospel so much and I am oh so grateful for every single that I have learned here on my mission.

   The Barrio 5 is doing great. :)  We have an investigator who we are trying help get baptized hopefully pretty soon.  A couple of weeks ago some of the Elders had a baptism, a lady who's from Venezuela and she is just darling!!  It's so great to see the ward welcome her with warm love.  The cool thing about being in Spain is that there are so many people from different countries.  Just in my ward alone there are people from Spain, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Chile, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Argentina, just to name a few.   Every Sunday I am amazed of the fact that I am able to speak and understand Spanish.  I know without a doubt that it was all thanks to the help of the lord.

     This week I have seen many blessing thanks to the Holy Ghost. Yesterday we had a lesson and read the talk "What lack I yet?" and we talked about how the spirit can bless our lives.  When we are humble enough to ask what we need to work on better, we permit the spirit to help us become who our Heavenly Father wants us to be.  I love that talk!  Also this week we had a zone conference which was awesome!! We talked about the importance of diligence and also how it's important to be very personal in teaching our  investigators.  So this week we are going to work on teaching better for the people's needs.

I love this gospel so much and I love being a missionary!! I hope everyone has a great week and don't forget to pray. ☺️

Con Amor,
Hermana Sydney Berry

Happy Valentine's Day!! 😘

Happy Valentine's to all!! Sunday I realized that it had been exactly a year ago I was in the MTC and went to Retiro Park contacting people on Valentine's Day.  I remember that was my very favorite Saturday in the MTC.  Because what better thing to do on Valentine's Day than share about the love Of God while walking in one of the biggest parks in Spain??  It was so great learning how to break out of my shell.  Well looking back, (I still can't believe it has been over a year since then!!). I have learned so much about being a missionary and also this Valentine's Day week I was reminded again of the Love that our Heavenly Father has for each and every one of his children! I hope you guys all had a great day on Sunday and spent it with your loved ones. 😘 On Sunday it was a member who is less active that we visit's birthday. He came to church, like all three hours.. And guess what, he even gave a talk!  These moments are super precious to me to be able to see that we were able to help someone's spiritual growth. Woohoo! We looked like proud parents, haha.

    The time is going faster and faster here in Barrio 5!  We're are always learning how to be better missionaries everyday and every week. I continue to be so grateful for my wonderful cute companion who is such a wonderful example to me.  We have so much fun together and we are working hard to find someone who is prepared to receive this gospel.  Although there are some days that have us wondering, why aren't we have lots of success with investigators..  I have seen so many miracles in little ways in the little time I have had here in Barrio 5.  Before we know it this transfer will be over, and I hope and pray that we get to stay together for a third transfer!!

     I've been still really enjoying reading the Book of Mormon.  My faith and testimony has increased of Christ so much because of this Book.  I'm so beyond grateful for this gospel and for all of the blessings that this gospel and definitely my mission has brought me in my life.  Things can be hard, but wow it is so rewarding!! I really enjoyed the relief society lesson we had on Sunday about  Adversity. Christ really is he who will help lift us up in times of need.  Today for Pday we went and visited the Titanic exhibit which I loved!! I think by the end of it, I had the realization/confirmation that worldly things in the end will mean nothing and what matters is the love and relationships we make with people here.  Those were my thoughts from listening to the Titanic history.  Also today I got to see Hermana Marsh and Hermana Spencer which was super fun!! I'm realizing that my mission is coming to and end soon so I'm trying to stay focused and to give it all I got because really this opportunity I have here in Spain to share the gospel is one in a life time.
Cuídense mucho. ☺️🇪🇸

Hermana Berry
(Last photo is a 3 generation picture of mission mamas!!)

¿Tenemos la Fe?

Hola Friends!!

   Another great week has flown too quickly for us here.  I'm starting realize that my trainers weren't that crazy when they said that every transfer goes by faster and faster.  Es Verdad. Well I'm finally not that sick anymore, but sadly the muscle under my ribs decided to get pulled.  It only hurts when I cough, breathe, or laugh. Unfortunately I have a very funny district of elders, so in other words there has been lots of holding my side to conserve the pain. Jaja. 😆 But anyway it's all good Heavenly Father is helping me.  Besides that I had an awesome week because on Wednesday we had a mission tour where Elder Moreira who is from the 70's came and talked to us and it was soooo inspiring.

    Lately we have really been wanting to be better at working well with ward leaders.  So the beginning of this week, we met with the primary president and who actually returned from the Malaga Mission not too long ago.  She's so great and sweet.  She helped us figure out what we can do to help the ward and other ideas we can do as missionaries with finding new investigators, etc.  Also this Saturday we are going to help her set up things for a baptism.  And Thursday we are going to do some service for the Relief Society presidency.  We are excited to help out with them.

    The other day we had a lesson with our investigator who is deaf. He actually hasn't been progressing lately and so we decided we would find out what is stopping him from getting baptized.  Well my companion being bold as she is (she really is, it's great) told him that we would like to set a date to work towards baptism.  Well anyway he just gave us look of shock because he says he still has a problem with paying tithing.  So we are going to work on helping his faith. Oscar who does have a baptism date wasn't able to meet with us this
week so we will see how's doing his week.

    On Wednesday all of the missionaries in Madrid went to Pavones for the mission tour with Elder Moriera.  I wish I could just share all of the notes I took because it was so wonderful!! Sometimes, I mean a lot of times, as missionaries we need some spiritual nourishment to help us in the work and this was definitely what I needed!! Elder Moriera and his wife are from Portugal and they served as mission President in Brazil.  The first thing that really stood out to me in this meeting was faith.  Because if we have enough faith in The Lord we will literally see miracles in this work.  We have spiritual tools we have that we need to use as missionaries.  This is something we have decided to work on more this week!  Anyway he later talked about the atonement and how Jesus Christ was submissive to do his father's will. We too must submit ourselves into the Lord.  He talked about how we need to do things that make us uncomfortable and that we don't want to
do but that we must do.  Because Heavenly Father has given us this opportunity to over come ourselves.  He told us how we need to give everything we have because in reality we own nothing.  All of it we owe to God. He said that by the end of our missions we should have nothing because we gave everything to the Lord.  Well I've taken the notes, and so now I will be doing some praying to receive the strength to become the missionary Heavenly wants me to be.

    President Pack has challenged as a mission to read the Book of Mormon together!  But, in a special way.  I think it might have been Elder Bednar that said to read the BOM with a specific question and think about that question everything you read it.  So that's what I am doing and I challenge you to do the same.  I know that this will bring peace and help answer questions in your lives.

    I love you all and thanks for the support!!! Have a buenísima semana!!!!!

Con Amor,
Hermana Berry
🇪🇸☺️🍓

1-Hermana Modugno and I at the mission tour
2-A hotel by the Neptune fountain
3-My companion broke the window in our piso.  Ok just kidding I have
no idea what happened.
4-growin my own parsley in my piso. 🙄



 

Ups downs and some more downs, And then some Milagros..

Hola everyone!!

     Happy February, who can believe we are in this month already!?  Today is the first of day of my second transfer here in the center of Madrid.  Every missionary stayed the same in Barrio 5 which I was really happy about because we have some great Elders that we are serving with.  Even though this transfer lasted 8 weeks instead of 6, it felt like one of my shortest!!  Hermana Modugno has survived my training for one transfer so far, haha.  We are very excited to see what is in store for these next 6 weeks together.  I've still been pretty sick. (almost 2 weeks is just too much for me!!) But the work can't stop here, so I have been having to really put my faith in the Lord to really strengthen me while I have been physically and emotionally down.  But by the end of the week we felt very happy and saw lots of Miracles all on Sunday!! ️

     Tuesday I went to the doctor and he told me that I have an infection in my chest.  Hooray. So in other words my poor companion has had to hear me every day for almost two weeks hacking up my lungs.  Last week was hard because of that but then this week I got pretty down emotionally. I think it has something to do with being frustrated for not being able to work as hard as I want to! But luckily for me, my companion is so great and she is always there for me when I have my melt downs.  Perhaps this week was good opportunity to reflect on who I really have to rely on.  And I have definitely felt the help from the Lord so much this transfer. Although being sick is super uncomfortable when you have lots of things to do, and places to go, we were still able to see quite a bit of miracles and we feel like we are getting a lot closer with members in the ward!!

     As missionaries we are always taught that it is very important to "teach people, not lessons."  Well this of course requires real intensive listening to the Holy Ghost so we can know of their needs.  Although I know there are a lot of things I always could be doing better as a missionary, this week was kind of a confirmation that me and my companion really are listening to and teaching with the Holy Ghost, because we saw this in many of our lessons.  The last few lessons we've had with one of our less active member who's from Peru has said how it is interesting that we had taught, read, or shared something that had to do exactly what he was needing.  A lot of times we would come to a lesson with something prepared but then later me or my companion would feel the need need to change it.  And it's such a great feeling when they tell us that is exactly what they needed to help them spiritually.  My goal as a missionary is to always teach with the spirit because without it we can't do anything!

    Sunday was a great day!  I started out with giving a talk in sacrament. I talked about missionary work.  I gave the example of how every year my Dad always invites everyone in his Facebook to go on a hike in Zion's national park because it is what brings him joy.  Well I compared that to how we should have the desires to share this gospel with others because it is what can give us the maximum joy in life!!  It's funny because I usually love speaking in Church but this time I was so nervous because it's a little different not speaking in your own language.  I was shaking right before it was my turn because I was mostly worried that I wouldn't be able to speak because I was coughing from my chest pretty badly.  But I said a little prayer and GRACIAS DEL ESPIRITU, it all turned out pretty well.  The gift of tongues is real because I still don't how know how I was able to do it and how everyone understood me perfectly. . First Milagro of the day.  The rest of the miracles happened like this: Sunday morning we he had no lessons planned or confirmed because nobody could meet with us.  But miraculously we were able to have a whole day full of lessons!  It was a great way to end a week and transfer.

I have been reading in Alma and I really liked these verses.  I know this gospel can bring us so much joy!  Have a wonderful week and I love you all!!

Hermana Sydney Berry

Alma 1:29-31

29 And now, because of the steadiness of the church they began to be exceedingly rich, having abundance of all things whatsoever they stood in need--an abundance of flocks and herds, and fatlings of every kind, and also abundance of grain, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious things, and abundance of silk and fine-twined linen, and all manner of good homely cloth.

30 And thus, in their prosperous circumstances, they did not send away any who were naked, or that were hungry, or that were athirst, or that were sick, or that had not been nourished; and they did not set their hearts upon riches; therefore they were liberal to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, whether out of the church or in the church, having no respect to persons as to those who stood in need.

31 And thus they did prosper and become far more wealthy than those who did not belong to their church.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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!!!