Madrid 4 Life

Hello mis queridos!!!

What a craaaaazy week we had!! There were plenty of ups and downs in
the beginning of the week but we ended this transfer with a bang! A
Baptism and great lessons with great investigators!! Well we got
transfers and I'm going to Barrio 2!! And... I'm one of the new sister
training leaders!! I'm slightly freaking out but I know that this is
an incredible opportunity the lord is giving me to be able to end my
mission strong. (I hit 15 months this week, CRAZY!) So I was more than
sure that I was going to leave Madrid and serve in either the Islands
or North.  So when I find out that I would probably end my mission
still in Madrid, there was a little disappointment. (Only a little.)
Because something I have been learning here in my mission is that
there are amazing blessings when we align our will with Heavenly
Father's.  I'm ready to work hard and I'm excited what he has in store
for me in Barrio 2.

But on the other hand it was reallllly hard to leave Barrio 5. I'm
going to miss Hermana Modugno so much but I know she is going to do so
great with her new compy in Barrio 5.  I remember when I didn't want
to train or go to Barrio 5.  But yesterday, my last Sunday in the
ward, I was looking around and thinking about how much I'm going to
miss these incredible members. They showed me so much love and
friendship and I'm going to miss them so much.  But I am so excited
that I got this opportunity to serve with them there and to have had
so many incredible experiences there.  I definitely learned a lot of
things these last 5 months. (Wow the times goes by fast, it was just
barely Christmas!)

On Saturday we had several different activities going on in the
church.  There was a big activity for the YSA youth that did a
presentation of different countries.  So we got to see some cool
dances from like Peru, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Columbia, and
Bolivia.  And then we tried some different typical food from their
countries.  So that was super fun to see.  And then after that we had
a missionary activity where we went into different rooms that
represented the plan of salvation. It ended up super awesome!

These last few weeks I have been praying that we would have a miracle
so I could see a baptism in Barrio 5 before I left.  And guess what!!!
 We had the wonderful opportunity to see Oscar get baptized.  It was
so incredible because for almost 5 months we've been working so hard
to have him be able to be baptized. And then he finally did this week,
so we were super happy to be able to have a baptism before we
separated.  ¡MILAGROS!

Okay update on Giannina.  She's just great.  And the last lesson we
had with her yesterday made me really sad to have to leave her!! She's
progressing very well and is just incredible person.  She came to
church on Sunday for the second time and loved it.  She already quit
coffee, tea, and alcohol and is working in quitting smoking, because
she really wants to follow the commandments. Well on Sunday we were
sitting in gospel principles class and she leans over to me and
whispers something.  "Hermana.. I have something to tell you.. But I
don't know how.." So I was like you can tell me.. And she says.. "I
want to be baptized.  I feel so much peace when I'm here and learning
more things.. I think this is what I need to do." I was like yes!!!
That is so great!! So then later yesterday we met with her to set a
date but the date we said she asked if we could do it a week earlier.
Well Of course we can!! She's reading the Book of Mormon and praying
with her son together. They're such a precious family!! Oh the spirit
was so strong and I'm so excited for her!! I learn so much when I
teach humble people.  She already understands very well that thanks to
the atonement of Christ she is able to start over with her life.  I
hope I get to see her baptism now that I'm still pretty close to
barrio 5.

Well that's about it!! Endings and beginnings como siempre.  I'm
beyond grateful for the things I did and people I met in Barrio 5. And
I'm so excited to work hard in Barrio 2.

The gospel is real.  Read about it and pray about it and you will feel
the spirit.
Love you all!!!!!

Hermana Berry 😘🍓🇪🇸
P.s. My new comp named Hermana McEntire. She's from Colorado and super sweet. 😊

  



 

 



  

La vida de Barrio 5

Hola! 🇪🇸
We're already in the last week of his transfers!! Craziness here, but it is all good! Let me see if I can remember what we did this week...

We met with Giannina and taught the word of wisdom with Cynthia's help.  I think it went pretty well.  We gave her the 15 step quit smoking program that the church has and she is very willing to quit.  We are very happy that she is progressing well!
On Saturday we met with a new family from Venezuela.  They were contacted by missionaries in Retiro Park and they are super sweet!! We taught them the restaurant lesson and it was really awesome.  Oscar finally came to church!!  Even though he worked graveyard, he was able to come for only hour.  But we're so happy that he is taking big leaps of faith! So this means that he can get baptized! ️

We had a cool experience that happened to us on Saturday.  Right before our Noche de Hogar at the church we had some extra time so we decided to pass for a direction that we had for a lady who is less active.  This whole week we wanted to get in contact with her but didn't have time. And we never ever have success when we pass by for people's pisos so it didn't really matter that we only had about a half an hour. So anyway, we get to her piso, ring it and she tells us to come up!! I was like what!! This has never happened in my mission so far. (Yeah I know kinda sad, haha.). We tell each other we will just share something in like 10 minutes in then leave.  Well almost 2 hours later we left.  So "E" let us in and she is the cutest, sweet Española I've ever met. Like why does someone open the door, and without knowing us, says come in, do you want leche and galletas?? So we visited with her and she told us her story, and what happened after her conversion story. It's a bit sad, whoa she has gone through a lot!! But it was kind of a little miracle that we showed up in perfect timing because she really needed some people to talk through some things.  She has a very fuerte testimony of the gospel even though bad things have happened to her in the past.  It was funny because when we came up to the door she was throwing away ensign magazines, and so when we came in the door she was like "Look, Hermanas, I promise I was only throwing it away because they are in the Internet, I swear!"  We were like, oh sure, only when the missionaries come.. Haha.  So anyway, we were super excited that we got to meet her!  It reminded me why I love being a missionary.  Listening to people's stories, and then helping them feel God's love by talking with the spirit.

I read in Heleman 3 and I really like these verses..

27 Thus we may see that the Lord is merciful unto all who will, in the sincerity of their hearts, call upon his holy name.

28 Yea, thus we see that the gate of heaven is open unto all, even to those who will believe on the name of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God.

29 Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked--

This work is hard but I love the blessings, they are so rewarding!

Next week we will see where I will spend my last 2 transfers!!

Con amor,

Hermana Sydney Berry

 

 

 

 

 

   

I 😍 Italy, New York, and Madrid.

Hello everyone!

My week was thrown off a little because we have Pday today instead of Monday.  So hopefully I'll be able to remember what I did last week. They changed it so that if you go to the temple you have Pday that day.  So in other words we just got out of the temple which was a really nice.  I have a feeling that I might leave Madrid for my last area which means that this was probably my last temple trip in Spain.  But that's okay, I'm so grateful for all of the times I got to go throughout my mission so far because I know lots of missions don't get that opportunity. (Sorry Noah, )

This week is the 2nd to last week of this transfer!! Transfers are on the 26th and I think I'm leaving.  I know Hermana Modugno will do great though, even though she is a bit nervous to area train, she is going to rock it!! All of Barrio 5 loves her!!
So last week I talked about Josefina.  This last week we have been trying and trying to meet with her but she all of the sudden got really busy looking for a job and is not coming to our appointments!!! . But anyway, it's not a surprise because EVERYTIME in my mission there has been someone so prepared to be baptized.. Satan's storms of trials appear so we are just pressing forward with faith.  She really is great, we are just hoping to be able to meet with her soon to finish teaching the lessons.  Oscar just needs to be able to come to church to get baptized.  So we are still praying for a miracle with his job. We are determined to see a baptism here in Barrio 5!  Sometimes we just need faith and patience during these times.

I've been trying so hard not to be trunky and this week made it a little difficult, haha.  A daughter of a super cute Dominican less active family that we visit returned home from her mission in New  York last Thursday.  She's so awesome!  We went to the airport to support her family when they picked her up.  But holy cow watching that...can you say trunky!!!?? It's okay though-- focus focus focus, haha.  And Vangelina is great though!! She's such an example to me because she is a convert to the church and I can already tell that she was a great missionary.  We're super excited for her help with our investigators and to keep helping her Mom and sister.  I love this family so much!!!

Thursday we also had a great zone conference, where our zone leaders taught us some great things.  President and Sister Pack came and it's always nice to receive spiritual instruction from them. I'm so grateful for the general conference we had and for all of the incredible talks there to help me grow spiritually.  Hopefully all of you have had a chance to read and hear some.
Last Monday we met with an old investigator that we finally had success of contacting her after like 4 months! She's super nice, Español, and very social.  We're not exactly sure if she really has interest in hearing about the gospel or just letting us in her house to give us juice and pastries.  But we are excited to meet with her again soon!!

Giannina is doing awesome!! We just love her.  She is so humble and very willing to change.  We had a member present lesson with a member named Cynthia who is a young mother too so we thought she could relate to her.  Well it was a great lesson and Cynthia brought her to church! And I can't even explain how much weight that lifts off us when the members bring our investigators to church.  We were so thrilled to Giannina and her son walk into sacrament meeting!! She loved all of the classes and is excited to come back next week.  This week we are going to start teaching the commandments and she is already more than willing to receive help to stop smoking.  I'm so grateful for the atonement, because not only does Christ forgive us from our sins, but he will make our weaknesses become stronger, even if that happens to be an addiction .  We are very excited about her progress. ️

For Pday today we went to Alcorcón to visit some of the wonderful members that I love and missed so dearly.  As I was there talking with them, I thought about the times in Alcorcón that maybe that were a little difficult for me the time.  But wow oh how the time has gone by fast!! Maybe Heavenly Father is trying to remind me that I need to enjoy every last moment I have here in my mission.  I'm so grateful for this gospel, for the opportunity I have has so far to serve with incredible people here in Madrid.  The hard times is when God is creating you into someone better than yourself.

I really enjoyed Elder Holland's talk from conference.  It gives me true comfort know that here in this life we are going to fall a ton because we are so stinkin imperfect, but the amazing thing about this gospel is that we get credit for trying. (-Elder Holland)

Les quiero MUCHO!!

Hermana Sydney Berry

Photos- welcoming at the airport, Hermana Modugno found a restaurant that serves Italian food from her city! (Bari, Italia), temple, and Alcorcón!





 
 
 
 
 

     

"He will lift you up and put you in his shoulders."

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!!

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Easter, Pioneers, y Piñatas!!

FELIZ PASCUA! 🐰🌷😊

I hope everyone enjoyed their Easter Sunday!! Here in Madrid it seems to be more of an excuse to eat more food and leave the country for vacation.  But luckily for me as a missionary, I got to feel the true significance of Easter.  The Lord has risen and this is a powerful message that we got to share with people this week!!  I continued studying from Jesus the Christ about his death and resurrection and I feel that I have learned and felt a little bit more this week. We are also very excited for general conference this next weekend! I feel so happy and grateful for all of the opportunities I get to be
spiritually uplifted on a daily basis.

Hermana Modugno and I were just talking how we don't really remember a lot that happened this week.  And not to sound like a broken record but wow the weeks go by so fast!! The days can be long, but when you look at the end of the week, I don't know where the time went! Sometimes it scares me because I know how important it is to use the Lord's time wisely. But when things don't go as planned I have to remember that as long as we did our part being faithful, obedient, and diligent, that's all that God expects of us.  This week is Hermana Modugno's 20th Birthday! Hopefully she doesn't read this email because I'm planning on make her chocolate strawberry pancakes for breakfast.  🤗🍓

God's timing even in little tiny moments is always perfect.  We taught Josefina the Plan of Salvation on Tuesday and she understood it pretty well! On Thursday she when she came and met with us to go to a family home evening in a members house, she received a phone call that her friend had died.  Fortunately we (and a 17 year old member who was with us) were there to help comfort her.  I know that she really needed us in that moment.  Not only did we teach about the plan of Salvation beforehand but something else that was interesting happened to.  When we were waiting to meet with her on Thursday, we came out of the wrong exit of the metro and ended up having to be a little late to the family night.  But what we realized was that it was kind of a mini miracle that we were outside when she received her call because it would have been worst if we were already in the house for her to receive the news.  This reminded me that God knows all.  He's knows what might happen to us in the future and uses little moments that same to be bad timing in the moment actually a blessing in the end!! We met again with our other investigator Gianina.  She told us more about her life and the struggles that she's going through with her son.  But she also told us that she's grateful for the peace and tranquility that she has felt since meeting with us.  I know that Heavenly Father puts us in people's lives when they need it the most. The gospel changes and blesses people!!

On Saturday we celebrated with the Relief Society the anniversary.  We watched a little skit of the history of how it first got started and then we watched some cute little Latinas dancing like pioneers and then........ I hit the piñata!! Haha it was great! Yesterday we took some of our investigators and a member to a really cool Easter concert in Pavones.  It was fun to some of the members that I know from my last 2 areas.  The music was really pretty and I felt the spirit pretty strong!  I'm so grateful for Christ's atonement!  He has risen from the tomb.  He conquered death and saved us, that is why he is our Savior.  He is waiting for us to come unto him.  I love this gospel. Spain is great.  Have a really good week and pay attention to conference!!

Love you ALL!!!
Hermana Berry

 

 

 

   

 

El poder de la expiación

Hola!

This week was great!!  We worked a lot harder and received many blessings.  Some of those including NEW INVESTIGATORS! Yay, we are so happy. ☺️.  Right now it is raining outside which means bring on the Spanish Spring weather! (I know have no right to complain because I am not serving in Northern Spain, but Madrid has its ups and downs.). This week I have been  focusing/studying on the atonement and resurrection to prepare for Easter.  My testimony continues to be increased as I read the Book of Mormon everyday and also the power of prayer.  The church released its new Easter video called Hallelujah that we've been sharing with people and it's such a beautiful message about the resurrection!  I hope everyone will be able to focus more on the real meaning of Easter this weekend.

New investigators!! Last Monday we found an interesting man outside of the church.  So we saw this this older Español gentleman walking by the church and looking out the church sign. And so we went up to him started talking.  We ended up talking for about 30 minutes and he was super nice.  He didn't ended up giving his number but I think was very grateful for the conversation we had together.  I hope we can see him again soon!  Antonio, our investigator that I talked about last week wasn't able to meet with us because he is traveling, but he is reading the Book of Mormon and is still messaging us questions. Yay!

Other miracle investigators... Josefina! Well the other day two ladies came to the door of the church and one of them told us that she was really interested in learning more about the gospel!! (This never happens so miracles #1) She is Dominican and super sweet and funny. So we met with her like two days later and set a baptismal date for April.  Her sister lives in Utah and she's planning on going to General Conference there.  And we are planning on having her getting baptized when she returns.  Tonight is our second lesson with her. 😊

Yesterday we met with a new investigator who is a Mother from Peru with a little son.  She was contacted by Elders from the MTC in Retiro Park and she wanted to learn more about the Book of Mormon.  We met with her yesterday and lesson went really well!! I've been trying to work on being more bold with the Spirit, so I invited her to be baptized and she accepted!! I have really seen miracles happen when I boldly follow the spirit.  This week was awesome to finally have more investigators after hard work without easily seeing success.

Just like many times in my mission, my testimony in prayer really has been strengthened so much!  Sometimes I have little trials during the week that seem like things will NEVER CHANGE.. But then after a simple prayer with faith I am able to see/feel God's love and protection in my life.  On Friday, we had a super good zone conference with President and Hermana Pack.  They talked about how we can be better at "finding" new people to teach.  This is what I needed to learn more about so I was grateful for the messages there.  I have been reading in the Book of Mormon about Captain Moroni, and I am astonished that his faith and strength he has in Christ.  I want to be more like him.

I love being a missionary!! Today we went to Retiro Park and played soccer with the Elders, and some youth and I was reminded how blessed I am to be in Spain and I get to be around super awesome people!! I love my Savior Jesus Christ, and I know that he was resurrected. Thanks to Him, all is possible.  I love you guys so much and hope you feel the Lord's calming peace this Easter.

Con MUCHO cariño,
Hermana Sydney Berry 😘🇪🇸🍓

¿Dónde está mi English?

¡Hello a todos!

     This week started out a little strange let me explain why... Well Monday Hermana Marsh went home, and so now that makes 3 of my companions already home and which means I have only 2 transfers left after this one.  But that won't be for a whillllle so for now I'm going to continue enjoying Spain and being a missionary.  Right? Okay. Anyway, on Wednesday we had to find an orthodontist because my poor companion broke her retainer and was super stressed out about that.. But like I have always seen in my mission, God always provides.  And he did because tomorrow she's going to pick up her new one! :) So when we were looking for the orthodontist, I didn't realize we were out of our area until we were suddenly in front of the REAL Madrid soccer stadium, so that was kind of random haha.  (Oops sorry President.).  But we did end up finding it and my Comp's teeth are still perfect.

     Tuesday we had a cool lesson with a new investigator named ANTONIO. Antonio not only is legit looking for the truth but he is A) a Spaniard. And B) an old Spaniard.  Let me just tell you that this is a rare case to find. He is super great and is super willing to listen to our message and find out for him self if it's true.  I think that's probably one of my favorite things about being missionary of this gospel.  Our message about God comes with a complete 100% Guarantee. Wanna know why? Because we don't tell people to take our word for it, we invite them to ask Heavenly Father to receive an answer for themselves through the Holy Ghost.  And I love that, and so does he. So anyway, tomorrow we are going to meet with Antonio for the second lesson. He has already texted us asking more questions about the restoration. :) He was a reference contacted by the Hermanas in Barrio 9 in the metro. He told us that he was sitting down and saw two missionaries (shoutout to Hermana Olsen and Hinton. ) and felt like he had to talk to them for some reason so he asked them to come over and that's how they got his number. During the lesson he told us that he's been praying and praying to find the truth but God still hasn't answered him. (Because he hasn't seen God in other words we are working with his faith) but then we were like hello!!! God has answered you, he sent those two Hermanas in the metro.. I guess sometimes it's harder than others to recognize and answer to a prayer.

     Hmm what else has happened this week?... Oh, I am forgetting my English, (hence the email subject.) The other day we contacted a Philippine lady sitting in a bench and when she said, "Lo Siento, no hablo Español.." I was like shoot what do I say in English? Haha, I'm getting so awkward in my native language. Ha.

     "The people don't want to talk to us in the street, but they will talk to the pigeons.." -Hermana Modugno.  So the other day we sat down on a bench to make some phone calls and there was a little poor pigeon that was plopped down because it was stuck.  And a lady passed by, stopped talking on the phone to talk to the pigeon. The people are a tiny bit crazy, haha.

     Yesterday we had a lesson with Javi, a menos activo that we meet with.  He is lo mejor. (He's the one who drew the pictures of last week.) Anyway, for some reason it's really easy for me and Hermana Modugno to receive revelation when we teach him.  Every time we share what we feel like the Spirit is telling us to teach, he always tell us that it's exactly what he needed to hear.  So the other day he told us because of that, he knows this church is true.  Also yesterday, he was telling us about when he left the church for a while. (He's a recent convert but then was inactive for a while.) He said that the reason that he came back is because it didn't make sense to leave something so good to go to a life that is worst.  And so that's why he came back to the church, because it has helped his life so much.

     Here is a scripture that I really liked this week:

Alma 34:41 "But that ye have patience, and bear with those afflictions, with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions."Even though the mission can be hard sometimes, it's so wonderful.  I am so very grateful for so many things that I have been blessed with here in my mission.  The other night as I was lying in bed, I had this overwhelming appreciation for all of the blessings that I have received here these last 14 months.  Just to name one in specific is the fact that these last 3 transfers here in Barrio 5, Heavenly Father has blessed me so much to organize my time as we have to arrange our time everyday to meet with people. I'm so grateful. I love this gospel. I hope you have a great week!!

Con MUCHO cariño,

Hermana Berry 🇪🇸

Photo 1- the sad pigeon. 2- Yo y mi compy. 3- I ran into a lady that came to English classes clear back in Alcorcón! How small this world is even in gigantic Madrid! 4- My cute area. :)