July 25, 2011

Hi Everyone,

Tishie is the hood!  I really love this area and it has been really fun serving with the members here.  A funny thing happened this past week. Last Saturday we had our baptism and when we went to fill the font the water was off so we had to call a water truck to come fill the font.  In the mean time someone left the valve on to the baptismal font on so on Tuesday when we showed up for our district meeting the church was flooded. So before every one came we had to hurry and clean up the whole place.  It was pretty funny but a big mess.

I know that I have a short attention span but it even got shorter this past week.  We had gone down by the coast to teach an inactive family and while I was teaching the lesson I could hear the waves crashing on the BEACH.  That was the most distracted I have been on my mission.  The sound of the ocean made my mind go blank and all that I could think about was swimming. Oh how I miss the water. I want to go swimming so bad. Ha-ha!  We spent most of the week down on the coast so by the end of the week I was doing a lot better when I heard or could see the ocean knowing for now that I can’t touch.

Other than the ocean being a distraction everything else is going so well here.  We have so many people to work with that we are losing track of all of them. We had 28 people with a date and had to drop 14 of them so we could just focus on a few of them in order to help them progress to baptism.  We are being so blessed right now!

Here is a good story for the week.  On Monday I found out that Michael (who was just baptized on Saturday) got sacked from the house he was living in because he was baptized. So all week I have felt bad about what we did and questioned if baptizing him was the right thing to do.  Michael had found a friend to live with so on Wednesday we went to see how he was doing. When we got there Michael invited us in and his friend Mathew was also there so we were like sweet, we can teach both of them. So we invited Mathew to join us in the lesson. We quickly changed the lesson from a recent convert lesson to a member present new investigator lesson. We taught them small and simple things about the church and the restoration. We extended a baptismal date to Mathew and after answering his question on whether a person could be baptized again he said “yes”. Then I began to bare my testimony of how I knew the church was true when right in the middle of my testimony Mathew looked me right in the eyes and it was like he said something to me but it was the spirit that said "Brady stop talking and listen". So I just stopped right in the middle of my testimony and my companion and Michael was just staring at me like what are you doing. Then Mathew looked at me and said "I love you guys. I really love you guys. You know I haven’t felt this happy in the longest time but when you two walked in my door you brought something here. You brought it right here (as he was pointing to his heart) that just made me feel happy for the first time in the longest time”. He said that he stopped going to church and started getting into the wrong things, but that he was now ready to stop all that and be baptized. At that point the spirit was so strong there it was painful. My throat got all dried up, my eyes itched, my nose started to run, and all this water started pouring out of my eyes. We closed our lesson with a pray and as we all knelt there in prayer we all knew that the spirit was present.  It was the first lesson that I have cried in.

I love me mission, I love the people of Ghana, I love all my family and every one who reads this letter.  I know the church is true there is no doubt!

Take care every one!

Love Bbear 

July 18, 2011 - Who Needs Mail?????

So what’s up family?

Sorry about last weeks letter.  I got kind of busy and I should have taken more time to do a better job. So hopefully I got my point across and everyone including my brother understood what I was trying to say. 

So how is everything going for you guys?  The emails and letters are hurting from the Berry family. Are you starting to forget about me? ha-ha  So if you want to make it all up to me Dad I need you to make me a 90 day work out calendar with p90x and the jump manual stuff. Mom I am almost out of vitamins, face wash, and peanut butter ha-ha so if you could send me more maybe for my birthday but no hurry.

So some of the things I left out of last weeks letter was I forgot to tell you that we met with President and Sister Judd a week ago Friday. He and his wife are so nice. They were just so happy to be here. For lunch they brought all this cut up fruit which was way sweet. President Judd is supper smart and he knows the scriptures inside and out.  But they are just the best people in the world. It’s going to be fun to get to know him and to serve under him.

On President Judd’s first day we had some problems and had to call him to get permission to teach some people who where underage who happen to be staying with the Relief Society President. We called him to ask permission and he just kept saying how happy he was to be in Ghana and how exciting the missionary work is here. He went off on some story about when he was stake president he called President Hinckley to ask him a question and they talked for about 15 minutes about other stuff and then President Hinckley hung up without ever answering his question.  I’m sure President Judd has a lot more stories to tell.  He is such a happy and jolly man. (I wish to write more about the Judd’s but this key board is broken and this has taken me 20 minutes to write so I am sorry.)

This week we went on splits and I went to Baastonna. I never thought that I would be going back there for splits after leaving Nungua. I went with Elder Evenson.  He is from Idaho. We had a great time together.  For lunch we bought an ostrich egg and cook up fried eggs.  It was so good.

I haven’t been very good at writing about baptisms but we had one on Saturday.  We baptized Brother Eugene who is 57 and Michael who is 32. It was a sweet one! Eugene was the only non member in his family so we got to unite his whole family together.  He has 3 sons, one baptized him, one confirmed him, and the other ordained him to the Aaronic Priesthood. It was a very good weekend. They are all so happy now that their father has come to know the truth.

Sorry I didn’t write more but this keyboard is giving me fits. I love all you guys!

So clean so fresh,

Elder Berry 

July 12, 2011 "I am the Gardner and I know what I want you to Become."

What’s up family?

So I will just get right to it! Yesterday at church we got 7 people there.  Man, things were crazy getting every one to meet the bishop and to all the right classes. One of the guys that came to church was Kwamie Madison. This is a great story.  A missionaries dream. On Saturday we were late for a meeting at the church, so we were in a big hurry.  I was riding my bike down this street when out of the blue this guy says “Hello” then as I passed I heard him say “When are you going to invite me to your church?”  So I slammed on my brakes and turned around and said “What did you say?” Then he just looks at me like I was crazy.  So I asked him again and he said “No”.  So then I just introduced myself to him as a missionary from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and gave him a pamphlet with our name and number and the address of the church with the time it started.  Then I was on my way to our meeting.

So on Sunday in walks Kwamie to church.  So after church we went over to his house to teach him and he had his whole family come and join us.  He has 6 kids from 10 years old.  The tightest thing ever was when he introduced us to his family he introduced us as "the elders from his new church, and he hopes that all of them will follow him there".  So Sunday was way sweet. 

So for the last couple of months I have been praying a ton for certain people such as the ward leaders, missionaries, investigators, converts, family and tons of other people. But last week when I was at the cafe I got a small answer to one of my prayers that had to do with family. So family (Brody, Braxton, Bronson, and Britton) this one is for you.

I have been reading in 3 Nephi and I read the scripture in chapter 12 vrs 48. It says therefore I would that ye should be PERFECT even as I, or your Father who is in Heaven is PERFECT." So what does it mean to be perfect, if that is what is expected of us?  In the topical guide is says under perfection, perfect, perfectly: see also god perfection, god standard of righteousness, godliness integrity, JESUS CHRIST, new man, spiritually re-born, MAN POTENTIAL TO BECOME LIKE HEAVENLY FATHER. So I looked up this last one in the topical guide, and it referred me back to PERFECTION.

So how can we become like our Heavenly Father or to become perfect? Last conference Elder Christofferson gave a very good talk on how one can BECOME perfect. So I would like you to read that talk but I will paraphrase some of it for you. He said "that we ALL need to adapt the attribute and be willing to accept and even seek CORRECTION." yes we all hate to be corrected because we think we are always right. Right?  "but we should rejoice that god considers us worth the time and trouble to correct. So why do we need to receive correction? 1) because it persuades us to repent 2) it will refine us, 3) to REDIRECT our course in life to what god knows is a better path.

So we are corrected to persuade us to repent. Yes, as a missionary we get chastened by leaders all the time, to help us to see what we need to work on and what we need to do better. And Yes I hate it, but it does help me to repent so I can be a better missionary.
Correction will refine us, god wants us to be the beautiful diamond, but right now we are rocks, so some one needs to refine that rock to make it that shinny diamond that is can become.
 
Some times we need to be redirected to stay on that path that our heavenly father wants for us. I remember long time ago in the deacons quorum Todd Berry gave a lesson on this very thing (I think if I remember right) Dad started his lesson by putting a little dot on the chalk board, and latter explained that if a space ship is off on its target (like the moon) by this much (pointing to the dot that we could barely see) the space ship will miss the moon by thousands of miles. So as the ship is going to the moon they are constantly redirecting the ship to keep it on course.

Elder Christofferson gave a good story about President Hugh B Brown. Now the Gardner said " I am the Gardner and I Know what I want you to become.'” ( I want you all to read Elder Christofferson’s talk)
So our course correction comes from parents, the prophets, bishops, church leaders. (yes that means priest quorum leaders) When I thought about what Brody might say to that I thought about what I would have said. It probably would have been something like “they are always given me crap every time I go to Priesthood, so I just wont go because I don’t like the crap. Well both of my grandpas in their gardening, and farming taught me that CRAP is a good federalizer. So sometimes people might just be giving us the crap we need to GROW BIG. In D&C 136 31 it says " My people must be tried in all things, that they may be prepared to receive the glory that I have for them, even the glory of Zion; and he that will not bear chastisement is not worthy of my kingdom.”

So for my prayers I have been praying for my brothers to grow up to be better then me, to go to there classes at church, and to seminary, I pray that they will just Go and DO what is best for them and not to worry about the crap they might get. Because it is only there to help you to repent, to be refined into that DIAMOND, and to be redirected to what is better.

Brody, Braxton, Bronson, and Britton I love you guys and want you guys to be that diamond! You guys are champs keep doing what’s right! Mom, Dad, Hollie and Miriah I love you too!

Peace for now,

Love Bbear

Happy 4th every one!

 I can not believe that it is July already! Starting from ground zero for the third time is not easy. We have like nothing going in my new area.  In Odorkor my companion and I just got the place rolling BIG time, and then I get dropped. Now I’m starting all over for the third time.  We had one guy come to church, but he is a major drinker. He was like boozed at church so we can’t really focus on him right now. (Since he won’t be baptized in like forever!)  So other than the drunk guy we didn’t have anyone else at church.
So once again its time to go to work and get this area ON TOP!  We did find 15 new people to teach and most of them accepted a date and by the end of the week I broke my record with 16 accepting a date.  But that doesn’t mean much since I can give a date to just about any one and every one. Ten of them said they were coming to church and that nothing would stop them, but something did so this week we have to go back and see if we can find out why they didn’t come to church and see if we can help them overcome their fears.

Last Monday after we went to the cafe, we got invited to play b-ball in Nungua with some people that they are teaching.  The missionaries made a deal with them that if we could beat them in a game of basketball then they would come to church.  So these guys have been like training every day for this game getting ready for the Broni's! haha.  They were so funny. Most of them were like 20 plus and had head bands and sleeves and wore Cleveland 23 jerseys. (most popular jersey in Ghana right now!)  I see like 10 people wearing them everyday.  Hmm I wonder why? Ha ha  So these guys were pumped about this game.  They had plays and everything but at the start of the game we were killing them. It was like 14 zero, then we got tired and no one could run anymore and they just killed us!!!!!!!  At the end of the game it was like 36 to 69. They blew us out! None of us had ran that much for a long time. So no one really could play or score so I had to do my thing but I didn’t have much in the tank.

My whole life I talked about the day that I would be a missionary.  In primary we sang the song "I hope they call me on a mission when I have grown a foot or two I hope by then I will be ready to teach and preach and do as missionaries do!" The past couple of weeks I have been think about this song, and about what I thought a mission would be like from the view of a primary child. I’m not sure that I ever could have imagined being in such a wonderful place that I am in now. I never would have thought about being with such amazing people that I am with now. I never thought that I would be eating FUFU every day just to live. I’m not sure that I would love my mission as much as I do! My current primary song is "I hope that I can serve my mission with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. I hope by the end I will have completed all the lord has sent me here to do, and to be able to stand blameless before god." I am very certain that this is the most wonderful place on earth along with the most wonderful people. Yes, I even love fufu! I LOVE my mission. most of the time except for the times when things don’t go the way I think they should go but I’m sure its going the way the lord wants it to go.  I know that this is His work and I am here doing my very best to do it His way.

I have been praying for many things and many people lately. Some things more then others, but I think that I just got an answer to my prayers from one of the conference talks so next week I will talk more about that.

Family thanks for everything you guys are the best! I love you all and I miss you! Ghana is the best places for me right now so don’t worry about me. I hope that every one has fun at the barbeques, parades and running 5ks sounds fun, but I don’t think I could run very far right now!

Love Bbear

Transferred to Teshi

What’s up every one?

So as you all know by now, I have been transferred from Odorkor to Teshi.  Back to the O.C. Ha ha!  Our area goes down to the ocean. Teshi is right next to my last area in Nungua.  It is almost in the same neighborhood. My new companion is Elder Collings.  He is from Texas.  He has been out 6 weeks longer than I have.  He was in Elder Riche’s MTC group. Everything is cool if you know what I mean.

I miss my last area.  Elder Wollenzien and I worked so hard to get the area turned around and just when things were going good I get the cord pulled. We were just starting to get several people a week out to church but, oh well, now I just have to go to work here in Teshi and try to repeat what we were able to do in Odorkor. 

Teshi is a sweet place though I already love it here but again I’m starting from scratch.  We had no one come to church on Sunday.  And to top it of Mom you cursed me last week.  Remember you asked me if I ever have to speak in church and I said “NO”.  Well, guess what?  My first Sunday in Teshi and they asked me to speak with no time to prepare.  So I did what missionaries do and hurried and pulled something out of the hat. I felt prompted to speak on “Faith” and how faith is something that is given to each of us but we have to work to develop our faith. Our faith in Heavenly Father is our defense to all the bad things that are happening in the world. And when we have faith we will do what our church leaders ask us to do.  (I had to throw that one in there because the ward here in Teshi just got split into 3 wards last Sunday and there is those who don’t want to go to the ward that they were assigned to.)  But when we have faith, and look to Christ with all of our thoughts, and doubt not, and fear not, everything will be okay.  The members here can’t see what a blessing it is to have the church growing so fast.  I believe my talk was straight from the Holy Ghost and that the people needed to hear what I (the Holy Ghost) had to say.  I know it came from the Holy Ghost because I never would have said those things to those people my first Sunday here. I know the Holy Ghost is real and it is working wonders in my life right now!

Now a funny story.  This week we were teaching this lady named Rita. Rita is like in her upper 30s and she is a big fat women. Ha ha!  She told us that she would be traveling the next day, so in the closing prayer I prayed that she would be watched over and protected in her travel. Right after that in the middle of my prayer she said "ah thank you so much Amen" she said it in the funniest high pitch fat women voice that I have ever heard.  I had to bit my lip not to laugh and just close the prayer right then! It was pretty funny.

Well everything is going good! I love my mission. It is the best thing ever but it is going to be one of those challenging times if you know what I mean, so pray for me to be a better person.

Sounds like everything back home is going well. I hope that every one is staying out of trouble. Brody?

I love you guys!

Bbear

P.S. I hear that Brad Paisley is coming to Stadium of Fire?  Couldn’t be more jealous of those who get to go to that!

NOT TOO COMPLICATED OR ANYTHING

June 20, 2011

What’s up every one!

How was your week this week? My week was sweet but I will talk about that more in a little bit. I can’t believe it has been a year since all this began in a parking lot of some random mall along the North Platte River in Nebraska, on a bus with my family and friends reading my call over a cell phone to all of you. What a wonderful road it has been for me, and HOW blessed I have been! It hasn’t always been easy and there were those who doubted me, who didn’t think I was ready or could to it!  Here is my shout out to you! It’s been a ride of a life time, and I have loved every second of it, but I couldn’t have done it alone, not with out my mother, father, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, leaders, coaches, teachers, friends and any one and every one that has influenced and supported me to do good! I thank you all again and appreciate everything you have done for me and are doing for me to make this experience possible.

Alright, now on with what happened this week. So much has happened that I don’t really know where to start. I guess I will start with the bad news.  Michael Ofusu was supposed to be baptized this upcoming Saturday but when we went to fill out the baptismal record and he came out and told us that he has a problem and that he can not be baptized till he fixes some thing. Well, that was strange because he was so pumped to be baptized yesterday when we came. But as missionaries do, we started to draw out of him the reason why he couldn’t be baptized and then he told us that he has two wives because he has not followed through on the divorce of his first wife and has paid the bride price for his second wife. He said he was not living with both of them so he didn’t think he was doing anything wrong. Marriage here is a big problem for us because people just don’t understand the concept of marriage specially the Lord’s way of marriage.  Michael is planning on fixing all his marriage problems this month so hopefully he will get baptized some time down the road.

The good news is that we got two others interviewed this Sunday to be baptized next Saturday.  Salumay Essi and Ben Ablingo are both way correct and are ready for baptism. We also had 3 others come to church all for their second and third time so July is already looking good!  By next Sunday we will start getting people ready for August baptisms.  August!!  Holy Cow!  I can’t believe August is almost here.  My companion and I had an excellent week and we have finally got this area back on TOP just in time for transfers. I will probably be transferred. (sadly!) In this area and my last area the work was totally dead and I didn’t like being here in the beginning but now I have fallen in love with the people and the area and I will be sad when I have to leave.  Mom always said that I should leave a room (or area) better then I found it! So hopefully that is what I have done here. 

Wednesday we had our interviews with President Smith.  I love that man to death, and he will be greatly missed in this mission. My interview with him is one that I will remember for a long time.  As soon as it was over I wrote as much down in my planner as I could remember so I would like to share part of it in my letter.  It won’t be exact but hopefully I can get the key points across.

President Smith: Elder Berry how have you developed as a missionary during the time you have been here?
Me: Personally I feel that I have come along way from one year ago, my testimony has doubled many times, I have grown more spiritually than I can describe. But I am not perfect and I still have a long way to go.
President Smith:  So what are your strengths as a missionary?
Me:  I am not so sure right now, I still have tons of room to improve in every way but everything is coming small small.
President Smith:  Then what are your weaknesses?
Me. (no hesitation) PATIENCE no doubt!
President Smith:  Why Patience?
Me: Because I have this path in my mind were I want all my investigators to go, and I just want to push them all down it as fast as possible. In my mind it is so clear and sometimes I can’t understand why they can’t see what I can see.  I feel like I speak the Ghana English well and I teach small small but still people don’t understand why I am here and then I get frustrated with them.
President Smith:  Okay. So why is the Savior so patient with us?
Me:  I don’t know maybe because he is perfect!
President Smith:  For us we don’t always understand why? Or we don’t always do everything right. So why is he so patient? Why did he die for the sins of all of us?
Me:  Because he loves us?
President Smith:  Yes that is correct! The Savior is so patient with us because he loves us so much! I want you to focus on developing a love for these people that will help you to understand how the Savior feels for the people of Ghana so that you too can be as patient with them as the Savior has been with you and I. Charity is the key to being patient.

After the interview when we all came back together we got talking about how we can all help our people come to Christ! President Smith taught us that we should never get to deep into the doctrine but to just stick to the basics faith, repentance, baptism, Holy Ghost, and endure to the end.

It’s NOT TOO COMPLICATED OR ANYTHING just keep it simple and bring our brothers and sisters back to Christ. 

I love my family! You guys are the best! Keep being great forever!

Tyler and Camille congrats on the new baby!

Love  Bbear   

June 6, 2011 - White People in Ghana

Hi Everyone!

This week I got the package that mom sent me with the book that was written by our new mission president, President Judd. It is a nice book but when I opened it up and read the first paragraph I didn’t understand a single thing that I read. He used some of the biggest words that I have ever heard since landing here in Ghana and maybe the biggest that I have ever heard in my entire life. Our new mission president should be here on the last week of this month like the 29th or 30th. When he gets here I hope he can turn down the vocabulary a little bit and use smaller words or there won’t be any of us that will be able to understand him. It will be fun to see how he talks when he gets here and how shocked he will be with how things are here in Ghana.

I’m going to be sad to see President Smith leave. He is such a correct man and he has taught me a lot; however, I know that President Judd is just what the mission needs at this point in time. I am excited to get to know him and serve under him.

Yesterday we had some unexpected visitors at church. Out of nowhere we had like 20 white girls and two white guys show up from Utah. It was really weird seeing white people.  As soon as my companion and I walked into church they came running up to us and started talking.  I had a hard time understanding them.  It was like I have forgotten how to speak to white people and carry on a conversation. It was really weird.  I didn’t even know what to say to them. They were all way smarter than I am, which is a change from what I’m use to here in Ghana. It was funny to see what a culture shock it was for them to be here.  Although, I was probably just like them when I first got here. (But I sure hope not.)

We also had some people that we are teaching come to church this week which was way sweet! It was a really busy Sunday running around taking kids to their classes, making sure that our people went to the right class, and getting every one to meet the Bishop.  It was a crazy Sunday but it was sweet.  We are really starting to see the fruits of our labor here in this area.  Hopefully it will be like a rock rolling down a hill where it builds momentum and rolls faster the farther down the hill it gets. Each week the work seems to be getting better and better.  I love my mission more and more everyday!  It is sweet and I am truly blessed to be here right now. I really love it here!

Mom, Dad and family thanks for everything you have done for me.  Keep praying for the people here in Ghana.

I love you guys!

Elder  Bbear

May 30, 2011

So what’s up everyone?

Sorry no letter last week! I haven’t been too good at writing so forgive me for my weakness.  I hope to do better. So it sounds like you have been getting some rain back home. Yes, we have been getting some rain here to lately and it should rain more soon.

This week we had a good week. I can’t believe that May is over and now we have started committing people for baptism in JULY. ha-ha! Time is going so fast. We found a lot of sweet families that I am excited to work with. This week we had four people come to church which was sweet! Things have been crazy around here and they haven’t been easy either. This week in my studies I have been reading Alma 8 and Helaman 13 in the Book of Mormon.  Both of these chapters talk about missionary work and some how they have been talking directly to me these past couple of weeks. In Alma 8, Alma is teaching the people in Ammonihah and verse 13

Now when the people had said this, and withstood all his words, and reviled him, and spit upon him, and caused that he should be cast out of their city, he departed thence and took his journey towards the city which was called Aaron.

Well, I haven’t been cast out of any cities yet, but I have been cast out of some compounds and homes.

14 And it came to pass that while he was journeying thither, being weighed down with sorrow, wading through much tribulation and anguish of soul, because of the wickedness of the people who were in the city of Ammonihah, it came to pass while Alma was thus weighed down with sorrow, behold an angel of the Lord appeared unto him, saying: 

15 Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore, lift up thy head and rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice; for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God from the time which thou receivedst thy first message from him. Behold, I am he that delivered it unto you.

16 And behold, I am sent to command thee that thou return to the city of Ammonihah, and preach again unto the people of the city; yea, preach unto them. Yea, say unto them, except they repent the Lord God will destroy them.

But because Alma went back he found some one that was prepared to receive him.

In Helaman 13 verse 2 Samuel the Lamanite was also rejected and cast out “and it came to pass that he did preach many days repentance unto the people and they did cast him out and he was about to return to his own land but behold the voice of the lord came unto him that he should return again and prophesy unto the people whatsoever things should come into his heart.

In both of these stories the missionaries went to the people and tried to teach them the gospel but were rejected by them and cast out.  My companion and I have had similar experiences where we have been cast out of some homes and compounds but later we felt that we should return and the Lord has blessed us with people to teach. Each time we go back to a place where we have been cast out we always find someone new to teach. It is amazing how the Lord works for us.

This week we really found some sweet people that should be fun to work with. On Sunday we had this random guy just come to church.  So I pulled him aside and did the missionary thing and asked him why he chose to come to our church today.  He said that he had had a dream and that he needed Christ in his life and when he saw the black sign out front that said “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints he felt like he was in the right place.  I just said okay you’re in the right place follow and I will show you were to go. (In my mind I said yes okay the baptismal font is right over here. What size of white clothes do you need?)

Mission life is so sweet! June is looking good. I can’t believe that it is summer for you guys! I hope you all have a sweet one. Maybe you will get some sun!

Love Elder Berry

May 16, 2011 Happy Birthday Miriah Mae

Hi everyone

I have been in this area for about 9 weeks now, and I will be here with my companion Elder Wallenzien for at least another six weeks.  We have had our ups and downs since we have been here.  We have met and taught well over 100 people and we have helped many of them feel the spirit and we have also helped many others feel the spirit of contention and anger.  My companion and I have mostly good weeks until Sunday comes around and then it’s like everyone that says they’ll be to church don’t come.  This week we both had faith that people would come to church. We had a dozen or more people say "yes, we are coming don’t worry".  Then Sunday morning rolls around and we have a dozen or so no shows.  So my companion and I decide to go pick some people up and drag them to church but instead the people ran from us.

Nephi tells us that "I know that the words of truth are hard against all uncleanness but the righteous fear them not, for they love the truth" 2 Nephi 9:40. It seems that even today the word of God is just too hard for some people.  However, some days I wonder if it has more to do with our faith.  Either 12:18 talks about faith "wherefore they first believed in the son of god"

Ever since I was a young boy I learned that faith is the first principle of the gospel and that we need to believe that Jesus Christ is our Savior.  That seems like a pretty simple thing to do until our faith in God gets challenged by “hard things". My companion and I get pretty discouraged after we work hard all week and on Sunday we have nothing to show for it.  The only comfort we get is through the scriptures when we read about the Saviors life when he was upon the earth.  He faced many difficult challenges and many people rejected him and even though He was rejected by so many he still suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane for those very people.  Then he allowed himself to be taken, beaten, spit upon, stripped of his clothing and then nailed to a cross in behalf of the very people that rejected him in life. I might be wrong but I don’t think that was very easy thing to do.

Ether 12:27 tells us that " if men come unto me I will show them their weakness, I give unto men weakness that they may be humble" God has given us all weaknesses that we may be humble, things are not meant to be easy but " 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. "I know that people are not perfect (some times I wish they were) but I know that when we humble ourselves before him, he will help us find a way to keep his commandments. "I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them”.

Faith is the first principle of the gospel for a reason. As we have faith we hope for a better world, which should motivate us to keep the commandments and serve Him, and as we believe in him, he will help us to do what is right!
Now I just need to find some way to help people see that the commandments that God has given us and baptism is a way to a better life. I guess is what I need to do is have a little more faith, and try a little harder! I know that God is on my side and that everything will work out!  Thanks for listening.

Family I love you! Miriah happy birthday big girl, I love you! Mother happy birthday tomorrow! I love you more then anything thanks for everything, you are the best!

Love bbear

May 2, 2011

Hi Everyone,

So this week was good, but our way correct investigator, who should be baptized in one week, is traveling to London this Friday for a month. He told us he loves the church and is going to look it up in London and find the missionaries. (Well happy birthday to those missionaries!)  Michel will probably be baptized there; I don’t think the London missionaries will pass this guy up.  He is very correct and prepared to be a member.

We are working with a lot of other people and trying to get them ready to become members, as we missionaries do. We are still working with Emmanuel, but he has a job that we are trying to work around. He is also a very correct man. He knows the church is true because there is someone working on him from the other side of the veil.  (Elder Garret)  It’s just a matter of time before he becomes a member.  We just got to get him to church 3 times and he will be good for baptism.

The rain is starting to fall little by little.  It’s rained here twice really hard, so since we haven’t had running water now for a while we took advantage of the rain and took a nice bath.  The rain was pretty cold, but sometimes you got to experience life in different ways a little bit. 

Yesterday we got to watch General Conference, but we only got to watch the Saturday afternoon, and Sunday sessions. It was nice to watch but between being worried about the people who came to church, and taking care of missionary business I really didn’t get a chance to focus on the talks, but it was all good.

Mom if you don’t already have a picture of a temple up in every room, maybe you could put up a picture of the Ghana temple some where. 

It is the start of a new month and we have high hopes for this month.  My companion and I are praying that everything goes well. We are still working with Peggi and Enuise.   Peggi loves the church but she is still having a hard time with word of wisdom, so some day she will be a member, but I will probably have left this area by then. Enuise should be baptized this month, along with the kids we meet two week ago, Brudu, Issac, Eric, and another Emmanuel.

I can’t wait to get the conference talks in the book thing. I want to read them all. I don’t think I have ever been more excited for conference.  Yesterday I was just worried about our people and if they were going to like it because most of the members think it is boring.

Today we had a party for May Day and we played some ball.  Man it felt good to play again! I wish that we had a court on the inside of the church so I could use it in the mornings. Everything is good though, the grass is always green in Ghana and life is good. I can’t wait to talk to the family on Mothers Day.  Hopefully I won’t talk to weird for you this time.

Love you guys,

Elder Berry

April 25, 2011 - Pictures

Hi

Well so I typed this huge email and something happened so I am trying to hurry and kind of summarize everything. This past Friday the day started out hot, hot and did I say hot. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky all day until around 5 pm when all of a sudden these dark clouds just came from nowhere. My companion and I were in the middle of a lesson when we saw the clouds coming, so we hurried the lesson, said a quick prayer and booked it to our house. Within 10 minutes it was pouring rain harder than I have ever seen since I have been here.  We rode in the rain for like 5 miles before we got to the street we live on.  The streets were flooded and all the cars were stopped and people didn’t know where to go, so we had to pick up our bikes and walk through a foot of water to get home. Ha-ha! It was the craziest thing ever! I uploaded a picture that I took of us in the rain when we got back to our home.

We went swimming... Well we just road da bikes in the rain.

This week was Easter and in Ghana it is a big deal. It started on Friday and every one was drinking and partying and doing their thing.  This week we are finally getting to watch General Conference on Saturday and Sunday. Ha-ha! It has been too long since the last General Conference. Everything here is going well the work is moving and we are all still alive!

Love Elder Berry

 Da Bath House

did some work! In side of a home. i am in the front room, and the bed room is behind me.

 Dinner! yumm

 Elder Wardle and Elder Larsen! Last night in Nungua

JD pizza 

 Florence. she feed us like everyday in Nungua

Go for MORE!

 

Posts from Missionary Mom Site

The Elders were picked up on Saturday. Elder Keeng's mission was complete last November, so he went home to Botswania. Elder Omale, from Nigeria, was sent to Seirra Leone. Apparently he has requested to extend his mission by 10 months so that he could serve 24 months as an active missionary. Whether that is extended or not, the faith of these two young men is inspirational.

Barbara Farnes
MM-Elder Farnes Ghana, Accra

Hi Moms
In my sons email Monday, he said he was able to speak to Elder Omale before he
left for Sierra Leone.  My son was Elder Omale's MTC Companion, and they became
best friends, so Sister Smith let Elder Omale call Elder Taylor before leaving.
Elder Taylor said he was in good spirits, but he had a message to leave
everyone.  He said "Tell everyone to be obediant to the commandments of God, and
listen to the spirit. Those two things will save us all." He said Elder Keeng
went home, honorably.He also wanted to thank everyone for their prayers and
fasting done in their behalf.. I just wanted to pass the message on to everyone!
You all are wonderful sisters, this website has helped me so much.  I was in
Shopko when i recieved the email about the Elders release, and i broke down in
tears, and went out to my car and prayed in thanks to my Heavenly Father.
Becky Taylor
mm Elder David Taylor
Ghana Accra Mission
10/09-10/11
Ogden, Utah

April 18, 2011

Hi everyone,    

This past Tuesday we went to the temple and had a great time. It’s been way to long since I have been to the temple.  I feel that we are blessed here in Ghana to be able to go to the temple because there are some missionaries that don’t get to go at all during their missions. It was a great time for me to be able to look back on the past few months of my mission and evaluate the way I have been working and the things that I have been able to accomplish and to look forward to the things that I want to accomplish in the next couple of months ahead of me.

This week after many months in prison, the judge finally let the two Elders go.  Elder Keeng finished his mission about five months ago while in jail, and Elder Omale has been reassigned to finish his mission in another country.  I don’t know too much about it, but everything is well with them. Every one in our ward is very happy to have them out. Some of the members in the ward went to the hearing to support the two Elders. I don’t think that I told you guys but I am serving in the area that Elder Omale was in.

This week in our apartment we have either had NO water or NO power. Ha ha it hasn’t been easy. At the first of the week we had to fetch water to bath, and then the past couple of nights we haven’t had power. Last night under the light of a candle while it poured rain outside, we ate cheese cake that my mother sent to me.

As you can tell by reading this poorly written letter that I am very distracted.  I have been trying to upload some pictures. Hopefully you will enjoy these pictures as being part of my letter today.  Remember that pictures are worth 1000 words.

I have been doing well. I haven’t gotten sick but I do have a head ache right now that is not helping the case of me writing a good letter. Mom thanks for everything that you have sent me and the companion and the other two elders.  We all enjoyed the Oreo pie.  I have uploaded some pictures to picasa. I will send the link to mom. Thanks everyone! Love you all so much!

Love Elder Berry



https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=108728305357677389570&target=ALBUM&id=5596943524521143425&authkey=Gv1sRgCJzj46Thmo6QxAE&feat=email

                                             

Michelle Nielsen posted on the Missionary Mom Site

This is what my son wrote on Monday.

As far as the Elders in prison apparently the hearing which was not going to
be postponed at all costs has been postponed 2x since I last heard. I think
the next attempt is on Thursday this week but we're all losing hope in this
system.....especially as they postpone every hearing attempt. President was
pretty devastated about it and I think Elder Keeng probably
noticed......President privied us to a message Elder Keeng had sent
President over the phone and it was really quite nice. I can't remember the
exact things he said but it was like "nothing can frustrate the works of
God......his promises and blessings will be realized in just a few days
time.....Love ya President, --Elder Keeng"
That was just a slice of the message but I can't remember what else was said
but Elder Keeng sure has a lot of faith.....He's a great guy.....he was
among my 1st ZL's and I also went on splits with him for a brief hour or two
as I remember. I really liked the him. Well let's keep on praying for them
and hope for the best.

Michelle Nielsen
Santa Clara UT

April 11, 2011 Harvesting Seeds

Hi Everyone,

Well this week was a special week to me. Not because we taught over 30 lessons or had 12 new investigators or because 2 people came to church.  No, not even because we had a baptism (which we didn’t have). This week was special because every thing went wrong.

We started off the week with my companion getting his bike stolen so we and had to WALK every where. (I’ve never been so tired!) Our water has been off like everyday, so we have been taking crappy bucket showers (I’ve never been so annoyed!) The two guys Isaac and Cliff that we were planning to baptize this month didn’t come to church. (I’ve never been so sad!) Then Friday EVERY where we went to shop for lunch, we were given this crappy "white man price". We walked up and down every street trying to find something good to eat for a normal price. (I’ve never been so angry!)

At the time I didn’t know why we chose this particular crappy plain rice place to eat, but when I was standing in line I got talking to this man named Emmanuel. He told me he was once a member of the church but that he had stopped going to church because he started school and moved away and lost contacted with his GOOD missionary friend. I was way excited to have met this guy. He seemed way correct and I wanted to see if we could re-activate him.  I talked to him a little while longer and then it donned on me that this guy had never been baptized. He just thought he was a member because he went to church a few times.

So I continued to ask him questions just trying to get to know him like when were you taught by the missionaries, and about his family situation and stuff like that. Emmanuel didn’t have much to say to my questions, but he just kept talking about his missionary friend that was so good to him.  He said that this missionary treated him like he was a KING! Then he told me that he wanted us to teach him so he could be a member again!!!  He said it had been at least 7 years since he had last been taught the gospel.  After about 10 minutes of talking to this guy about this Elder he asked me where I was from. I said Utah; he said “no way” that is where his Elder friend was from.  So out of curiosity I asked him who the Elder was he said his name was Elder Garrett. (I’VE NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY!!!) I like almost started to cry when he told me that.  I told him that I knew the Garrett family and that Elder Garrett’s little sister was in my class. I told him what a great family they are and how blessed he was to have been taught by Elder Garrett.  I could tell what a great missionary Elder Garrett was by the things that this man had to say about him.  He praised him like Elder Garrett was his big brother or something.

I know it wasn’t by chance that we went to that crappy rice place.  I feel there is a reason and I hope it is to harvest the seed that Elder Aaron Garrett planted years ago in Emmanuel.  I’m not sure if Emmanuel lives in my area, but I’m going to make sure that he is taught by the missionaries and is baptized.  It is time for him to join the church! 

So everything is going well.  It has been somewhat of an up and down week.  I was able to get a picture with Emmanuel and I will be sending home soon. Thanks for everything! Sorry not much to say this time. 

Love you all! 

Elder Berry

Email Barbara Farnes sent to the Missionary Mom Site

While we are all trying to be patient in this waiting, I thought I would share just a little more of the story of Elder Keeng and Elder Omale, as I understand it. I spoke with the father of one of the Elders which was serving with one of these elders when this all happened. Elder Keeng, from Botswana and Elder Omale from Nigeria, were each serving with American companions. One night, the police came to accuse the two African elders and ended up beating them badly. They were taken to a foul smelling, dirty jail. They were accused of "defilement" of a 15 year old girl.  The church’s lawyer felt that they were trumped up charges and thought that they would be released. The mission President has declared that they are innocent of the charge. They went through the court system and in August were found guilty and sentenced; one to 7 years and one to 10 years. According to several missionary blogs, they have been leading daily devotionals in prison since that time. Several missionaries have mentioned that President Smith feels buoyed up by them when he goes to visit.

In February, the Accra missionaries got word that Elder Dallin H. Oaks was in Nigeria and he was going to come and meet with many of the Accra missionaries on Tuesday Feb. 22. Unfortunately, the missionaries who live far away were unable to go to this meeting.

Here is a section of my son’s letter as he describes the meeting with Elder Oaks;

    Feb. 28, 2011
Tuesday: so Dallin H Oaks, can I say more... So we make it to the meeting and get to our seats. Then we all get up and walk outside in a line. He walked into the building and then we followed by shaking his hand. When we walked back into the room you could feel the spirit. It was really cool. So we sit and Pres Smith gives a testimony and Pres. Cardon, the area authority gave a testimony as well with their wife’s. That started it really good. Then Elder Oaks wife, and then to Dallin H Oaks. So he spoke to us. He taught us that we need to use our time better, and that we need to keep records better. Then he said, “I want to address a problem we have in this mission” (so I said, oh no, in my heart, like what are we doing wrong? I didn’t think anything was going on in the mission.) But then he said he wanted to talk about the elders in jail. He said that we need to have faith and that he is going to say a prayer for them from the pulpit. So we bowed our head and the spirit filled the room. I never felt or heard such a prayer with such power and such directness. He basically said that they judged them unrighteous, and that we know that the Lord has the power to bring down prison walls. And he talked about how Moses brought his children from Egypt.. And the last thing he said is.. You ready for this.. He said “LET MY PEOPLE GO”. It was nuts and a lot were crying. So following that day they had a court case. And the final judgment will be made on the 31 of March. I feel they will get out. So keep them in your prayers ... it’s something that has to be done.

I know that this experience has been a difficult and growing experience for our sons. I’m so grateful that we have faithful families supporting our missionaries from all over the world. Often, as I have prayed for Elder Keeng and Elder Omale, I have felt a connection with saints from everywhere. I have appreciated more the prayer said for missionaries each time we attend the temple. This is the Church of Jesus Christ and I know that He leads us. I am so grateful to have his leaders at the head of our church.

BarbaraFarnes 

April 4, 2011

Greetings from Ghana

This last week, on Monday night, we went to have family night with my old companion (Elder Farnes) and some of his converts that he baptized.  We took one of our investigators named Hisha. So during the family night it was just like any other family night, we sang a hymn, said a prayer, and the missionaries gave the lesson. We had a nice lesson on the importance of families and how the best way to learn the gospel is in the home. Remember that in Ghana the best way to get education is to send your kids away to boarding school.  So parents usually send there kids off to school like at 13 years old. So we taught them the importance of staying together as a family in order to fight the battle TOGETHER. Every one seemed to understand and it helped Hisha understand the importance of a good family. (Hisha is not married and has one child by herself.)

After the lesson I was called on to give my favorite hymn for the closing song. My mind went to some of my favorite hymns like hymn 2, or 85. But when I opened my hymn book it opened right to hymn number 294.  When I read the title it was like something stuck me right in the heart. I suddenly felt like the lesson we just taught wasn’t good enough unless we sang the hymn I just opened to. If you don’t know hymn 249 is "Love at Home".  There was a spirit there that night that was stronger than I have ever felt.  As I reflected on how blessed I have been with such an Amazing family! I knew that I wasn’t the only one that felt that way, because when we sang the 3rd verse, Sista Evealind began to cry when we sang "oh there is one who smiles on high, when there is love at home". Nothing is truer then what this hymn taught each of us that night. It was then that I realized how important families are! Mom sorry it took me 19 1/2 years to see that.

Well on the other hand, we are teaching this boy named Cliff Black who is19. Cliff came to church this Sunday and after church he told me that the church is true and he wants to join us. But for Cliff he has nothing. He doesn’t have a family to go home to every night. He doesn’t even have a home. He works at an old car body shop where he sleeps on a card board box in the shop. The man he works for doesn’t pay him much, if at all. Some nights when we go to teach him he is not there because he is out trying to find something to eat. To my surprise Cliff is one of the only people here that hasn’t asked me for money or told me to take them to live in America. But he is one of the most correct people I have taught! Ever since we have given him the Book of Mormon we don’t even teach lessons any more we just go over to explain what he has read and to help him understand what is going on. If everything goes well we will be baptizing him on the 30 of this month!

Isaac is a man about 52 who also come to church. We have been working with him for a while now. He has had a problem with the word of wisdom (like half of Ghana) but he hasn’t drank for a while, and he is progressing. So hopefully everything goes well with him, and he can be baptized at the end of the month.

I love my family! Best family around! I miss you guys! I hope everyone took the opportunity to listen to conference. I will get to in about a month when we get the DVD version. Ha! Ha! We are a little behind the times here.

Love you all,

Elder Berry

March 28, 2011 The Glass Half Full

Hi Everyone!

Well it is funny how my family just got the same lesson from the home teachers yesterday as I did. But yesterday in church we had a lesson on “why we need to look at the glass being half full, instead of half empty. I guess there was a talk or section in the new Liahona that talked about how we should look at things. When we get the new one, I can’t wait to read what the apostles have to say about the subject.

The past couple of weeks I have had what seems like major challenges to me but really SMALL problems/trails with my skin, and eyes among other things. Yes I felt like I was suffering and I wondered why all these things were happening to me. (I was looking at the cup half empty) But then I realized that there is so much in my cup that I should be thankful for.  I have no reason but to rejoice for everything that the lord has done for me. In Alma 56:47 says "now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not DOUBT, god would deliver them."

The stripping sons (I feel) had much more reason then I do to have look at the cup half empty.  Again, they “were marching in to war to battle, and they had never fought or were even trained in such an activity, putting their lives on the line for their families but they did not fear, and didn’t doubt that the Lord would deliver them.

In the D&C 6:36 the Lord commands us to “look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not”. Just by being a member of the church of Jesus Christ there is already more in my cup than what is in the cup of most of the world. I have the spirit of God with me, to help me in everything that I do. Just like the stripping sons, I have been taught by my mother the things I need to do. One of the things she taught me is: always leave a "room" or an area better then you found it when you got there.

Being in this new area is not a simple thing. We are working hard just to learn the area and find people to teach. Well, finding them isn’t hard.  I can teach and commit almost any one to baptism. It’s just getting them to come to church as always. But unlike the stripling warriors, I have been doing this for a while and I have been trained to do what I need to do.  So I need to quit looking at my cup as being half empty and start looking at my cup as over flowing.  I need not fear for the lord is on my side, and doubt not because God will deliver. There are so many examples of stories in the Book of Mormon where some one has suffered with sickness, or being thrown in prison, and the Lord teaches them not to look at the bad side of things but to be positive and doubt not the lord.

This past week we worked really hard, but we didn’t have much to show for it. I know that this week will be better for us. We hopefully won’t have any illnesses or anything like that to slow us down. But everything is going so well right now. I have never felt better than the way I feel right now in my life. I know everything will be O.K.  I hope all is well back in the cold! I can’t believe it’s a new month this week! I can’t really write how much I am thankful for everything that you have done for me. Thanks so much!
Love Elder Berry

Info from Elder Brady Bills Letter

Well funny last story. Elder Berry and Elder Wollenzien caught opollo or something. It makes your eye swell up to the size of a baseball. Elder Wollenzein woke up looking like Rocky Balboa after a fight. "Cut me mick. ADRIAN!" Elder Berry then caught it later. I have been washing my hands like crazy lately and have avoided it, plus thanks to the acne problem and the germs dad brings home from work, I have trained myself to not touch my face (or mom trained me not to touch my face) so I am not sick. It is an eye infection that gives you eye goobers and itches. The little kids get it and spread it.

So they didn't go to church and have been wearing big ol' sunglasses haha. They are doing good now.

March 21, 2011 Time is Flying By

So I have been gone now for a half of a year! Where in the world has time gone?  I can only hope that what I have been able to do so far is up to the expectations that the Lord has had for me. I have been so bless to be here in Ghana, where I can talk to anyone about Jesus Christ. I have also been so bless with much success thus far on my mission. The people of Ghana are so humble, and so willing to accept Christ. When I first came here all I saw was poor people. I saw roads that were unfinished, with pot holes, no pavement and dirt roads. I saw people that had to work everyday all day just to feed themselves that night. I saw poor living conditions, where people lived with their big families in one room compounds, sometimes with no power, and most of the time no running water.  I saw kids that were not able to go to school because of lack of money. I saw kids that didn't have any shoes or cloths to wear. Back home we have big stores where you can go and buy anything that your heart desires.  We have nice cars; homes with power and running water; roads that we can drive on in comfort; and school where we can get an education in nice buildings with nice computers and equipment. But now all I see is how blessed these people are. I have not talked to one Christian that does not have a strong belief in Jesus Christ and His atonement. It amazes me every day that almost everyone that we talk to will allow us to sit down with them and teach them about the gospel. To see how these people live may look bad to an American, but Ghana has never turned away from God. The people here are so humble, and happy for what they have, and they have been so spiritually bless for that!
So in the new area everything is going well. We were not able to do as much as we wanted to do this week because my comp got sick for a couple of days. Man did I miss TV this week. Sitting in the apartment all day gets really boring. Ha-ha! But I did take advantage of the time and got in some good studying. Well I hope this letter makes some sense.  It does make sense in my head but I have this eye infection now and my eyes are like swollen so I can’t see all that well. It’s all good though just part of being in Africa. Everything will be alright with your love and your prayers! Thanks for everything that you guys have done for me back home! I love you all so much and miss you too! 

Love

Elder Berry