Hermana Berbert arrives home on Aug. 12th, and gives a homecoming talk on Aug. 24th…

[From her parents]: Anna Berbert returns home on August 12th and will be speaking in church on Sunday, August 24th. For those who would like to attend sacrament meeting to hear her speak the details are below:

When: Sunday, August 24th at 11:00am (we suggest arriving at least a few minutes early because we have two return missionaries speaking during the same meeting and the chapel will be more crowded than usual, though there should be plenty of seating in the cultural hall if you happen to arrive late).

Where: The chapel right next to the Draper temple (Draper South Mountain 4th Ward).The address is: 1911 E Gray Fox Dr, Draper. UT 84020

There should be plenty of parking, even if you arrive late, because the building shares a large parking lot with the Draper temple.

Arizona, Week 18 – The value of a truth, and only one more week to write and receive letters…

(Mesa area with Sister Shannon Homer)

Another great week! We have found a couple of new families lately so that’s been a huge blessing. One is a family of 10! They are amazing.

I’m learning a lot about the value of a truth. One truth can change your whole life because it applies in any situation and can be used over and over again. Like this week I was thinking about “Every action has an equal or opposite reaction.” I think that applies to more than just physical science. It also applies to the Gospel and relationships with other people. It’s kind of the same principle as “What you put in is what you get out” or “there is opposition in all things.” They are all kind of the same truth. Every influence that comes to us in this life we can have either an equal or opposite reaction. For example, if someone gets mad at me, I can react equally and get mad as well, or I can act oppositely and exercise my patience and love. That’s how opposition makes us stronger if we react to it oppositely. There are a ton of applications. This truth applies to filmmaking, the gospel, parenting, everything!

I think we learn the same basic truths all the time in the Gospel, because we have to learn to apply them in different situations. They apply to all situations, but it takes some time and effort to figure out how to use them in different ways. I have really enjoyed thinking about the basic principles of the Gospel like, “The Gospel Blesses Families” and simple statements like that from Preach my Gospel and how those truths apply to all things in life. It’s so cool!

Love you all! Have a great week! Next week P-day is Wednesday instead of Monday cause we are going to the temple Wednesday morning. This week is the last chance you get to write me before I come home!

Hermana Berbert

Arizona, Week 17 – Family mission plans and my own personal mission plan…

(Mesa area with Sister Shannon Homer)

Hey everybody! We had a fantastic week and I hope you all did too. We have been focusing on working with the members and helping every family in the ward have a family mission plan. It’s been great. So I decided today I would type up and post my own personal mission plan for the blog. I’m really excited about it! Love you all! Enjoy!

Love,
Hermana Berbert

My Personal Mission Plan:

ALWAYS:
• Try to mention something church-related in every conversation possible. Invite others to learn more when appropriate.
• Present gospel solutions to life problems when people complain or confide in me.
• Instead of answering friend’s questions about the church immediately, make invitations to “come and see” or have a meeting with the missionaries to answer the question.
• Let people know what I believe! Have church-related decorations in my house, car, at work, on my cell phone, jewelry, quotes and pictures on my things wherever I go.
• Never say no when someone asks for my help with something. Find a way to help them!
• Offer to say prayers – to bless food, to help during a hard time, or find something lost. Offer priesthood blessings when someone is sick, going through trials, needs guidance, or they want to bless their home.
• Make homeless bags to keep in the car with food coupons, hygiene items, water, and pamphlets about the church or a Book of Mormon to give out to people on the street.

DAILY:
• Pray for people by name and ask God for opportunities to share the Gospel that day.
• Write down and share something I learned with someone (in a letter/card, text message, on Facebook, or leave an anonymous note for somebody I don’t know).
• Visit one person daily (non-members, members in need, less actives, recent converts, stewardship, my own family members, Skype visit people from the mission, etc.).
• Keep a family area book and keep records of all the people we are working with or could potentially work with in the future – non-members, less actives, recent converts, etc. Update daily the people I visited or shared the gospel with.

WEEKLY:
• Bring a non-member or less-active to church or a church activity (FHE, dinner with the missionaries, BYU, or the visitor’s center at temple square).
• Do at least an hour of service for someone (invite the missionaries whenever possible).
• Call and ask the missionaries what I can do to help them out that week (go out on visits, give them rides, referrals, take care of converts, etc.).
• Give away a church-related gift with my testimony. Could be a Book of Mormon, other church book, DVD, etc. Especially for holidays, special occasions, and birthdays!
• Do at least an hour of family history work! (:
• Every Sunday review goals for the week and set goals and plans for the upcoming week.

MONTHLY:
• Study and do practice activities in Preach My Gospel as a family (maybe for FHE).
• 1 ordinance received – a baptism, helping a less active get their next ordinance, or doing the temple work for a deceased ancestor.
• Every Fast Sunday review missionary work for the month and set goals and plans for the upcoming month.

HABITS TO KEEP:
• Regular sleep and exercise
• Regular house cleaning
• Regular review of family rules and responsibilities, safety emergency preparedness, etc.
• Hour of personal study as well as daily family study
• Continue to practice and use Spanish
• Continue to memorize and recite important scriptures or church documents and quotes (during family study, FHE, shower)
• Set goals and plans nightly and write in journal
• Weekly family council/inventory to improve relationships
• Uplifting media with good vibes and good messages