Week 37- Huanta, Ayacucho, Peru: Hola Hola Hola (and PICTURES!)

So Huanta Ayacucho is basically paradise. I'm here with my two companions still. We get along get and we have really been working hard this last week. Among the lessons that we've been teaching and the new investigators that we've been finding, we have also found time to study the language together. Both Elder Oliden and Elder Gonzales can speak a few sentences in English, which comes in handy when we need to talk to each other secretly amongst the Peruvians, but I have taken it upon myself to help them learn as much English as possible. We now have a wall with letters that aren't the same as other letters to help them with their accents.

As I said before, we have been working really hard and have been having great success, but we're not the only one's working; there is a less active member, María, who we have been visiting. As of late, she has continually been introducing us to her "neighbors" (people who live near her store). We have found five new investigators through Maria's desires to share the gospel, three of which accepted baptismal dates. This just shows us that it really doesn't matter who you are, we can all be great tools in the Lord's hands if we choose to be.

Christmas here was pretty cool; we watched Home Alone as a zone and then we spent the night with our District Leader in Huamanga. At midnight the entire city was exploding with fireworks. It sounded like a war.  The 4th of July is really nothing compared to Christmas in Ayacucho hahaha

One more thing. Last night the Ward Mission leader and we got together with the missionaries de  barrio (a small army of YSA) and helped teach them to share the gospel with those who are recent converts and less active. It really was impressive to see these young members practice sharing the gospel and and then accept assignments to go do visits. It really proves to show that the Lord uses the unlikely to accomplish the impossible.

I love and miss you all!

¡Chau!

Elder Bromley

Jeff's wall of pronunciation for the Spanish-speaking elders

Eating cuy (guinea pig)

Huanta, Ayacucho

CHRISTMAS- Skype call with Elder Jeff!

Our family was blessed to be able to Skype with Jeffrey on Christmas day! He looked so healthy and happy, and we got to meet his friendly mission companions. Here is a recap of the call, by Jeff's mother, Margarita:

What a wonderful gift and blessing to talk to Jeff on Christmas day!

Jeff is loving his mission and all the wonderful people that he gets to serve and teach. He goes to Huamanga, Ayacucho (my home town) once a week for his district meetings and he says the drive from Huanta to Huamanga is about an hour long and similar to the dangerous road up to Mount Diablo but at much higher altitude and fast speeds, that the taxi drivers drive like maniacs; super fast just like race car drivers and sometimes they look sleepy on the wheel so he talks to them the entire ride to keep them awake. 

He told us that the church is relatively new in Huanta, Ayacucho, they don't have an actual chapel yet and that the members are mostly young adults, teens and children and they meet in a house and that the baptisms take place in the river.

He sure loves the friendly Peruvian people, wonderful mission companions the beautiful scenery, blue skies and how everything is so green in Huanta! He had guinea pig for dinner recently and said it tasted just like fish sticks. He walks so much that his two pairs of shoes have holes already.
 
The Inca elderly women call him "Papito" as a term of endearment and he calls them "Mamitas" (Little moms) He's loving the bread called "chapla"whole grain bread from Ayacucho (my favorite as well) .

Around town he walks/hikes everywhere and at times he has to ride the very unsafe motorized tricycles or public buses.

On "P" day the missionaries are not allowed to play soccer anymore ever since some Elders got injured and suffered fractures, but they can play volleyball and "capture the flag." He once went to the Lima Zoo and will show us pictures in April 2015 when he returns to the U.S. 

He spent Christmas Eve in Huamanga, Ayacucho and the elders were allowed to be up until past midnight to join the celebration and there was a huge display of fireworks everywhere commemorating Jesus birth and it sounded like a war zone because of all the fireworks explosions.

He hasn't gained any weight, still very fit and doesn't get sick or food poisoning and he attributes all of these blessings to the Holy Ghost.
 
Jeff loved seeing his three lovely sisters, two fun brothers in law, two beautiful little nieces again and meeting his new adorable baby nephew Tommy for the first time... and me his silly mamallama ... talking about llamas ... he said: "I didn't see any llamas or alpacas yet but I ate llama and it was tasty ...tasted like chicken!" 

As you can see he is still as funny and happy as ever and sends his love to you all, wishes us a wonderful 2014 and reminds us to pray and read our scriptures daily, help the missionaries and BE missionaries ourselves 

PS. His Spanish is excellent! He speaks fast and proficiently! I held back the tears until the very end when he also got teary eyed and said: I'll talk to you on Mother's day! Now I'll be counting the days to May 11, 2014 

Screen shot of our Skype call- left to right: Elder Gonzales (Bolivia), Elder Bromley, and Elder Oliden (Argentina)

 

Week 36- Huanta, Ayacucho, Peru: Merry Christmas!

I just want to say how grateful I am for the day that Christ was born. Our Savior has been there with us since the beginning and has always loved us. He has shown us the one and only way to find eternal happiness in this life and the life to come. It is our duty and privilege to learn how to be like Him and follow His perfect example. All He did was to help us.

"And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil"

Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;

For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him.

And he hath arisen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance.

And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth!

Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people."

Please never forget the divine purpose of Christ as a new year begins. Let go of hate and scorn and grudges and guilt. Learn to depend on Christ and change your hearts to be like His. For that purpose, He was sent, He suffered, He Died, He Lived.

"Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God."

Merry Christmas! I love and Miss you all!

Chau

Elder Bromley

TRANSFER: HUANTA, AYACHUCHO

Elder Bromley has been transferred to Huanta, Ayacucho, which is about 40 minutes away from his mother's hometown of Huamanga, Ayacucho! What a great Christmas surprise! 

He has not given me a new mailing address, so continue to send letters and packages to the mission office in San Isidro, and they will deliver his mail to him in Ayacucho. 

Elder Jeffrey Bromley

Av. Jorge Basadre 592

Torre Azul Piso 6 Oficina 604-A

San Isidro

Lima- Peru

Here is a video showing the beautiful new area where he will be serving:

Week 35- Huanta, Ayacucho, Peru: Santusa's Baptism, Training, Huanta Ayacucho

Santusa Calsina was baptized the 13th of December and confirmed the following Sunday. I have learned so much from teaching her as to what faith is, how really faith necesitates action. It is a hope that have and confide in and have the spiritual strength to accept what results. Faith is power.

I was transferred this last cambio, Elder Gomez is taking over the area with his new companion who he is training. Today I arrived in my new area, Huanta, Ayacucho. My mission President, President Douglas, told me that he had completely forgotten that my mom was from Ayacucho as he gave me this new asignment, so there's a definite reason why I'm here.

I am in a trio and will be for a couple weeks as Elder Oliden helps my new companion and I get to know this area.

My new permanent companion is Elder Gonzales de Bolivia. I have been privileged with the opportunity to train him in his first 12 weeks of his mission. I can already tell that he is a very diligent and willing to learn. We will see how this all goes with time, but all will be great!

I love and miss you all!

Elder Bromley

Santusa's Baptism

The temple

Elder Gonzales y Elder Bromley

Week 34- Las Palmeras, Lima, Peru: The Plan of Salvation

This week Elder Gomez and I had the wonderful opportunity to have another lesson with la Hermana Santusa where we went over the questions for her baptismal interview, the actual ceremony is this Friday the 13...hmm. haha

Elder Gomez and I left her Alma 11:40-45 to read as her "homework" the time before, of which she read in her giant Book of Mormón. These few verses pertain to the resurrection, or as it says in the scriptures, restoration of the body and spirit in its perfect form.

Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil.

Now, behold, I have spoken unto you concerning the death of the mortal body, and also concerning the resurrection of the mortal body. I say unto you that this mortal body is raised to an immortal body, that is from death, even from the first death unto life, that they can die no more; their spirits uniting with their bodies, never to be divided; thus the whole becoming spiritual and immortal, that they can no more see corruption.

Santusa, being a widow, had a different countenance during this lesson we had, and she was nearly brought to tears as I re-read these verses to her. The words to another scripture were brought to mind as the spirit filled the room.

Others were abasing themselves, succoring those who stood in need of their succor, such as imparting their substance to the poor and the needy, feeding the hungry, and suffering all manner of afflictions, for Christ’s sake, who should come according to the spirit of prophecy;
Looking forward to that day, thus retaining a remission of their sins; being filled with great joy because of the resurrection of the dead, according to the will and power and deliverance of Jesus Christ from the bands of death.

These words, found in Alma 4, described a humble portion of the people of Nefi, that after several wars, many brothers, husbands and fathers were lost in battle. The atonement of Christ was the only thing that they clung to for hope, and the blessings they received for doing so touched the lives of many.

I hope all of you can read the scriptures this week and put yourself in the shoes of the people in the Book of Mormon.

I love you all!

Elder Bromley

Week 33- Las Palmeras, Lima, Peru: Santusa

Hello everybody!

To add to that list of weird food I've eaten is cow tongue, which actually wasn't too bad.

Today I want to talk about an investigator we have, Santusa.

Santusa is a widow as of less than two months. She has four kids, two of which live with her, and she sells vegetables for a living. I met her through a member who brought her to a church activity and we talked there and she accepted an invitation to hear more about our message. We passed by the next night and she wasn't there, but as we were driven back to our apartment, we saw a woman carrying a big scale, to weigh the vegetables, in both her hands walking by herself down a dark road, a journey that I am sure is familiar to her. In her valiant effort to make it to our appointment in time she was walking as fast as she could and she breathed hard as she got in the taxi. In my head rang words from Jeffrey R Holland, "Don't you give up. You keep trying."

Brothers and sisters, find these souls that are walking by themselves and help them come unto Christ. Help the missionary effort - the work of salvation.

Elder Bromley

Week 32- Las Palmeras, Lima, Peru: Busy Week (and PICTURES!)

Really quick just want to give an inventory of what I've eaten so far on the mission,

Octopus, Chicken crop, Chicken feet, cow heart (antecucho), cow stomach, cooked chicken blood, and other vital organs of chickens. ¡Lo máximo!

This week has been really busy; my companion and I went on 24 hour exchanges with our zone leaders, the next day the mission president left with us (he said he prayed, looked at the board of missionaries, and the faces of my comp. and I were what he decided to choose), and the next day the mission president's wife came to inspect our room. That aside we were able to visit a ton of families this week and find several new investigators. The mission is great!

I love and miss you all!

Elder Bromley


And here are some pictures, with captions by Elder Jeff:

Elder Gomez y yo

Our weight set

Real life red potion from Zelda

Huevos de codornís

French Toast

My last zone

Week 31- Las Palmeras, Lima, Peru: Awesome Week

This week was awesome. We were visited by Elder Russel M. Nelson, Elder Rasband, and two other seventies this weekend. This church is run by Christ. I know it.

I don't have much time but in other news we found a woman who is a widow as of a month. She now has a baptismal date and has come to church thanks to the members help. Support the Elders and Sisters.

Chau!

Week 30- Las Palmeras, Lima, Peru: 13th Week in Peru

Just finished my 13th week in Peru and Elder Gomez and I are working hard. My camera still doesn't work but next week I'll try to send some pictures.

This Sunday I was able to share an awesome experience with one of my converts, Mickey. All last week he had been practicing reciting Moroni 4 y 5 and this Sunday he came prepared in his white shirt and tie to bless the sacrament for the first time. I sat next to him at the table and made sure he was comfortable. I helped him read and recite the blessing of the bread and his second try he got it.

If there are new members in your ward right now please do something kind for them. I have never seen such pure desires to serve the Lord before than in Hermano Miguel. Help those who recently entered the straight and narrow to cultive the fires of their faith.

Thanks for the love. Keep doing what you know is right.

Elder Bromley 

Week 29- Las Palmeras, Lima, Peru: Transfers

So I am still here in Las Palmeras! My companion now está in Ica and my new companion is Elder Gomez. He is from Honduras and I feel really good about this transfer; he and I are going to do our best to do the Lord's work here.

The last couple of days we have been receiving all kinds of support from the ward and missionary work as a whole has a different feel to it. I cannot tell you enough about how much members can help the missionaries. Yesterday, we went on divisions and while my companion was with the Ward Mission Leader, I went with the 1st Counselor of the Bishopric and taught the Restoration to a member and her non-member friend and as my comp was training several members how to share the gospel, I was setting up a family home evening with members and this investigator for today. And this was just the first hour. 

All of you who are reading this email, please ponder to yourself what you can do to be a missionary. Not to help the missionaries, because every member should be a missionary, but to share something with someone else. President Hunter said that a good indicator of our own personal conversion is our willingness to share the Gospel with others. When you share this message with a friend (the Elders or Sisters can help train you so you can do so comfortably) you are showing the Lord you love Him by acting on faith that he is preparing people. Invite someone to listen to the missionaries, gift a soul to the Lord the Christmas, change someone's eternity.

D&C 18:10, 15, 16

Elder Bromley

Week 28- Las Palmeras, Lima, Peru: Current Investigators

Next week is transfers; I will email on Wednesday.

My companion and I visited a family that we are teaching this week. It is a mom, Magali, and her 2 kids and 1 baby. The father passed away about a year ago and one of our members gave her a plan de salvación pamphet and set up an appointment with us. 

It has been a couple weeks since that day and we have now placed a baptismal date for them and are preparing them lesson by lesson, leaving challenges to help them grow in their faith. The younger broher, Hyrum (he needs to be Mormon with that name) is probably my favorite person in the world right now. I asked him if he had been reading in his Libro de Mormón and he said that he would read a little bit every night so that he could feel close to Jesus.

I hope that one day all of us can have this young and pure faith in scripture study. Open up your books and feel God's presence.

Elder Bromley

Week 27- Las Palmeras, Lima, Peru: Melina, Alissa, y Miguel (Parte Dos)

So a little about our recent converts. Melina and Alissa are a mom and daughter that have been receiving missionary lessons since before I got here. They also were the first family I met here and I could not understand their accents at all. Claudia, the older daughter of Melina, already had been baptized but her little sister was more timid. Melina, being as loving as she is, waited for her daughter to accept the fecha so they could get baptized together.

Miguel, or Mickey, is a life-long friend of our pensionist (the nice woman who provides us with lunch and dinner every day) and one day he decided to listen in to a lesson. That night we watched the Restoration video and he said in that moment he could feel the spirit. Now he is slowly working his way into the warm arms of the church and finding a "spiritual tranquility" that he can't describe but always wanted. He has received the Aaronic Priesthood and now we're helping him to advance even more.

This week church was awesome. We had 8 investigators come to sacrament meeting, including a new family that we escorted to church, and all three messages of the first hour were about the family (plus the primary sang "familias pueden ser eternas"). It touched the heart of the mom, Magali, as she sat with her two sons and baby girl. The Holy Ghost is real.

I hope all of you know how sacred the family is in the eyes of God. The first paragraph under the heading "temples" in True to the Faith says that the only place comparable to temples spiritually is the home. Look at the eternal aspect of this life; the entire purpose of us being here is to make it back to God with our FAMILIES. The Family is a blessing so great that he wanted us to have it and has given commandments to protect it. There is no better place to apply and live the principles of the Gospel of Christ.

For this reason I'm extending to all of you an invitation that was given in that great sacrament meeting.

1. Have family home evenings

2. Pray daily personally as well as in your families

3. Study the scriptures daily as well as in your families

Edify your lives on the love of Jesus Christ and you will find spiritual tranquility as well as the fear-extinguishing hope that flows from the Atonement. Families can be together forever.

2 Nefi 25:23, 26, 29

¡Chau!

Week 26- Las Palmeras, Lima, Peru: Melina, Alissa , y Miguel

This weekend we were blessed with three baptisms and three confirmations. La Hermana Alissa Casteñda, su mamá, la Hemana Melina Martinez, and Miguel Alarcón, el taxista. We are now trying to do our part to pass them off the the members as we continue setting metas for them to accomplish i.e. priesthood and the temple. I think that Alissa said it best to her mom- she hugged her and said, "Mamá ¡Ahora estamos juntos!"

I am out of time but I will let you know more next week about our three new converts! I cannot express how happy I am for each of them. Three souls have entered the gates, and now they are on the one true path.

I love and miss you all!

Elder Bromley

Hermano Manrique, Elder Guerrero, Alissa Casteñada, Melina Martinez, y Elder Bromley

Elder Guerrero, Miguel Alarcón (Mickey), y Elder Bromley

Week 25- Las Palmeras, Lima, Peru: Be Doers of the Word

I hope all of you got the chance to watch conference this weekend! Now remember the words of Robert Hales and be doers of the word instead of just hearers. Don't let the embers left from the fire of the Holy Ghost turn to ashes; kindle what you have learned to cultivate and grow your seed of faith until you can eat the fruit of life and experience the joy that only comes through Jesus Christ. 

Prepare yourselves so that you may worthily serve as member missionaries. The Prophet has called you more than once, and the Prophett speaks on behalf of God. Focus on others so that one day when all has been said and done, you can look back and see all of the eternities you have changed because you shared the Gospel.

I Love and miss you all!

Elder Bromley

Week 24- Las Palmeras, Lima, Peru- Obedience Brings Blessings

Everything is going well down here in Peru. My companion and I have been working very hard to be successful in our work. We have several investigadores con fecha, including a taxi driver named Micky, and we are doing our best to bring them to true conversion. It is hard work, but I'm putting my faith in the Lord because he has called and qualifed me to do this and now I just need to do everything on my side of the promise. 

We have found some very nice potentials and reestablished contact with a couple investigadores antiguos. I push myself hard to be better everyday and am extremely grateful for the opportunity I have to serve here despite the difficulties that we have now and again. 

One of the hardest parts about missionary work is bringing people to this "true conversion." It is resultant from enduring to the end with full purpose of heart but can be accomplished by three basic things. Pray, read in the scriptures, and go to church. And do it with faith. 

Ether 12:18 says that miracles are a product of faith which we know reading from verse 6 means we have to act first. Obedience is an act of faith. In the mission there is a saying, obedience brings blessings, exact obedience brings miracles. 

I can promise you right now that a change of heart is a hard thing to achieve but the miracle of repentance is possible through our willingness to follow Christ. Read and pray with faith and learn from the examples in the Book of Mormon and all around you. Great things come to pass by means of small things. Do all in your power to take upon yourself the name of Christ and He will uphold his part of the promise. 

I love and miss you all!

3 Nefi 27

Elder Bromley II

Week 23- Las Palmeras, Lima, Peru- Fluent?

So I guess I'm fluent now because I gave a 15 minute talk in church and someone said I should publish it.

I don't have anytime to write more, but please find someone this week, anyone, and share the message of the restoration  or that families can be together forever. Think of things on an eternal perspective. Seek for understanding more than knowledge.

Love you all

Week 22- Las Palmeras, Lima, Peru: The Sacred Design of the Family

So everything is still going well in Perú. The language is becoming second nature, although I'm not perfect at speaking it yet. Some people think I'm from Brazil because of the way I talk, which must mean I mumble a lot in Español. But people enjoy the accent. haha. Quick story: I found a box full of Spanish Liahona magazines in our apartment and started reading them. I eventually found a talk I really liked by President Monson and was super excited that it was in Spanish, when I went back to read the title, I was disappointed to realize that this magazine in particular had been in English the entire time. It was so weird...

My companion and I have been finding a lot of solid people this week to teach, including the brother-in-law of Wilmer, who is waiting on a signature to get baptized. One of the Hermanas in our ward is also being a missionary and we started teaching three people because of her, all of whom attended Stake Conference yesterday (Elder Richard G. Scott can speak perfect English). 

The prevalent theme of the entire conference was the family. The family is at the center of what we teach to people. It is a sacred design ordained of God and was created to help insure the eventual return of His own children one day. A family based off the teachings of Christ will not fall. Problems will always occur but the love that is charity is infinitely stronger. So have family home evenings and pray as families. I promise you that you will be blessed with peace.

Helaman 5:12

Moroni 7:45

Elder Jeff Bromley II

Week 21- Las Palmeras, Lima, Peru: Hope and Faith

Hello Everybody!

So this week had its ups and downs. Wilmer's mom didn't sign his registro bautismal (don't know what that is in english) so he couldn't get baptized this Saturday. He still came to church though and isn't shrinking in his desire to learn. Sunday was great because though because we had a ton of less active members there, I've never seen the chapel that full before!

This week I feel like a big theme has been hope and faith. I've also began reading the scriptures listed as references under the hymns; its great. Read 2 Nefi 25:23, 26, 29. 

Keep reading and praying and going to church! Love you all!

Elder Jeff Bromley

Week 20- Las Palmeras, Lima, Peru: OLA

Hello everybody!

I think somebody is praying super hard for me because I haven´t gotten sick yet and it's been three weeks. But now I jinxed it so I'll keep you posted. Perú is great I´m loving every moment of  it. My companion and I have a baptism this weekend. The investigator is Wilmer and he is such a cool kid. He takes in knowledge so quick and learns everything we teach him instantly. He´s already got such a strong testimony, which is good because his mom is very active in a different church. Last week my companion and I were able to have her sit in on a couple lessons and little by little she's opening up. But Wilmer is a fighter. I have faith in him.

Speaking of fighting, my mission president gave a talk last night to us and the recent converts and investigators we brought which was great. It was about enduring till the end and what it means. We teach an acronym here: OLA. Orar, Leer, Asistir, or in English, Pray, Read, Attend (church). When we are doing those things daily or weekly, we will be on the straight and narrow and  receive the blessings promised in 2 Nefi 31.

Love you all!

Matt 11:28-30

Elder Jeff Bromley II

Week 19- Las Palmeras, Lima, Peru: Second Week in Peru

Hello everybody! 

This week has been great. One of our investigators, a 13 year old named Wilmer, passed the baptismal interview and if all goes well, he'll get baptised this week. We also had a lot of investigators and less actives at church this Sunday, it was awesome. This next week Elder Guerrero and I will do a lot of finding (door knocking) so that we can find more famillies and individuals into the church and we already have a couple lesson set, it should be great. Also, the food is still awesome; I've eaten Lomo Saltado twice this week and Aji de Pollo also. You should all try Peruvian food, it's DELICIOUS.

Last saturday, Elder Quentin L Cook visited our mission and gave a talk. It was also awesome because I got to see Elder Clarke, my first companion from the MTC. It was good to see he was still as happy as he always is. Elder Cook's talk directed at true conversion and the difficulty to acheive that lasting inseperable bond to the Lord. It reminded me of something Jeffrey R Holland said:

"Anyone who does any kind of missionary work will have occasion to ask, Why is this so hard? Why doesn’t it go better? Why can’t our success be more rapid? Why aren’t there more people joining the Church? It is the truth. We believe in angels. We trust in miracles. Why don’t people just flock to the font? Why isn’t the only risk in missionary work that of pneumonia from being soaking wet all day and all night in the baptismal font?

You will have occasion to ask those questions. I have thought about this a great deal. I offer this as my personal feeling. I am convinced that missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience.Salvation never was easy. We are The Church of Jesus Christ, this is the truth, and He is our Great Eternal Head. How could we believe it would be easy for us when it was never, ever easy for Him? It seems to me that missionaries and mission leaders have to spend at least a few moments in Gethsemane. Missionaries and mission leaders have to take at least a step or two toward the summit of Calvary.

Now, please don’t misunderstand. I’m not talking about anything anywhere near what Christ experienced. That would be presumptuous and sacrilegious. But I believe that missionaries and investigators, to come to the truth, to come to salvation, to know something of this price that has been paid, will have to pay a token of that same price.

For that reason I don’t believe missionary work has ever been easy, nor that conversion is, nor that retention is, nor that continued faithfulness is. I believe it is supposed to require some effort, something from the depths of our soul.

If He could come forward in the night, kneel down, fall on His face, bleed from every pore, and cry, 'Abba, Father (Papa), if this cup can pass, let it pass,” then little wonder that salvation is not a whimsical or easy thing for us. If you wonder if there isn’t an easier way, you should remember you are not the first one to ask that. Someone a lot greater and a lot grander asked a long time ago if there wasn’t an easier way.'"

I love you all!

Obedience brings blessings; exact obedience brings miracles.

Miracles are a result of faith; obedience is faith

True faith necessitates exact obedience and will bring miracles 

Elder Jeff Bromley II

   A pensionista cooking Lomo Saltado

Lima at night

Angels Trumpet flowers (for Mom)

The view out of a tiny window

With Elder Mitchell (from Oregon)

Week 18- Las Palmeras, Lima, Peru: Culture Shock

Perú is awesome. It is completely different here than from the U.S. but it's all great. Our apartment is above a small restaurant and is a lot different than the apartement I had just moved into in Eugene Oregon. The floor is all concrete and there's no hot water, which I forgot was a possibilty until my first shower here. There's a switch on the wall by the shower that raises the temperature from 55ish degrees to 65ish degrees; I'm very grateful for that switch. 

There are also a ton of dogs here. There are some that have their own spots as territory and some that walk around. The other day my companion and I saw a jauría of dogs, or a dog pack. They just walked down the street like it was no big deal in a group of 10. Also there are certain times of the day when all of the dogs are asleep. It's pretty funny though because the nicer and tamer dogs usually wear little sweaters or jackets. 

I figured out how authentic my mom's cooking actually is when I ate homemade Peruvian food here. The Aji de Gallina and Lomo Saltado tastes exactly the same and it's delicious. The rice here is even cooked the same.

The poeople here are all super nice and I'm getting used to their accents. Peruvians apparently have the British accent of the Spanish world. 

I'll let all of you know how things keep going. I love and miss you all! 

Helamán 5

Elder Jeff Bromley II

Elder Bromley y Elder Guerrero

"King Kong" cake

Elder Guerrero & Elder Bromley eating completos

Week 17- Lima, Peru: ¡Perú!

¡Perú!

So last friday during our zone training meeting my mission president pulled me aside and told me that I had gotten my visa and that I was leaving monday morning. I got up at 3:30 a.m. and flew from Eugene to Salt Lake City, to Atlanta, and then to Lima. By the time I got here it was already midnight, but it didn't seem that way because everyone was awake still and driving around. My mom always said how crazy the drivers are here but now I understand. I've never heard so many car horns in my life. 

I met my new companion, Eder Guerrero. He is a native Peruvian and doesn't speak much English at all. He's in charge of helping y Spansh and I'm in charge of helping his English. I feel bad because English is so dumb, it took a while to explain how to pronounce woman as opposed to women, it really doesn't make sense.

Anyways, Im getting used to the Peruvian accent now and I love it here. I'm serving in Las Palmeras, Lima right now and I will send pictures. I will keep you all posted on what goes on down here. 

On the plane ride down here I read a scripture that I think fits my situation.

"Now if this is boasting, even so will I boast; for this is my life and my light, my joy and my salvation, and my redemption from everlasting wo. Yea, blessed is the name of my God, who has been mindful of this people, who are a branch of the tree of Israel, and has been lost from its body in a strange land; yea, I say, blessed be the name of my God, who has been mindful of us, wanderers in a strange land."

I love and miss you all! 

Elder Jeff Bromley II

The view from Jeff's apartment

Elder Bromley y Elder Guerrero 

Lima

Week 17- Eugene, Oregon: Photos

Laura's Baptism

GO DUCKS!!!

UPDATE: VISA RECEIVED!! FINALLY HEADED TO PERU!!!

EXCITING NEWS!!!

Jeffrey's visa has finally been received! His travel has been booked- he will depart from Eugene for Lima, Peru via Los Angeles this coming Monday, August 12!!

We do not yet know what town Jeffrey will be serving in when he arrives or what his new address or P-Day will be. I will update this blog with new information as I receive it.

Can't wait to hear about his new adventures in PERU!!!

Week 16- Eugene, Oregon: We're All Here Cause We're Not All There...

Hello All!

So this week has been very long but enjoyable. I just remembered right now that I actually moved apartments again a couple days ago (my address is the same - it's the mission office's). But this is the first time since my mission started that I have lived in an apartment with just one other Elder. It's really quiet sometimes but it's definitely a good break from the usual ambience that comes along with a bunch of 19-20 year-olds. That being said, we aren't in the apartment all too often, and I will be in the apartment even less now that I'm about to finish my 12 weeks of training thus ending my hour of daily training. But that's ok with me, I like going out and talking with people. I have also taken it upon myself to find nice small rocks and then drawing on them to make prayer rocks for our investigators and recent converts. They like it and I like it so it's a good trade off. Once I figure out how to work these library computers I'll start sending pictures back home.

Anyways, in this past week I've just started to notice how awesome Nephi is. He really is a great example to us because of how relatable his story is to us. Like all people, he had to pray to gain faith that what his father was prophesying was true (1 Nephi 2:16) and then he connected the dots to do what God wanted him to do just from that small seed of faith. Paraphrasing what he said in 1 Nephi 11:17, we can recognize that "Nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things, but I know that God loves His children." That one small light that he had drove him to be one of the most diligent servants the Lord has ever had. And even then, he was very humble. While in the MTC, one of the Elders from my district gave me lyrics to a song, "I Love the Lord," which is based of off the psalm of Nephi (2 Nephi 4). It shows that even spiritual giants go through hardship and have their faults, what makes them different, however, is how the react and then act to these situations. Instead of slowing down Nephi shouts, "Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin! Rejoice, my heart! And let me praise again."

May we all try to have that perfect brightness of hope this week.

I love you all!

Week 15- Eugene, Oregon: Build Upon the Rock of the Redeemer

It is so bizzare how time is flying on my mission. I have adapted to the language and I love the people here. The other pair of missionaries from our branch had a baptism; his name is Salvador Lopez and is 18 years old. He and his little brother went to the priesthood class last Sunday and Elder Anderson and I dropped in for a minute and talked about missionary work. We asked all of them if they were planning on serving missions and they all said yes except for Salvador and his brother who hadn't thought of it before. The other two Elders told us today at our zone activity (ultimate frisbee!) that now he and his older sister and brother want to serve missions, which would be crazy awesome.

Anyways, I have very little time left, but you should all look up Helaman 5:12. It's awesome.

I love and miss you all!

Elder Jeff Bromley II

Week 14: Pictures from Elder Ketchum (Medford, Oregon)

Here are some pictures that Jeffrey's old companion, Elder Ketchum sent to him from their time together in Medford.

Elder Bromley and Elder Ketchum at Emma Humildad's baptism (with her family and the Branch President)

Emma's baptism with more family, friends, and Elders.

Jeff's mission district in Medford, Oregon

Another picture of the Medford district

And a picture of the hobo they found sleeping in their car-
before Jeffrey gave him a Gatorade and asked him to please go sleep somewhere else  :)

Week 14- Eugene, Oregon: Laura's Baptism

Hello everybody! 

So last week has been very eventful. Laura was baptized this last Saturday and was confirmed yesterday! After her baptism at a linger longer we asked her who she wanted to do the confirmation and she chose me. Immediately I was worried that my Spanish wasn't adequate but I agreed to it anyways. When talking with Elder Anderson about it, he said something very straightforward, "You can give the confirmation in Spanish, if you have the faith." At that moment I knew that I was going to speak Spanish the next day and I just needed to open my mouth. Everything went well and Laura looked very happy the rest of sacrament meeting. I'll send pictures whenever I figure out these library computers.

There is one more thing that happened this week that I want to share. There is an 73 year-old man named Roberto Garcia in our branch who we help do family history work a couple times a week. He walked in with over forty names to plug into the computer and send off to the temple! After a lot of effort we managed to send one name off last week - his mom's name. He was so happy knowing that he had gotten all of his mom's temple work started, he could hardly even talk for a few minutes. The knowedge that he could live with his family forever brings him so much joy and he is very tenaciously seeing that all of the work gets done for all of his other relatives.

Later that day, Elder Anderson and I were tracting and we decided to go talk to this older white man who was standing on his porch even though he clearly did not speak Spanish. We came to know that his name was Dwight and that he had only been in Oregon for 3-5 years. We also learned that his long-time girlfriend had passed away almost a year ago, and it is something that is still heavy in his heart to this day. He broke down and said he had to go but then Elder Anderson called after him and asked him to wait. We then explained the Plan of Salvation to him and how he will be able to see his loved ones again, including his girlfriend. I offered a prayer before leaving and he greatly appreciated our visit.

I just want to suggest to all of you to look into studying the Plan of Salvation. There is such a contrast in sentiments toward death depending on if you have this knowledge or not. Remember always that you are children of God.

Elder Jeff Bromley II

Week 13- Eugene, Oregon: Hasten the Work

Things are going great here in Eugene. My new companion, Elder Alec Anderson, is super legit. He has a gift to become friends with pretty much anybody really quickly which is extremely helpful in the work. He almost convinced a not interested game programmer to make a Book of Mormon video game. Haha. Nothing too crazy has happened since the hobo was in the car although there are a lot of funny people in Eugene. We have a golden investigator, Laura Ochoa, who is 18 years old and lives with some members. She will be baptized the 20th and tonight we are going to review the interview questions with her. She is super strong in her faith and understands why having faith is important. We also have a 77 year-old investigator named Vilma Baker who believes this church is true and wants to get baptized in August. She was found waiting at a bus stop by some other elders and she's been to church once already and loves it. It is amazing to see these prepared people come into our path every day.

Speaking of that, we had a Zone Training Meeting headed by President Young this last week. There were two main things he wanted us to do: have members start their own Family Mission Plans and to involve the youth of the church. I want to encourage all of you to create a FMP. Missionary work isn't as awkward as some make it out to be, in fact, it can be very natural. Watch this video (I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go); it shows how inspiring member missionary work can be.

I love and miss you all and challenge you to reach out to somebody you know this week.

Elder Jeff Bromley II

Here's the song that Jeffrey mentioned in his last e-mail, "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing," as performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir:

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Come thou fount of every blessing

Tune my heart to sing thy grace
Streams of mercy never ceasing
Call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet
Sung by flaming tongues above
I'll praise the mount I'm fixed upon it
Mount of thy redeeming love

Here I raise my Ebenezer
Hither by thy help I come
And I hope by thy good pleasure
Safely to arrive at home

Jesus sought me when a stranger
Wondering from the fold of God
He, to rescue me from danger
Interposed His precious blood

O to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be!
Let thy goodness like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee
Prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above

Music:  John Wyeth

Week 12- Eugene, Oregon: Transfer to Eugene

Eugene, Oregon

So as I mentioned in my previous email, I had taken over half of our area with Elder Egerton, another visa waiter. About halfway through the week he followed along the reoccurring pattern and got his visa, once again throwing our Spanish branch missionaries through a loop. Since I have yet to receive my visa they decided to send me up to Eugene, OR to serve hopefully until my visa comes. My new companion is Elder Alec Anderson and he is a very diligent and great missionary. He was actually the Elder that discovered and baptized a few of the members that I got to know during my stay in Medford; I am very glad to be serving with him.

So that's where I'm at right now - Now I'm just having my first full day up here after the three hour drive we had last night. Speaking of which, Elder Egerton had some John Bytheway CD's with him so we got to listen to a couple talks while driving. I just want to recommend to all of you right now to listen to any of his talks, I think they are all great and that we can learn a lot from them. But he said something that really stuck out to me during one of his talks. He was talking about Christ and how much He truly loves us. John asked, "Do you want to know how much Christ thinks about you? He thinks about you everytime that He looks at His hands." He then brought up 1 Nephi 21:15-16 "...Yea, they may forget, yet I will not forget thee, O house of Israel. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands."

First off, for the amount of times I've gone through 1 Nephi, I have never caught that little packet of light. But how significant is that to you to know that our Lord and Savior is always thinking of us? It really illuminates my heart to know that He is always there willing to help us. There are some lyrics from Come Thou Fount that come to mind, "Jesus sought me, when a stranger wondering from the fold of God. He, to rescue me from danger interposed His precious blood." His "arms of mercy" really are extended to us. We just need to look for them.

I love and miss you all!

John 7:17

Elder Jeff Bromley II

Week 11- Medford, Oregon: Look for the Face of God in Others

Transfer Day!

So, as I may have mentioned before, my companion was very far along with his mission and is now done and going home. I now have a new companion, Elder Egerton, who is also waiting for his visa. So now we're follow-up training each other and taking over our half of the area, so this should be a great learning experience...haha. He is pretty cool and from Arkansas and is now learning how to get around Medford since he has to drive our car and my driving papers need to be resubmitted (don't worry mom). We managed to get to the library to email so I think everything is gonna be good. It's been in the 100's over here too so hopefully the lessons we plan don't fall through leaving us to tract, so we're keeping our fingers crossed.

Anyways, I was reading in Alma chapter 48 and something in verse 23 stuck out to me. First off, the Nephite soldiers didn't enjoy fighting and killing the Lamanites, but here's the reason why. "they were sorry to be the means of sending so many of their brethren out of this world into an eternal world, unprepared to meet their God."

They really truly cared about these enemy soldiers even though they knew what harm they would do to their preople if they did not defend themselves. The depth of their understanding was beyond that of things in this world and they new that ignorance would stunt the spiritual growth of many through the upcoming battle, yet they had to fight.

This reminds me of those people in our lives with whom conflicts often arise. Nobody is perfect and we are not going to get along with everybody we meet. But it is not our job to judge or hold grudges; holding on to anger is like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies. It will not help anyone. Remember the Lord's commandment, love one another. We are all children of the same God so we should not be the means by which another person's already dificult journey in returning to their Father is made more difficult. Be kind to one another, you might be surprised by what offering out an hand to help might do to soften the hearts of those who are distant. I know that it has helped me a lot in my mission so far. Try to see the face of God in others.

I love and miss you all!

Alma 48

Elder Jeff Bromley II

Week 10- Medford, Oregon: The Truth of the Book of Mormon

Hello everybody! 

I'm almost done with my first transfer here in Medford, Oregon and things keep going great! We are finding new people to teach and having very spirit-driven lessons to help us fufill our goal of inviting people to Christ. I'm slowly discovering that almost everybody we talk to and teach has connections to someone else in our branch, I guess that's just how things work here in the Spanish branch. The Fuentes family is still not sure whether to be baptized or not; everyone in our little branch is going crazy because of that. I'm not too worried because, like Gordon B. Hinckley said, "Things always work out in the end, and if it doesn't work out, it's not the end." We'll just keep trying our best over here. Also Hermano Fuentes asked me to draw him a picture he saw in a pamphlet of Christ that we both like, so I did. I hope he likes it.

Other than that the only news around here is that my companion is finishing up his last week on his mission. It's kind of funny though. We were wandering around Best Buy while other missionaries who were driving us were trying to buy a GPS and he started freaking out at the laptops and HD LED 3D TV's. He was freaking out. There aren't any more hobo stories but I'll keep you posted.

So yesterday, we were blessed with the opportunity to watch the church leadership conference. If any of you haven't seen it yet, go watch it on LDS.org. It was one of the most inspiring things I've seen and made me miss being at the MTC way bad. But there is one dialog from the conference that stuck out to me the most.

There was an woman talking about how she was introduced to the Book of Mormon. After her first lesson with the missionaries, they asked her, "how do you feel about the Book of Mormon?"

She replied, "I think that it might be true!"

The missionaries then asked a very powerful question, "Knowing that the Book is true, what are you going to do about it?"

Brothers and Sisters, we should all ask ourselves the same thing. What does it mean if the Book of Mormon is true. Well in the introduction it states that if the Book is true, that Christ is the Savior of the world, Joseph Smith was His Prophet and Revelator, and that this church is the Lord's Kingdom. It also means that before this life we lived with our Heavenly Father, and we are His children, and will once again live with Him and with our families forever after this life. To follow through with that plan we must have faith in Christ, we must repent, be baptized and confirmed in His name, and take on His name for the rest of our lives and try to be like Him.

There are some questions in Alma 5 I believe we should ask oursleves as well. "Have you been born of God? Have you received His image in your countenances? Have you experienced this great change in your lives?"

I just want to encourage you all to go and build friendships with those who are falling away or less active. And do it out of love for them.

I love and miss you all!

2 Nephi 4

Elder Jeff Bromley II

Picture Jeffrey drew for Hermano Fuentes