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

Week 9- Medford, Oregon: PICTURES!

The Elders from Jeffrey's first district at the MTC: Elder Calder, Elder Clarke,  Elder Bromley, and Elder Daisson

Jeffrey's MTC District

Jeff's companion, Elder Ketchum, when they found their car surrounded by trash cans

Elders Garcia, Johnson, Bromley, and Ketchum (Ketchup)

Medford, Oregon Temple

Flowers at the Medford Temple

Week 9- Medford, Oregon: What Medford is Like

What Medford is like, 

So last Saturday during Companionship Study time, Elder Ketchum decided that I should play a song on guitar for the baptism of a little girl named Emma. I was fine with the idea except for the fact that the guitar a member lent detuned as it sat in our closet during the week. I asked Elder Ketchum to get a CD he has with the hymns on guitar so I could tune mine. The other Elders (Elder Garcia and Elder Johnson) we live with took it into their car so we had them go get it out. This is what happened according to Elder Garcia:

     They both walked up to their car parked in the street and Elder Garcia opened up the passenger side door and was looking around for the CD. He smelled something weird and looked into the back seat only to find a tennis shoe. Connected to the tennis shoe was a smelly hobo who had gotten into their car drunk the night before and passed out. Elder Garcia walked back and told Elder Johnson, and then Elder Johnson ran away. This really happened and I have pictures. I got to wake him up and asked if he was ok, which he was. Then I gave him a gatorade and he left in peace. The car smells absolutely terrible to this day.

     Anyways, besides the fact that you should all LOCK YOUR CARS, I just wanted to say thanks to my dad since yesterday was Father's day. He helped me get through high school and always made sure that I was staying out of trouble. He has always been my biggest fan when I played soccer and guitar and he has also been one of my biggest supporters on my mission. I love you dad! Happy Father's day!

     I want all of you to remember as well that you all have a Father in heaven (in addition to your dad) who loves and knows you perfectly. Never forget that! He wants you to be happy always and has provided you with a plan to do so. I have learned more about life in the past few weeks reading and studying the Book of Mormon than I have in the past 20 years. Open it up and start reading.

I love and miss you all!

Jacob 3:1

Elder Jeff Bromley II

Jeffrey asked me to post this photo of him and his dad along with this post- Happy Father's Day!

A Father's Day Message (and SONG!) from Elder Bromley!

Jeffrey's dad received this lovely Father's Day e-mail from a kind ward member in Medford:

"Your son, Elder Bromley, was at my house today. He wanted you to know he's thinking of you on Father's Day.

Also, I had the privilege of hearing him sing and play the guitar at a baptism today. I bootlegged a copy for you. Enjoy!

Happy Father's Day! My family adores your son. Good job, mom and dad!"

Week 8- Medford, Oregon: Applying Good Advice

Hello all!

It's crazy to think that I've almost spent a month in Oregon now! It feels like just yesterday I was eating cafeteria food at the Missionary Training Center and now I'm eating Mexican food every day. My companion, Elder Ketchum, and I get along great. We make a good team and we are about to wash our car so that we can win the "golden plates" for the clean car contest at a meeting tomorrow. All of the missionaries here are really nice and I feel really comfortable around all of them.

My branch has a baptism coming up; this 15th, a little girl named Emma who's mom is a recent convert will be baptized and another one of our investigator families is going to attend to see how it is. I'm hoping that they feel a good spirit there and gain more confidence. We are also visiting two middle-aged men who nicknamed themselves "El Tigre" and "El Beautiful." Just wanted you all to know.

Here's a funny little miracle that happened. My little sister Belle wrote to me (in one of the letters that she hid in my suitcase) to be nice to all of the stray dogs I find in Peru. Well I'm not in Peru yet, but as my companion and I were leaving a trailer park, I turned around and saw an Australian Shepard following us. I stopped and let it sniff me and then I pet its head. It looked up at my companion (who has met some crazy dogs on his mission) and I told him to pet its head as well. Once he did that we decided to take it home. We walked it back and met his owner, a woman named Paula, and she thanked us for bringing Max the dog back. She ended up being one of the most receptive people that I've met on my mission so far; at first I handed her a card, then a pamphlet, then a Libro de Mormon. It really proves that we should follow whatever advice we are given.

This relates to the talks I heard at church on Sunday about preparation. A note that I wrote down from one of the talks was a question: "What words of direction from the leaders in our church have I not fully listened to yet?" We are so blessed to have so many great people give us advice, all we really need to do is apply it. Take notes of and ponder the things you hear about at sacrament - it can really help out a lot.

Anyways, I love and miss you all! Keep doing work back home!

Elder Jeff Bromley II

Week 7- Medford, Oregon: The Lord Lifts Up the Faithful

Hello again! 

I am still alive and well, nothing much has changed about me yet, I'm just a tiny bit tanner. The people here are all so nice; the investigators are friendly and the people in our branch are among the nicest people ever! Right now my companion, Elder Ketchum, and I are trying to set a date for a family to get baptized. They are the Fuentes family and the missionaries here actually just got the parents to get married not too long ago; I can see them get happier and happier each time I see them.

So I don't have much time, but I just want to share two scriptures I like: they are Jacob 5:72 and D&C 84:88.

Both talk about how the Lord is always with us helping us to do what is right. I was a little scared at first when I first left the MTC. But as I remembered that I am not doing any of this alone and that I will be supported through all of my trials, I felt better. I had a new restored confidence, not so much in myself, but in the Holy Ghost. If I truly consecrate myself to the work, I won't ever have to be afraid. Ever.

I just want to let you all know that this little story applies to all of your lives. Things might come up and challenges may arise but like it says in Alma 36:3, the Lord will sustain us. We just need to align our will with His. Then we will be able to see God's hand in everything and find comfort that all things are for our good. So be good and be happy! Don't take what you know about this church for granted because it really is the most precious message of hope there is.

I love and miss you all!

Helaman 3:35

P.S. 

My address is now:

612 Hamilton St.

Medford, OR 97501

Elder Jeff Bromley II