Elder Jeffrey Richard Bromley II: October 2013

Monday, October 28, 2013

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

Monday, October 21, 2013

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!

Monday, October 14, 2013

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

Saturday, October 12, 2013

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

Jeff's Scripture References

Alma 26:6-7 "6 Yea, they shall not be beaten down by the storm at the last day; yea, neither shall they be harrowed up by the whirlwinds; but when the storm cometh they shall be gathered together in their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them; yea, neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the enemy listeth to carry them. 7 But behold, they are in the hands of the Lord of the harvest, and they are his; and he will raise them up at the last day."
Jacob 5:70-72 "70 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard sent his servant; and the servant went and did as the Lord had commanded him, and brought other servants; and they were few. 71 And the Lord of the vineyard said unto them: Go to, and labor in the vineyard, with your might. For behold, this is the last time that I shall nourish my vineyard; for the end is nigh at hand, and the season speedily cometh; and if ye labor with your might with me ye shall have joy in the fruit which I shall lay up unto myself against the time which will soon come. 72 And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with their mights; and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them; and they did obey the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard in all things."
Jacob 5:75-77 "75 And it came to pass that when the Lord of the vineyard saw that his fruit was good, and that his vineyard was no more corrupt, he called up his servants, and said unto them: Behold, for this last time have we nourished my vineyard; and thou beholdest that I have done according to my will; and I have preserved the natural fruit, that it is good, even like as it was in the beginning. And blessed art thou; for because ye have been diligent in laboring with me in my vineyard, and have kept my commandments, and have brought unto me again the natural fruit, that my vineyard is no more corrupted, and the bad is cast away, behold ye shall have joy with me because of the fruit of my vineyard. 76 For behold, for a long time will I lay up of the fruit of my vineyard unto mine own self against the season, which speedily cometh; and for the last time have I nourished my vineyard, and pruned it, and dug about it, and dunged it; wherefore I will lay up unto mine own self of the fruit, for a long time, according to that which I have spoken. 77 And when the time cometh that evil fruit shall again come into my vineyard, then will I cause the good and the bad to be gathered; and the good will I preserve unto myself, and the bad will I cast away into its own place. And then cometh the season and the end; and my vineyard will I cause to be burned with fire."
Alma 6:6 "Nevertheless the children of God were commanded that they should gather themselves together oft, and join in fasting and mighty prayer in behalf of the welfare of the souls of those who knew not God."
3 Nephi 18:32 "Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places of worship, for unto such shall ye continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them."
D&C 105:10 " "That they themselves may be prepared, and that my people may be taught more perfectly, and have experience, and know more perfectly concerning their duty, and the things which I require at their hands."
D&C 107:99-100 "Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence. He that is slothful shall not be counted worthy to stand, and he that learns not his duty and shows himself not approved shall not be counted worthy to stand. Even so. Amen."
Matthew 11:29-30 "29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Luke 9:23 "And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me."
2 Nephi 31:10 "And he said unto the children of men: Follow thou me. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?"
2 Nephi 25:23 "For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do."
Moroni 7:45 "And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things."
Helaman 5:12 "And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."
2 Nephi 25:29 "And now behold, I say unto you that the right way is to believe in Christ, and deny him not; and Christ is the Holy One of Israel; wherefore ye must bow down before him, and worship him with all your might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul; and if ye do this ye shall in nowise be cast out."
2 Nephi 25:26 "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins."
2 Nephi 25:23 "For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do."
1 Nephi 11:17 "And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things."
1 Nephi 2:16 "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers."
Helaman 5:12 "And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."
John 7:17 "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself."
1 Nephi 21:15-16 "15 ...Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel. 16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me."
Jacob 3:1 "But behold, I, Jacob, would speak unto you that are pure in heart. Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith, and he will console you in your afflictions, and he will plead your cause, and send down justice upon those who seek your destruction."
Helaman 3:35 " Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God."
Alma 36:3 "And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day."
D&C 84:88 "And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up."
Jacob 5:72 " And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with their mights; and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them; and they did obey the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard in all things."
Alma 37:6 "Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise."
John 9:39 "And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind."
Ether 12:4 "Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God."
Alma 36:3 "...whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day."
Ether 12:6 "...faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith."
Alma 36:3 "And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day."
Moroni 8:16 "...Behold, I speak with boldness, having authority from God; and I fear not what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear."