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