Week 87- Los Laureles, Chorrillos, Lima, Peru: Share the Gift

This week my companion and I have worked hard to put into practice the "He is the gift" initiative in our ward. He is the Gift (http://www.mormon.org/christmas) is a special project that the church is spreading across the world to help everybody receive, accept and share the message of Christ's legacy. Our goal as missionaries was to use this opportunity to flood Chorrillos with "Gift," and we were happy with the current results.

We were able to come up with an idea to convert the whole ward into finders; we modified the "future investigator" sheet normally given to missionaries to record references received from members, the title headings for the columns being "Name (of reference)," "type of relation to the person," and also the time and date of an appointment we could set up with these new less actives and investigators. In addition, we had the members put THEIR OWN contact information so that we could arrange the meeting in the member's houses. We met with the ward mission leader and the bishop and they added in their own little modifications. We shared the idea with some members of the ward council as well.

The Bishop is very excited about this idea and was anxious to share it in our ward council. He announced the plan to the ward in the first hour and in the third hour he gathered all the members together and Elder Paredes and I were able to give a little presentation and explain the plan after watching the "He is the Gift" video. We passed out the reference forms to the members and gave out the pass along cards and copies of the pass along card to share with friends and family. Even the members seemed excited to participate. In the end we were able to receive 28 references of less actives and investigators and have six lessons in member homes already set up. We are going to take copies of the forms so our ward mission leader can verify for us, but for now it feels good that we have started up some type of movement in the ward. Now we just need to follow up like crazy to keep the fire burning.

Everybody at home who would like to send presents to "their missionaries," please know that the best thing you could ever give to them is your fidelity to the gospel. There is nothing of greater value to me than knowing that those who I love are being steadfast and immovable in their faith in Christ. If you want to give something back to God this Christmas, invite all your friends and family to listen and learn of the Restored Gospel. Do it!

I love and miss you all!

Elder Bromley

Week 86- Los Laureles, Chorrillos, Lima, Peru: Just Pictures!

No real e-mail from Jeff this week, but he did send pictures! He wrote to mom and said that he’s excited to Skype on Christmas and he’s also looking forward to returning to BYU-I shortly after coming home (April 20) because, in his words, "I don't imagine many other things as efficient as that, and I don't want to sit around for 6 months haha.”

Thanks for supporting Jeff- just a few more months until we get to see him again!

Mi cachorro (Elder Gonzales) y yo

 

Almost all the American Elders from my group

 

Elder Paredes and I

Week 85- Los Laureles, Chorrillos, Lima, Peru: Chorriiiiiillos

The mission is still going great, Elder Paredes and I are working hard with the ward to keep finding the prepared families. Right now we are working with a family which was found because the husband is a less active member of the church. He was baptized when he was 15, but when he was 19 he moved to another country and became inactive in the church. Now, many years later, the missionaries have been able to find him and his soon to be wife and two kids! Julio and Rosibety will be getting married the 13 of December and Rosibety with her 10 year son, Nicolas, will then be baptized in the church the 20 of December. We are working hard with this family; last night we were able to teach them, and they reflected on how the Gospel has been able to change their lives so much in about two months. They then expressed their gratitude for having brought the Gospel into their lives. This family will go to the temple one day and it'll be great.

We were able to bring a recent convert, Gregorio to the temple where he was able to be baptized and behalf of his father. He came back super rejuvenated and is excited in knowing that he can keep going back to the temple as he likes and keep helping his late family members receive their saving ordinances. I hope all at home have done or are currently doing their family history work. This life is much too important to only be about us; look for new ways to help others who truly need the Lord's hand in life. Invite a friend to church, bring names to the temple, or do something just as simple as share the gift that God gave to all of us that first Christmas more than two mileniums ago. Invite others to come unto Christ.

One more thing to share to missionaries and non missionaries. The world is becoming much more dangerous every day. I am convinced that there will come a moment in which in order for one to endure in the faith, they must regularly receive the great blessings that come from going to the temple. So members, get your recommend and use it often, and missionaries (future and current) work until your recent converts and rescued members get to the temple. (Alma 26:6-7; Jacob 5:70-72, 75-77)

I love you all!

Elder Bromley

Elder Paredes and me making a giant calendar thing

Teaching a new Gringo (Elder Wabel) how to eat la granadilla

 

El Templo de Lima, Peru

Yendo al templo con Gregorio

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."

Week 84- Los Laureles, Chorrillos, Lima, Peru: Sorry!

Sorry I did not have any time to write this week! I'll write you next week!

I love you! Chau!

Elder Bromley

Week 83- Los Laureles, Chorrillos, Lima, Peru: Transfers!

I have been transferred to Los Laureles, Chorrillos, Lima. Elder Sanhueza is going to stay back in Villa Maria and train a new missionary. I have recently gotten to Chorrillos. I am so thankful for the chance that I have had to work in Villa María and to help the people there. I have especially enjoyed the new focus on retaining converts and taking them to the temple. I will include more details on a future date. I hope to be able to take all the good that I have learned from that area and to bring it here to Los Laureles 2 so I can catalyze the work in the way that God would have me do it. I am confident that Elder Paredes and I are going to put all of our heart and soul into hastening the work here in Chorrillos.

I am still recently getting to know the names and the faces of all of the missionaries here as well as the members and non members in my area, but I plan on putting all that I have into this assignment. What I want to do is help all of the missionaries here capture the spirit of the Work of Salvation. I want us all to be unified in purpose with the mark on Christ working in the manner of the Lord. I want a zone of true disciples. And that is what we will do here.

I love and miss you all!

Elder Bromley

The Elders cooking in Villa Maria

Going to the temple with Jose Antonio

Elder Sanhueza

In Chorrillos with Elder Paredes

The puppy that lives at the internet

Week 82- Villa Maria, Lima, Peru: No Email

I did not receive an email for the group from Jeffrey this week.

Week 81- Villa Maria, Lima, Peru: Viiiillla Maaariiia

This week Elder Sanhueza and I have been trying to work on helping people understand the core principles of the lessons and applying it to themselves. We have seen success in this as one of our less actives, after having heard the plan of salvation, began to search for a pen and paper asking us to write the 5 steps of the Gospel for her to remember how receive forgiveness for her sins. A similar thing happened with one of our other investigators who wanted to write down the 5 steps in the Gospel to send to her daughter who is far from home. The Spirit testifies in simplicity, which is something we have been trying to hone in our teaching skills, and when that Spirit gets to the heart of a person, naturally they want to change. What more is that they also feel the need to share the message with those who they love most.

The Gospel is simple but not easy. Often one can find himself or herself straying from their beliefs. Never forget the first two steps, faith and repentance. Coupled with the Sacrament it is irreplaceable in our lives.

Elder Bromley

Week 80- Villa Maria, Lima, Peru: Share the Gospel!

Elder Sanhueza and I have been working our butts off again this last week. He loves to work so it is always fun going out to teach everyday. We continue to work hard with the less actives and members and are in search for all of their family members and friends who are chosen and prepared. My companion gave his first talk in sacrament meeting in the mission to inspire members to SHARE THE GOSPEL. President Howard Hunter said that a great indicator of the level of our own conversion is the need we feel to share the Gospel with others. I invite all of you to pray for missionary experiences!

We were also able to have personal revelation as we taught the 10 commandments to a less active church member! When we hear the words "don't take the name of God in vain," we often immediately think of a three word phrase that covers the vocabulary of many people. But as members of the Church of Jesus Christ, we have taken upon us His name and thus have promised to become as He wants us to be and to act in a way that He would in a given situation. We have promised to keep all of His commandments, and in turn, God has promised us with His guidance and forgiveness for our faults. We must make sure that the decisions that we make, the things we say, and what we do always makes us an "example of the believers" and in that way, become the light of the world which Christ has asked us to be, beacons to help God's children who have gotten lost or have strayed.

I love and miss you all!

Elder Bromley

Week 79- Villa Maria, Lima, Peru: Villllllllllllllllllllllllllllla Mariiiiaaaaaa

This week has been cool; Elder Sanhueza and I started and ended the week finding two new families, a total of 12 people! The cool part is that we found them through members, one of whom was a member who gave us a reference and the other was a less active whose address we found who was baptized when she was 8 many years ago. We are hoping that these people are prepared to receive the restored Gospel. Members, invite your friends to listen and see what miracles God will give you.

Elder Bromley

Week 78- Villa Maria, Lima, Peru: Conferencia General

We finally watched general conference! It was awesome! I hope all of you apply in your lives the great messages that God has given to us through our leaders. We were especially happy to be able to bring 36 people to this conference as a district. We worked hard to get our friends there, and I know that it paid off for each and every one of them.

I would like to put emphasis on Richard G. Scott's talk. All families need to put emphasis on their spiritual family activities. Please put priority on your personal studies and prayers also. A testimony is a flame that needs fuel or a seed that needs nurturing. Lack of care diminishes the strength of either while consistent care allows for an incredible growth. Parents, if you are not having weekly family home evenings, please change that. Children, if you are not supporting your parents as they attempt to help you, please change that. Nothing is more important than the family. It is one of the few things that we can take with us after this life.

I love and miss you all!

Elder Bromley

Week 77- Villa Maria, Lima, Peru: Still in Villa Maria!

So transfers came and I am still in Villa Maria with Elder Sanhueza! We are working super hard and are starting to see more fruits of our labors. We are working hard with the less actives and have made many plans to bring them to General Conference. We were unable to see conference this last weekend because there is a law in Peru where people cannot congregate during voting hours, and seeing as to how elections were last weekend, as a country conference was postponed for a week.

I will write more next week! There's no more time!

I love and miss you all!

Elder Bromley

Us cooking for ourselves!

Week 76- Villa Maria, Lima, Peru: A Message for Men of Missionary Age

 Hello all!

This week has been a lot of work. Elder Sanhueza and I have been working our butts off here. We are currently setting plans with the Ward Council and bringing them to pass. WARD COUNCIL MEMBERS, PLEASE HELP THE MISSIONARIES.

We had a baptism, her name is Angelina Chavez. She is super cool and it was great teaching her with cards.

Here's something for those men of missionary age:

Tell them that I love them all! Tell them that there is absolutely nothing that could be of more worth to them in their lives right now than preparing themselves for the mission. Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. He is our Example; He is our Leader and our Captain. He has called us. He goes before us. He will provide the way and the means. Our weaknesses will convert into strengths and our seemingly insignificant abilities will be fortified to meet the task. The only reason why a mission should be delayed would be to put one's life in harmony with the will of God through repentance. Repent. All things temporal are excuses while all things spiritual are reasons. The biggest failure of man is letting what he wants in the moment destroy what he wants in the eternity. A good missionary has 4 basic characteristics. Worthiness to have the Spirit, humility to listen to it, obedience to fan the flame of faith, and diligence to magnify the calling. Love should always be the motive. Accept that you do not understand all things. Confide in God's omniscience and not in your own imperfect knowledge. Obtain a testimony of the Book of Mormon. If you wait for the perfect moment, it'll never come. Act now.

I love and miss you all!

Elder Bromley

A huge Peruvian graveyard city

A pig face on the ground

Angelina Chavez with her dad and family