Week 63- La Esperanza, Pisco, Peru: Paracas

Paracas is a word in Quechua which means rain and sand, or essentially, rain of sand. This week we enjoyed having one of these giant dust storms pass through Pisco. It was fun leaving in my rain jacket again and walking around with my eyes closed and trying to teach as peoples' little temporary homes almost fell over.

This last week we have also found some great investigators. We found two small families and now they are starting to come to church little by little. We will pass by tonight with our ward mission leader to set fechas for their weddings; we talked about it before and they are keeping their commitments as for now, and if they keep that up, they will be sufficiently strong to follow Christ.

It's an interesting concept. Through obedience to the commitments we give, the Holy Ghost can touch the hearts of the people and help them make changes in their lives. They become new people.

The same can be applied to us with the commandments. If we want God to mold how we are, we just need to do as He says. It is a wonderful blessing to have commandments in this life.

I will send pictures next week!

Moroni 8:25-26
Moroni 4:1-3

Elder Bromley

Week 62- La Esperanza, Pisco, Peru: Pisco Pisco Pisco

This week has been interesting. Elder Mera and I have been asking for references from everybody and asking for references from the references and the result from all of that is that we have found many more new investigators than average, including families, which is great for an area that has been considered "hard". Now we just need to put fechas with ALL of them and then get them all to church. Our planners are filled up to Thursday with things to do, so we will be working even harder this week to pull from this blessing all we can get.

In my district of 4 Elders, (Elder Walker and Elder Medina) one of them is in training, Elder Medina. I had an intercambio with Elder Medina in my area and he is learning super fast. He is a great missionary and is not afraid to invite people to baptism in the first lesson which is super awesome cause that's the way it should be done. He doesn't ever let fear dim his faith. I learned a lot from him that day.

We are going to be marrying a family the 4th. The Barbosa family is awesome. Juan Carlos and Clara have about  8 million little kids, and they are all loving how the gospel blesses their lives. They'll be baptized the 5th of July.

This week we have had very spiritual experiences with prayer. One new investigator we taught said that she had never learned how to ask something from God. We taught her how to pray and then, with a little encouragement, she offered a prayer in which she pleaded for the health of her nephew. The Spirit was very strong as she really had a conversation with her Father. After the prayer she began to cry. In a small voice, she then said, "Now I know how to ask help from God."

I invite all of you today to get on your knees and get to know God a little better. Open up your hearts to Him, ask for forgiveness, ask for help and guidance. You will receive it.

I love and miss you all!

Elder Bromley

Week 61- La Esperanza, Pisco, Peru: Giovanny's Baptism (and PICTURES!!)

Everything is well here in Pisco.

We had a baptism, Giovanny Huaccachi. He is a super cool 14 year old, and his dad, who is a member as of 3 weeks, was able to baptize him. This family is so awesome, they invited us to there first familt home evening tonight! They are changing and are so happy. It really shows that if we actually just do what we believe, we naturally become happier people. It is so awesome seeing how new members are becoming so strong so quickly, and it is all do to the familiar structure that they have. The gospel blesses families and brings them back to live with our Father.

We have plans to marry another family, Juan Carlos and Clara. They are so excited to be baptized and are already becopming faithful member even before baptism. I love working with families for exactly this reason. They are just super self motivating and the blessing they receive are even bigger. 

Apply the gospel in your families!

Elder Bromley

Elder Bromley y Elder Mera

The Elders with Giovanny

Giovanny and his dad

Week 60- La Esperanza, Pisco, Peru: Pisco

So Pisco is pretty cool. The people here are a lot taller, darker, and chubbier here than in Huanta. Every once and a while there are things called paracas which essentially are dust storms. But normalmente it's just windy during the day and cool at night.

Our ward is awesome. We were able to have 18 less actives at church yesterday which is a lot. The leaders in our ward are super excited to work and it just proves when everybody is unified and working in the Lord's way, the success comes. It is a principle that applies to all things, and a principle that has doubled our wards attendance in the last 2 months.

We have a baptism for this next week. His name is Giovanny and his parents are recent converts. His dad received the Aaronic Priesthood yesterday and will perform the ordinance. His entire family is super excited and the lessons we have had with them have been great.

Anyways, I have got to go because the computer is being dumb. I love and miss you all!

Elder Bromley

Week 59- La Esperanza, Pisco, Peru: TRANSFER!!!

After having served 6 months in my pueblo, Huanta, Ayacucho, I have been called to serve in a new area, La Esperanza, in Pisco. Saying good bye to all of the people to whom I served in Huanta was one of the most terrible things ever haha It was so sad. But I know that Elder Riveros will take care the area, especially with his new companion, elder Mokofisi, a Tongan and Californian who is very awesome.

My new area is much different than Huanta. I went from green mountains to sandy dunes. Although I cannot see the beach from my area, I can certainly smell it. I feel like I am in Monterey again, especially cause our little house has a second story balcony like my grandma's "ocean house." Many of the buildings here are only two stories high or under construction. The effects of the 2007 earthquake are still evident but the people here are super humble. The Peruvians here are much darker then the Serranos. But the members I have met so far have all been awesome.

My new companion in Elder Mera (Made-uh). He is from Ecuador. He is my first Hispanic companion who is taller than me. He has about 5 years as a member. Before the mission he was a drummer in a thrash metal band and a Jehovah's Witness. So basically this transfer will be super legit.

When I get a camera I will send pictures of everything. But for now, just imagine. haha

Remember that when the circumstances of our lives change, the same Gospel truths apply. As members and missionaries, we need to be the same people wherever we are, but catalysts in the work of salvation. Don't change standards of morality based on environment. Be a member of the church EVERY day, not just Sundays. And most importantly, share the gospel with everybody you can. God keeps His side of the deal when we do our part first.

I love and miss you all!

Elder Bromley