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."