Elder Jeffrey Richard Bromley II

Monday, January 20, 2014

Week 40- Huanta, Ayacucho, Peru: Hello Again! (PICTURES!)

This week has been very busy. My companion and I are working hard to work with the members here, and the work is paying off! 5 progressing investigators came to church this last Sunday: Milagros and her brother Jesús, Fernando (a 69 year old Huayño guitarist), and Papito Victor and his wife Eugenia (their ages totaled is over 130 years)

Milagros is a little girl who has two brothers who are members. Her dad recently gave permission for her to be baptized and she is preparing for a baptismal service that will be held next week (pray please)!

Jesús is the older brother of Milagros and in the last lesson he opened up a lot due to the recent death of their mom. We are starting to see more little changes in him as he accompanies us in the lessons for Milagros.

Fernando is a funny older guy who plays the guitar very well. We are helping him overcome problems he has with the word of wisdom and use his talents for good.

Papito Victor y Eugenia are parents of several members but because they aren't married they can't baptize. We are hoping that we can marry them soon and we are waiting for their papers to be processed in the capital (Huamanga, Ayacucho). It's fun to teach them to pray because Eugenia prays in Quechua.

Elder Gonzales and I are trying our hardest to bring friends of these investigators to the lessons because we have seen how much more powerful the spirit testifies when members are present. Please please please please help the missionaries in their lessons! Be friends with them. Be friends with the investigators. I promise you that sincerely helping these people will soon become one of the biggest blessings in your lives.

I love and miss you all! ¡Chau!

Elder Bromley

Monday, January 13, 2014

Week 39- Huanta, Ayacucho, Peru: Back to Two, a Snake, a Rat, and a Baptism (PICTURES!)

This week was super long but I'll summarize most of it!

This week Elder Oliden was emergency transferred to Lima, Villa Salvador. He had shown us the area Huanta, and when an Elder received his visa to Mexico, he filled in the vacancy. He will be missed after having spent 7 months here in his first area.

This week I turned nine months in the mission!

We had to drop one of our investigators with a baptismal date this week because she called and confessed her love for me. It was super awkward and my zone leaders said I can stay in Huanta if I don't talk to her ever again hahahaha

Also, the same night I heard something in my kitchen and, knowing that it was a rat, awoke my comp and we had a fun time chasing it around until he hit it with a broom like a hockey puck. It's still alive, But we put it outside in the street.

Anny was baptized this last Friday!! She invited her whole family which ended up being about 25 people and they all enjoyed it. We tried contacting there but were rejected by basically all of them, but we are going to pass by and teach Anny's dad this week. It was very spiritual and now we have to work with another investigator, Milagros, who might get baptized this next week!

I love and miss you all!

Elder Bromley

Monday, January 6, 2014

Week 38- Huanta, Ayacucho, Peru: Anni (and PICTURES!)

Hello everybody!

This week was pretty good. We have been teaching with members often and have an investigator who will be baptized this Friday, Anni Ayala. She is a little 10 year old girl whose mom is a member but never had gotten baptized. It's fun to teach her because I get to draw things to explain better.

Time has gotten the better of me but I'll write you more next week!

I love and miss you all!

Chau!

Elder Bromley


Elder Bromley and Elder Oliden (with Elder Gonzales in the mirror)

Chicken hamburger

Elder Oliden and a cow's head

Doing some yard work

Monday, December 30, 2013

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)

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

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

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

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:

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."