I have had a wonderful week here in the mission field. This week, all the missionaries in my mission had the privilege to travel to the mission home to hear from Elder Schwitzer, a member of the Seventy, and his wife, Sister Schwitzer. Elder Schwitzer centered his remarks on repentance, and helping our investigators understand the importance of it. Elder Schwitzer told us that the plan of salvation "is simply a road map" while repentance is the vehicle in which we can return to live with God again. After his remarks, I have begun to think of repentance of being something different than before. Prior to serving my mission, I thought of repentance as being a necessary process, but not being something of great joy. After all, it is hard to accept our weaknesses and then change as a result. However, as Elder Schwitzer pointed out, repentance is a wonderful gift from our Savior that can free us from our transgressions, and help us become progressively better in our lives. I have learned that repentance isn't a topic to treat like ripping off a band-aid, but something to be appreciated at its true value for the rest of our lives and beyond.
Sister Schwitzer centered her remarks on some anecdotes in her life that she felt prepared her to serve as a Mission President's wife a few years ago. She shared some challenges she had in her younger life, which when she became a Mission President's wife, realized were preparatory experiences for her to serve effectively as a missionary of the Lord. Sister Schwitzer told us that we all had experiences in our lives that led us to be called to the specific missions we are in, and she challenged us to look for those experiences and reasons as to why we were called to the Cauayan mission. I have been looking for those experiences in my own life, and have found some interesting things. In the particular ward I am in, a very small fraction of people attend church. My companion and I have been working hard to reactivate these individuals. As I have done so, I have been able to share the reactivation of my own family, and the blessings that came along with it, many times. I am happy to report that the efforts of my companion and I have not been in vain, as we have had some individuals return to church, including a previous Branch President. I will continue to look for preparatory experiences in my life and will share them with you all as I find them.
My Mission President and his wife gave some wonderful talks as well at the mission home. In addition, they put on some minion goggles for Halloween and allowed us to "trick-or-treat" out of a basket of candy they purchased. They really are wonderful people, and I will be sad to see them go next year.
Today, as a P-Day activity, we had the opportunity to travel Callao Caves, located a little southeast of where I live. The caves were amazing, and we also had the opportunity to take a little boat ride on an adjacent river. It was awesome to see some untouched rain forest; it looked like something you would see in an Indiana Jones movie!
I hope all is going well at home! Know that I am doing well, and that things are progressively getting better for me! Thank you for all of your prayers on my behalf.
Love,
Elder Pulley
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