Week of December 28, 2015 (Happy New Year)

Dear friends and family,

I hope everyone had an extraordinary Christmas this year! I am happy to say that I had a great Christmas, even if the weather was a tad bit warmer than I am used to! Haha...Skyping my family on Christmas was an awesome experience. I must admit, I was actually a little bit nervous beforehand. I know this may sound funny, but I'm afraid the missionary life has made me a little weird, and I didn't want them to notice. However, I don't think it was this fact that stood out to my family in our conversation. Rather, I think they noticed my reduced English vocabulary, and the fact that it took me a little while to think of some words I wanted to say in English! It was a really funny realization. Don't get me wrong, my Tagalog still leaves a lot to be desired, but this occurrence at least showed me that I am at least on the right track! haha

For those of you interested in how Filipinos celebrate Christmas, it is very similar to how we as Americans do so! Families get together, exchange gifts, and eat. Although the quantity of gifts and the food differ from home, it was nice to see that the average individual here focuses more on Christ, and not as much on the commercial aspects of Christmas that our culture sometimes gets caught up in. I was able to join quite a few get-togethers, and I don't think I've ever eaten so much rice in one day in my life! It was all great food though.

This last week, Elder Vicente and I had a baptism on Saturday. I don't know if you all remember, but on 28th of November, I baptized John Paul, a 17 year old. On Saturday, Rowell, John Paul's recently reactivated brother, baptized John Paul's father, Tatay Pelagio. It was a great service, it is was of course nice to see Tatay's son be able to use his priesthood in order to provide such a service to his father.

Today, we had a zone activity! We traveled south down to an area called Gosi, and we were able to have a nice hike in the mountainous jungle there. It was announced there that quite a few of my missionaries in my zone will be transferred. However, Elder Vicente will be sticking around with me another cycle, so I am happy about that.

One challenge from our mission president this next week on new year's eve is to write down what type of attributes we want to have as missionaries exactly one year in the future. Of course, as you all aren't missionaries, you can't quite do the same thing, but I challenge you all  to ask yourselves what types of attributes you want to acquire this next year as disciples of Christ. I encourage you all to ask yourselves, and God, "What lack I yet?" and work to improve those qualities that you have room to improve on. As we do so, I know we will more fully able to perfect ourselves, and ultimately attain more happiness in our lives.

Have a happy new year!

Love,

Elder Pulley 

Week of December 21, 2015 (Christmas Week)

Dear family and friends,

Thank you so much for the birthday wishes! Although having my birthday here was a little different than it would have been at home, it was great nonetheless. It just so happened that on my birthday, the ward had their ward Christmas party. Much to my dismay, the fact that it was my birthday was announced to everybody in the room at the party, and before I knew it, I had a couple hundred people singing me a Filipino version of the happy birthday song! The members at the party made sure that I ate a lot of food as well, and it all tasted great! After the Christmas party, Elder Vicente told me we were going to go teach the Tamayao family with the other Elders that live with us. It turned out that it was a surprise party for me and one of the other Elders, Elder De Dios, who had a birthday recently as well! I am happy to report that the party was equipped with cake, which was amazing, as cake is a precious rarity here (as no one has ovens). 

This last week was very busy for Elder Vicente and I. First,on Wednesday, we had splits with the zone leaders, which was nice. I was once again able to learn quite a bit from the Elder that I went on splits with, and to receive feedback on my abilities as well. I have learned that feedback on the mission is a must! In school, when I was learning how to become proficient in a skill, I knew how well I was doing because I had grades, tests, and quizzes. However, there are of course no grades on a mission. As nice as that may sound though, it has actually been a challenge not having grades to give me feedback on my performance on where I am, and where I ought to be. I just have to try my best and rely on the Lord to enhance my abilities and trust that I am learning as fast as He would have me learn. This fact is a faith builder for sure!

This last week, it started raining, and it didn't stop for over three days! Unfortunately, there was quite a bit of flooding in result. This is where I can relay a small miracle that my companion and I experienced. On Thursday, my companion and I had to travel to an adjacent area, Enrile, for my companion to interview a baptismal candidate. It was our first time travel to Enrile, so we got on a jeepney to go into the area, and when we got off the jeepney, we didn't know exactly where to go. Just as we were going to have to ask some people in the area for directions, a member of the stake presidency pulled up, asked where we needed to go, and gave us a ride. After the interview, as we were leaving, the river was beginning to spill over the only roadway into Enrile. If the process for the interview had taken any longer, we would have been stranded in an area with sister missionaries only, meaning we would have had no place to sleep. If our travel hadn't been expedited by the member, it would have been an unfortunate situation for sure.

On Saturday, Elder Vicente and I returned to Enrile to help a member clean up their home. After we left Enrile from the interview, the area was under three feet of water for a good period of time. In spite of the fact that everybody's homes were flooded, and in result covered in filth, everybody was happy as if it was a normal day. And, the members were very grateful for our service to them. The people here really are happy here no matter the circumstances. 

Have a very merry Christmas everybody!

Love,

Elder Pulley

Christmas Devotional - December 10, 2015

Birthday Celebration - December 18, 2015

Town near mission - Jeepney is method of travel

Week of December 14, 2015

Dear friends and family,

I know this must be getting a little repetitive, but I once again had a great week! This last Thursday I was privileged to attend a Christmas devotional with the mission president and his wife, as well as four other zones here in the northern part of the mission. It was awesome! President and Sister Rahlf had a wonderful presentation prepared for us and I learned so much about the Christmas story that I didn't know before. For example, the fact that Christ's manger was probably in actuality made out of stone, not wood like is often depicted!

President and Sister Rahlf's message once again humbled me as I was reminded of the very humble life that Christ chose to live. Christ could have chose to be born into a very wealthy family if he had desired so. However, Christ chose to be born to Joseph and Mary, both teenagers who lacked many worldly possessions, but possessed righteousness nonetheless. One thing I didn't recognize before the Christmas devotional was that the only thing Christ owned before he was crucified were the very clothes on His back. Yet, He lived the most important and extraordinary life that the world has and ever will see.

This last week, I finished reading the book of Matthew in the New Testament. I absolutely love reading from the Bible as well as the Book of Mormon, and can't believe I didn't read the scriptures more before I left! One thing I think I have failed to mention before is that I have changed the way in which I study the scriptures. Before, I would just read through the scriptures like I would read through any other book. I realized however, that this method very much lacks the type of study and thought that we are supposed to invest while doing so. So, I decided to buy a cheap Book of Mormon before I left the MTC, and I started reading differently. I now write any truths or revelations that I receive as I read in the book itself. My Book of Mormon is so full of writing all over the place, it's crazy. It has taken me much longer to read in this manner, but I have learned so much more as I have done so it isn't funny. 

I have some more funny stories to tell you all! Last week, as I was walking by a home, an old woman said "hi Joe", or something to that effect, so I decided I would take the opportunity to "contact" her. Well, I introduced myself like normal, but then she started singing Christmas songs and dancing. This went on for quite a few minutes. My companion and I looked at each other not knowing what to do, so out of politeness, we stayed put. Finally, when the dancing and singing ended, she grabbed my hand and examined my palm prints and told me that I would soon find a beautiful American woman and that I would marry her, so that was interesting. I guess I have something to look forward to after the mission! Haha...Just as we were walking away from her, laughing like crazy, another interesting individual approached me. He said he knew we were Mormon missionaries, and wanted to know where his Christmas package was. I told him sorry, that I had no Christmas gift to give him, but that we would be happy to share a Christmas message with him. He said he wasn't interested, but that he was told we were going to give him a package. With nothing to give him, my companion and I just told him to take care, and we hurriedly walked away. Needless to say, we had a lot of laughs that day! 

On Saturday, Elder Vicente and I attended a baptismal service for some sister missionaries in an adjacent area. To make the story short, one of the baptizers didn't show up, so I was put on the spot to do so. I baptized two people on Saturday, and even though I didn't know them, it was still an awesome experience nonetheless. It is cool to think that the authority the Lord has entrusted me with gives me the ability to help individuals receive eternal blessings as a result.

Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Pulley 

Week of December 7, 2015

Dear friends and family,

What can I say? I had another great week!

First, I have an interesting and funny story to share with you! Yesterday, Elder Vicente and I visited the Tamayao family. When we arrived, Sister Tamayao told us that one of her dogs had been taken, and then I didn't understand/hear the rest. It turns out that she didn't watch one of her dogs as carefully as she should have, because one of her neighbors indulged themselves, yes, in eating her dog for dinner! Apparently, you really have to watch your pets here or they might end up in your neighbor's next meal! Thankfully, the Tamayao family wasn't too upset about it, as Filipinos aren't as sentimental about pets as we Americans are.

Oh, and I have another funny story that I forgot to share previously. Our house has a gated courtyard in the front, and one day, we came home from church to find a group of people sitting on our porch eating, and they had set up tables and such. I was taken somewhat aback, and was about to ask what they were doing, and furthermore ask them to leave, but as I looked at Elder Vicente, he acted as if nothing was unusual. He just walked through the crowd of people, and entered the house. I just did the same. It turns out, after talking to the other Elders, that it is normal to have complete strangers lounge around the outside of your home in the Philippines. I had to laugh, because I imagined the reaction people would have in Roseville if my friends and I were to do the same thing! Lol

This last week in our stake, the Tuguegarao South Stake, had stake conference, and it was great. My mission president, President Rahlf, and his wife were both invited, and both spoke, as did the Manila Temple President and his wife. President Rahlf had a great message to share with the people of the stake in regards to Christmas. His talk was based off of Luke 2, when angels, or heavenly hosts, appear to the shepherds and declared unto them that the birth of the Savior had occurred. President Rahlf said that there were a multitude of heavenly hosts that visited the shepherds, and that we could have even been among them as our pre-mortal selves. I thought that was an interesting insight. However, he said that most people this Christmas probably won't have an experience like the shepherds had, having angels declare unto them the importance of the Savior's birth and life for us. Rather, "[we] must be the heavenly hosts this Christmas" and declare unto all our understanding of the true meaning of Christmas. Although the commercial aspect of Christmas is enjoyable, President Rahlf counseled the stake to remember that "the reason why we give gifts on Christmas is to commemorate the greatest gift that has been given, God's gift to us, His son." President Rahlf's challenge, and my challenge to you all, is to help others realize and remember the true meaning of Christmas, and help others accept the greatest gift that could ever be given to man, the Atonement.

Anyway, know that all is going well here in the Philippines! Next week, I will tell you all more about some of our investigators!

Love,

Elder Pulley