I am happy to say that I have been blessed with an extraordinary week! For one, things are still going very well with my new companion, Elder Madronio, and we are learning a lot together. He is doing very well, and I feel much of the time that he is teaching me!
As I mention the last few weeks, I have been blessed to serve in a humbling situation as I serve in my new callings. And, as I indicated last week, I have been turning to the Lord a lot more for help. This week, I am happy to say that I reaped the benefits of doing so.
Last week, as my companion and I were in one of those situations again with no one to teach, I saw a group of people out in front of their house, who were celebrating a birthday. Perhaps, in most circumstances, I wouldn't have bothered to have contacted them. However, in this situation, I felt prompted by the Spirit to do so, so I did. I was surprised that two older women, especially one at the party, really desired to be taught. Betty, this particularly interested woman, said she believed everything we had shared was true, and asked us to go to her home the next day (her home being in another location in our area). As promised, we went to her home the next day and were pleasantly surprised that she had read the whole lesson one pamphlet and had prayed about our lesson the day before. She said that she kept getting this feeling that it was true. Then she said, "Look, I feel it right now!". As we did so, we saw goosebumps completely cover her body. Then, she told us, without us asking, that she would go to church on Sunday. Following that, she accepted the invitation to be baptized.
Later in the week, we visited this extraordinary woman again, and found that she had not only read our assignment in the Book of Mormon, but had read far more that what we had asked! Then, when Sunday came, she came to church as she said she would. There is one particular conversation though that occurred in church between she and the Sunday school instructor that I would like to share. It so turned out that the topic of the gospel principles class this last week was on the gift of the Holy Ghost. After the instructor taught what the feelings of the Spirit are, being "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, [etc]", she told the whole class how she had been feeling those very things every time she read the Book of Mormon and every time we visited (Galations 5:22-23). Betty continued to say that when she had seen Elder Madronio and I the other day, that she felt those very things just by seeing us walk down the street. She said she felt as if her soul desired to talk to us, and was filled with joy when she saw me turn and approach her. She then said she was even happier to find out that I spoke her language! haha. After telling this to the instructor, Betty asked him when she could be baptized to receive this great gift, the Holy Ghost, always.
Needless to say, I was blown away, and couldn't help but feel a profound appreciation for my Father in Heaven, who prepared her for us, and led us to her. I now have a renewed appreciation and testimony of the words the Lord spoke to Joseph Smith regarding missionary work in saying: "And whosoever receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before you face, I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts..." (Doctrine and Covenants 84:88). Moreover, I now have an even stronger testimony of the words Sister Rahlf spoke to us many months ago in saying that we as missionaries "bear our testimonies just by walking by the street."
It is no small miracle to me that for months now, there have been no investigators at church until last week, where there were three, one being an individual we had only taught one time. I know that as missionaries, and as disciples of Jesus Christ for that matter, that we may not be the most intellectual, strong, or talented individuals. However, as we turn our hearts to the Lord and do our best, we will become instruments in His hands. I am ever more grateful for the wonderful opportunity that has been afforded to me to serve as a missionary and experience such incredible things. I do indeed love being a missionary.
Have a great week everybody!
Love,
Elder Pulley
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| Elder Pulley, Elder Madronio, and Betty |
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