Cauayan Philippines' Mission : Week of July 25, 2016

Dear friends and family,

This week's letter might be a little short as I have been very busy but this last week was genuinely the best I have had in a long time! I am happy to say that this last week was full of miracles and spiritual experiences.

I feel the most worth sharing has to do with a lesson that Elder Madronio and I gave that I may never forget. Elder Madronio and I have an investigator (an older woman) we have been teaching the past couple of weeks who has been particularly interested in our lessons. However, although we noticed previously that she has a middle-aged daughter who lives with her, she never accompanied us in front of their home to be taught and seemed otherwise uninterested.

Well, one day this last week, Elder Madronio and I went to the home of this older woman to teach her a lesson regarding the Restoration. Everything seemed that it would go as normal, until unexpectedly, it began to rain just as we began to teach. At such an occurrence, our investigator invited us into her home to be taught, where her middle-aged daughter, Vanessa, who I mentioned earlier, was located. Elder Madronio and I of course took the chance to introduce ourselves to her, and were surprised when she opened up to us about some of the challenges she has faced in her life as of late. As it turns out this woman, with a new baby I might add, just lost her husband due to an electrical accident about two months ago. She has lost her home, her companion, and the father of her children in result. It was after telling us this that she asked us where her husband truly is and if she will see him again. Unfortunately, some individuals of other faiths have told her some negative remarks as to the current location of her late husband. It was our great privilege though to declare to Vanessa the Plan of Salvation, and the fact that through the gospel of Jesus Christ that her family can be forever.

There was one particular moment in this lesson though that I wish to share. Just as Elder Madronio testified to the possibility of an eternal family, I felt an outpouring of the Spirit into the room in which we sat stronger than anything I have felt in quite a long time. The Spirit literally seemed to pour from the heavens onto our heads at this moment, so strong that it almost seemed tangible. At this very moment that I felt this outpouring of the Spirit, I also was able to witness the affect of the Spirit of all others in the room, as our investigator and my companion broke into tears. It almost seemed a physical witness to me of the divinity of the Holy Ghost, a Being as I have mentioned previously, is most important in missionary work.

After the lesson came to a close, my companion and I exited the home to a clear sky. The storm only lasted for about five minutes or so. It was at that moment that a thought entered to my mind accompanied with another extraordinary outpouring of the Spirit, that being "the storm was sent for you to provide you the opportunity to testify to that woman of eternal families." I am not shy in saying that I believe that the Lord sent a thunderstorm specifically for the purpose of us having the possibility of helping the woman in this time of trial. For if there had been no storm, causing us to go inside, I feel Vanessa would never have approached us with the question regarding her husband.

With this occurrences, I have come to appreciate the phrase, "Families can be together forever" more than ever. While such a phrase has almost come to be cliché in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, it is indeed the most beautiful doctrine you could ever hear. I am thankful for my knowledge that I will be with my family forever. There is nothing and indeed never can be anything more relevant than family, as heaven cannot be heaven if there is no family. Furthermore, I feel even more grateful that at this time I have the opportunity to share this knowledge with those here I serve in the Philippines; there is perhaps no greater calling.

Have a great week everyone!

Love,

Elder Pulley