Week of September 26, 2016

Dear friends and family,

I am happy once again to report that I have had a wonderful week! This last week was also once again very eventful as Elder Vane and I attended a meeting for new leaders in the mission, went on splits with the assistants, and attended District Conference, in which a local member of the 70, Elder Adduru, attended and gave a wonderful talk. However, as I ponder over all of the wonderful things I have done this last week, my mind is pulled to one particular Nanay that I have had the privilege of teaching the last month.

The Nanay of which I speak is named Nanay Degusera, and has been less active for quite some time (a few years) and is one of the most unhappy individuals I have met throughout the course of my mission. She is in her sixties, very poor, and has essentially no company except for her husband, who is blind and can't leave home. Every time I walked into Nanay Degusera's home in the past, I felt a great weight in my chest and felt her depression within my soul. One lesson, about two weeks ago, as Elder Posadas (my previous companion) and I were teaching about the restoration, I felt prompted strongly to ask her a question that I normally would never ask. I felt prompted to ask her directly if she is happy in her life, and as I knew she would say, the answer was "no". It was at that point that I told her that if she desired more happiness in her life that she must be more obedient to the commandments of the Lord. I then felt prompted to tell her of the Lord's love for her, and that it was time for her to return to church. While doing so, I was more bold than I ever could have been without the accompaniment of the Holy Ghost.

Last week, Elder Vane and I went to her home again, and once again boldly invited her to come to church, and for whatever reason, could not help but feel immense love for her. It is funny, because as I said, she is one of the most unhappy and grumpy people you could ever meet. But, despite that fact, when I think of Nanay Degusera, my eyes get wet as I feel the great love I have for her and her husband. Yesterday, my happiness could not be contained as Nanay went to church for the first time in many years. And, as I entered her home yesterday after church to teach her, I felt a noticeable difference. The whole spirit of Nanay's home, and she herself, has changed in result of her church attendance.

There is no better feeling in the world than knowing that through my humble efforts, that I have been able to help individuals find the happiness of the gospel again in their lives. I have no doubt in my mind, as I testify every day to all I see here, that true happiness comes from becoming obedient to the commandments of the Lord. As we make decisions in our day to day lives, we should follow the counsel of King Benjamin, who told his people to "consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful...may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness" (Mosiah 2:41). As a missionary, it has been a great privilege to get to know many different individuals from all facets of life. I have been surprised at times to find that the happiest people on earth may sometimes reside in the most pitiful of circumstances. As I have pondered this paradoxical truth, I have come to realize why that is the case. While an individual may not be able to choose his/her circumstances, he/she can however choose whether to be obedient to the commandments or not. Those who do, based on my experience this last year, are almost always happy, no matter what their circumstances may be.

Everything is going genuinely well, and I feel the Lord's hand and help everyday that I serve. 

Love,

Elder Pulley

Week of September 18, 2016

Dear friends and family,

This last week was insane! I cannot believe how much has happened! As many of you know, last week was transfer week, and it was crazy. Elder Posadas transferred, opened an area with a part-time missionary (who happens to be the kid that I delivered the mission call for that I mentioned last week) and my new companion is from my batch, Elder Vane! Having an American companion who I am already friends with has been awesome! But, I am worried about my Tagalog skills going down, so I only speak Tagalog to him. It is kinda weird, but hopefully it will help me keep my skills up.

These last new months have brought many changes to the Cauayan mission, as President Hiatt has made an effort to make our mission even more efficient. With that, this last week it was announced that the senior couples will no longer work in the office with finances, housing, supplies and such, but will instead work out with members and other missionaries to assist in missionary work. Along with that, office elders have now been assigned to do the work that the senior couples are now doing. Unfortunately, with that change, my position as a housing elder has now been eliminated, along with my car. I must say that with this change, I am really concerned as my area is extremely large. I am just trying to think positive and trust in the Lord as I start to tackle this area using tricycles. A little extra prayers in this regard would be really appreciated. :)

As I ponder over this last week's experiences that I can share with you, my mind is drawn to one particular lesson that I gave this last week to an investigator we have with a baptismal date, Gio Pua. A few days ago, Elder Posadas and I had the opportunity to teach Gio about the first principle of the gospel, that being faith. After explaining the meaning of faith, reading scriptures, etc. Gio asked me a question that I have not heard the whole mission from an investigator. He asked me, "What does your faith mean to you?". After considering his question, I gave an answer that reminded me of how truly important my faith is to me. As I told Gio, my faith in Jesus Christ is what drives every single decision of my whole life. It is what brings me hope, it is what gives me focus, and it is what defines me. I know that as Alma said in the Book of Mormon that faith indeed "is not to have a perfect knowledge of things,...[but] hope for things which are not seen, which are true (Alma 32:21). While sometimes in our world, individuals are too caught up with physical evidences of all things, I have learned that the most important things in life are abstract in nature. How could anybody ever see or hold love, charity, friendship, etc. in their hands? Although faith itself is not tangible in nature, I believe it is the most important possession we can ever obtain in this life. I know that as we as individuals focus on the acquisition of faith, we will bring ultimate happiness to our souls. It is true, as I said, that faith is abstract possession; however, in my opinion, it will be the only possession of worth in the next life.

At any rate, all is going well, just really busy! I hope you all have a great week!

Love,

Elder Pulley

Elder Pulley and Elder Vane

District Meeting

Week of September 12, 2016

Dear friends and family,

This last week has been incredibly busy as usual and has brought news of a lot of changes as well. It was just announced earlier today that Elder Posadas will be transferred, and that there will be a lot of changes within my zone as well (including an addition of some areas,etc.). I must admit that I am a little bummed with the announcement of Elder Posadas transferring, as he has been an awesome companion, but I suppose the Lord has more for him to do in other areas.

As I ponder over my last week, there are two reciprocally connected experiences that I wish to share that have lent me even more perspective regarding time. On Monday, I was called by one of the assistants to the president who told me that the office had received a mission call in the mail for an individual in my ward, Owen Moises, a fellow-shipper I have worked with every Sunday for the past few weeks. At the news, I was of course very excited and made sure to stop by the office in order to deliver Owen's mission call. That night, Elder Posadas stopped by his house and told him the important news we had for him. It was really funny to watch his nervous emotions (much like the ones I had when I received my call) as he opened his letter and I left with the feeling that I had just received my own call and wondering where the time had gone.

My second experience has to do with a friend of mine, Elder Navarro (one of the assistants to the president), who just finished his mission this last Friday. One particularly cool thing is that his parents came to pick him up and arrived on Saturday to do so. That being said, I had the privilege to see the excitement of their family being reunited again after two years of not seeing each other. I felt mixed emotions as I watched their family be reunited again, but with the knowledge that Elder Navarro is no longer a missionary. One thing that impressed me about Elder Navarro is that he worked as hard as he could up until the very end, and "it is for that reason", he said "that I can look back on my mission with pride".

With these two experiences, and the realization of how fast time really is, I couldn't help but think of an excerpt in the Missionary White Handbook where it says that "time is one of the most precious resources Heavenly Father has given [us]...[and to] use it fully and wisely." One thing I think we must do occasionally as I did this last week is ask ourselves if we are using our time to the fullest. Indeed, "to every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1). I know that as we do so, with the knowledge that "this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God" we will appropriately be able to evaluate our lives and focus on those things that matter most (Alma 34:32). Sometimes, as individuals, and even as missionaries we get focused on things that have little importance, while we should always focus on those things that have eternal significance. I feel, much like the mission, that our lives will pass by us with extraordinary speed. One day, we will all look back on our mortal mission and want to know we did our best all the way to the end. That knowledge, in my opinion, is the definition of heaven.

Have a great week everybody!

Love,

Elder Pulley

Zone Conference

Elder Pulley and Elder Navarro

Week of September 5, 2016

Dear friends and family,

If I said last week was busy, this last week was even busier! Everyday was full of much activity, including moving the assistants to the president into our home on Tuesday and Wednesday, going to our mission leadership council meeting on Thursday, going on exchanges on Friday, going to a service project and baptisms on Saturday, and much more! And, I am happy to say that in spite of the fact that we have been so busy, this might be the most fun I have had on my mission!

Unfortunately, as there was a long brown-out earlier, I am not left with much time to write anything. However, please just know that all is going well and that I love being a missionary. One of the assistants who moved into my house will be leaving for home this next week. As he has reflected on his mission with me, it has made me realize more fully just how short the mission is and how much I should appreciate it while it lasts. I feel that is true for each of us in our lives. Sometimes we are so busy with our obligations and have so many things that we want to achieve in the future that we forget what a gift the present truly is.

I will email more next week!

Love,

Elder Pulley

Note:  The following pictures Elder Pulley was able to send  before the brown out.  

Missionary Leadership Council (MLC)

View from Pday hike

Food served to missionaries at district activity