Week of November 28, 2016

Dear friends and family,

This last week was very busy but full of many blessings! On Tuesday, Elder Saez and I had the opportunity to go to Tuguegarao for district meeting (about a three hours drive) and it was amazing! Not only was the district meeting one of the best that I have attended in a while, I saw a member from my first area there that I haven't seen in a long time, Bishop Anggoy. It is interesting that even though I have not been assigned in Tuguegarao now for quite a long time, I still have a great love for the area and it feels like going home when I go there.

One of the highlights of the week though, among teaching training to new missionaries, was the surprise Thanksgiving dinner that the senior couples put on for us here in Cauayan. We had some of the best food I have tasted in a really, really long time and I know a lot of money and time must have been spent in preparing it.

The best part of the week though was on Saturday, where on of our investigators was baptized! The name of the investigator is Rey J., and although he was already a progressing investigator when I arrived in the area, it has been nice to see how much he has changed just in the short time I have been here. Now, he and his recently re-activated wife are preparing to take their little family into the temple, and be married for eternity. There is no better feeling than helping complete a family in the church.

Throughout the course of this last week, I made a mistake that perhaps many of us make when we are really busy. It seems even more so now than ever that with being so busy, that it is sometimes easy to look over the blessings that are right in front of us. This morning, as I was pondering over all of the things that I need to do, I could not help but feel a little troubled. I felt that there was something spiritually wrong and I couldn't find out what it was. After prayer though, the Spirit reminded me to not just focus on all of the unfinished tasks ahead of me, but to remember to be grateful for all of the wonderful things I have been able to accomplish with the help of God. As I thought of all of the wonderful things that have happened in my life this last week, the feeling of stress was replaced with joy. Although Thanksgiving may be an occasion once a year, I have learned that it should be a thing practiced within ourselves every day.

Have a great week everybody!

Elder Pulley

Elders Saez and Pulley

Rey J. Family Baptism Photo

Elders Saez, Pulley, Vane and Graham with School Children

Thanksgiving Dinner

Elder Saez singing

November 21, 2016

Dear friends and family,

I am happy to say I have had yet another great and busy week! My companion and I had the opportunity to conduct exchanges this last week on both Wednesday and Friday, and it was awesome. It has been such a privilege to get to know such wonderful people while on my mission. 

Last Wednesday for example, Elder Antenorcruz (my companion at the beginning of the month who transferred) came to Cauayan for an English test. At the time he came into the office, Elder Saez and I were really focused on an assignment we had on the computer, but the second I heard Elder Antenorcruz's voice, I jumped up to greet him. As I talked with him, and heard how well he is doing in his new (and last) area I could not help but think of Alma's reunion with his friends in the Book of Mormon in which "Alma did rejoice exceedingly...[when] he met with the sons of Mosiah journeying towards the land of Zarahemla" (Alma 17:1-2).

I have come to realize throughout the course of the mission that you don't appreciate just how great an individual is until they (or you) leave. I have learned that rather than wait until it is too late to thank those who are around you for the influence they have in your life, that it is better to start early. As Thanksgiving day now approaches, I would like to thank all of you, particularly my family, for all of the wonderful influences you have had in my life. As I have pondered over the blessings of my life, I have been drawn to my knees as I have thought of all the Lord has given me. It is indeed a wonderful privilege to serve a mission, and to have all of the support that I do. 

As I write this note, I am reminded of one of my favorite scriptures which reads: "And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more" (D&C 78:19). I know as we analyze our lives this week and all of the blessings we have received, that we will not help but be filled with joy. And, as my recent experiences have proved, this process in itself will bring even more blessings.

Have a great week and Thanksgiving everyone!

Love,

Elder Pulley

Week of November 14, 2016

Dear friends and family,

This last week has been full of wonderful experiences as I have adjusted to my new calling as an assistant and have begun to work more fully in my new area. As I ponder over this last week, I think I would like to share a special experience I've had this last week in regards to my new calling as an assistant. 

As my senior companion left last Monday, the realization of the calling I have received began to set in. As it did, so did quite a bit of introspection as I considered my many weaknesses in comparison to the very large task that has been set in front of me.  I have felt particularly inadequate as I have considered my comparatively young age in the mission to many others that could be serving in this position. I felt much like Enoch did when he was called into his ministry  being "but a lad, and...slow of speech" (Moses 6:31). However, after much pondering and consideration, I decided to ask the Lord why he chose me to fulfill this calling when so many others seem to be more qualified. It was then I received an extraordinary spiritual experience in which the Lord made it very clear to me that He had chosen me and that I just needed to "have faith in [Him]." After that experience, all of my anxiety and feeling of inadequacy has left, and now I am left with peace and a great excitement as I go about my new task.

I have come to realize even more so throughout the mission that the Lord does not choose His servants the way a man would. Perhaps we all may find ourselves in a calling at some time or another where we feel very much like Enoch and Moses, inadequate and uncomfortable. However, I have come to know  even more so this last week that we must  follow the example of Ammon, and not necessarily "boast in [our] own strength...[for indeed we] are weak" but we can have faith in our God, "for in his strength [we] can do all things" (Alma 26:11-12). As a missionary, it has been ever more easy to be reminded of my many weaknesses, but it has been in these times that I have felt most weak that I have felt that hand of the Lord ever stronger in my life. I have taken great comfort to the knowledge that if we "have faith in [Him], then will [He] make weak things become strong unto [us]." (Ether 12:27).

In terms of the work, everything is going great and we have been seeing miracles every day. And, we have some baptisms coming up! I will tell you more about that next week!

Love,

Elder Pulley

Elder Pulley and Elder Saez

Week of November 7, 2016

Dear friends and family,

This last week has been one that I will never forget! I had the wonderful opportunity to see and receive instruction from Elder Schmutz every day that he was here in Cauayan (5 days), and I will most definitely not forget all of the great instruction I received.

As I ponder over the wonderful things I learned this last week from Elder Schmutz that I can share with you, my mind is drawn to one particularly inspirational lesson I beheld in our Missionary Leadership Council. In the council of which I mentioned, Elder Schmutz taught about a fundamental portion of the Plan of Salvation, that being our life before birth. Although many individuals mistakenly think that our lives began as we emerged into the world as little infants, that is not so. For as the Lord declared to the prophet Jeremiah, so he does to us, "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee" (Jeremiah 1:5).  As Elder Schmutz taught, although it may be true that our physical lives began on our birth date, our spirits are much older, and before our life on earth we were all privileged to "receive [our] first lessons in the world of spirits and were prepared to come forth..." and live in this time (D&C 138:56).  

As Elder Schmutz referred to the preparation that we received in the presence of our Heavenly Father before birth, he said something that will stick with me forever. He said that in our life before earth, we promised the Lord that we would do certain things while we are here on earth and that "we will be held accountable for the promises we made to our Heavenly Father in our life before earth." As Elder Schmutz indicated, there are things we told and promised God we would do while we are here, and in order to receive the glory we desire in the world after this, we must fulfill the promises we have made. 

As we have obviously forgotten about the promises we made with our Heavenly Father before life, I naturally had a question come to my mind which I posed to Elder Schmutz. I asked him, "How can we know if we are fulfilling the promises we made to God before birth?" and he said that I had a "great question with an easy answer." Elder Schmutz told me that in order to fulfill our God-given purposes in this life, all that we need to do is be obedient. If we are obedient to the Lord, he indicated that the He will place all of the opportunities in front of us that we need in order to be successful both in our eyes and in the eyes of the Lord. Never before has obedience to God's commandments seemed more important to me than at this time.

The Spirit I felt this whole last week was something extraordinary. After one particular portion of instruction, I felt more happy than I have in quite a long time. As I approached Elder Schmutz to thank him for the words he had spoke, it was hard not to cry out of joy. I have no doubt the he, and the other leaders of our church are men of God.

In terms of work, we didn't have too much of an opportunity to teach much, but we have some wonderful investigators that are progressing wonderfully. I will tell you more about them in future weeks. And, just as news, one of my companions was transferred to another area earlier today, so I only have one companion again!

Have a wonderful week everyone!

Love,

Elder Pulley

Elder Schmutz Teaching Mission President ant Assistant to the Presidents

Elder Schmutz with Mission President and Assistant to the Presidents

Emergency Transfer Day - missionaries can return to areas affected by Typhoon
Elder Antenocruz (AP Companion to Elder Pulley) transferred back to field for
last month of mission.  Elder Pulley now only has one companion