Week of December 26, 2016 (Includes Christmas)

Dear friends and family,

These last few weeks have been incredibly eventful and wonderful! They have included many dinner appointments both for my birthday and Christmas, Christmas parties and conferences, etc. Perhaps the most noteworthy thing that happened though was on Christmas when I was able to skype home! It was absolutely a pleasure to be able to talk to everyone at home and see that everyone is still doing well! That made Christmas day for sure, as did dinner with President and Sister Hiatt, all of the senior couples, and Cauayan missionaries in the evening. I have come to feel that the missionaries that I serve with are family as we have worked together here.

As we approached Christmas and now have surpassed it, I have been doing quite a bit of studying in regards to Christ's birth. As I did so, I was reminded of the story of Samuel, a Lamanite prophet in the Book of Mormon who ventured into the non-believing Nephite nation to declare the upcoming birth of the Savior. Considering the fact that Samuel and those he taught lived in ancient America, it would be extraordinarily difficult to know of the birth of the long-awaited Messiah. However, "he said unto them: Behold, I give unto you a sign; for five years more cometh, and behold, then cometh the Son of God...and behold, this will I give unto you for a sign at the time of his coming; for behold, there shall be great lights in heaven, insomuch that in the night before he cometh there shall be no darkness, insomuch that it shall appear unto man as if it was day...and [moreover] there shall a new star arise..." (Heleman 14: 2-5). 

As I pondered over the prophecy of Samuel and the fulfillment of it, I pondered over the heavenly signs that were given as a manifestation of His birth and made a remarkable conclusion. I feel that it was no coincidence that the two signs that were shown were manifestations of light. For indeed, as Christ indicated Himself, "[He is] the light of the world..(John 8:12). It is seems most appropriate that light would manifest the reality of His faraway birth as He Himself was the personification of it. Just as a world without light would leave us without peace, comfort, or really any way of living, so we would be spiritually if He had never come. I am more grateful that I can express that He was willing to descend from His heavenly home to be born to humble parents, and be laid inside of a humble and stony manger. Because He did, we all have the hope and promise of eternal life if we just simply follow His example.

We must never forget however what Jesus mentioned in His sermon on the Mount, that being that "we [in addition to him] are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:13). Although Jesus Christ is the ultimate source of all light and truth, we can act as the moon does on a bright and starry night, reflecting the ultimate source of light through our righteous and humble desires to be like Him.

I hope everybody had a wonderful Christmas and I hope you all have a wonderful new year! I appreciate and feel the strength of all of your love and prayers on my behalf. Have a wonderful week!

Love,

Elder Pulley

Cauayan Zone Conference 

Ward Christmas Party

Elders Vane, Pulley, Graham, and Saez

Week in Review December 12, 2016

Dear friends and family,

This last week was absolutely extraordinary and I cannot wait to share it with you all! As many of you already know, last week was transfer week and as such, Elder Saez and I were extremely busy with paperwork, setting up transfer logistics, teaching new trainer and missionary meetings, and more.

On Wednesday, transfer day finally arrived, and I must say that it was a little hard. This last group of missionaries who went home consisted of many of my friends, including Elder Antenorcruz, who I miss much in their absence. After much preparation though for their departure, something happened that we did not expect. The flights coming to and from Manila from Cauayan were cancelled, meaning that our missionaries going home and coming into the mission could not do so as planned. With 17 missionaries who needed to leave, many of which having international flights the next morning, I set out to find another way for them to get home. And, in the process, I performed the first Google search I have ever done as a missionary! haha...Which was not helpful in the slightest. With Cauayan being so off the map, I could not find a single correct phone number I could call to get a bus for our missionaries. However, with much prayer, Elder Saez, President Jones (senior missionary) and I ended up finding an empty bus and driver in person. After some negotiation strategies that I learned from my mother before the mission, we got the bus and got the missionaries on their way to Manila.

Then, at three o'clock in the morning the next day, our new missionaries arrived here in Cauayan (by bus as well). I have to admit that I felt a little bad for them, as it was pouring down rain and the middle of the night. However, much to my surprise, they were all smiling and happy to have arrived in the mission. I am so excited to work with this new batch that came into the mission as they all seem to be wonderful missionaries!

Thursday night, after all of the new missionaries got their new companions, President and Sister Hiatt told us the highlight of our week, which was that Elder Evan Schmutz, a member of the area presidency, would be working with Elder Saez and I the next day in our area! To be honest, my first reaction was nervousness. However, when the time finally came, I was as happy as could be! We took Elder Schmutz to a progressing less active family, and two of our progressing investigators. All of the lessons we gave were wonderful, but perhaps the best one we gave was to our best investigator in our area, who is named A. Rodriguez. Sister Rodriguez has been looking for the truth for many years, and knows she has finally found it. It has been remarkable the last couple of months as she has progressed, reading the Book of Mormon every day, going to church, and more. Despite her extraordinary progression however, her husband has been quite an obstacle for her as he strongly dislikes spirituality in any form. He even interrupts her in the middle of her prayers! With that in mind, we took Elder Shmutz to her home and we had one of the most spiritually profound lessons I have ever had on the mission. The Spirit was so strong as Elder Schmutz taught that you couldn't help but smile out of inexplicable joy! And, through that Spirit which I mentioned, a miracle occurred that I am happy to share with you. In spite of the fact that Elder Schmutz was talking English to uneducated group of Ilocano and Tagolog speakers, they understood him perfectly. After the lesson, the Filipinos present told me that as he spoke, that somehow the words he said were translated into their own language within their mind, that they could understand all that he said. It was the first time that I had ever seen the reality of the gift of the interpretation of tongues, and it was amazing indeed.

As I now ponder over that experience and the totality of my week, I cannot help but think of the importance of the companionship of the Holy Ghost in our day to day lives. As I have gone through the course of my mission, I have come to know that the Gift of the Holy Ghost is in fact the best gift we could ever receive in this mortal life. Indeed, "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, [and] temperance", in essence being all of the feelings we seek for in our lives (Galatians 5:22-23). While many of us may mistakenly look for joy in the acquisition of money or success in other fields, the answer to the peace we search for is "not as the world giveth", but is the peace of God that we can experience in result of the companionship of the Holy Ghost (John 14:27).

I have come to believe that the influence of the Holy Ghost is not like a light switch in a dark room, in which His light is with us or not. Rather, I believe the design of the influence of the Holy Ghost can be prepared to a light dimmer. As we partake of the sacrament, read the scriptures daily, and keep the commandments of the Lord, the influence of the Holy Ghost will be increased. And just as sliding over the toggle of a light dimmer in a dark room, our lives will brightened with peace and joy. I know as we focus on the acquisition of the Holy Ghost in our lives, the path ahead of us will be brightened in such a way that we will find our ways into the kingdom of God, I am no more sure of any other thing.

Have a wonderful week!

Love,

Elder Pulley

Elder Pulley testifying of importance of missionary work to new missionaries

Dinner with Elder Antenorcruz

Elder Schmutz with Elders Pulley and Saez