Week of January 30, 2017

Dear friends and family,

The last couple of weeks have been really busy, but absolutely wonderful! I apologize that you didn't hear from me last week, as the internet went out in the whole province for quite a while.

At any rate, a couple of weeks ago we had transfer day, which was absolutely busy but with the help of the Lord, it went smoothly. It certainly is no easy feat getting all the missionaries notified as to where they are going, getting them there, calling new leaders and trainers, sending missionaries home, etc. but it was really fun nonetheless. I think the thing I like doing the most as an assistant is greeting the new missionaries! They have a special spirit about them and are so excited to get out and help people! It is wonderful.

As I ponder over all of the things that have occurred the past couple of weeks that I can share with you, two things come to mind. The first thing that comes to mind is a recent convert in our area whose name is Michael O. Michael is like many of the individuals who live in our area, being a bukid (or field) worker, and is very simple intellectually. Although Michael may not be extraordinary intelligent however, he is very obedient to the commandments of the Lord, and people in his family and community have noticed a great change in him as he has accepted and applied the Gospel to his life.

In fact, after his mother, Gloria, returned home from Lebanon after having been there for a few years, she was astounded at the change that had occurred in her son. Unlike almost all single men in his community, Michael reads his scriptures every day, prays always, and abstains from harmful substances. With this stark contrast in lifestyle noted, Michael's mother naturally asked what had caused such a thing to occur in which he responded that he had been taught by the missionaries.

Following that exchange, Gloria insisted on meeting us to see what could cause such a difference to occur in her son. So, Michael invited his parents, cousins, and siblings to his home one night to be taught by us. We had a wonderful lesson, and since then his whole family have become progressing investigators, reading, going to church, and preparing for baptism. It has been remarkable to see.

Last week for example, Elder Olsen and I taught and reviewed the Restoration with their whole family. And, in spite of the advanced age of the whole family, everyone was present and participated. At the end of the lesson, the whole O. family kneeled down in prayer for the first time, and Michael's father, a very humble, quiet man, offered one of his first vocal prayers. It was absolutely wonderful to behold; there's nothing better than seeing a family coming to church and praying together. It brings joy like nothing else!

The reason why I bring this up is because I think most people think doing missionary work as a member of the church is extraordinary difficult and uncomfortable. However, as we can gather from Michael's circumstances, we don't necessarily need to be an extraordinary, well-versed, or even outspoken individual in order to effectively share the Gospel with those we love. All we need to do is to focus on living our religion. By doing so, people will naturally come to us wanting to know what we have that they don't.

 The words Jesus uttered over two millennia while giving his "Sermon on the Mount" is indeed still relevant today: "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 5: 14-16). I know as we do so, we will experience joy unlike anything else, knowing that we have helped others come closer to Christ.

The other thing that comes to mind from last week is a phone call I received from Sister Hiatt on Saturday morning in which she asked Elder Olsen and I to meet with she and President. Although meetings with President and Sister Hiatt aren't unusual in any way, the news they shared was extraordinary indeed. As it turns out, Elder Schmutz and his wife will be returning to the mission next month! It will be the third time I will be able to receive instruction from Elder Schmutz in just a few months! And what is even more remarkable is who Elder Schmutz will be accompanying, that being Elder David A. Bednar and his wife!! As it turns out, we will have a special meeting in which all missionaries in the whole mission will come here to Cauayan (a first ever) to be instructed from Elder Bednar, and I have been asked to conduct the meeting! I am really excited but nervous as well! I can't wait!!

Anyway, just know that all is going well and that I love being a missionary! I have too many blessings to count!

Love,

Elder Pulley

Week of January 23, 2017

This week we were not able to receive an email from Elder Pulley, due to the Internet being down in most of the mission.  However, we did receive information that he is doing well and received this picture.

Elder Pulley and Elder Olsen

Week of January 16, 2017

Dear friends and family,

This last week was yet another busy yet wonderful week of missionary work! I can't wait to share some of the things I have learned through experience and pondering this last week! First, it is insane just how fast time goes by! It seems like Elder Antenorcruz just went home yesterday, and now my other companion, Elder Saez, will be going home this Wednesday. I have to admit that it is not easy to see companions go. It is remarkable how much I have been able to learn from each one of them.

This last week, we had the privilege of visiting many missionaries all around the mission and teaching quite a bit of wonderful investigators. However, as I write this today, I feel prompted to share something that I learned during one of my study sessions this last week.

When Elder Schmutz came and visited our mission, one thing he taught was the importance of reading the scriptures "deeply, not superficially" by the use of footnotes. As such, I have restarted the Book of Mormon and been reading almost all of the footnotes along with it to acquire a deeper understanding of the things that are written. I have to admit, it is very slow, but I have learned a lot in result. This last week I have been reading from chapter 10 and 11 of 1 Nephi and I learned some things that I would like to share with you.

As many of you may already know, in chapter 8 of 1 Nephi, Nephi recounts the extraordinarily symbolic dream of his father, Lehi, in which he learned much in regards to the love of God, Jesus Christ, and much more. And, "after [he], Nephi having heard all of the things which [Lehi] saw in [the] vision...Nephi was desirous also that [he] might see, and hear, and know of [those] things by the power of the Holy Ghost" (1 Nephi 10:17).

After, he "desired to know the things that [his] father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make the known unto [him]...[he] was caught away.." into a vision in which he conversed with the Spirit of the Lord (1 Nephi 11:1). In that conversation, the first thing the Spirit of the Lord desired to know was if he believed that the vision the prophet Lehi had recounted was indeed from God in which Nephi responded: "Yea, thou knowest that I believe all the words of my father" (1 Nephi 11:5).

It was after that confirmation of faith mentioned previously that an angel of the Lord showed the same vision that his father Lehi had shown, and much more. In fact, it was in the vision that Nephi had that he found out the meaning of all of the symbolisms in Lehi's dream, and even saw the things that Christ would do in His ministry nearly 600 years in the future (1 Nephi 11-13). Indeed, it was through the faith of Nephi that he gained even more knowledge and understanding.  For he "that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full" (Alma 12:26).

For many of us, if not all, there are times in our lives in which instruction is given to us that we don't quite understand. Just like in the times of Nephi of old, there are times in which we are tested as to whether we will believe the direction and revelations our leaders have received on our behalf. I have learned first hand as a missionary that many times the direction our leaders may receive on our behalf may seem unclear, and hard to understand, perhaps like the ambiguity of Lehi's dream. However, as we apply faith as Nephi did in trying to understand the vision of Lehi, our mind will be expanded until we know the mystery "in full." I am apt to believe that if Nephi couldn't have testified of the divinity of Lehi's revelation, even before he understood it, that he wouldn't have been able to experience the remarkable enlightening experience that we see in chapters 11-14. However, because he did trust, all of us as readers of the Book of Mormon have been blessed in result; how grateful I am!

I know that as we trust in our inspired leaders, parents, etc. and ultimately in our God, that we will all be eternally grateful and blessed in result. And, I know too that understanding will always come to those who believe first.

All is going well here and I see many miracles every day! 

Love,

Elder Pulley

Week of January 9, 2017

Dear friends and family,

This last week was wonderful but absolutely busy as well! First, to begin, I would like to give an overview of all the things I did this last week so you can see how busy I am!

 On Monday, we still had a lockdown in the evening, so we couldn't leave the apartment after dark (due to the crazy fireworks everywhere) and had a great time watching all of the fireworks go off everyplace. Then, on Tuesday we attended district meeting in Tuguegarao, and helped some missionaries there who are struggling a little bit with their efforts. On Wednesday, President was out of town but Elder Saez, President Jones and I taught a meeting for the new missionaries and their trainers, which went really well. Following that, we prepared for our Mission Leadership Council, and taught a portion in that meeting on Thursday. On Friday, we then had exchanges with some zone leaders from Santiago and had a wonderful time with that. And today, I got a new companion!

As Elder Saez is going home next week and since there are many things for my new companion to learn in being an assistant, President called him in early to prepare. As of now, Elder Saez, my new companion and I are a threesome. His name is Elder Olson, and as I'm sure you must suspect in seeing his name, he is American! I was surprised to find out he was my new companion, but know that we will have a wonderful time serving together. Elder Olson is from Rexburg, Idaho and is actually been out in the mission a little longer than me. That being said, I imagine that he and I will be companions for a few months and then that I will be released. 

As I now ponder over the experiences I have had this last week, my mind is drawn to an experience that I had Wednesday night. As I indicated previously, I engaged in teaching a class on Wednesday, and then prepared to teach another the next day. In the process of doing so however, I starting to feel sick. By the time Wednesday night rolled around, I felt really tired and nauseous, which concerned me since I had to teach the next day. As I sat down that night and thought over my concern though, the Spirit prompted me to ask for a blessing, and I did so in result. I had full faith that the blessing would work, but when I woke up the next morning I still didn't feel any better. I still got ready for the meeting though and had faith that the Lord would help me as I helped teach and fulfilled my calling. It was as the meeting started that the sickness I felt went completely away, and I had a wonderful experience as well in being able to teach my fellow missionaries.

I am not shy to say that what I experienced I consider to be a modern-day miracle. I have heard many individuals tell me over the course of my mission that the days of miracles are over, but I have come to know through many personal experiences that that is not true. Indeed, it is only "if there be no faith among the children of men [that] God can do no miracle among them" (Ether12:12). If we do have faith however, we will be like those in the scriptures who wrought about miracles through faith (Ether 12:16). Over my mission I have seen the sick be healed, the poor miraculously obtain money to go to church, and the saddest of people become happy. Miracles still do exist, and the amount that we see in our lives truly is predicated on the amount of faith we have. It is my hope that we will always be worthy of them in our lives.

Have a wonderful week everyone!

Love,

Elder Pulley

Missionary Leadership Conference (MLC)

Missionary Trainers

Week of January 2, 2017

Dear friends and family,

Happy New Year! I cannot believe it is 2017! Time certainly does go by fast! This last week was absolutely amazing and held so many lessons that I can't wait to share!

Perhaps the best thing that happened this last week is that Elder Kane and I were able to go on exchanges on Friday!! It was the first time that we have ever taught real investigators before and it was awesome! It was really nice as well to see the improvement that has taken place in the both of us since we started the mission. As I recognized how we have both improved in our teaching, language, etc. it occurred to me that the change and improvement that has taken place is nothing short of a miracle. It is wonderful how the Lord consecrates His servants as they humbly serve Him.

On Saturday, among other things, Elder Saez and I went to a baptism in Alicia (a closely related city) and it ended up being cancelled unfortunately. However, as we both waited out in front of the church for the awaited baptism, I met a remarkable Tatay who I will never forget. The Tatay I met has been a member of the church for quite some time, and attends all of the Sunday meetings, baptisms, and other additional meetings as well. He is one of the most active members in his ward and is a great example to all, that being because he has no use of his legs and limited use of his arms. Moreover, it is easy to identify that he is like most individuals here, living in very humble circumstances and not leaving much financial room to receive any help. So, to get to church from his faraway home, he commutes on a custom made bicycle that some other members made for him and is reported to be there on the hottest of Sundays as well as the wettest. He is truly a witness to all that our circumstances, even if slightly unfortunate, should never be an excuse to not do what we know to be right. It would have been very easy for the man I met to make excuses and simply stay home. However, because he made the decision to do otherwise, he is living up to his full potential and is a great light to all.

As I have pondered over the remarkable individual I met and the arrival of the new year, it occurred to me just how often we as individuals don't meet our full potential, chiefly because we cheat ourselves into believing that our circumstances allow otherwise. Therefore, my invitation for us all is make the goal of achieving our best selves (just as the Tatay I mentioned has) this New Year's through obedience. As we make goals, set plans, and then follow them throughout this new year to be better disciples, I know we will come to know the truthfulness of a statement found in the 28th chapter of Proverbs, that being that "where there is no vision, [we] perish; but he that keepeth the law, happy is he" (Proverbs 29:18). In other words, as we have the vision to lift ourselves to a higher plane of living, and be diligent in attaining it, we will all become truly "happy."

Well, everything is still going great! I will tell you all more next week!

Love,

Elder Pulley