Entering US After One Year

Hello, I am a US PR (a Malaysian citizen), living in Cebu, Philippines. My GC is obtained thru employment (in 2003) but I am not employed at this moment. My GC expires in 2013 & the category is E37. My husband is doing a short-term work assignment here. We arrived in Cebu on 10/25/07. His original assignment was until 6/30/08 but it has been extended until 11/30/08. When we go back to US, I will be absent for over one year. I went to the US Consular office in Cebu & the officer told me that because it would be over a year, my GC is not valid to enter the US & that I would need a special letter or permit. He advised me to contact the US Embassy in Manila to get the permit. I called the embassy to get more informations & after explaining my situations, the officer at the Homeland Security Office told me that I do not need a boarding letter (I guess that is the term for the entry permit?). I should be able to use my GC to enter US since it has not expired yet. He also advised to show my husband's oversea assignment contract to the immigration officer at the port-of-entry & explaining my situations.

My questions are: 1. Which advice should I follow, consular or embassy? 2. Will I be able to enter US without the boarding letter? 3. What other documents should I bring along to show the immigration officers at the POE? My husband & I joint-filed our US tax for 2007. He's a US citizen.

Sorry for the very long post. I'm putting as much info as I can here. Any help or advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks, -Aida