Hey everyone! What a great
week to be a missionary, but aren't they all pretty great? It has been the hottest
week of my life here in Cedar Rapids. It was one of those weeks this week that
was as ordinary as they come. What a time to be alive. That being said, this
email might be a little bit of a dud so like always, if you don't feel up to
the challenge of taking on the whole thing, I wouldn't be offended.
To get started, it has been
so hot this week. it is incredible. The temperature was regularly 90 plus with
occasional spikes up to more than 100. It is getting toward the end of the
month as well and we are only allowed a certain number of miles in our car
every month. We had to do a little bit of traveling early in the month so our
mile count is getting pretty low. That being said we spent some great days back
on the bikes. Man, it was great to actually move my legs aggressively. I am
pretty out of shape as you can probably tell from my pictures. It was quite the
week riding around Cedar Rapids in the heat. People were pretty surprised when
we knocked on the door and we were soaking wet. It looked like we spent the
afternoon in a swimming pool. Gotta love being an Elder.
We had Zone Conference this
week in Davenport (close to my old area of East Moline). It was great to get
back there and see a lot of the Elders I served with there. Three of my past
companions were there so it was great to catch up. It felt like the Sons of
Mosiah reuniting after their missions. They are all doing great. Elder
Balderston has almost been out for nine months. Holy cow they grow up so fast.
It seems like yesterday I was picking him up at the mission office. He is doing
great and is becoming an excellent missionary. He makes a father proud. The
conference was great, it is always good to learn from President Badger, he is
the man. I am incredibly grateful to be serving with him and Sister Badger, you
guys would love them!
Like many other
missionaries can attest to, the week after a baptism is often pretty brutal.
Our teaching pool took a major hit this week when we had to drop a few of our
investigators or they dropped us. It is so frustrating when people let pride or
laziness get in the way of the everlasting joy that comes from the gospel. It
is sad to see people deny the blessings that we know are in store for them, but
our Heavenly Father has a plan for them as well. They will get there
someday.
Some crazy news is that we
are getting kicked out of our house. The owner of our house is like 100 years
old and he decided it wasn't a good idea for him to be out there mowing the
lawn. We definitely agree, so we have been apartment shopping a little bit this
week.
I will close this less than
mediocre email with a spiritual thought that I have talked about before. One
blessing of serving a mission is a profound sense of gratitude for the gospel.
I have never been so grateful to have been born in the covenant, I have never
had to search for the truth, because I have always known where to find it. I
think a lot of times as members of the church, we don't quite fully appreciate
how amazing the gospel really is and how blessed we are to be a part of the
Lord's true church on the Earth. Every time I am in a lesson and bear testimony
of the Plan of Salvation, my testimony gets stronger. I am so grateful to be
sharing the restored Gospel with the people of Iowa. I am so grateful that I
get to do it for another year.
I love you guys, have a
great week! Smile a lot and share the blessings of the gospel with those around
you. The gospel changes lives.
With a testimony as big as
his forehead,
Elder Obray
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