Elder Chandler Obray: No Such Thing as Coincidence

What do you know? It was another killer week here in the promised land of Des Moines. It was one of those weeks that make you feel grateful to be a missionary. Sounds like my week might not have been as good as my brothers though. Super cool you were able to go to the Philippines and get in contact with some of your RCs. I am sure Maddie had a killer time in those conversations haha, a little bit like me when we knock on a hispanic person's door. I just step back and let Elder Wood do the work, I know how you feel Maddie, speaking another language is overrated! First things first though. I think I cried when I read Bob's email saying that we are going to be in Powell together as a family in just a few months. That and the fact that the city of Des Moines has been packed with track teams from all over the country competing in the Drake Relays this week have made me a little excited to get off the plane in a few months, but just a little, don't you worry, there is still all kinds of work to be done here. The word trunky will not be used. :) Lets get to it.

First up, my man S continues to bring joy into my life. He is the coolest guy on the planet. He is doing so great and is preparing to go do some baptisms with his reactivated wife. Today was an awesome day because S received the Aaronic priesthood! What a blessing. S asked me to be the voice in the blessing and with some gentle persuasion, I agreed. There aren't many cooler things than laying your hands on the head of a recent convert and helping them receive the priesthood. Speaking of, remember my guy T who I taught in East Moline? He went to the temple a few weeks ago and has received the priesthood! He has come a long way. The gospel is the coolest.

Saturday was a cool day, we had to opportunity to knock on doors of course, but this time for a different purpose. The Red Cross was in town and was installing smoke alarms in under privileged neighborhoods. It was a cool experience. People were more than willing to tell us that they didn't want to become a mormon, but when we told them we would give them free smoke alarms, they were our best friends. Haha what an experience.

We also got to go over to Cedar Rapids again this week for a district meeting and to help another companionship move. Have I mentioned that we drive a Chevy Silverado around? It is a pretty sweet ride. We have the only vehicle in the mission capable of pulling a trailer so we get to help everyone move. Gotta love it. I will make sure to get a picture with my girl "Brenda" this week. She might just drink more gas than Heather haha.

We had a super cool experience this week. Elder Wood and I have really been praying to find a family to teach. We think it would be the best way to cap off the mission. This week, we think we found them. Last week in Ward Council, we were talking about families that we could reach out to. Someone said a name, and I immediately knew that they were the family we needed to visit. On Tuesday on exchanges with Elder Davidson, a ZL in the Fairfield zone, we stopped by. At first, the less active father was on a conference call and couldn't talk too long but he invited us back a couple days later. When Elder Wood and I went back, we had a killer experience. He let us right in for some lunch and we talked. He later opened up that the night before we came over that first time, he had been thinking about the church and felt the need to go back. Coincidence? I think not! He expressed how excited he was to see us when we knocked on his door the next day. He is the only member in his family, so we cannot wait to go back and teach his wife and his five kids. Keep them in your prayers, but I am confident that this family will be sealed in the temple some day.

Not too much else to report on this week. I am grateful this week, like all other weeks, to be a missionary. There is no happier work on the planet. These truly are times never to be forgotten. I love you.

Have a great week,

The Mormon with the Smoke Alarms,

Elder Obray