The Spirit of Elijah

Hey there friends and family! Hope everyone is doing great and enjoying spring, although it doesn't sounds like there's much of a spring in Utah. Well, this last week has been a pretty good week. Things slowed down a bit, but overall they went well. I had my last interview with President Kunz, that was pretty sad, but it was really good. He is amazing, and has consecrated himself so much to the Lord and doing His work in this mission. It will be very sad to see him leave, but I'm enjoying being close to him here in Omaha while I can. So this branch had been pretty spoiled with baptisms since the year started, and I think we ran out of "golden investigators" to baptize, so our focus this past week has been on finding new investigators, particularly families, to teach. I personally love finding, and tracting is one of my favorite things to do. We always meet really interesting people. Most people will kindly talk to us, even if they are not interested, which makes things hard some times as well. We have to distinguish between those who are just being nice, and those who are really motivated and preparred to hear the message of the Restoration. We've found a couple though, one in particular was a sweet lesson with a younger lady named Crystal. We taught her in front of her appartment and it was a really powerful lesson. The best part was we were able to testify of the Atonement and how it could really bless her life. So Elder Carrier really likes this band called "The Faint" and we actually tracted into their lead singer the other day. It was so funny to see his reaction. He lives only a block from our house, so every time we drive by it now Elder Carrier makes a comment, haha. Today we actually got to take a tour of the Kaynesville Tabernacle which is where the church regrouped itself before making the final treck to Utah. It was really awesome, and Elder Scott, the senior missionary who gave us a lecture, was awesome and I learned a lot about Church and American history. Other than that nothing major is happening. I see tender mercies and miracles everyday, and I know that this work is really being led by the Lord, and that this really is His Church and His gospel. So spiritual thought of the week may seem a little strange for a missionary to be talking about, but I thought it would be appropriate after today. The Spirit of Elija is such an important part of the Gospel, and especially for us saints in the latter-days. In no other time in the history of the earth has there been such a tremendous opportunity to help redeem those who we deprived from hearing and receiving the message of the Gospel. It is such a remarkable thing that us today have the opportunity to search for those names of family that has past on before, and perform in temples the ordinances of salvation. I know that I always have felt a strong pull and spirit from my family who has gone before me, and I am so grateful for every person who has preparred the way so that I can have the Gospel today. We cannot even begin to understand everything that our ancestors have done for us, and it is vitally important that we seek them out, for without them we cannot fully enjoy the blessings of the celestial kingdom. I hope to learn more of my family history, and am so grateful for the oppurtunity to search as a missionary for families to be sealed in the temple for time and all eternity. Love you all, and hope you have a great and productive week. Godspeed, Elder Chandler Kendall