In the first part of our two part series on the four candidates for the Stake Presidency, we talked with Mike Bray and Moisés Rodriguez as they campaigned around Sandy.

SANDY- Basking in the limelight has never been his thing, but neither has running a campaign to become Stake President.

Mike Bray, the nominee from the High Priest Party, is hopeful that his many years as a High Priest group leader in his ward and High Councilor in his stake will help make campaigning easier.

“I’m an old man,” the 73-year-old Bray joked. “I’ve been a part of this stake a long time and I’m hoping that can carry me to the finish line.”

Bro. Bray also hopes that his connections can lead him to an election victory. “I know I can get the gray vote for sure, but I’m just hoping and praying that the young people will see my face and say ‘Hey, that was the wonderful high councilor who always gave inspired talks that made me a better person. The least I can do is vote for him’.

Connections aren’t the only things that set this grandfather of 32 apart. Bray holds the record for longest time spent on stake announcements during Sacrament meeting, clocking in at 22 minutes, as well as the record for most naps taken on a Sunday with 22, six of those coming during church meetings.

“I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished and I hope to accomplish even more with the help of this stake,” Bray said. “If I win, you can bet your bottom dollar the seniors in this stake will be getting iPads so the distribution center can stop printing oversized scriptures. Just remember, vote for Bray.”

SANDY- The Latino nominee had a big smile on his face during testimony meeting on Sunday as he said “I know I will be the next Stake President.” After winning the International Party primary on Monday, Moisés Rodriguez’ prophecy may hold true.

The candidate, although not new to the US, is green to the nuances of Church government. “I still am not sure if the church in the United States is different from the one in Mexico,” Rodriguez said. “We never elected our Stake President there.”

Bro. “Moses” as he is called by fellow ward and stake members, plans on putting the Sandy 697th Stake back on the list of largest stake budgets.

“We are going to increase church attendance and see if we can bring those Latin American baptism numbers here to Sandy,” the nominee said. “We want to make Sandy 697th Stake a destination for members and missionaries everywhere.”

Rodriguez, a blue-collar worker in the Bingham Canyon mine, hopes that his work ethic and immigration policy will help him win over support.

“We need the borders open,” he said over the pulpit last month. “Should we leave God’s children out of the promised land?”