December 30, 2010

Thanks for all of the great presents!

Merry Christmas Mom, Dad, Callie, Olivia and Samuel!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas........

Family!

What a joy it was to hear all of you on Christmas. Although the time was short the conversations were uplifting and are carrying me through each day. Thanks for the support and all that you do!

I don't think I expressed my gratitude enough for all of the gifts. Thank you so much. My Christmas was very enjoyable and thrilling. 

   During the holidays things seem to slow down as families prepare for trips or to host, but with the holidays over the work seems to be picking up again. Along with a change of pace out here I am noticing changes in myself. After 2 months of doing something it starts to become a habit and then it becomes easier to do. That's how life is right now for me. I am noticing myself doing things subconsciencly that before I took time to think about. All of these things are related to missionary work and help the work progress so I feel like these habits are sucessful ones.
   I am treating the mission more like a lifestyle now as well. Before I had an outlook on it similar to Field Training. Just a program in which I needed to do my best and complete. It kept me focused but not personally fulfilling or sucessful. But I have come to understand that it is a lifestyle now and as I embrace that I am able to focus more on the Spirit. And as I do that my success is not measured by numbers but rather by, as Dad told me on the phone, "planting seeds." And seeds are being planted everyday out here, every hour in fact. 
   So I would like to start telling you all more about the actual details of the past week. I think you all might enjoy this as it will give you a taste of what I am doing out here. 
   So this past week, since we talked on Saturday, has been very fulfilling. We have this family from Puerto Rico, George Ramirez,  we have been trying to teach. They come to church every Sunday with his brother's family, Edwin Ramirez, who are members. Elder Macferran spoke on Sunday and the wife started crying, she later told him he really touched her heart with his talk. This is exciting because they have been really flaky with us in the past. Hopefully this will yield some commitments.
   I learned something this week. Hispanics are susceptible to dreams, or at least talking about them. In the past week we have sat down with at least 3 Hispanic investigators who each claimed to have dreams and asked us what it meant. This turned out to be very rewarding as we explained that we are all entitled to our own personal revelation. 
   We had a very interesting dinner last night as well. We have been working with this part member family here and found out they have a lot of member family friends. So we called up one of these families to sit down and talk with them about the Zimmermans, the family we are working with. We were on exchanges that day so I went over with my district leader and sat down to talk with the Howards, the member family. As we started talking we discussed how we could get the Z's involved and excited about taking the lessons Bro. Howard pulled out his cell phone and called up Bro. Z and told him he was sitting down talking to the missionaries and that we were all having dinner on Wed. night so be there. Despite his boldness Bro. Z agreed! After he hung up the phone Bro. H told us we were going to have  a 3 course meal so the dinner could drag on and we could have time to causally bring up the gospel. Well the dinner turned out to be 7 courses on fine china and religion was not even brought up until the beginning of the 6th course! Overall it was a great experience and great food. We left with a return appointment with Bro. Z and his wife in shock that we got him to agree to listen to the lessons. Success over seven courses.
   So from a week full of dreams, drawn out dinner appointments, and Puerto Ricans, what have I learned? That the Lord's hand is in everything. He is responsible for every "coincidence" encountered and every blessing received and as I continue in obedience I expect this pattern to continue.

Family, I love you all and am happy to see the Lord is blessing you all as well. Happy New Year!

Love,

Elder Cronin

A New letter, just in time for the New Year!!!

December in Elko

December 2, 2010

Family,

Thanksgiving was great! We ate with a family from Puerto Rico and with one of our English families. No one in the English family was under 6ft!. 

This week has been great. We are getting ready for the Christmas Creche, a festival put on by the church here in town that all denominations attend. Its quite the event. I'll send you all one of the invitations. 

We have been very busy with missionary work. Some exciting, some disappointing. But more than anything we see the blessings from the Lord each day as we endure. And enduring through - 13 F is tough.

I'm not sure about my transfer. But I have a feeling I'm getting transferred because I haven't received any mail from the mission office in the past 3 weeks which might mean that they are holding it down there so I can pick it up at transfer conference. I really don't want to leave but if the Lord needs me else where then consider me Nephi. 

How was Thanksgiving? Speaking of thanks I need to thank you all for everything you have sent me. The GPS is indispensable and the clothes are keeping me warm. Thank you all so much.

Well it might be fun for you all to make predictions about if and where I'll be transferred. We'll see if they come true. 

That is about all for today. We're going sledding today and it will be Elder Macferran's first time ever! Wish him luck! 

I love you all, Till next week,

Love,
Elder Cronin

P.S. can you send family pics!!!! Thanks


December 9, 2010


Family,

I'm staying in Elko!!!! Another 6 weeks in this paradise! I really love it here. With the holidays coming up I am surprised how much I feel like I'm at home. The members here are great and have been very supportive in the missionary work. Not that it makes our job easier but their help really progresses the work beyond what two young men can do.

We have our first baptism coming up on Saturday! Peggy Remick has made the decision to enter the waters of baptism. I'll be sure to send pictures next week. I've already shared her story with you all and what a long way she has come in order to make this covenant. We are all proud of her.

We got a truck! A Chevy Colorado 4x4! Her name is Tiburon, it means shark in Spanish. I'll send pictures next week.

I am so full right now it is hard for me to think and write at the same time. Every P-day morning the Sargeants cook us breakfast, and its huge, and we eat everything! So I should be good on food for the next week after that meal.

We are eating well here though. Lots of member meals still and really good conversations with them. We went sledding again after I e-mailed you all last week and it was a blast! I'll attach some photos.

Well that's about it for mundane missionary activities. I want to tell you all about our new neighbor. Her name is Carrie Bruno. She teaches at the college here in town and just moved in next to the Sargeants. She is pregnant and single and seems to be doing well for herself. After getting to know her I was blown away realizing that I was here in Elko for many reasons but I believe that she is one of them. She is not a member and has never taken the lessons or much less talked to missionaries. We are very close as friends now as she has made us brownies and cookies and even showed up to the Spanish branch Christmas fiesta we had last week. No she doesn't speak Spanish, but she did accept our invitation. So hopefully she'll continue that pattern and accept some other invitations. :)

Also I am learning so much about myself. I am changing for the better and striving each day to become more Christ-like. I never took the time to study or even think about what it meant to be Christ-like before my mission but Preach My Gospel has really opened my mind to the changes I need to make and the happiness those changes will bring.

Family I love you all and will miss you during this holiday season. I just realized we will both have a Christmas this year in a new place. So keep that in mind. We have that in common.

Feliz Navidad!

Love,
Elder Cronin


December 16, 2010


Family,

I finally got all the held up packages!!!!! Thanks so much for all the love!

Guess What!? I had my first baptism Saturday! And my first confirmation the following Sunday! Enjoy the pictures. We baptized and confirmed Peggy Remick. Its amazing the change you could see in her immediately after coming out of the waters of baptism. She has the wonderful gift of the Holy Ghost now.

The mission is going great. I just had my first interview with President Christensen  yesterday. He is a great and intelligent man. I feel safe knowing that my every move here on my mission is directed by him. He is a man of God.

The blessings are pouring in from our Heavenly Father this transfer. We have been able to break through with a few more of our investigators recently and there is no doubt in our mind that this is a direct result of blessings from Him.

We are staying fed, or stuffed is more like it. I'm surprised I haven't become obese yet!

I got to go on exchanges with Elder Shields the other day. I t is such a small world. I don't know if you all know him but he is from Mississippi if you couldn't gather from the name and what a fun time we had! We reminisced about the good 'ole times back home and about our mutual friends. Whats more was when people asked where we were from and we both responded with, Mississippi! Too funny. He is my Zone Leader, and is an outstanding missionary with an incredible testimony, unshakable.

By direction from President Christensen we have been given the opportunity to read the Book of Mormon cover to cover. But this time we are asked to focus on Christ. We mark each reference, attribute, and dictation by our Savior. This time through I am learning much more than I did before. I am learning how the Book of Mormon truly is another testament of Jesus Christ and in doing so I can feel myself drawing closer to him. Sometimes we lose focus on our foundation especially in times of Christmas celebration. While we should always remember Him, this is the time of year when we reflect on His birth. But more important is what the birth means for us. It means we can become cleansed from sin, to be able to return to live with Him for eternity with our families. What a tremendous gift!

The only gift I could ever want I have already received. That is a way to return to live with our Heavenly Father. I am so thankful for this opportunity that many of you who are reading this have helped provide for me to share the message of this gift with the people of Eastern Nevada.

I love you all and cannot wait to talk to you all on Christmas!!!!

Love,
 Elder Cronin