October 31, 2011 Happy Halloween

Family,

It is so wonderful to hear of all your adventures. Everyone is growing up. I truly wish I could be there. I remember what a thrill it was to have family and friend supporting me in the stands and in the audiences as I grew up and nutured my talents. However, there is nowhere else I'd rather be than here in the ghetto of Las Vegas bearing testimony to those who despise me for my youth, criticize me for my faith, and ignore me because fo their pride. Because admist all of them are those who we call the elect, the ones who are humble and open minded and ready to change.

One of those people is me. My mission has exposed every one of my weaknesses to me. I think they give us two years to serve so that we can see these weaknesses and overcome them. Any shorter time would not be sufficient.

We start week 6 today of the transfer. And for those of you who are not mission savy that means we only have one wek until I could be transferred to another area or be told to say another 6 weeks. I would be happy with either outcome. I want to go where the Lord will send me. There is nothing that brings me more joy than knowing that I am working for the Lord in his way.

I am at a point in my mission right now where everything seems normal that I do as a missionary. At the beginning of my mission the routines seemed non-routine. Talking to random people about the Gospel is natural now. Leaving commitments with others and following up is second nature. And studying and applying is instinct. My vision now is to enhance my performance in these areas and others.

Yesterday I had a very interesting experience. I am not very confrontational here on my mission. Especially when it comes to things that happen in the streets. However, yesterday I had a confrontation with a gentleman. Contention is of the Devil so I know that I acted out of line when a man told me he would pray that I gain understanding and then asked how old I was. I told him my age and he responded with his age which was roughly twice as much. Before he could say anything else these words came out of my mouth, "That may be true sir but we have twice as much intelligence at this moment than you." He was taken aback and then quited some Bible verse and said that the man who calls himself wise is unwise. I washed that around in my mind all day and realized my words were out of line. However, later that same night we were speaking to one of our investigators. He explained his excitement to begin meeting with us citing his reasoning he said, "I may be twice your age but you all have much more knowledge about this stuff than I do." His humility humbled me. Ironic, no. There are many lessons like this that I have learned in the field.

The 26th marked my first year in the actual mission here. It was an interesting day. It made me think about my progress. I looked at notes and journal entries form the past year and realized how much my understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has grown. And how many wonderful habits I have formed and how many bad habits I have kicked. My mission has been very therapeutic in this aspect for me as well.

Family I love each and everyone of you. Go share your testimony with someone it will brighten their day!

Love,

Elder Cronin

October 24, 2011 A New View

Family,

I hope this note finds you all well. Yet another week has come and gone. I cannot believe how fast time is flying. Tomorrow I will have been in the Nevada Las Vegas Mission for exactly one year. It is hard to believe. But as I look back my heart is filled with joy. This place has become holy to me. And it always will be.

The area I work in is fairly poor for the most part. I have become accustom to the style of life that is here. It has given me a new perspective on life. I have realized that money does not determine quality of life. However, righteousness does. Some of the wealthiest people I have met are unhappy because they are making the wrong decisions in life and some of the poorest people I have met are the happiest because they are living the gospel. My eyes have been opened to the important things in life as I have served here.

However, my interest in the best of things has not quite been quelled. Amidst the ghetto of Las Vegas that is peppered with homeless people and defined by weekly and monthly motels which do not advertise their hourly rates, there are a few loft style high-rises that exemplify diamonds on black velvet. The tallest one in our area has always caught my eye. The occupants are rarely seen. But their vehicles are often out in the open unveiling the type of people who live there. For example we have seen a Maserati, Aston Martin Vanish, Porshe, Cl550s +, and many more exotic and expensive cars belonging to occupants of said loft. And all the while I have had a goal to get a return appointment in those lofts. Finally one day my opportunity came. We street contacted two women just outside of this loft. Usually when we ask people if they have read the Book of Mormon they respond by saying, "Yes, but I don't remember much," or the occasional, "Yes, I've read your book and no I'm not interested." Fair enough. But this time was different. As we asked these ladies this question one responded with a no and the other with a yes. We asked the latter what she like about what she had read. We were shocked when she began describing her interest in the story of the 2000 Stripling Warriors!!!! It is one thing to read the book and it is an entirely different entity to have remembered the stories much less the principles taught with the stories. We asked if she would like to learn more and she accepted pointing to the loft and said we could find her there. I masked my utter excitement to finally go into this diamond on the black velvet of the ghetto of Las Vegas and did my best to appropriately express our amazement in her knowledge of the Book of Mormon. When went back for the appointment we entered through the lobby and befriended the man running the front desk who informed us that she was not picking up her phone and thus we could not go up to see her. Grateful for the opportunity to have only entered the lobby with purpose but disappointed that this elect individual had flaked we left for dinner. After dinner we made plans to go back and see if she was home. And this time she answered and invited us up. The front desk man let us up. We rode the elevator with an Aussie who had been here for only a few months. He was incredibly ripped so our first thought was that he worked for the "Thunder Down Under." Don't Google that. But he told us he was a consultant. Fair enough. Our investigator answered the door. She introduced herself as Valoma and invited us in. We could see the spectacle of Las Vegas neon through the opposite window and it was breath taking. However, seeing as how she was single and I had only brought my companion along we could not go in unless we had another male. We explained this to her and in turn she invited us to the roof instead. We accepted and I held back my sheer excitement to not only get a chance to teach but but to have the visit on the roof of this high-rise. The view was amazing!!!!!!!!! It was a view of Las Vegas I have never seen before. I did not bring my camera so I was bummed but honestly I dont' think my camera could do the view any justice. We proceeded to get to know Valoma. It turns out she knows so much about the church because she has been dating a member of the church for the past year. She has read through the Book of Mormon, Our search for Happiness, and Mine Errand is the Lord's by Boyd K. Paker! Unbelievable! But it is true. She had some amazing questions and intelligent and spirit directed comments. We invited her to follow the commandment in 2 Nephi 31:11 and be baptized. She accepted!!!!! That was it. That was the most amazing lesson I have ever had in my entire life! We meet with her again soon and continue. We have tremendous faith in this sister. I'll keep you posted.

The conference with Elder Jensen was also amazing. I was taught much. And I have been applying many of the principles he taught us and I already feel a difference in who I am. It is hard to believe how much I have changed, how much my desires have changed. I feel much happier than I ever have before.

Until next week!

Love,

Elder Cronin

October 17, 2011

Family,

 

Thank you so much for all the goodies. The cupcakes were delicious and decadent! Mom, did you make those from that chocolate recipe book? The cinnamon rolls and brownies just arrived today. I think they had been sitting in the mission office for the last week but I am sure that with a good nuke they will be just fine. I have refined my taste and creation of food while on my mission. I have actually learned a little about baking. I don't know if I told you but a few P-days ago a tried my hand at baking bread. It turned out wonderful and occasionally I'll make a desert of some sort from scratch. I have found that preparing food for my companions is the best way to serve them. It brings me happiness to cook and create and to watch them enjoy the meal.

 

I have been blessed with great companions so far. Some have posed more problems than others and with each we have had our differences. As you know I like to do things my way. But sometimes I am not right. So my pride gets to me in those situations. But I have learned a valuable lesson. I have learned that with any conflict a resolution can be found in rendering service. King Benjamin is the greatest example of this. He was such a great leader who served his people that to this day the indigenous inhabitants of South America still tell of a story of a great King who ruled in righteousness. And today we all have the record found in the first chapters of Mosiah of his address to his people where he taught them that to serve your fellow man is to serve God. That is what I see my mission as. I see it as pure service to others. Sometimes I seek to serve myself to much and I feel out of place. But there is a joy that comes unlike any other joy I have felt when I render service to someone and have no expectations of receiving anything in return. I think in the past I had always expected something for, at times, nothing.

 

I am so grateful for the example of  charitable family members and their willingness to serve others. Many memories have flooded back to me of Christlike service that I either witnesses or experienced in the past. We must stand as a witness in all places and in all times and I am grateful for those who did that in my life.

 

Saturday we had one of the most memorable baptisms of my entire mission. I went a little like this:

 

One month and a half ago while Elder Aaron was still here we were coming back from working one night when Elder Aaron's tire went flat on his bike. There were three of us. We all hoped off our bikes and walked the rest of the 2 miles to our car. As we were walking we came to an intersection. Across the way was a younger woman who glanced at us. At the moment she was walking away from us but once she saw us she hesitated and turn towards us. We crossed the street to her side and we approached each other and began talking. It was traditional missionary talk about a belief in God and a desire to change. We noticed immediately that there was something peculiar about this woman. She wore a shawl over her head but she was Caucasian. We told her our plight of Elder Aaron's bike and she asked if she could walk home with us. We agreed. I cannot recall the complete conversation but I do remember her name, Kimberly, and setting up a return appointment with her with less than hopeful expectations of actually finding her there. However, to our surprise she was at home. She explained to us that she had moved from Wisconsin to get away from a rough life and she wanted to change. We ensured her we knew a way she could. She was all ears. We began by teaching her the restoration and everything clicked with her. We introduced her to a sister in the Ward who hosted most of our lessons. Kimberly followed along with almost everything. She was always eager to learn. She told us she wanted the fast track to baptism and we gave it too her. She had some things she had to work out before she could be baptized but she endured to the end and endured well. If there was ever anyone I knew who had a desire to be baptized no one understood and embraced its concept more than Kimberly. She knew she needed to be pure and she knew that she could. She knows that God loves her and that the commandments are here for our protection. In the short time we knew her we saw a miraculous change. She went from timid and ashamed to bright and confident in that short amount of time. Unfortunately she made plans to only stay in Vegas for a couple of months and will be heading back to Wisconsin next Wednesday. However, of all the places she chose to escape sex, drugs, and rock and roll she chose Las Vegas. And of all the people she could have run into she ran into the Lord's missionaries. God lives. And his hand is in each of our lives. We only need to look for it.  Kimberly was baptized on Saturday and confirmed on Sunday. It was a sweet experience. One I will never forget.

 

Elder Marlin Jensen will be touring our mission this week on Thursday and Friday. We are super excited to have him come. He is a church historian and is steward over our mission and the others in our region.

 

That is about all. I love all of you so very much! Thank you for your support and encouragement. The Ward in GA has been inspiring with their letters. Send them my love.

 

May the Lord bless you according to your obedience,

Love

Elder Cronin

-- 

"But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you from bondage" Mosiah 7:33

Kimberly's baptism!!!

Sad Dog!!

October 10, 2011

Family,

 

Fall is finally here!!! The mornings and evenings are as cool as 60 and the day time does not get above 95. A 95 here feels like an 85 in the south. But the work here and excitement has not cooled down. Each day is filled with new experiences here in Las Vegas.

 

One thing I am learning is how to best work with the Spirit. I think it has always been my understanding that the Spirit works with us. Meaning, he will give us subtle clues as to what to do, say, where to go. This is true. He will guide us but it is more a matter of us working with him. I have learned that we must go and do and the Lord will provide the guidance as to whether we are going and doing the right thing. Sometimes we are headed down such a wrong path that the message is loud and clear. Other times the path we chose to accomplish a task is one of many. I have  learned this through some personal experience and through reading from the Ensign a talked called "Move!" It is an excellent analogy of this.

 

This principle is very important especially when the decisions I make will effect not only me but my investigators and the other missionaries under my stewardship. I am not perfect at working with the Spirit but I am improving.

 

I know with all of my heart that this is Gods true church here on this earth. I feel that my mission has saved my life. I feel even at this point so much more repaired for the trials to come and those that are already here than I think I ever would have been otherwise. I know the Book of Mormon is true. I am almost finished with reading it in Spanish and so far it is still true. I love my companion and the lessons he teaches me. I love the feeling of the Spirit when you know you are doing the right thing. I feel that each morning as I wake up and start my day in the mission field. I know that Christ lives and that he is our Redeemer, the Great Jehovah, and the one named Endless. I know that there is power in the Book of Mormon that we cannot find anywhere else. I just finished reading the Ensign focused on the Book of Mormon. I know the Book of Mormon is true. I work hard everyday to help others come to that same belief. I love each and every one of you who have stumbled across this letter. Thank you for your support.

Please be patient with my letters back to you as you write me. I am working on doing a better job of that. 

 

Love,

Elder Cronin 

October 3, 2011 17 Miracles

Family!

 

How did you all enjoy conference ????? Wasn't it amazing!!?!? I particularly enjoyed President Monson's address on Saturday morning. For whatever reason I had this wave of emotion come over me as he spoke that  confirmed to me that he is the Prophet of the Lord. It was an amazing confirmation. Priesthood session seemed more like a zone conference to me as most of the remarks were directed towards missionaries. I took many things from that session to apply to my mission. I also really enjoyed Quenten L Cook's address on grief and sorrow. This is the second time he as addressed this topic and his coucil is heaven sent.

 

It has been interesting to see life unfold at home as I serve. Before my mission I had two pre-concieved notions. One was that life and everything in it would stand still until I got home. Well surprise to me!! Loved ones have passed on, Samuel is getting merit badges, Olivia is realizing her dreams, Callie is driving(that's the scariest one), and friends and other family are progressing in life. The other notion I had was that nothing could happen to me. I am invincible and expempt from the hardships that others face in their lives. Well...false. I am no different than anyone else. I am glad that my presumptions were not correct. Because trials make us stronger and we are here to progress and I am glad to hear of the progress of all those I love.

 

This week has truly been magnificent as I looked forward to conference. The added responsibility of being a zone leader leaves little free time if any as a missionary and as a result I sat down for conference less than prepared. These experiences in the mission are gems. Because I can take a lesson from my lack of preparation and do better next time and in turn condition myself to perform ideally when the time comes to put aside my responsibilites at work and spend time with my family. I am glad to be learning these lessons now.

 

No baptisms this week but we did get the opportunity to watch 17 Miracles. If you have not seen it yet...Buy it. Watch it. Rinse Tears. Repeat. This movie is heart wrenching. I walked away from it with two things to do in my life. Build my faith stronger, and pray more sincerely. The faith of those pioneers is miraculous. I felt I have been taking the Restoration for granted until this point. They sacrificed so much to get their posterity the chance to be in Zion. Their faith was "stronger than the cords of death" (D&C 121:44). Their prayers were earnest and selfless. They truly did all they could and then turned to the Lord. They have insipred me to have more faith. More faith in struggling investigators, less than enthusiastic memebers, discouraged missionaries, and the future. Faith! What does that word mean to you? This is a great question to ask yourself. I can promise you that it is no word to be thrown around as the asnwer to every gospel question. It is more. Faith is just as Ether describes, "things which are hoped for and not seen"(Ether 12:6). We only have two eyes and they see visually, physically not spiritually. So there is so much that we cannot see. One thing for me is the blessings of serving a mission. I had to take it on faith that this was the right choice for me. I could not see the blessings ahead and therefore did not know for a surety that it was the right thing. But with all the faith I had I put in my papers and even more faith was required to pack my bags the last night. But I am so grateful that I did!!!! I would not rather be anywhere else than here serving my Heavenly Father. I know he is proud.

 

Oh and prayer. Prayer is crucial! How can a Father care for his son if the son never speaks to him. How can the Father know of the love his son has for him if the son does not express it. The same goes with prayer. Of course our Father in Heaven knows our needs. But the scripture says to ask and then you shall recieve. It does not say be in need and then recieve, but ASK. Pray. I have such a strong testimony of prayer. I have seen miracles in my life after simply addressing my Heavenly Father, giving him thanks, asking forgiveness, and asking for sincere help in the name of His Son Jesus Christ. There is no substitute for prayer. Struggling as a teenager I turned to Dad for help at one point, usually I could handle everything on my own. But this one occassion I asked for his advice. Now for those of you who know my father you know there is nothing he cannot do nor fix. He literally knows everything. And of all the responses he could have given me and all the solutions to my problems there were, he simply asked, "How are your prayers going?" And frankly, they weren't. I found peace about the problem that night as I prayed. I don't remember the words but I rememeber the love I felt. Prayer lets our Father in Heaven know we want a relationship with Him. And he brings much more to the table than we, so who better person to have on your side.

 

I love each and every one of you who finds themselves reading this. And I love all those whose prayers have been for me and other missionaries. So may I say, using a pronoun missionaries learn to love, we love you!

 

Love,

Elder Cronin 

Blue Angel

Mazda Mafia

The Reason for the Work!!!

A Beautiful Surise