Our First FULL LENGTH Letter!!

I have often heard it said that blessings come to the whole family when a young man or woman decides to serve a mission. I can attest to the truthfulness of that. While I know that I have been blessed throughout my life with good health, great children, a loving husband, and a very overworked guardian angel :), I have never had such a lengthy period of obvious Heavenly driven direction as I have in the past 6-8 months. And through it all, the biggest thing I have learned is that I am not in charge (ha ha). Life is not a check-list that has to be complete, but a time to learn to let God lead us. Here is our first full-length letter - enjoy!!

Family,

 

Thank you for your letters. We are only allowed to write on P days which is Thursdays for me. That's why you haven't heard from me yet. I was able to send home my address information a couple of days ago I hope you received it.

 

My life has changed already. I'm learning so much here and loving every minute of it I haven't had a bad moment yet and I'm picking up the language very quickly. The Spirit is so strong here. If I had known how the MTC would make me feel I would have gone on my mission immediately. I have already had some pretty powerful testimony building moments. The most spectacular of them so far has been the Tuesday night devotional address from Elder Hinckley of the Seventy, President Hinckley's son. For starters when I closed my eyes he sounded just like his dad and that was unreal. Also he talked about alot of things I needed to hear just about the course of my life. One thing that really stuck out was him saying that we should always find ourselves saying, "I'm glad I did, not I wish I had." And I'm so glad to be on my mission right now. Sometimes its a bit euphoric and I find myself wondering how I got here but all that matters is that I am here.

 

I can already tell in just a week of being here that this will benefit me for the rest of my life. I wrote Rachel today and told her she should serve a mission. It would be amazing if she did. I could only imagine how strong we could be if we both had this training.

 

Alot of Elders are struggling with the MTC because they are homesick or dont like the discipline. MY district members are in shock that I'm loving this place so much but I keep telling them that I was blessed in many ways before I served my mission in order for me to feel this way. I'm glad its not a struggle becasue if it were I wouldn't be able to focus on being a good missionary as much as I am now.

 

The language is coming easy, so easy. I'm already praying and bearing my testimony and dreaming in Spanish! In fact one of my roommates is from England and I had a dream the other night where I was speaking in Spanish and English with a British accent! Too funny.

 

My companion's name is Elder Stant he's from VA Beach and went to SVU! What are the odds. ha ha.

I went to the temple today to do ordinance work and I ran into coach Don Chamberlain, the SVU basketball coach I tried out for back in the day. He's a temple worker here at the Provo temple.

 

I love you all and am glad you are doing well. Keep up the hard work in football Samuel. Remember the harder you work the greater your reward.

Callie and Olivia I love you all tremendously. Aim for a returned missionary when you decide to get married these Elders are the most amazing people in the world I love each and everyone of these Elders I meet, they are doing a great work.

 

Family, let me tell you this. I have never read the Book of Mormon cover to cover but I can tell you that it is true. I know that through the power of the priesthood we will once again return to live with Heavenly Father and that if we have any questions regarding our lives or the lives of others those answers can be found within the pages of the Book of Mormon. Do your best to read when you feel prompted to. And listen to those promptings. The world may be in turmoil but your heart can be at peace long enough to hear the still small voice of the Spirit. Listen. I'm telling you I've never felt the Spirit as strong as I do here and it saddens me that I didn't care to have this feeling earlier in my life. The Gospel is true and so is this Church.

 

I love you all and wish you well

Love Elder Cronin

 

P.S. Dear Elder works perfectly! I can only read e-mails on Thursdays but I can read Dear -Elders any day. Also I need a watter bottle they don't sell any here do if you could send one that'd be great! thanks!

Well, I took care of the water bottle (along with some goodies for him to share with the other Elders)!! I think he is off to a great start. Hopefully some pictures will be coming in the mail soon!!