(A note from Kristel: I decided to type Todd a letter and use Google Translate to translate it into Spanish! So, when it translated 'Elder Cronin', of course, it read (in Spanish) 'Old Man Cronin'. This phrase, among others, must have translated a bit strange! Take note that both my father and my father in law are doing just fine, and I really did wreck my bike and have a dinner-plate sized bruise on my leg - nothing broken, though!! :))
Family,
Thanks for the letter in Spanish! I think I understood most of it. Especially Google's translation of 'Elder.' It translated to 'old man.' From what I understood, Mom wrecked her bike, Dad was in Vegas, and one of our grandpas is not doing so well. Is it Doc or Grandpa Hey? Either way let them know they are in my prayers.
This past week has been amazing. I've caught you up on most everything from the phone call so this letter might be short.
Today we had the Mission Office dedication ceremony. And just like temple dedication ceremonies we had a cultural celebration! Each Zone did some performance that pertains to the culture of this mission. The theme was, "In the Nevada Las Vegas Mission We..." We completed the theme for our Zone by saying "...Keep a Song in Our Heart." We sang an arrangement of Hark All Ye Nations. One of the songs I sang in General Conference. I sang the bass this time. We wrote our own lyrics for the first three verses and the chorus, then sang the first verse of the actual hymn. The other Zones did skits pertaining to how they completed the theme. For example: ...Endure the Heat, ...Talk to Everyone, ...Work Hard in the Mornings, ...Make Personal Studies come Alive. All the zones did an amazing job and all were very entertaining. President Davies of the Warm Springs Stake offered the dedicatory prayer. Today helped me realize the importance of the Mission Office. As President Christensen put it, "This is a source of Truth and Light." I could not agree with him more. The office is where encouraging and supportive mail for each missionary is delivered, all Books of Mormon and other proselyting materials are stored and distributed, Senior Missionaries serve the mission and help it run smoothly, and where departing interviews are held. The mission office has a lot of responisbility. And now with our office in a Chapel we have brought full-time missionaries in cahoots with members. And ultimatley this is what yields the most fruit.
I had the chance to go to the temple on Tuesday to watch one of Elder Aguilar's converts go through for the first time. When we sat down to do our session I noticed about a half-dozen members from Silver Springs Ward were in there with me. I could not help but think that as I had left my last area in the middle of the night, to the members of the wards I was in it was like I died. And seeing them in the temple Tuesday night gave me a glimpse of what it would be like when we get to Heaven and see people we once knew and be reunited again. It was an amazing feeling to see them there having not had the chance to say good-bye.
I will actually be going back to Green Valley on Saturday to Julian Narey's baptism. After I left he told Elder Holt and Elder Christensen he wanted me to baptize him. I have to admit I was quite surprised at his request but I am so very excited to help him make this covenant with his Heavenly Father.
I have learned a great deal on my mission about the power of love. True love, charity that is, is crucial in the mission field and in life in general. It helps to create. It creates faith, relationships, trust, compasion, testimonies, and covenants. I cannot say that I am a master of love or fully understand how to show and use it. But I can say that the love I have both felt and shown to others here in the field has allowed the Spirit to testify of the truthfulness of our message, others to develop faith in our Heavenly Father, and souls to come unto Christ and make sacred covenants with Him. I know that without love this work would not progress. Without love we would be going through the motions perhaps only looking for a mark of completion or some sort of praise. "Charity seeketh not her own," says Corinthians. I know that love creates also an invitation to all to search for more.
I love you all,
Elder Cronin
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