Elder Todd Cronin: August 5, 2011

Family!

I cannot believe your summer is already over!!! I feel sorry for you all and 105 degree heat. I'm sure that heat is worse than what we have considering the humidity difference. The highest we've had so far has been 118. But if you stay hydrated the weather really is not that bad.

I got a package form Carol today with 3 Zatarain recipe boxes: Red Beans and Rice, Jambalaya, and Hush Puppies!!! I'm going to make it tonight!! It is wonderful to hear that everyone is doing well. Carol gave me a report on her family and mentioned some other members and their travels. It seems everyone is out traveling this time of year.

Everything is going great here in the Nevada Las Vegas Mission. Things are changing with the new President. So far those changes have included the announcement of each companionship receiving a portable DVD player to be used in the apartment only for training purposes, a new vision of getting the members to work with the missionaries, and some rumors about us being able to watch 17 Miracles!

I am getting along really well with my companion. He is going home soon so today he received his travel itinerary for his departure. AHHH!! It is a blessing to serve with a seasoned missionary. I have learned much. He is fairly quiet and I am outspoken so we make a great teaching companionship. He will mention a principle with solemnity and at times I try for an Elder Holland approach to testify with a thunderous tone. Okay, so its not quite that dramatic but I think you get the picture.

Lisa Russell, our recent convert that was baptized 2 Saturdays ago, spoke in church this past Sunday! Her testimony was amazing! And her delivery of it was as if she had been a member her whole life. I was also blessed with an invitation from Tony last Sunday to attend his Spanish Ward where he would be speaking. I was blown away by his talk. In the last Ensign there is a story about some firefighters and their lack of desire to search out the right direction. As the story unfolds the captain of another group of firefighters finds them and chastises them for not helping to put out the firs and shows them the way. I was filled with so much joy and gratitude when Tony shared his feelings on this story and related it to his life as he described how Elder Holt and myself were the captain coming to tell him,"What are you doing just sitting there?" He speaks with conviction and power. And even though he has only been baptised for a month he has found 3 people for the missionaries to teach and teaches with them! We need more Tony and Lisa's. I must say that each of them have strengthened my testimony and shown me that I can be better.

This past week was a fairly uneventful week. I got my bike tuned up. I had let some Elders borrow it because of problems with their own bikes. However, those problems seemed to be user related and transferred to my bike in the form of broken spokes, pedals, and popped tubes. So I fixed everything up and took a good lesson from all of that.

Time is not slowing down nor is it staying at a steady pace. Rather, it is flying by! I have one year left of my mission! Can you believe that?? I have been out here for a year. It seems like yesterday I was enjoying the 'all you can eat buffet' of the MTC and freezing my toes off in Elko. By the way, if you want to pray for something specific for me, pray that I go back to serve in Elko before my mission ends. I miss Elko. And truthfully, I miss all my areas and the people in them. They are like one big family. And really that is what they have been for me while on my mission. They have given me food, clothes, money, love, encouragement, reprimand, praise, and their testimonies. Like any good family would. On that note, thanks to all of you who are family and friends and are in support of the Lord's work. I have felt your prayers and have been blessed. I thank you with sincerity and gladness in my heart.

I love this work and the Lord's children.

Love,

Elder Cronin