Family!
I heard about SVU basketball championship this year! That's outstanding! And no I don't think I ever told Dean Pendleton that I am serving a mission. But one day he will know. I'm sure of it.
I had such a great week! Violet was baptized on Saturday and now that I have experinced bringing a few souls to Christ I can begin to anticipate the change in them just in those two days when they are baptized and confirmed. They have all seemed to glow on that Sunday as they await confirmation. I was privelidged to confirm Violet last Sunday. And because of her enthusiasm for me to confirm her, I'll admit I was very nervous. However, as I layed my hands on her head and began to confirm her the words began to flow. My mind shut off or was not accessable. Yet, the words came out to give her a blessing and to express her Heavenly Father's love for her. I felt at peace as I spoke, my nerves were settled and my heart was full of love for her. The love I felt however, was our Savior's love not my own. As the mouth piece for the blessing given to her I had the priveledge of feeling our Savior's love for one of his sheep who is found. Violet was and is very grateful for Elder Holt and me. She expressed that many times on Sunday. The ward accepted her with open arms and warm hearts.
The rest of the week was mainly filled with office work. I don't know if I had told you all or not but the office is moving this Monday. A chapel in Warm Springs was renovated just down the road to accommodate for a Mission Office. It is so wonderful! The Spirit will be very strong in that office seeing as how it will be in a dedicated building now. I am not sure that this office is dedicated or not seeing as how it is leased. Regardless, the location and layout will result in a better environment for the Holy Ghost.
Elder Shields and his companion are working with us to help move the office so I get to see him a few times a week. We often talk about the good ole days in Mississippi and what its going to be like for him when he goes back. I was never friends with him before the mission but we have become close having served together.
As far as the office goes the work is so much fun! We are writing database software with MS Access to handle all the baptism, missionary, and phone record information for the mission. The funny thign is that two missionaries about 5 years ago worked in the office for 14 months of their missions building a similar database. We just spent the last 3 months tearing it down and rebuilding it again :) We did learn alot from their work though. SO it's not like all their effort was for naught.
We were able to go to the temple today. We went with our ward mission leader form Fountains Ward, Brother Kirschbaum. My experience was wonderful today. The celstial room in the Las Vegas Temple is incredible! The ambiance make everything look so heavenly. I couldn't' help but wish not to leave it today :)
I love my mission! I love the opportunities I have to help others make changes in their life and develop faith in our Savior. They are not the only one's changing though. I am becoming a much better person. I still have much more to improve on but I feel my testimony is stronger now than it would have been had I not served. It makes me sad to know that time is flying by so fast and the time I have left is the only time I have to serve the Lord in this specific capacity. However, it makes me happy as well as I witness my Heavenly Father help me to achieve a goal. The day that I have to take off this tag will be bitter sweet. I can't say I look forward to it. In fact I try to avoid that subject all together. I love my mission! I love my leaders. Dad had the opportunity to speak with President Christensen and I'm sure he could tell you just form that one phone call just as I can after several months serving with him that he is a man of God and has a tender love for His children. I have known that I have a loving Heavenly Father and because I know that I know that President is guided by Him.
Family, this is my testimony, that He lives. I know our Heavenly Father and our Brother Jesus Christ love each and everyone of us unconditionally. Embrace that love. Have faith in that love and then come to a knowledge of that love. It is eternal. Its powers are too. Through Their love we can overcome any trial, be rid of the effects of sin, learn to love, and learn to forgive. I love my Savior and my God. Otherwise I would not be here.
Love,
Elder Cronin
P.S. New Mission Office Address:
9270 S. Maryland Pkwy.
Las Vegas, NV 89123
Friday, April 1, 2011
Thursday, March 31, 2011
March 24, 2011 - The Best Week Ever!!
Family,
This has been one of the most exciting weeks of my mission so far! It was filled with ups and downs and blessings and trials. I can honestly say that the Elder Cronin I am now is a much better mortal than the Elder Cronin I was at the beginning of last week because of the events of this week.
To start, Ashley and Eric were baptized this past Saturday! There were about 80 people there so we held the service in the chapel to accommodate. Ashley's family came to support. Her husband baptized her. Her grandfather, a temple worker at the Manti Temple, confirmed her the following day. Her less active mother came and other family members as well, including her 16 year old brother who we are trying our hardest without being overbearing to teach. The Spirit was intensely strong at their baptism. Eric had quite the following as well. He is 17 and it seems the whole highschool knows who he is. Every youth we ask, member or not, knows him or knows of him. His parents are not members and if you recall we all fasted in the Valle Verde ward a few weeks ago for his parents to allow him to be baptized and they gave consent that night! Eric's father actually got up and bore his testimony of his gratiitude for our acceptance of him and our love for him during the baptismal service! I was so happy to see him do that. Afterward, the following days and still today, there is something different about the two of them, Ashley and Eric. They glow with happiness and peace. Eric seems to talk more, he was always fairly quite during the lessons. In fact, the only time he talked was when we asked him questions. I was surprised after the baptism when Eric came up to me, shook my hand and looked me in the eyes and said, "I just want to thank you all for everything." Truly he's the one that deserves the thanks. With the example he is setting in such a volatile environment as high school he is the one truly doing missionary work.
Ashley's remarks after the baptism were enlightening as well. She asked what happens to us, Elder Holt and myself, now that she's baptized, do we stop coming by? We've developed a great relationship with Ashley and her husband Mark and their 1 year old Carter so it was great to hear that the love we feel for her is felt for us as well as she worries that we'll stop coming by. Which we won't.
At the beginning of the week it was time to wrap up the lessons with Violet. The only thing we had left to teach her was the commandments. Lesson 4. This included teaching the Law of Tithing and the Law of Chastity. The night we scheduled to go over there it so happened we had District Leader exchanges. Which meant that Elder Holt went with the District leader to his area and Elder Jones came with me to Violet's lesson. Elder Jones is very shy so I did most of the teaching. I have never taught these two commandments on my own. I've always had a senior companion to guide the lesson when it came to those commandments. They have the experience of dealing with reactions of others. So this was my first time. And it was a trial by fire. We taught the law of Chastity first. It's a simple commandment and we don't spend too much time describing the commandment. We simply say that the Lord has commanded us not to have sexual relations before marriage. After teaching this to Violet I did like we always do and invited her to live the Law of Chastity. She said she could not! Ahh, my mind raced and my heart pounded as I searched for the correct response. My first reaction was to say, "Well then, you cannot be baptized." But the spirit restrained me and gave me the words to say. Having not ever been in this situation before I know that the Spirit guided each and every word that came out of my mouth next. After a short discussion she recognized the importance of the Law of Chastity and agreed to live it! Whew, I was relieved. That, in my mind, was the only commandment she might have struggled with. So I began to teach her the Law of Tithing next. However, she refused to live it! Another spirit led discussion followed which included the importance of her willingness to live the commandments in order to be baptized, yet she still refused, citing her financial situation as the reason. This was a surprise to me because she was the one who came to us asking to be baptized and reminds us constantly that she is excited about her baptism. We left the house that night in less than high spirits. However, we did leave her with the commitment to pray for the ability to pay her tithing. The following day, Sunday, we were faced with a dilemma as we needed to announce her baptism in sacrament meeting. We could not do this without her commitming to live the Law of Tithing. Two hours before sacrament meeting started we called her to see how her prayers went. Her response was a direct blessing form heaven both for her and for us. She said she now believes in the Law of Tithing and after praying and talking it over with her fiancee she knows the Lord will provide a way for her to keep this commandment. We then announced her baptism!
Monday night we got a phone call. Julian was on the other line. He says, "Bishop Kingsley gave me this number, I was wondering how I arrange a meeting with the missionaries." We pulled the car over, arranged a meeting, met him 45 minutes later, and invited him to be baptized. He is the boyfriend of a member of the ward, her name is Callie! She came to the lesson, too. He wants to know if the Church is true he says. But he doesn't have a belief that even God exists yet. So we taught him how to pray. Explaining to him that if there is a God he will answer your prayer, if not you've only wasted a few words. He called us yesterday and told us he prayed the other night until he fell asleep. He said when he woke up he had this weird desire to not drink tea of coffee anymore. He's still praying and we will meet with him again shortly. I"ll keep you updated.
Oh and Travis, the one who knows the Church is true because the Packers made it to the Super Bowl, he dropped us the other day. Said he had been going to another church and felt a good feeling there and no longer wanted to meet with us. He was doing so well. But something, the adversary in some form, got to him.
Okay, my hands are tired now from typing and my mind is exhausted from all this recollection. I hope these experiences somehow touch your lives as they have mine and that you can feel the Spirit of missionary work as you read them. This is the most joyful work in which I have ever participated.
I love you all very much,
Elder Cronin
P.S. Any missionary experiences?
This has been one of the most exciting weeks of my mission so far! It was filled with ups and downs and blessings and trials. I can honestly say that the Elder Cronin I am now is a much better mortal than the Elder Cronin I was at the beginning of last week because of the events of this week.
To start, Ashley and Eric were baptized this past Saturday! There were about 80 people there so we held the service in the chapel to accommodate. Ashley's family came to support. Her husband baptized her. Her grandfather, a temple worker at the Manti Temple, confirmed her the following day. Her less active mother came and other family members as well, including her 16 year old brother who we are trying our hardest without being overbearing to teach. The Spirit was intensely strong at their baptism. Eric had quite the following as well. He is 17 and it seems the whole highschool knows who he is. Every youth we ask, member or not, knows him or knows of him. His parents are not members and if you recall we all fasted in the Valle Verde ward a few weeks ago for his parents to allow him to be baptized and they gave consent that night! Eric's father actually got up and bore his testimony of his gratiitude for our acceptance of him and our love for him during the baptismal service! I was so happy to see him do that. Afterward, the following days and still today, there is something different about the two of them, Ashley and Eric. They glow with happiness and peace. Eric seems to talk more, he was always fairly quite during the lessons. In fact, the only time he talked was when we asked him questions. I was surprised after the baptism when Eric came up to me, shook my hand and looked me in the eyes and said, "I just want to thank you all for everything." Truly he's the one that deserves the thanks. With the example he is setting in such a volatile environment as high school he is the one truly doing missionary work.
Ashley's remarks after the baptism were enlightening as well. She asked what happens to us, Elder Holt and myself, now that she's baptized, do we stop coming by? We've developed a great relationship with Ashley and her husband Mark and their 1 year old Carter so it was great to hear that the love we feel for her is felt for us as well as she worries that we'll stop coming by. Which we won't.
At the beginning of the week it was time to wrap up the lessons with Violet. The only thing we had left to teach her was the commandments. Lesson 4. This included teaching the Law of Tithing and the Law of Chastity. The night we scheduled to go over there it so happened we had District Leader exchanges. Which meant that Elder Holt went with the District leader to his area and Elder Jones came with me to Violet's lesson. Elder Jones is very shy so I did most of the teaching. I have never taught these two commandments on my own. I've always had a senior companion to guide the lesson when it came to those commandments. They have the experience of dealing with reactions of others. So this was my first time. And it was a trial by fire. We taught the law of Chastity first. It's a simple commandment and we don't spend too much time describing the commandment. We simply say that the Lord has commanded us not to have sexual relations before marriage. After teaching this to Violet I did like we always do and invited her to live the Law of Chastity. She said she could not! Ahh, my mind raced and my heart pounded as I searched for the correct response. My first reaction was to say, "Well then, you cannot be baptized." But the spirit restrained me and gave me the words to say. Having not ever been in this situation before I know that the Spirit guided each and every word that came out of my mouth next. After a short discussion she recognized the importance of the Law of Chastity and agreed to live it! Whew, I was relieved. That, in my mind, was the only commandment she might have struggled with. So I began to teach her the Law of Tithing next. However, she refused to live it! Another spirit led discussion followed which included the importance of her willingness to live the commandments in order to be baptized, yet she still refused, citing her financial situation as the reason. This was a surprise to me because she was the one who came to us asking to be baptized and reminds us constantly that she is excited about her baptism. We left the house that night in less than high spirits. However, we did leave her with the commitment to pray for the ability to pay her tithing. The following day, Sunday, we were faced with a dilemma as we needed to announce her baptism in sacrament meeting. We could not do this without her commitming to live the Law of Tithing. Two hours before sacrament meeting started we called her to see how her prayers went. Her response was a direct blessing form heaven both for her and for us. She said she now believes in the Law of Tithing and after praying and talking it over with her fiancee she knows the Lord will provide a way for her to keep this commandment. We then announced her baptism!
Monday night we got a phone call. Julian was on the other line. He says, "Bishop Kingsley gave me this number, I was wondering how I arrange a meeting with the missionaries." We pulled the car over, arranged a meeting, met him 45 minutes later, and invited him to be baptized. He is the boyfriend of a member of the ward, her name is Callie! She came to the lesson, too. He wants to know if the Church is true he says. But he doesn't have a belief that even God exists yet. So we taught him how to pray. Explaining to him that if there is a God he will answer your prayer, if not you've only wasted a few words. He called us yesterday and told us he prayed the other night until he fell asleep. He said when he woke up he had this weird desire to not drink tea of coffee anymore. He's still praying and we will meet with him again shortly. I"ll keep you updated.
Oh and Travis, the one who knows the Church is true because the Packers made it to the Super Bowl, he dropped us the other day. Said he had been going to another church and felt a good feeling there and no longer wanted to meet with us. He was doing so well. But something, the adversary in some form, got to him.
Okay, my hands are tired now from typing and my mind is exhausted from all this recollection. I hope these experiences somehow touch your lives as they have mine and that you can feel the Spirit of missionary work as you read them. This is the most joyful work in which I have ever participated.
I love you all very much,
Elder Cronin
P.S. Any missionary experiences?
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| Ashley and her family |
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| I'll explain later............. |
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| Our giant pancake meal |
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| Eric - the great example!! |
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
March 17, 2011
We received two letters from Todd today!!
FIRST LETTER:
FIRST LETTER:
Family,
I got a hug from Mom this week. One of the members of the ward gave me a hug the other day and said this is from your Mom. I enjoyed the hug!!!
Oh yeah and guess who showed up to sacrament this past Sunday!!! Mike Lowry I think is his name, but he's in the Suwanee Ward!!! He was visiting from BYU with Tatum Lee the daughter of one of the families in the Fountains ward. How crazy is that!
So this week has been crazy. We have two baptisms on Saturday, Eric and Ashley, that we have been preparing for and in preparation, Eric needed to get permission from his parents to be baptized, the whole ward fasted and two days later they said yes!!!! My testimony of fasting is much stronger as a result.
We made it up to the Temple on Tuesday to walk around the grounds as we taught a family and invited them to be baptized. They aren't quite ready for that covenant yet but we are patiently helping them along. Their last name is Loving.
Unfortunatley I'm out of time already!! Ahh I need more than an hour! I love you all and tell Olivia her gift is on its way. Good things come to those that wait. :) Thanks for all your support!!
In life's trials remember to ask HOW not WHY. HOW can I overcome, not WHY did this happen.
Love,
Elder Cronin
SECOND LETTER:
Family,
Okay I have a few more minutes. We had to run off for a second.
I hope everything is going well at home. It seems things are. Mom is still working hard at her genealogy and Dad is still part Asian. How is Callie doing being 16 now? Or should I ask how are Mom and Dad doing? It's so weird because I meet 16 year olds out here boys and girls and they just seem so young. Especially to be driving!
The work is going great out here. This transfer we are upgrading cell phones mission wide and as a result Elder Holt and myself have the opportunity to travel the mission. Yesterday we went down to Bullhead Arizona and next transfer I think we'll be going to Elko!!!!! I really hope we do cause I would love to go back. The office assignment is such a blast. Elder Holt and I are writing a whole new database program to handle all the records of baptisms and missionaries for the mission. We are almost done and will be using it here within the next week.
I know I've said this before but one reason I really enjoy this assignment is because it gives me the chance to interact with President and Sister Christensen. It's amazing to me the patience and love he can have for all of us. I could only imagine the patience and love of President Monson. Speaking of President Monson, Rachel is trying to get tickets for conference so if you can find any she'd love to go.
As far as pure missionary work goes I feel myself becoming a much better teacher and lover of people. When we have a bad day or something is bothering me, nothing cheers me up more than being able to walk up to a complete stranger and say, " Hi, my name is Elder Cronin, do you know that you have a loving Heavenly Father?" And then I just ride the wave and bear my testimony. It is so invigorating!! Our wards are doing great. They all love the missionaries. But we are steadily and diligently working to find people to teach in the wards with hope and a prayer that souls will be brought unto Christ.
I love this work. I love the people, the city, and the food. I love this gospel. It gives me something to hold onto in this world of uncertainty. It gives me hope and something to look forward to. I feel privileged to be able to share this message with the people of Las Vegas. And whats more is that I don't even need a name tag to do this. I have been thinking lately with the way I have changed and still want to change about some habits I want to form when I'm on longer a missionary. One will be to attend the temple weekly and do genealogy work. I'm not sure I"ll ever catch up to what Mom has done but I would like to follow her example. Also, I always want to share the Gospel with others. Like I said its like an elixir of life it fuels me.
Have you all been able to share the gospel with anyone lately? Have you been out teaching with the missionaries anymore? If you want to know that same feeling I know then try it. The worst someone can say is no, and the missionaries would love to have you teach with them. There are things a member can say that a missionary cannot and there is a special spirit a member brings when he/she joins a lesson.
I love you all. Until next week.
Love,
Elder Cronin
I got a hug from Mom this week. One of the members of the ward gave me a hug the other day and said this is from your Mom. I enjoyed the hug!!!
Oh yeah and guess who showed up to sacrament this past Sunday!!! Mike Lowry I think is his name, but he's in the Suwanee Ward!!! He was visiting from BYU with Tatum Lee the daughter of one of the families in the Fountains ward. How crazy is that!
So this week has been crazy. We have two baptisms on Saturday, Eric and Ashley, that we have been preparing for and in preparation, Eric needed to get permission from his parents to be baptized, the whole ward fasted and two days later they said yes!!!! My testimony of fasting is much stronger as a result.
We made it up to the Temple on Tuesday to walk around the grounds as we taught a family and invited them to be baptized. They aren't quite ready for that covenant yet but we are patiently helping them along. Their last name is Loving.
Unfortunatley I'm out of time already!! Ahh I need more than an hour! I love you all and tell Olivia her gift is on its way. Good things come to those that wait. :) Thanks for all your support!!
In life's trials remember to ask HOW not WHY. HOW can I overcome, not WHY did this happen.
Love,
Elder Cronin
SECOND LETTER:
Family,
Okay I have a few more minutes. We had to run off for a second.
I hope everything is going well at home. It seems things are. Mom is still working hard at her genealogy and Dad is still part Asian. How is Callie doing being 16 now? Or should I ask how are Mom and Dad doing? It's so weird because I meet 16 year olds out here boys and girls and they just seem so young. Especially to be driving!
The work is going great out here. This transfer we are upgrading cell phones mission wide and as a result Elder Holt and myself have the opportunity to travel the mission. Yesterday we went down to Bullhead Arizona and next transfer I think we'll be going to Elko!!!!! I really hope we do cause I would love to go back. The office assignment is such a blast. Elder Holt and I are writing a whole new database program to handle all the records of baptisms and missionaries for the mission. We are almost done and will be using it here within the next week.
I know I've said this before but one reason I really enjoy this assignment is because it gives me the chance to interact with President and Sister Christensen. It's amazing to me the patience and love he can have for all of us. I could only imagine the patience and love of President Monson. Speaking of President Monson, Rachel is trying to get tickets for conference so if you can find any she'd love to go.
As far as pure missionary work goes I feel myself becoming a much better teacher and lover of people. When we have a bad day or something is bothering me, nothing cheers me up more than being able to walk up to a complete stranger and say, " Hi, my name is Elder Cronin, do you know that you have a loving Heavenly Father?" And then I just ride the wave and bear my testimony. It is so invigorating!! Our wards are doing great. They all love the missionaries. But we are steadily and diligently working to find people to teach in the wards with hope and a prayer that souls will be brought unto Christ.
I love this work. I love the people, the city, and the food. I love this gospel. It gives me something to hold onto in this world of uncertainty. It gives me hope and something to look forward to. I feel privileged to be able to share this message with the people of Las Vegas. And whats more is that I don't even need a name tag to do this. I have been thinking lately with the way I have changed and still want to change about some habits I want to form when I'm on longer a missionary. One will be to attend the temple weekly and do genealogy work. I'm not sure I"ll ever catch up to what Mom has done but I would like to follow her example. Also, I always want to share the Gospel with others. Like I said its like an elixir of life it fuels me.
Have you all been able to share the gospel with anyone lately? Have you been out teaching with the missionaries anymore? If you want to know that same feeling I know then try it. The worst someone can say is no, and the missionaries would love to have you teach with them. There are things a member can say that a missionary cannot and there is a special spirit a member brings when he/she joins a lesson.
I love you all. Until next week.
Love,
Elder Cronin
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| Managing the missionaries! |
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| Nevada Las Vegas Temple at night |
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| Photography 101 Lesson |
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| Another milestone met!! Carry on, Carry on, Carry on! |
Thursday, March 17, 2011
March 10, 2011
Family,
Everything is going great!! Ashley and Eric will be baptized on 19th and Violet will be baptized on the 26th! They are all in the same ward so needless to say that ward is stoked about missionary work. We work with members often. In fact in the 9+ lessons we have taught those three investigators combined a member has been to each one. Their testimonies are wonderful and very powerful in a lesson. It's so wonderful to hear that temple work is a priority in your lives. One of my goals when I get off my mission is to go to the temple weekly and spend a few hours on Saturdays doing family history. It's something I wish I would have done more of before.
This week was filled with all sorts of excitement. Fast and testimony meetings are always a treat. Entertaining and spiritual at the same time. This past Sunday Ashley's husband Mark was ordained to the office of a Priest. This is so exciting because it means he can now baptize his wife! Working with members for us entails Member Missionary Lessons. These are lesson plans that Elder Holt and myself have come up with and the members love them. So most of our evenings are filled with member appointments. The idea is that this push will lead to families inviting someone to learn about the Restored Gospel. We are asking each family to set a goal of bringing one soul to Christ this year. While we may not see the fruits of our labors, future missionaries will come into an area whose members are excited for missionary work.
We bike quite frequently and when we do I truly feel like a missionary! Plus, it's much easier to talk to people on the streets when they don't see you pull the car over in front of them and hop out to talk to them :) And not everyone likes, us but when we are riding down the street a little down because of rejection or something it always lightens out spirits when people honk and wave to us! It's exhilarating.
All in all, the mission is amazing. My assignment is wonderful. And my companion is great. I see myself growing each day and at such a rapid pace. President Christensen made a very inspired comment to me the other day regarding this progression. He said,"Elder Cronin, I don't think you have changed much since you first came to the Nevada Las Vegas Mission. What is changing is the way you see things. You are beginning to see things the way they really are." This is so true. Personally, I am not changing but I am seeing things the way they really are. And my vision becomes clearer each day.
I know that what I am doing is the Lord's work and I know that His church has been restored. If I didn't not know of these things with surety, I would not be here today.
I love you all,
Elder Cronin
Everything is going great!! Ashley and Eric will be baptized on 19th and Violet will be baptized on the 26th! They are all in the same ward so needless to say that ward is stoked about missionary work. We work with members often. In fact in the 9+ lessons we have taught those three investigators combined a member has been to each one. Their testimonies are wonderful and very powerful in a lesson. It's so wonderful to hear that temple work is a priority in your lives. One of my goals when I get off my mission is to go to the temple weekly and spend a few hours on Saturdays doing family history. It's something I wish I would have done more of before.
This week was filled with all sorts of excitement. Fast and testimony meetings are always a treat. Entertaining and spiritual at the same time. This past Sunday Ashley's husband Mark was ordained to the office of a Priest. This is so exciting because it means he can now baptize his wife! Working with members for us entails Member Missionary Lessons. These are lesson plans that Elder Holt and myself have come up with and the members love them. So most of our evenings are filled with member appointments. The idea is that this push will lead to families inviting someone to learn about the Restored Gospel. We are asking each family to set a goal of bringing one soul to Christ this year. While we may not see the fruits of our labors, future missionaries will come into an area whose members are excited for missionary work.
We bike quite frequently and when we do I truly feel like a missionary! Plus, it's much easier to talk to people on the streets when they don't see you pull the car over in front of them and hop out to talk to them :) And not everyone likes, us but when we are riding down the street a little down because of rejection or something it always lightens out spirits when people honk and wave to us! It's exhilarating.
All in all, the mission is amazing. My assignment is wonderful. And my companion is great. I see myself growing each day and at such a rapid pace. President Christensen made a very inspired comment to me the other day regarding this progression. He said,"Elder Cronin, I don't think you have changed much since you first came to the Nevada Las Vegas Mission. What is changing is the way you see things. You are beginning to see things the way they really are." This is so true. Personally, I am not changing but I am seeing things the way they really are. And my vision becomes clearer each day.
I know that what I am doing is the Lord's work and I know that His church has been restored. If I didn't not know of these things with surety, I would not be here today.
I love you all,
Elder Cronin
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| Straight swag stunna shades |
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| Playin' Ball!! |
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| Elder Holt is teaching me photography this was a picture from dinner last night, office work! |
Thursday, March 3, 2011
March 3, 2011 -- I am a Survivor!!!
Family,
I have successfully survived transfers! I am staying in the office with Elder Holt. We successfully ran transfer conference this past Tuesday and we had the pleasure of picking up the new missionaries from the airport!!!! It brought back so many memories. Speaking of memories at transfer conference Elder Stant, my MTC companion sang a musical number. I might have told you but he is an amazing singer and our experience in the MTC was filled with Broadway and Disney songs and Gospel songs too. So when he began to sing a flood of memories came to me form the MTC. I truly loved it there and he taught me a great deal.
I really like this assignment. I get a chance to be the face of the mission for most of the missionaries as we bring them supplies and help solve there dilemas. In that I have made many new friends and ahve tried my best to get to know the missionaries mission wide. And its fairly easy to make friends because we are not the Assistants so no one is scared of us. I am very comfortable in this assignemnt even though it is physically, emotionally, and spiritually demanding. I feel like I'm not only trainng to be a better missionary here but also I will be more successful in the future as I apply the things I am learning here. The relationship we have with President is tremendous as well. I have gone to him for help and advice and he has magnified his calling in that. I will be sad to see him leave in June but I will be blessed to have President Neider for one year of my mission as well. He was just announced last week as our new President.
The work is going well. We are focusing now on finding efforts in two of our wards. One of our wards had 3 people ready to be baptized in March so we are trying to keep our teaching pool filled. The memebrs are wonderful here! The food is so so. Lets face it white people food is pretty boring sometimes. But occassionally we get the brave ones who experiment. Like the Bowmans who upon finding out I was from MIssissippi figured I had shrimp boils frequently so they tried their hand at it and it was one of the most exciting meals I've had so far. I sent a picture I believe where the food was dumped on the table? But their testimonies and willingness to do missionary work are outstanding. It really helps the work progress faster than if we were solely responsible. Have you all made profiles on Mormon.org? I need to and so should you Mom and Dad!
Time is flying by so fast. And more and more I am realizing that 2 years is nothing. So I better make the best of it.
Unfortunately I am having writers block today. But I would like to share with you all my testimony in closing.
Faith is the most fundamental principle of this Gospel and yet it is the hardest to develop. My faith is growing and as a result so is my testimony of the Restoration but I have experience the adversity that destroys testimonies and without faith that testmony is not held together. I have built my faith over the last 6 months in no spectacular way, simply by praying, reading, and attending church. My faith includes a belief that in life's trials we can find peace and comfort as we use the atonement. Christ suffered all that we could be alleviated form our pains and afflictions Alma 7:12. With Christ happiness is abundant we need only ask for forgiveness and his mercy is just but soothing. I know that Jesus is the Christ. He is my brother, my friend, my confidant, and my Redeemer. I know this is true. I have a knowledge.
I love each and every one of you who happen upon this letter. It means that you were thinking about missionary work in some way. Thanks.
Love Elder Cronin
I have successfully survived transfers! I am staying in the office with Elder Holt. We successfully ran transfer conference this past Tuesday and we had the pleasure of picking up the new missionaries from the airport!!!! It brought back so many memories. Speaking of memories at transfer conference Elder Stant, my MTC companion sang a musical number. I might have told you but he is an amazing singer and our experience in the MTC was filled with Broadway and Disney songs and Gospel songs too. So when he began to sing a flood of memories came to me form the MTC. I truly loved it there and he taught me a great deal.
I really like this assignment. I get a chance to be the face of the mission for most of the missionaries as we bring them supplies and help solve there dilemas. In that I have made many new friends and ahve tried my best to get to know the missionaries mission wide. And its fairly easy to make friends because we are not the Assistants so no one is scared of us. I am very comfortable in this assignemnt even though it is physically, emotionally, and spiritually demanding. I feel like I'm not only trainng to be a better missionary here but also I will be more successful in the future as I apply the things I am learning here. The relationship we have with President is tremendous as well. I have gone to him for help and advice and he has magnified his calling in that. I will be sad to see him leave in June but I will be blessed to have President Neider for one year of my mission as well. He was just announced last week as our new President.
The work is going well. We are focusing now on finding efforts in two of our wards. One of our wards had 3 people ready to be baptized in March so we are trying to keep our teaching pool filled. The memebrs are wonderful here! The food is so so. Lets face it white people food is pretty boring sometimes. But occassionally we get the brave ones who experiment. Like the Bowmans who upon finding out I was from MIssissippi figured I had shrimp boils frequently so they tried their hand at it and it was one of the most exciting meals I've had so far. I sent a picture I believe where the food was dumped on the table? But their testimonies and willingness to do missionary work are outstanding. It really helps the work progress faster than if we were solely responsible. Have you all made profiles on Mormon.org? I need to and so should you Mom and Dad!
Time is flying by so fast. And more and more I am realizing that 2 years is nothing. So I better make the best of it.
Unfortunately I am having writers block today. But I would like to share with you all my testimony in closing.
Faith is the most fundamental principle of this Gospel and yet it is the hardest to develop. My faith is growing and as a result so is my testimony of the Restoration but I have experience the adversity that destroys testimonies and without faith that testmony is not held together. I have built my faith over the last 6 months in no spectacular way, simply by praying, reading, and attending church. My faith includes a belief that in life's trials we can find peace and comfort as we use the atonement. Christ suffered all that we could be alleviated form our pains and afflictions Alma 7:12. With Christ happiness is abundant we need only ask for forgiveness and his mercy is just but soothing. I know that Jesus is the Christ. He is my brother, my friend, my confidant, and my Redeemer. I know this is true. I have a knowledge.
I love each and every one of you who happen upon this letter. It means that you were thinking about missionary work in some way. Thanks.
Love Elder Cronin
 |
| Sister Christensen giving us cooking lessons! |
 |
| Another shimp boil at the Bowmans! |
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| Mission Vehicles at Zone Leader's Council (President's is the one by itself) |
Saturday, February 26, 2011
February 24, 2011
Family,
The topic for this week is, "Elder Cronin's Not-So-Missionary Typical Week":
Most Days:
Wake up at 6:00am and workout at Gym
Shower and dressed by 7:30am
Personal study till 8:30
BREAKFAST 8:30-9:00
Companionship Study 9:00-10:00
Out of the Door by 10:00 and working!!
****The preceding events happen the same each day unless we get a call from president and need to be somewhere to fix something:)
We usually have a list of people to visit between now and LUNCH
LUNCH ~12:00 We go to the office at this time and get stuff done
Proselyte and go to appointments until dinner @ 5:00pm
Proselyte and go to appointments until 9:00pm (Tue. Wed. Thur. we have splits with our subsequent wards)
9:00pm- To the Office
We plan for 30 minutes for the next day then start our office priorities finishing around 11:30pm and in bed by midnight.
Thursday mornings we skip morning studies to do the valley-wide supply run which take about two hours. If we have temple that week we do it Wed night. Which is nice because then we get to see all the Vegas lights!
All of the preceding schedule is tentative based on technical problems in the mission office or home and if president needs anything from us.
I hope that gives you an idea of my days. Sundays are crazy! We go to church from 9a-4p and all the wards overlap by about an hour so we split up each Sunday.
Thanks so much for all of the letters you all are writing. I know I'm not the best at responding but I hope my love is felt. It's so wonderful to hear you all are doing well and finding success. I can't wait to meet Chandler. Make sure you show him pictures of me so when I come home he knows who I am. I don't want to have to kick another dog! :)
This week has taught me many valuable truths. One truth I'd like to share with you is the truth of blessings. sometimes the Lord blesses us because we deserve it and other times it is because he is merciful. When we receive those blessings from mercy the Lord is trying to show us our potential. Specifically this applies to missionaries. Sometimes you get investigators because you are working hard and other times you get them because the Lord wants you to know your potential and what you can accomplish once you put your mind to it. This happened to us this week. We work hard but we are not 100% focused on our area because of our office work and it is even more difficult to give all three wards the same amount of attention. But we do the best we can with what we have. In the midst of our discouragement the Lord was merciful. Sunday a Bulgarian woman named Violet showed up to one of the sacrament meetings. She struck up conversation with other ward memebrs and they took her right under their wings. I don't blame them especially after hearing her story:
Violet went into an unexpected coma this time last year. She was in the coma for 3 days. She said the most painful part of her trial was feeling her spirit leave her body. She said once this happened though she felt like she was surrounded, enveloped, and submerged in love. The love a mother feels for her child is how she described it. Later that year, in August she had a dream of a building. She went into this building and met some people and talked with them. About a week later her boss, a member of the church decided to invite her to church. She had not mentioned the dream to him. As she stepped into the building in North Las Vegas she felt an odd familiarity. This building was the same building as in her dream. Even the conversation were the same and the people. She told her boss and her boss gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon. She read it and felt is was true. Her boss told her which ward to attend and it happened to be one of the wards we cover. We met with Violet last night and invited her to follow Christ and be baptized by someone who holds the authority of to act in God's name. She said yes and will be baptized on 3/26/2011. And she recently moved from Elko.
In that same ward, Valle Verde, we have two other people set for baptism. Ashley and Erik will be baptized on March 19th.
There is no place I would rather be right now. There is no other work I would rather be doing. And I am so grateful, indescribably grateful for my decision to jump into this bucket. The missionary bucket. I could not have done it with out the support of my family. Bottom line. The more I think about it and the more families I see out here both in and out of the church the more I realize how blessed I am and how blessed we are to have truth.
The work is always exciting. I find so much joy sharing my testimony with others. This is a privileged that I will have for the rest of my life but a calling I will only have for a short time.
Happy Birthday Samuel!!!!!!!! I hope you enjoy your gift. It's on its way.
I love you all. Keep up the good work.
Love,
Elder Cronin
P.S. Picture descriptions: 1.hopeless effort to fix President's CD Drive. 2. My Planner 3. The Green Valley Zone 4. Las Vegas Temple
The topic for this week is, "Elder Cronin's Not-So-Missionary Typical Week":
Most Days:
Wake up at 6:00am and workout at Gym
Shower and dressed by 7:30am
Personal study till 8:30
BREAKFAST 8:30-9:00
Companionship Study 9:00-10:00
Out of the Door by 10:00 and working!!
****The preceding events happen the same each day unless we get a call from president and need to be somewhere to fix something:)
We usually have a list of people to visit between now and LUNCH
LUNCH ~12:00 We go to the office at this time and get stuff done
Proselyte and go to appointments until dinner @ 5:00pm
Proselyte and go to appointments until 9:00pm (Tue. Wed. Thur. we have splits with our subsequent wards)
9:00pm- To the Office
We plan for 30 minutes for the next day then start our office priorities finishing around 11:30pm and in bed by midnight.
Thursday mornings we skip morning studies to do the valley-wide supply run which take about two hours. If we have temple that week we do it Wed night. Which is nice because then we get to see all the Vegas lights!
All of the preceding schedule is tentative based on technical problems in the mission office or home and if president needs anything from us.
I hope that gives you an idea of my days. Sundays are crazy! We go to church from 9a-4p and all the wards overlap by about an hour so we split up each Sunday.
Thanks so much for all of the letters you all are writing. I know I'm not the best at responding but I hope my love is felt. It's so wonderful to hear you all are doing well and finding success. I can't wait to meet Chandler. Make sure you show him pictures of me so when I come home he knows who I am. I don't want to have to kick another dog! :)
This week has taught me many valuable truths. One truth I'd like to share with you is the truth of blessings. sometimes the Lord blesses us because we deserve it and other times it is because he is merciful. When we receive those blessings from mercy the Lord is trying to show us our potential. Specifically this applies to missionaries. Sometimes you get investigators because you are working hard and other times you get them because the Lord wants you to know your potential and what you can accomplish once you put your mind to it. This happened to us this week. We work hard but we are not 100% focused on our area because of our office work and it is even more difficult to give all three wards the same amount of attention. But we do the best we can with what we have. In the midst of our discouragement the Lord was merciful. Sunday a Bulgarian woman named Violet showed up to one of the sacrament meetings. She struck up conversation with other ward memebrs and they took her right under their wings. I don't blame them especially after hearing her story:
Violet went into an unexpected coma this time last year. She was in the coma for 3 days. She said the most painful part of her trial was feeling her spirit leave her body. She said once this happened though she felt like she was surrounded, enveloped, and submerged in love. The love a mother feels for her child is how she described it. Later that year, in August she had a dream of a building. She went into this building and met some people and talked with them. About a week later her boss, a member of the church decided to invite her to church. She had not mentioned the dream to him. As she stepped into the building in North Las Vegas she felt an odd familiarity. This building was the same building as in her dream. Even the conversation were the same and the people. She told her boss and her boss gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon. She read it and felt is was true. Her boss told her which ward to attend and it happened to be one of the wards we cover. We met with Violet last night and invited her to follow Christ and be baptized by someone who holds the authority of to act in God's name. She said yes and will be baptized on 3/26/2011. And she recently moved from Elko.
In that same ward, Valle Verde, we have two other people set for baptism. Ashley and Erik will be baptized on March 19th.
There is no place I would rather be right now. There is no other work I would rather be doing. And I am so grateful, indescribably grateful for my decision to jump into this bucket. The missionary bucket. I could not have done it with out the support of my family. Bottom line. The more I think about it and the more families I see out here both in and out of the church the more I realize how blessed I am and how blessed we are to have truth.
The work is always exciting. I find so much joy sharing my testimony with others. This is a privileged that I will have for the rest of my life but a calling I will only have for a short time.
Happy Birthday Samuel!!!!!!!! I hope you enjoy your gift. It's on its way.
I love you all. Keep up the good work.
Love,
Elder Cronin
P.S. Picture descriptions: 1.hopeless effort to fix President's CD Drive. 2. My Planner 3. The Green Valley Zone 4. Las Vegas Temple
 |
| Hopeless effort to fix President's CD drive!! |
 |
| All in a day's work |
 |
| The Zone |
 |
| The Las Vegas Temple |
Thursday, February 17, 2011
February 17, 2011
This week, Elder Cronin and I had an e-mail conversation. We sent notes back and forth asking various questions and catching up. Overall, the weather is great out there, he is still very busy, and he is still having a blast!! Here are a few clips from the conversation:
Well, we just finished the supply run that supplies all the missionaries in the valley. Got my hair cut by SIster wilcox and now I'm talking with my momma!
Transfers are on march 1 and I feel I'll be here for at least another transfer. We're moving the office in April and I feel like I was assigned here to help with that. But only the Lord KNows (and Mom replies:) Well the Lord knows you have enough experience in that area. Remember to label the boxes!
I'm gonna write you all a letter now it was nice chatting with you!!!! I love you and can't wait to talk to you on Mother's Day!!
Love,
Elder Cronin
Well, I didn't get another letter, but the day is not over yet!! I did get a picture from the baptism of a family up in Elko!! Quite the crowd!!
The real letter came much later in the night due to our 3 hour time difference:
Family!
Well, we just finished the supply run that supplies all the missionaries in the valley. Got my hair cut by SIster wilcox and now I'm talking with my momma!
Transfers are on march 1 and I feel I'll be here for at least another transfer. We're moving the office in April and I feel like I was assigned here to help with that. But only the Lord KNows (and Mom replies:) Well the Lord knows you have enough experience in that area. Remember to label the boxes!
I'm gonna write you all a letter now it was nice chatting with you!!!! I love you and can't wait to talk to you on Mother's Day!!
Love,
Elder Cronin
Well, I didn't get another letter, but the day is not over yet!! I did get a picture from the baptism of a family up in Elko!! Quite the crowd!!
Family!
I did not forget about you all. We got called into the Mission Home to install a new CD drive and a file backup system in the home. I love this opportunity to spend more time with President Christensen and render him service. In turn I know I am rendering the mission service aiding in perpetuating this machine of missionary work.
This week has been magnificent. We've set a couple of people for baptism. One just happened about one hour ago! Ashley is her name and as we set her for baptism the Spirit suggested that we invite the husband, a member returning to activity, to perform the ordinance. We found out later that the member who was with us in that lesson felt the same prompting. The Holy Ghost is real!!!! And what's more is that he communicates the will of our Father in Heaven.
I love to see that you are doing well. Sorry this letter is so short but I hope you enjoy the picture of Dominick. I guess they are worth a thousand more words :)
Love,
Elder Cronin
P.S. Caption for picture: Left to right: Elder Cronin, Kelsi, Dominick, Elder Holt. " A missionary is someone who leaves their family for 2 years so others can spend eternity with thiers." - Anonymous
P.S.S Weekly schedule letter is coming
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