More Pictures from the MTC!!!

God Blessed America with Religious Freedom - Thank you!!

Nevada bound!

Who's the guy in the back??!?!

May the Force be with You!!

Todd's letter requesting is participation in the MTC Choir!!

Thanks for the suits, Mom and Dad!!!

Off to my next class!

October 7, 2010

Family,

I have finished the Book of Mormon! I finished on October 1, 2010. How are you all doing? I sent pictures to you on Monday let me know if you got them or not. I can't believe I have been here for 6 weeks already. Time flies by here especially when you lose yourself in the work. I can't wait to get out to Las Vegas and lose myself in this work. Not only does is help build God's kingdom but each day I feel it building me as well.

Did you all see me at conference?!!! The video is online at http://lds.org/video/gc/index.html?lang=eng&vid=621787340001&sid=prsPM. I have a close up around 1:49:XX during the closeing song Called to Serve at the very beginning. In the first song my companion, Elder Stant got a full head shot of just him for 5 seconds or so. So go check us out if you didn't see us. The experience was unreal. I've been to conference 4 times in the Conference Center and this experience was still so different. We sat literally 15 feet behind Thomas S. Monson. Since I'm so tall I was put in the very back so I got to sit right next to the organ pipes as the rang throughout our songs. We sang Hark All Ye Nations, Go Ye Messengers of Heaven, and Called to Serve in that order. This is what I took from singing those songs: A Nation cannot Hark without Messengers bringing them the word who have been Called to Serve.

I hope you alle njoyed conference as much as I did. It was such a confirmation to me that I am doing the right thing as I heard talk after talk related to the importance of missionary work. Mom, Dad, thanks for preparing and encouraging me to take this journey.

This week has been great. I am still striving to speak only spanish. My spanish has become better as a result. Or so I thought until I met a missionary from Vegas who is a native Spanish speaker and I couldn't understand a thing he said. Looks like I need to kick my studying into overdrive.

Hows life in the ATL? Its starting to get cold here but not too bad. I've got plenty of warm clothes so no need to worry. I'll get you my address for LV soon. I should be leaving here on the 26 of October but that is not verified yet so I'll keep you updated.

Rachel left for Vegas today to compete in the Rachel McGlish Fitness Competition so please keep her in you prayers.

Love,

Elder Cronin

Sunday of General Conference - October 3, 2010

I have about 40 minutes until the final session of this General Conference begins so I thought I would share an exciting 'happening' with you all!! By now you all probably know that Elder Cronin was one of the 354 elders chosen to participate in the MTC Choir that sang during Priesthood Session last night. I'm not sure how they selected the Elders for the choir. Todd does have a good voice, anyway! He was so excited about being  a part of that choir. I can only imagine that it was a very wonderful experience for him. Now, as a missionary mom, I will have to say that I was thrilled at the chance of seeing him for even a split second. In a sea of dark suits, white shirts, and close cut hair, I thought I might have to strain a bit to find him. Most missionary families never see their missionary in action while they are out serving. So just the chance of seeing him is truly a blessing. Well, Priesthood Session runs for 2 hours on Saturday evening. There is always an opening hymn, a hymn in the middle somewhere, and a closing hymn. The kids and I were doing our own things last night, Callie and Olivia off with the Young Women, and Samuel and I watching a Netflix movie. At exactly 8:51 pm Central Time, 9:51 Eastern, I received a text from Nathan (my nephew) and it said "Just saw Todd!!!!!" Well, I was thrilled!! Then came a text to Olivia from her friend here in Georgia. Her dad had texted her from the Church building and said he just saw Todd. Jeff was at church and was able to see Todd first hand!! Todd was the first close-up during the closing hymn!! So, thanks to wonderful modern technology, I went to the LDS website (www.lds.org), pulled up the Priesthood session of conference, and clicked to the end the the session and watched the closing hymn. Not only did I see Todd, they kept the camera on him for about 4 1/2 seconds!!! That's a lot of air time for that small group of Elders!! He was singing his heart out and I'd have to say he sure looked good!! I am sure this week's letter from Elder Cronin will be full of details about this experience. If you want to see him, please go to http://lds.org/video/gc/index.html?lang=eng&vid=621787340001&sid=prsPM and click over to the end of the session, he can be found at the 1:50:41 time spot. He has the black rimmed glasses on!!

September 30, 2010

Hola,

 

I got cut off last week and wanted to tell you the Rod Dial passed away a couple of weeks ago. I don't know if you all remember the Dials they were in the Brushy Creek ward but they had a lot of kids that I was friends with. Austin wrote me and told me so please keep them in your prayers. Its sad to hear of their loss because he was an amazing man.

 

On a brighter note, I'm singing at the Conference Center on Saturday!!!! I'm so excited I can't wait.

 

I am doing the challenge called the purification challenge right now. The way it works is that for one day you fast and as you fast you make a list of everything that drives the Spirit away or anything that makes you uneasy. Then with this list you fast from each item for 40 days with the goal in mind of coming closer to the Holy Ghost and having him as a constant companion. I'm on day 4 now and I can already feel the difference. I have become much more sensitive to the Spirit and this really helps as I am learning the language and teaching lessons.

 

I have 40 more pages left in the Book of Mormon! I plan on finishing today. The stories are so amazing and I know that if anyone were to sit down and read even just a chapter of the Book of Mormon that they would know that it is the truth. There is no way that these records are false. I love the prophesies of our time and the great examples of righteousness and the warnings given to the wicked. I only wish I had read this book much earlier in my life.

 

I love you all I will send more pictures today. I have 15 min left on my e-mail so write back so I can read and try to respond.

 

The work conitnues.

 

Love,

Elder Cronin

September 23, 2010

Family,

I hope this message finds you well. Another week has flown by here at the MTC. This week has had some memorable experiences. For starters yesterday marked our first day of all Spanish in the MTC. It will be like this for the next 5 weeks! That means everyword that comes out of my mouth must be Spanish and our teachers no longer speak any English. My testimony of the Gift of Tongues grew tremendously yesterday as I was able to understand everything my teachers were saying.
For me it is not that hard but I still have a lot of work to do to be able to communicate effectively in the field.

I am also reading through the Book of Mormon. For the first time. I am in Alma 23 now and I have loved every opportunity I have had to sit down and read. I really wish I had done this earlier in my life because the stories are so enchanting and epic. I used to think that my faith in Christ was strong until I read Alma 14. My favorite chapter so far. My goal is to finish the Book of Mormon before I leave the MTC. I am reading it in English right now but have started it in Spanish. I'm only to 1 Nephi 6 in the Spanish version though.

We had our first day of basketball here at the MTC yesterday and it was a blast! I'm staying in shape here. I wake up every morning and work out and I make sure that I'm eating healthy too. Healthy body, healthy mind, healthy spirit.

I'm so gald to hear about Samuel's touchdown. Nice work! I told you that hard work pays off!

So I have a bit of exciting news. You might want to make sure you're sitting down when you read this....

I will be singing in the MTC Choir for Priesthood Session!!!!!!!!! They chose 354 Elders to participate and I was lucky enough to have been one of the select few. So you'll have to tell everyone who's going to look for me, black rimmed glasses and parted hair.

Mom, this week I was blessed to hear for the wife of a General Authority Sister Johnson. She said she felt a tremndous responsibilty as a Mom with a missionary as she spoke to us at our devotional to represent all the mothers whose sons and daugthers were serving the Lord. This made me think about you alot. I thought of what things you might have wanted to say to me and more importantly the things that I would want to say to you: Thanks! For everything you've every done for me and everything you've sacrificed so that I could have a good life and be happy. You did an outstanding job and I could never thank you enough. You truely are such a great example to me and to everyone who knows you and I think of you as the greatest hero of my life. Let's face it I wouldn't be here without you! I love you so much!

It is truely amazing to me to know that I am on the Lord's errand and that I am bringing forth the completion of His plan. And I have seen that my choice to serve has not only blessed me but also those that I love and I can promise you that as I continue to be obedient and have faith that those blessings will become greater and last for eternity. Thanks for all the support back home. I have a few minutes left on my timer so write back as soon as you can and I'll try to respond by the end of the day.

Love,

Elder Cronin

September 17, 2010

Family!

 

Thanks for the goodies! So this week has been really exciting. In two days I will be half way done with the MTC and ready for the field. Mom thanks for sharing that dream with me that is amazing! It brought a warm confirmation to my heart that he has accepted those ordinances. It is amazing to be able to attend the temple every week. I have now made it a habit to pray and personally reflect while in the celestial room and my experiences are amazing. I am learning how to learn if that makes sense and learning the importance of goals and obedience. I ran into Elder James the night I got here and have a few times since then. He is having a blast and is an amazing individual. Also I just saw Elder Baumgart (sp?) the other day and he is loving it here. Overall there is now way to hate the MTC unless you just don't want to be here. The power of this place is the Spirit and when you aren't feeling the Spirit its a huge difference.

 

Okay I know you've been waiting for this so here it is: My favorite scripture, D&C 90:11

 

I am, we missionaries are, a fullfilment of this prophecy and how proud I am to be a part of this work. 2 years won"t be enough time for me to do all the work that is needed. But the work will continue.

 

I wrote Olivia and Samuel a letter so they should be expecting one. I love you all and pray for you all every night.

 

 

Love,

 

Elder Cronin

Greetings From Provo!!

Mom,

 

I ran out of time last Thursday and couldn't write a letter to Olivia and Samuel so I will today. I will let you know my favorite scripture by the end of today I keep forgetting to think of one. Yes I can only e-mail immediate family but feel free to post my experiences I share with you on my blog. Did Dad and Callie get my letters?

 

So I've been here two weeks and a day now. It seems like you all dropped me off just yesterday. Time is flying by! This past week has been great. We were able to hear from Elder Snow who used to be the mission president for the Jackson, MS mission he had alot of advice about choices. Its funny how much I've learbned of myself from being here. One priciple we are always taught here and have been taught our entire lives is obedience. It just seems more tangable as a missionary. But the principle is still the same. If you are obedient to the Lord's will and the rules you will be blessed. This priciple has made me realize that I have always tended towards not following the rules. But the truth is that it feels so much better to actually obey them because then you never have to worry about anything especially as a missionary because that leaves time for me to focus on improving my testimony and teaching skills. Anyways, that's my mini sermon for this week.

 

I got your package! Thanks for the water bottle I need to be drinking more water. I'm playing soccer everyday for 45 minutes and I'm getting really good. We lost an Elder in our district because he was homesick and just wasn't ready to be here so his companion joined my companionship. His name is Elder Green and he's from Bristol, England. He has a wicked cool accent. Everyone loves it. He's serving in The Dominican Replublic and leaves for a South American MTC next week.

 

The Spirit is the real driving force behind my studies and my motivation. When I'm not feeling it I strive to figure out how I can. Oftentimes that leads to changing the subject of a conversation or praying but there is nothing like the feeling of comfort and truth of which the Spirit testifies.

 

So the way we are organized here is first in Districts, Zones, then Branches. No wards or stakes. We dont hold callings other than Zone or District Leader.

 

We are constantly teaching here in roleplay situations and it is really helpful. There is one lady here who was engaged to a guy studying to be a Baptist preacher and she converted and served a mission. So her perspective is quite interesting. She committed to baptism the first time she met with the missionaries after having told them she wouldn't read the Book of Mormon or pray about Joseph Smith to know if the restoration was in fact true. Crazy!

 

Anyways I think that will be all for now. If you could give me the kid's e-mail addreses I'll be able to email them each week as well. I love you all and take care. Remember that the Book of Mormon is the keystone of our religion and through it we can answer any question we might have and be comforted I can tell you that from experinece. In fact today as I sat in the celestial room I recieved an answer to a question I had as I read the Book of Mormon. So I can testify of its power. Pray often. I pray for you all every night and I hope those prayers are answered. And keep building your testimonies. Its a powerful weapon we have against the advesary.

 

Love,

 

Elder Cronin