Today is transfer day! No I didn't get transferred but I received a new comp!!!! Her name is Hermana Barrientos. She is from Guatemala. She was in my Zone when I served in Palpala. I am excited to work with her but I will be honest. I have been in the mission for almost 10 months and have had 7 companions. It's a little hard always having to change and adapt when I just realized how to work really great with my companion. But I know it is all part of the process.

Christmas was a lot of fun! Christmas Eve, the missionaries had to be in the apartment at 8:00 pm but we had permission to eat at a members house. We got invited to the A________ family. Really sweet family! The parents are 80 years old, and have served in 3 missions and put their papers in for a fourth!!! They are really sweet! Hermano A_________ sings Argentine folk! So he sang us a couple songs and played his guitar! After we had to be in the apartment at 10:30. At midnight in Argentina they celebrate with fireworks and balloons(the balloons with fire like the ones on Tangled!!) It was really pretty!! The whole sky lit up with fire works because here people can buy them and shoot them off in the sky in front of their house! haha It was really pretty!

Christmas was p day! It was a lot of fun! But the best part was that I got to talk to you all!!!!!!! It is crazy to think that there are only 3 times for sister missionaries to call their families and I have already completed 2!!! One more left!!! AHHHHHH The time is so fast!!!

We exchanged gifts as a household and then it was just like anyother day..... nothering really special! haha no it was so good to hear from you and to see you!!!

Well the work here is slow. We don't have many investigators and the ones we have don't want to progress in the gospel! It is hard but right now, we are on the Hunt!!!! haha I know that I have a purpose here but I also know that it's going to be hard to find!!!!!

Well this week is New Years and we will be ending 2013 and begin 2014. Never would I have thought that I would be on the mission right now! Of course I have my goals already laid out and planned but the biggest one is to complete my mission in September and return with honor! But I also have some spiritual goals that I want to apply this year that i\I want you guys to do as well!! 

In Doctine and Cov. Is a scripture with many atributes of Christ

D&C 4:6-7

 6 Remember faith, ^avirtue, knowledge, ^btemperance, ^cpatience, ^dbrotherly ^ekindness, ^fgodliness, charity, ^ghumility, ^hdiligence.
 7 ^aAsk, and ye shall receive; ^bknock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen.

Choose one or more of these attributes and after pray to Heavenly Father that you can receive it!!!! 

Love you more than you know!!!!!!!!!

My Zone

2 Zones of Salta

Hermana Villasis and I

FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!!! I am so grateful for the oppertunidad to serve in another country during Christmas! Sure I miss you guys a ton and I know that you miss me, but it really is a great opportunity that I am not sure I will have again! This Christmas is definitely different! I miss the snow terribly and the Christmas tree! But I have come to know something wonderful! 

Before the mission I had a testimony of Christ's birth and His life, but now this testimony has LIFE and it is BEAMING!!!!! As a missionary, I preach the gospel and invite others to come unto Christ. Christ was our perfect example and is our teacher, but first he needed to be born! Without His birth there would be no example, there would be no doctrine to apply and there would be no way to return to our Father in Heaven! In my studies this morning, I have been preparing a Christmas message for people that we encounter this week and I have decided to share in the Book of Mormon. The First chapter in 3 Nephi. 

To start out, the Prophets have testified of Christ's coming for YEARS!!! It's all over in the Old Testament and also the beginning books in the Book of Mormon. In Helaman 14:4 

4 Therefore, there shall be one day and a night and a day, as if it were one day and there were no night; and this shall be unto you for a sign; for ye shall know of the rising of the sun and also of its setting; therefore they shall know of a surety that there shall be two days and a night; nevertheless the night shall not be darkened; and it shall be the night before he is born. 

This is a prophet speaking! CHRIST IS COMING!!! Then in 3 Nephi capitolo 1 it was fulfilled!!! 

8 But behold, they did watch steadfastly for that day and that night and that day which should be as one day as if there were no night, that they might know that their faith had not been vain.

3 Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets.

 14 Behold, I come unto my own, to fulfil all things which I have made known unto the children of men from the foundation of the world, and to do the will, both of the Father and of the Son—of the Father because of me, and of the Son because of my flesh. And behold, the time is at hand, and this night shall the sign be given.

 15 And it came to pass that the words which came unto Nephi were fulfilled, according as they had been spoken; for behold, at the going down of the sun there was no darkness; and the people began to be astonished because there was no darkness when the night came.

 20 And it had come to pass, yea, all things, every whit, according to the words of the prophets.

 21 And it came to pass also that a new star did appear, according to the word.

This is one of the reasons why the Book of Mormon is ANOTHER TESTAMENT OF JESUS CHRIST!! How beautiful is this that we have other evidence that God loves all His children and wants them to know that Christ is coming and has come! I love the Book of Mormon and will be forever grateful for it in my life!!!

Well this is my Christmas message for you!! 

I know that Christ lives and loves us! 

Hola Familia!!!! Como estan??? estoy muy bien!! Saben que? Esta semana fue mucho mucho mejor!! Fue muy bonita y muy espiritual!! 

¿Entienden?

ok ok I will start typing in English!!!! hahahaha this week has been much better! We had a lot that happened and a lot of spiritual uplifting! 

First off I GOT MY CHRISTMAS PACKAGE FROM YOU!!! And let me tell you it is the hardest thing to see it and not be able to open it!!! UGH!!!!! hahaha. But don't worry, I won't open it! I promise!!!! I am so excited for Christmas! From your letter, you don;t sound that excited for Christmas..... THE TREE ISN'T UP?!?!?!?! what is this?!?!?!? This is not going to fly!!!! Well I guess you have something to do this week!

I want you to get the Christmas decorations up. I want you to feel the Christmas Spirit! I know that it is rough with the decor and not me there, but please do it for me! Like you said, Conner needs a Christmas in the house! AND by next Monday, I want you to send a picture of the Christmas tree!!! ok??? I really don't want you to be sad this holiday season! I am only gone for 1 Christmas!! How many missionaries can say that???? not many!!!! And I am half way done! You only have to wait halfway! Please don't be sad! Like the garbage bag "Glad" commercials..... Don't get sad, GET GLAD!!!! hahaha

So I will tell you about my week! First off we had a baptism Saturday! IT WAS NUTS!!!! We went to pick up A_________ and we were 20 minuets late for the baptism. When we got there the doors were locked and no one was there. Soon after, the ward mission leader arrives and he had keys to the church so we were able to get in. But he didn't have keys to the baptism font. We had no idea if the bishop had filled the font but thank goodness that I am tall, because above the font is a window. I was able to stand on a chair and look in the font. It only had 1 foot of water in the font!!!!!!! and we were already 30 minuets late to the baptism and no one had the keys to fill the font!!!! We had no idea what to do! My companion and I ran to the kitchen and found every bowl we could find! We then started filling them with water! hahahahaha it was fun!!! we laughed the whole time! The bishop finally arrived and he said that the font fills up really really fast!!!! hahahaha well it was fun while it lasted! haha

but the baptism was beautiful!! Alicia was glowing the whole time! It ws sad because none of her family or her friends went, but she didnt care. She wanted to be baptized! When she got out of the font, we went into the bathroom with her and she looked in the mirror drenched in water and said... "Soy Limpio" (im clean) it was beautiful!!!

That was Saturday! And those fotos on facebook are from Thursday. We had our Christmas zone conference. The foto of us singing is my district. We sang Oh Come All Ye Faithful! It was a wonderful conference. We had gift exchanges. We had papa noel visit - Santa Clause. He is also a missionary in charge of housing in the mission and our ward mission leader! His name is Elder Emmert! He is great! He calls us his grandchildren! haha

Also with the letters. On the facebook page a few months ago, Hermana Lavrino asked families of the missionaries and ex missionaries to write a letter. Then at the conference we where given one randomly. I received a letter from The Spires Family. They live in Utah and Elder Spiers served in Palpala too!!! He only has 6 months left. but it was a beautiful letter! She talked about Christmas music and the song Away in a Manger! Well you know me and I love Christmas music too!! My poor companion! We started singing Christmas hymns in November! hahaha

Yesterday we received permission from President Lavrino to go to the broadcast of the Christmas Devotional from Salt Lake!!! I was so happy!!! It started out with the Christmas lights in temple square! I broke!!! haha No I broke because I realized how spoiled I am living in Utah! No it was a beautiful. I hope that you saw it! If not I am sure that you can watch it on the LDS site. The last song we sang was Silent Night. But here when the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sings, we listen in English but the congregation began to sing in Spanish!! It was so beautiful!!! To know no matter who you are or where you come from, Jesus Christ is the Savior of the World!!! Let's just say that the Spirit touched my heart and I completely BROKE!!!!! BAWLED THE REST OFTHE SONG!!! ahahhahaha

Oh shoot I am out of time!!!!!! UGHHHH!! One hour is not enough!!!!! hahaha

Now that I love you with all my heart and miss you long time!!!!

Les Quiero MUCHO!!!!

Hermana Creason 

en cento!!!!!!!!

Hola!!!!

Happy late Thanksgiving!!!! I realized that I didn't even wish you guys a Happy Thanksgiving!!!!! So sorry!!!!!! haha well Thanksgiving here was not the same!! Haha it is really hot here!

 I feel like I have been working in the heat forever!!! In Georgia I was there in the summer and then I got sent here to Argentina in the summer! I feel like I have been is summer for 9 months!!!! Well I almost have! haha! 

So lots have happened this week!! This area is a lot more different than Palpala!  Because Palpala was so big we always had people to see and things to do, but because this area is so much smaller and the people are not as humble it is a little harder. We don't have a lot of investigators here and I have never been really good at finding new people to teach. In the past, my companions found them or they just kinda fell in our laps. But here I am on the hunt to find but my problem is, I don't know how..... haha so me and my companion are just kinda spraying and praying and maybe we will find someone to teach. But I don't want to find like we are, so I have been on my knees quite a few times this week for the inspiration to find. I have an idea!!!! I need some ideas! So this week I want you guys to have a family home evening and study Chapter 9 from Preach My Gospel. Chapter nine is about finding people to teach. Study together as a family and pray for guidance of what it is I need to do!!!! 

But we do have an investigator of GOLD!!!! 

Her name is A___________. Her baptism is this Saturday! She is great! She is 24 years old and has 2 daughters of 3 years and 7 months. We had a very spiritual lesson with her on Tuesday. We were talking about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel contains 5 things that we have to do in this life. Have faith in Jesus Christ, repent, be baptized, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and endure to the end. When we finished talking about these things she broke down into tears. She said that she wanted to repent and feel the peace of the Savior. She told us that she had an abortion before her oldest daughter. She was 18 and her mom was very against her having a baby. So she gave in and had the abortion. She says that every day after that she thinks of that choice and that she feels so much guilt and want to find rest! We talked a lot about the atonement of Christ and that she can apply it! It was so easy to talk about after my realization of the atonement last week and I was able to testify with a lot more power! It was really neat! So she has been applying the atonement in her life and she is absolutely glowing!!!! She is beaming with the spirit! When investigators have committed the sin of abortion, it is possible that they can't be baptized if they have not truly repented but we know that she has repented. She told us that she feels so happy and feels so much love! She is great! So the next Monday I should have fotos of the baptism!!!

After her we really don't have anyone else to baptize so this is why I have asked you in the next letters, tell me your ideas and the inspiration you receive!!!

The other sisters n our apartment are great! Hermana Francis and Hermana Guererro. Hna Francis is from Provo and Hna Guererro is form Mexico. They are a lot of fun! They like to scare me and all that fun stuff. We honestly don't see each other a lot. in the morning, in the night and p-days. In fact today we went to Centro (like down town Salt Lake). We toured around. I found a nativity set and I bought a pair of toms from my birthday money from Andrea and Jeff and the family. They are super cute!!!!! 

There are no bugs here but I am dealing with my eczema. I think my body knows that it is winter time but it's confused that it's hot outside. It has effected a different part of my legs. It is not behind my knee this year it's more on the outside of my legs.

Well just realized that I am out of time!!!

Know that I love you and miss you so much!!!

Hermana Creason

YAY - packages!!!!

me and Hermana Villacis

Hola!!!!!!! 

I GOT THE PACKAGES!!! Well a t least the two birthday packages!!!! And I cried like a baby!!!!!! hahaha! I absolutely love them!!! The shoes are great, but I need to break them in.... this is going to be the hard part!! haha Thank you so much for everything!! The food, lotion, sunscreen, earrings AND EVERYTHING ELSE!!!!!!! I am so happy!!!!! 

This week has been good but it has been a struggle for me. This is my first real transfer because my other one I transferred a country but this is my first real transfer, and I am trying to deal with the emotions.This week has been a doosey. I am not sure why but I am a lot better today!! I will explain why!!

This week has been hard because I don't know anyone and I felt like I was starting over again! Not to mention another new companion!!!  It's just hard to adjust again after again after again. But I have felt very overwhelmed this week. I don't know our investigators, my area is full of rich people that don't want to listen to us, I never know where I am and so on and so on. I could go on about my feelings but I won't. But this morning I felt even more sad than any other day. I went about the morning in the dumps but when we had personal study time I decided that I really needed to talk to my Heavenly Father. I told him that I needed to feel peace and that I needed to feel His love. I don't want to be upset on the mission! This is a once in a life time thing. I plead and plead with Heavenly Father this morning. When I finished my pleading, I just knelt there... I didn't want to move. I then received a feeling of peace and a thought came to my mind. 

In my life I have not done anything extremely bad or wrong. Sure I have sinned and have repented but do I really understand the Atonement of Jesus Christ?? This thought lingered in my mind.  Do I know the atonement?? I then opened my Book of Mormon prayerfully and opened up to Mosiah 14. I began to read and of coarse it was no accident that I read this chapter. This chapter is about the atonement of Jesus Christ and in verse 4 it says... "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows...." Not only did Christ suffer for our sins but he also suffered for our sorrows! An overwhelming feeling of peace came over me and I knew that I have felt sad this week because I have the opportunity to experience the healing power of the atonement.

I immediately got on my knees and asked Heavenly Father for forgiveness and promised him that I would work so much harder this week! I had on overwhelming feeling of love and security! It was an experience that I will never ever forget! I thanked him for the love I received from heaven. A few minuets later I got a call from the offices and he said that I had 2 packages waiting for me!!! I know that this wasn't a coincidence. I was able to feel the love of my family here on earth and the love of my family in heaven!! I know that Heavenly Father really loves me and that he wants me to understand the atonement of Jesus Christ so that I can help his children understand the atonement! 

I really hope that this made sense to y'all but it is a feeling that's hard to describe! 

Well now that you heard my venting and my feelings, I guess I can answer your questions!! 

My house is HUGE!!! Well huge for a missionary! It's a two story, two bath rooms but only one shower. No cockroaches and the owner of the house is absolutely amazing! She is not a member but she has had sisters living in the house for almost 7 years!! She is so sweet to us!! It is a house in her "Backyard".

My area is so much smaller than Palpala!! Palpala is a city and the whole city is one area. But Salta capital has like 10 areas! It is sooooooooooooooooo much smaller!!! 

Technically I am the senior companion pero right now, I don't know the area and the people so it's hard to make decisions. But I am helping the best way that I can. Tres Cerritos has not had a lot of success in the past and I know that there is a lot of work to do, and it makes me sooooo nervous that I am here to help the people in the ward of the PRESIDENT!!!!! but I know that I am here for a reason!!!!

Wow I must have typed so slow today because I am out of time!!!!

Know that I love you with all my heart that at times my heart feels like its going to burst!!!!!! 

Love Hermana Creason!!!!

BIRTHDAY EGG

Goodbye Palpala...

Yup that's right. I got transferred!!!! I only got to serve in Palpala for 3 months!! I had such a blast and had so much success!!!

I am now in Salta!!! My area is in the Capital! Also the Mission President lives in my area, and we attend the same ward!! I am really excited!! The mission office is is my area as well!! I think that this is going to be fun!!! My companions name is Hermana Villasis. She is from Ecuador. She has been in her mission for a total of 3 months. We live with 2 other Hermanas and the house is HUGE!!!! It is nice and I feel like I can breath here!! haha!! My area is called Tres Cerritos! It is really tiny, well compared to Palpala!!!

Speaking of Palpala, WE HAD 2 BAPTISMS!!!! N________ and F__________!!!! It was really good!!! I think that F__________ was my purpose in Palpala! I think that he is going to be a great example for his family!!! N___________ as well!! They both were very prepared!! but we had a lot of help from the members. Every time we had lunch we asked our members to pray for our investigators. we saw a dramatic change in our investigators desires and we received more success!!!

My birthday was a blast!!! It is a tradition here that on someones birthday it is tradition to throw eggs and olive oil, confetti, flour, dirt, and all other kinds of stuff so when I woke up I got really nervous because I didn't want to get dirty on my birthday. We also explained to the people that we visited that I can't get dirty. They said that that was fine. So I thought that my birthday would be just fine. So i woke up, and my companion sang Happy Birthday to me, we then moved to the room where we exercise and began exercising. The next thing I knew, Hermana Vaamonde starts beating me with her pillow! shouting the happy birthday song! And I am on the ground trying to do sit ups, the next thing I know she runs to the fridge and runs back to me and cracks an EGG ON MY HEAD!!!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!?!?!?!?! hahahaha then the flour followed!!! I can't wait for you to see the pictures!!! She had also bought me an alfajor as my cake!! So sweet of her!!!  The whole day was really beautiful! I bought a shirt on Monday with the money from Grandma Creason! It's really beautiful!! We had a lesson with one of our investigators. She is 13 and her family is really nice. After the lesson they asked us to wait a little longer. So we sat and waited. They came out of the kitchen with a cake! and started singing happy birthday!!!! Lindo no??? I have pictures of this too!! After the lesson we got a call from one of the members to go to her house, so we did. When we got there she had a cake for me and a really pretty trinket. It's a tree made of wire and beads. It is really beautiful!! 

Thank you so much for the Birthday wishes!! Thank you Gandma Creason, Grandma and Grandpa Bird, and Andrea and Jeff for the birthday money!!!!!

But yup that was my birthday!! Really sad that it's over! Dad you were right!! The birthday on the mission is really special!! I loved every second of it!!!

I am not sure how Christmas is celebrated here in Argentina.... I know that Christmas Eve is more important but that's all I really know. Christmas for missionaries is exactly the same as every other day, except we get to talk to our families!!! I love the idea about the nativaty set!!! I will keep an eye out!!!!

My Spanish has improved a ton!!!!! I know that it is because I am starting to think in Spanish! This has been such a blessing to really understand that God really knows me and loves me!!! 

I can't believe that Thanksgiving is this Tthursday....At least I think it is.... If not you will have to tell me! haha!!! Sooner than you think it will be Christmas, then Mother's Day, then the 4th of July and then I will be home!! CRAZY!!!!!! Time is just flying!!!!!!

I have not heard from the M_________ family but I am going to send an email today and ask if E____________ has had her baby!!!! 

Well there is not much more to say! I am sure that I will have much more to say next week because this is a new area!!!

Palpala was a blast!! And I will forever cherish every memory and every minuet!!!!  Hermana Vaamonde is the best!!! It was so hard to say goodbye this morning! She has been such a blessing in my life and I can't wait to see her again!!! Thank goodness for Facebook because I am not sure if I will ever get to Uruguay and I don't want to wait till the Celestial Kingdom to talk with her again!! 

Love you soooooo very much!!!!!

Love HErmana Creason

Happy Birthday to ME!!!!!!

OHHHHH!!! I love the Photos!!!! I have to admit that I cried! haha! So good to see all the faces of my family and friends!!!!! Thanks to all!!! I send my love to you from Argentina!!!!!! I am going to print it and hang it up on my "wall"

CONNER IS HUGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't believe how tall he is!!! And Mom your hair is long!!!! UGH! Miss you so much!!!! 

Can not believe that it has been one year exactly that I sent my mission papers!!!!!! That is crazy!!! It has truly been the greatest blessing ever!!!! 

So we have had a miracle this week!!! Well I guess 2!

The first is N__________! I talked about her in the last letter! She is of the family of 6! We had a lesson with her on Saturday and we asked her if she had prayed to know if this church was true. She said in all honesty, no. So we knelt down with her and she offered a pray. It was the most sincere prayer I have ever heard! After the prayer we asked how she felt and she said emotional!! How beautiful is that??????? She attended church without her sisters yesterday and was telling all the members in the ward that her baptism is this Saturday!!! She is wonderful and so prepared!!!

Our other miracle is a Joven named F_________. I am not sure if I have talked about him in one of my letters, but he is great! At first with Hermana Mortensen he really wasn't interested. But he attended General Conference. Anywho as time has gone on, he has applied the doctrine into his life. The problem with him is that one of his legs is smaller than the other and it is really hard for him to walk a lot and with the crazy weather here it is affecting him. But he attended church yesterday and he too wants to be baptized Saturday! They are so wonderful!!!!!!!

Transfers are in 1 week!!!! I can't believe that I have been companions with Hermana Vaamonde for 5 weeks!!! It does not feel like that at all!! We have a lot of fun together!! I will send fotos of our laughs!!!!! No word on my package. But it is all good! I really don't need anything for Christmas!! 

10 months left!!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!!!! On Monday I am at my halfway mark because in my mission I have 12 transfers and I had 1 in the MTC, 3 in Georgia, and this is my second in Argentina!! That makes 6!!!!!! AHHHHHH?!?!?!?!? Where is the time going?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? I am so happy here in the mission! I try to make every day count and every moment last!!!!

I guess that I have learned a lot about myself in the past year! Not saying that I know everything about myself, but I have come to know even more who I am and who I am destined to be. But also in my mission, I have come to know other people, who THEY are and who THEY are destined to be!!!! 1 year ago, I made the choice to serve my Heavenly Father. I am giving Him the "birthday present" of 18 months of my life to serve Him and do His will, but because He is our loving Heavenly Father, He turns the gift of 18 months into a gift for me that I can cherish for eternity!!! I have no words to describe the thanks I have for you and for my Father in Heaven for this opportunity! It is the best birthday present I could ever receive!!!!!

LOVE YOU SOOOOO VERY MUCH!!!!!!

Hermana Creason!!!!

Happy Halloween!!! 

Well I guess it is a late Happy Halloween!!!! I am so glad you guys had a good one!!! YAY Trunk or treat is back!!!! Was it dad'ss idea to bring it back now that he is on the Bishopric??? haha!!! Halloween here is nothing special just another day, except a lot of people were out drinking... haha but it was a good day for us! It was our weekly planning day and our zone planned together. it was really good! I dressed up for Halloweeen too!!!! I dressed up as Hermana Vaamonde!!!! hahahaha I had her name tag and all!! haha

LOVE Conner's costume!!!! It is absolutely perfect!!!! HAHA and the pumkin bums!!!! HAHAHA laughed so hard!! Man I miss the weirdness in our family!!! haha! Ok who copied my Jack Skellington pumpkin??????? that is so my idea!!! haha.

YOU HAD SNOW?!?!?!?! oh how I miss the snow!! It has been the weirdest thing!! In Georgia it was really hot and now I am here when it is hot, I feel like I have been in summer for 7 months!!!! haha

Teaching has been going good!! I'm having a blast teaching! I feel so much more comfortable with the language, and when I say something wrong, my investigators take the time to help me! I love it!! Don't get me wrong, the language is the hardest thing for me, but it not as hard as it was my first week here! haha 

We have good investigators, the problem is getting them to church! They don't see the significance of how important it is to go to church! This is so frustrating!!! And every day we invite our investigators to come to church, but I don't know how to help them understand why!!!! I guess I know what I need to work on this week!

The family of 6 has turned into a family of 1. Her name is N_________. She is 17 and she really loves this gospel! She wants to be baptized on the 16! And I pray that she can because it is the last saturday in the transfer!!! She is so golden!!! Her family has very little interest but perhaps with the example of N________, her family will want to follow her example!!!!

In 2 weeks is transfers!!!! I can't believe it!!!! It has gone by so fast! Hermana Vaamonde thinks that I will be trasntfered to a different area because your only with companions that you get along with for 1 transfer!! haha I really don't want to get transferred! I love this ward, Palpala and Hermana Vaamonde!!!! I remember that in my setting apart was said that my companions would bless my life forever! And it is so right!!! Hermana Buckholz, Sister Snyder, Sister Hathaway, Hermana Mortensen and Hermana Vaamonde have a special place in my heart!!! They have all blessed my life in ways that I can't explain!! I love them all so dearly!!!! Hermana Vaamonde is crazy, like me! She likes to scream and speak nonsense. We get along perfecto!!!!!

I won't know it I get transferred until the Sunday before (17) and I won't know if I am a trainer until the 19th.... not sure what is in store for me.....

II really like the CPR. It is so true! Church, pray, read!!! Oddly enough I teach this every day!! With every investigator, I personally teach that they need to read pray and attend church because these three things is the first building blocks of a testimony! I have seen lives change with "CPR" and I have seen mine change as well!!!!

No luck with the apartment so its kinda on the back burner right now....

Oh my  our ward mission leader is FANFREAKIN FANTASTIC!!!!! The other day he invited us over for a family home evening but before we started his wife didn't have the food ready so he said, " Well let's go teach my neighbors the gospel!" Uhhhhhhh.......... CLADO!!!!!!!! (of course)  We went and taught 3 families. He said that he wants his neighborhood to become members of the church!! HE HAS GOT THE VISION!!!!!!! hahaha

Well I think that's all for me!

But I want to share a scripture with you!

I came across this im my daily reading this week. Mosiah 4:9-10

basically, If you believe in God, ACT in the things he has asked you to do!!!! LOVE IT!!!!! haha

I love you with all of my heart!!! I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve a full time mission and to experience the blessings that will last for ETERNITY!!!! I know that you will be blessed because you are giving me this opportunity!!! My invitation to you is to practice CPR, individual and as a family!

Love you long time!!!!

Hermana Creason

Hola Familia!!!

This week has been full of miracles!! Ok actually the last couple of days but still, MIRACLES!!!!! 

First off me and Hermana Vaamonde have been having a hard time having investigators that are progressing. We have a lot of investigators but they don't read or have not prayed and it is incredibly frustrating!! Well for the past 2 weeks Hermana Vaamonde and I have been praying for the opportunity to find a family and one day after a prayer I said that we need to find a family of 6........ well...... WE FOUND A FAMILY OF 6!!!!!!!!! A milagro or WHAT?!?!?!?! and they are amazing!! It is a woman, her boyfriend and her 4 daughters. One of the daughters, S________, attended general conference and we didn't even know it! Well her sisters are now interested in the church! They attended church yesterday and loved it! They all have a baptism date for the 16 of November!!! SO COOL!!! The family name is L__________ and they are great!!!

And yesterday we received a new ward mission leader, a recent convert of 11 months, 20 years old and has a great desire to work with us!! We are really excited about this!! His name is A________. He investigated the church about 1 year ago. He was in jail a few years ago and while he was their he read the Book of Mormon and came to know that it was true. He and his girlfriend (now his wife)  were baptized and have plans to go to the temple and have their family sealed! They are awesome and I have a good feeling that the work here is going to move even faster!!

Yesterday we had another miracle! We went to a different recent convert family last night. The family consists of the mom and her two kids, C_________ and S__________! Well when we got to the house the mom was extremely sick and asked if we could contact the Bishop for a blessing of health. While we waited for the Bishop to get there we taught them and their cousin A_________, who is not a member. He is very interested! He said that he wants his cousin, C____________, to baptize him!!!! WOOT WOOT!!! This is so great!!

The Ward here is absolutely amazing!! It's a small ward but I believe that because if the small chapel and the small amount of active members has made this ward a Family!! There is a lot of reactivation here but it is all good!! Sunday meetings are backwards here. Releif society first, Sunday School then last is Sacrament meeting. But this is normal for me because this is like Cochran. The youth are amazing!!!! We work with them a lot!! We take them out with us to lessons and they love it as well!!!

No luck on finding an apartment. Still on the hunt. We are looking for any apatrment we can find!!

Haha no have not got my package. It takes 2 months for a package to get here, so not sure when I will get it ;) but thank you!! I really don't want you to worry about sending me packages! 

CONNER IS A STUD!!!!!!! Now he can finally smile and show his teeth!!!! This is FANTASTIC!!!!!! haha! Don't worry dude, I bet you will get your duck soon!!!! 4.0!!! THAT IS SO GREAT!! I think I only got 2 4.0 in Junior High!!!! Great job!!! SUPER PROUD OF YOU!!!!!!!

Lets see... What is conner going to be for halloween????? Mary poppins? Mickey Mouse? My Missing "Blue Barbie"? A MISSIONARY????? I think that you should be a missionary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Because that is the best!!!!! hahaha

I have bought 3 pairs of Toms. They range from price. One pair was 38 pesos and another was 60 pesos but they are within this price range!! They have a lot of cute ones here but the ploblem is that I have the foot of "bigfoot" entonces it is hard to find the cute ones in my size!

I have had such an uplift this week in my studies, I have felt a different desire.... a better one! I am starting to see and experience what other missionaries call "forgetting yourself, and get to work". I know that this work I the work of the Lord and that it is all about saving souls!!!

Missing you lots and Loving you even more!!!

Love you long time!!!

Hermana Creason

MAMA MIA!!!!!!

How's it goin?!?!? This week has gone by so fast!! I can't believe that I have been serving with Hermana Vaamonde for 2 weeks!! Crazy!! I LOVE this sister! She is awesome!!! We laugh a lot because I don't understand a lot so our communication has ruslted to my limited vocabulary, hand signs, sounds  and drawings! Lets just say we laugh a lot! This week has been good but it has also been really rough! Yesterday for example, ALL of our appointments fell through and we knock a bunch of doors, contacted in the street, tried to visit members but NO ONE talked to us! We didn't teach ANYONE!! it was hard, but Hermana Vaamonde is so great and as we walked back to the house, she made us make a list of all the good things that happened! The list kept growing and growing and we no longer feel sad of depressed about it! I also got a letter from Hermana Mortensen and she gave me advise that I really needed to hear!! She talked about how we can feel the joy in our work! It is so true!! This is the Lord's WORK! It's never going to be depressing as long as you do HIS work!!

Yes Yesterday was La Dia de la MAMA!! entonces...... Felicidades MAMA!!! haha (Mother's Day).

Yes Argentina Celebrates Halloween but I don't think it is how we celebrate it. Speaking of Halloween, is Conner dressing up this year? or is he too "cool" to dress up this year?? hahahahaha Why would you ask if the celebrate Thanksgiving here?? Thanksgiving is when the pilgrims landed in NORTH America.... I am in SOUTH America!!! hahahaha no I don't believe that they celebrate Thanksgiving!! haha

Hermana Vamonde has been serving for 12 months. Her and her family are converts of 6 years. They were contacted in the street and were taught for 6 month before their baptism. She is fantastic!!! She is always happy and enthusiastic!! I am learning the language so fast.... but not fast enough!! haha! I am forgetting words in English but the problem is I don't even know the words in Spanish entonces, I feel like sometimes I don't have a language!!! haha and yesterday was fast Sunday and simpre Hermana Vamonde says "tango hambre".(i am hungry)  And I was hungry and just for fun I wrote her a little note that said "Tango HOMBRE" she saw the note and flipped!!! I didn't understand why she then laughed and explained that hAmbre is hunger, hOmbre is MEN!!! so acording to my spanish.... I have Men!!! haha!!!!!!

YES I heard from the M______________ family! They sent me a picture of them and I literally started crying!!! I miss them so much!!! E___________ is due in November and I can't wait to see a picture of them with baby N___________!!!! Can't wait to see them again!!!!

This week we had a milagro!!! Do you remember when I talked about a man and a woman in one of my letters with Hermana Mortensen. G_____________? Well a few months ago M_____________ had a dream that the Book of mMormon was true but G_________ didn't believe it. They are not married so she couldn't get baptized. Well we got a call from the Mother of G_________ and she said that G_________ told them that he wants to be baptized!!!!!! We later talked to him and he said that he feels bad about his past actions and he wants a better life for his family, but he would not set a date for baptism! He said that right now he wants to be baptized for his family and not for himself, he said that he wants to be baptized for him self, that is when we can set a date!!! 

Thanks for the package!! So This is how letters work here. I don't need international stamps. YOU need international stamps. I just need regular US stamps because the best way for me to send letters is through the church. I give my letters to my district leader with the US stamp and he later gives it to the mission office. The mission office puts all the letters in a big black bag and sends the bag to Salt Lake then after that they take all the letters out of the bag and sends them to the houses. So I need UNITED STATES STAMPS! and if you want to send me a letter, it is through the mission office because I don't have a mailbox here!!

I hope you understnad this.... haha

Well I think that is all for this week! I am loving every day here! Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to be a missionary!! I know the Lord will help you becuase you are helping me help his work!! The is a lot of "help" going around!!! hahahaha

LOVE YOU LONG TIME!!!!!

Hermana Creaoson

HOLA!!!!!

Lots to talk about today!!! But I guess I could answer your 15 questions!!! Haha!! No it's all good!

My companions name is Hermana Vaamonde. She is from Uruguay and is fantastic!! She doesn't know any English so our communication has resulted to my limited vocabulary, hand signs and drawings on sticky notes! haha we have not had any difficulties! I really like her! Comunication is hard but I see how possible it is. She always says that I think people don't understand me but I actually make perfect sense! She also says that I am going to be training the next transfer!!!! I don't think I'm ready for that!!! I have come to know that the gift of tongues is real and that it is through Faith in Jesus Christ!! I have come to know Spanish so much more this past week! I guess I am not as limited as I thought I think! 

She too is a leader like Hermana Mortensen. We get along great! She is so much fun! She is always singing! I love it! When we walk from appointment to appointment, sitting in the bus, or exercising in the morning, she is always singing! haha it's been great!

Friday we had interviews with Prestident Lavrino. It was just what I needed! I Think that I have had a lot of self confidence issues plus the mission shoves your weaknesses in your face. President Lavrino told me that he thinks that I have a great job to do here! He said that many missionaries are going to look to me for guidance.... This was also said in my setting apart.... He also said that he doesn't know why both of my companions have been leaders in the mission but he said that you have the opportunity to assist your companions being a leader. Because every week my compaions has to go to another sisters area and I stay in mine and a different sister comes here. He said that this is an opportunity to train as well...... not sure how I feel about that! haha  I look at it as an opportunity to grow and learn.

I can't believe that I have 11 months left!!!! that is crazy!!! After this transfer I will be half way!! I found out that my last day is September 9 2014.... I figured out that I have been serving for 31 weeks and I have 41 left!!!!! AHHHHHHH!!! where is the time going?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!? Stephan comes home in DEC!! wow!! that is nuts!!! I will be home before we all know it!!!!!

We had stake conference yesterday and to our dissapointment NO INVESTIGATORS CAME!!!! Ugh it felt like such a defeat yesterday!! We were so bummed but we found out that one of our investigators ended up going to general conference and we didn't even know it!! cool right!!

Well I am just as clumsy as ever! Yesterday we were crossing the street and I totally biffed it! I scraped my knee really bad! It doesn't look pretty! haha! But in the result we went to a near by members house and they totally went first aid on me! The wife is a member but the husband is not. The husband has attended church with her for 9 years but he does not believe in the Preisthood or in Joseph Smith. But we took this opportunity to teach them! I think it went well but who knows?

We found out that President Lavrino wants another companionship of sisters here because Palpala is so big! entoses we are on the look for a new apartment!! YAY!!!!!!! The apartment we have is a complete FAIL!! Hermana Vaamonde says this all the time!! "FAIL FAIL FAIL!! our house is a FAIL!" haha it will be nice to have more missionaries here!!!

Now to your many questions! haha

Food here is different! Not sure I like it yet... some things are really good but some things I just don't care for. One thing that I don't really like here is millinessa de carne. It is like country fried steak but it has a lot of fat on it.... not my favorite.... French fries (Papas Fritas) is sold here like icecream. Tang (like cool aid), Fanta and pan (bread) is served at every meal. Breakfast for me is yogurt, but the yogurt here is more like a drink, it's not solid. We eat with members some days and the days we don't we cook in the apartment. 

We pay cash for the buses and taxis. It is from the church card. We don't use our cards here. At the begining of the month, we take out all our money for the month.

Lots of stores here! But mostly it is like stores that people just start by themselves.... There are a lot of them!!! 

I LOVE THE FUNNY STORIES!!! I laughed so hard at the "only child" Well I guess because Conner is an only child there is no need for me! haha SO FUNNY!!!

Wow conner! What a calling!!! I am sure you will do great in it!! Be sure to tell me how duck shooting goes!!!

WOULD YOU SEND THE PACKAGE ALREADY?!?!?! hahahaha! For a month now you have talked about a package and I have gotten all excited! and you have not even sent it yet!!!!! haha naw it's all good! I don't think I need anything! Maybe a jar of Peanut Butter??? no se! OH I need american stamps to send letters!! 

Well that is about it for this week!! Hopefully I will have more to say next week! Keep us in your prayers!! We really need a baptism here!!!!!

LOVE YOU LONG TIME!!!!!!

Hermana Creason

HOLA FAMILIA!!!!

 

What a week!! It was a crazy one but it was a blast!! Today is transfers and I don't have my companion yet so I don't have any info but I do know that she is from Uruguay!!! AHHHHHH!!! My new companion is a Latina!!! Hermana Mortensen said that she is amazing and that we are going to have a lot of success!! But I am so nervouse because I am so afraid that our communication is going to be really hard. Hermana Mortensen comforted me and said that the first two weeks may be hard but you are going to learn the language so fast because that is all you are able to speak! There is no more Spanglish for me! ;)

 

We dropped Hermana Mortensen off this morning at the terminal (like a big bus station) and she traveled to the mission home today!! She leaves for the U.S. tomorrow night!!! The past 6 weeks have gone by so fast!!!! I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to work with Hermana Mortensen! It will be so lucky if I become a missionary like her!! She is FANFREAKIN FANTASTIC WITH 2 SNAPS AND A SMILE!!!! I love her and will miss her terribly!!

 

Right now I am waiting for my new companion in Jujuy. I am with a member named J__________ and she is awesome!! I love working with her. She is the one that knows English! I have had a blast with her today! She said that she needs a husband so if you know of anyone that wants to marry a Argentine, let me know!! haha P.S. Tina Turner is nothing compared to her!! (haha sorry, inside Joke!)

 

Because I am in Jujuy I dont have my cord to send pictures again this week! So sorry! I feel so bad that you have gone 3 weeks with out pictures!! But I can describe it for ya!

 

I love argentina! I know that this is my calling because I just feel like I belong here!! It is spring right now so it's that awkward time of needing a jacket one day, the next is a coat, then the next day you have sweat dripping down your back!! haha it has been interesting! It is really dry in Palpala. Palpala is also really big and we cover a lot of areas. We ride the bus every day and travel in taxis every once in a while. We walk a ton!! My legs will be able to take on anything after my mission here!! haha. Lots of dirt roads but that doesn't bother me. There are mountains near by so it makes me feel a little closer to home. Also a ton of dogs! Like stray dogs and it is like they can smell Los Estados Unidos on me! They don't like me very much! haha but I am tough and I just yell at them to leave! The people here are the best! Their hearts are so open and willing to learn! Life here is different and I have realized how much I have taken for granted! Today J__________ told me that her dream is to ride a roller coaster! And I have taken for granted that Lagoon is so close! It has helped me put things into perspective!! We have an oven and a stove top but we don't use the oven very much.. Hermana Mortensen would make fantastic banana bread in the oven! But other than that not much. Have not found peanut butter. Hermana Mortensen said that I will never find it in this mission. The stores are not big enough or a major chain,so I will never find peanut butter here :( Or Maple....

 

CONFERENCE WAS AMAZING!!! I was able to see all 4 sessions! It was as a stake and I had the beautiful opportunity to listen in English. Hermana Mortensen said that I am very lucky because her first conference she didn't have that opportunity! I loved every talk!! The thing about it is before my mission only a few talks would stand out to me because I could only relate to a few of them, but on a mission, every talk relates to me because I teach these principles to everyone else! It's really magnified on the mission! Sadly we only had 1 investigator attend 1 session. But it was a good one for him! I think my favorite talk was Elder Uchdorf. It was like Golden for so many missionaries because honestly, who would want to join this church. Only people who search and find the truth! It was great!! I also really loved Elder Scotts! But he is my favorite always!!

 

I want you to know that you letters are always perfect and I love them dearly but I think what I want to hear more about is maybe funny things that happen. Conner doing something that made you laugh, dad making a silly mistake. Things like that! But I understand that things like that don't always happen but when they do, let me know! Also maybe in the next letter I may need some encouragement because I don't know what this week is going to bring me with my language!

 

Speaking of my language, I can see it improving each and every day!! I can say so much more than I could in the MTC, which want not much to begin with.... haha. but I am watching the Hand of the Lord in my life and the Spirit carry my poor vocabulary touch others hearts for the better! I know that the Gift of Tongues is real and that it is a gift that I treasure!!

 

I love you all so dearly!!! I can't beleive that I have served 5 transfers and only have 7 left!!! after this transfer, I am Half way!!!!! AHHHHHHHH!!!

 

Love you much and miss you more!!

Hermana Creason

Hola familia!

Where did this week go? It feels like not too long ago I wrote y'all!!  This week has been a good one!!
We had 2 baptisms on Saturday!! F___________ (11) and L______(9). Both are cousins and very prepared to be baptized! Both came from families that are members just less active. It was fun teaching them!! Their grandpa was able to baptize and confirm them! It was really good!!
We also did another exchange this week. Hermana Gentry came here with me. I think it is funny that in all of the exchanges I have been on, I have always stayed in my area! Haha! It was good working with her! She is from Utah and never got reassigned. She has been in Argentina for about 7 months. She was fun to work with.

So now we are on the last week of the transfer! The past 5 weeks have flown!! At least to me they have!  I am sure that I will be staying here in palpala. Hermana Mortensen said that we don’t transfer much in this mission. I might be in Palpala for the next 4 months or so. Which is fine by me! I love it here! The work is good here! It is hard though but I guess every mission is hard! I love being here and teaching the gospel! The Spanish is coming along. I have learned so much in the past 5 weeks but there is still a lot to learn. I can see myself progressing in the language, it's slow but I can see the progress!

Hermana Mortensen has been such a blessing!! She is fantastic and I am so grateful that she extended because I have had the opportunity to learn from her!! I am going to miss her a lot!!

Sorry the info about this week seems so short but I want to talk about the things goin on with y'all.
I am glad that you told me what has happened this week. I'm so sorry to hear about that. Today while we were in the apartment I knelt down and prayed for you. I pray for you every day and every night but now that I knew what you needed I knew what to pray for. I asked for guidance on any spiritual uplift I can give you. You guys teach me all the time and it's my turn to teach you. After my prayer I went to the Book of Mormon for guidance. I fanned through the pages and just read where I stopped and I came across this scripture. Mosiah 2:21-22

 21 I say unto you that if ye should ^aserve him who has created you from the beginning, and is ^bpreserving you from day to day, by lending you ^cbreath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own ^dwill, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your ^ewhole souls yet ye would be ^funprofitable servants.

 22 And behold, all that he ^arequires of you is to ^bkeep his commandments; and he has ^cpromised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth ^dvary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do ^ekeep his ^fcommandments he doth bless you and prosper you.

I know that it you serve God and keep ALL of his commandments, HE has PROMISED that HE Will BLESS AND PROSPER YOU!!! And Just as verse 22 says, I know that God does not go back on his word!! My advise to you is to be completely obedient! Be faithful servants in your callings, serve him with your heart, might mind and strength!! I know it's hard but I know that HE WILL PROVIDE A WAY because I know that He needs me here and that If we are Faithful servants together, we will be blessed!

Dad your talk is AMAZING!! I really love it!! You will just have to give it again in sacrament meeting once I return so that I can hear it in person!!

That color chalk thing looked like fun Conner!! Maybe we will have to do that one day!!

Well there is not much more to talk about this week