Wow do I have a lot to tell y'all today!! A lot has happened this week.

First off my poor companion! She has had pain in her stomach for 5 months and the doctors kept giving her different types of medication for it because they had no idea what it was. Well this week, TThursday, we went to the doctor with Hermana Lavrino and my companion had an appointment with a certain doctor for the intestines. She was put on anesthetic and the doctor used a camera to search her intestines. He found a growth with in it that had to be removed. Well today it was removed but what was so sad was this was her first time in her life that she had an operation and she was so nervous!! So nervous in fact that the anesthetic didn't work and she was awake the entire time. Hermana Lavrino and I where just outside the door and we heard Hermana Barrientos scream! I never felt so scared for another person like I had in that moment. Well a few minuets after the doctor called us in and Hermana Barreintos was crying! Poor thing!!! The doctor extracted the growth but she was in shock. I feel awful that she had to go through that! We are now in the house of Presidente Lavrino and she is resting! Please keep her in your prayers! She is healing now and what was causing the pain is now out and she can move on but now they have to do a biopsy of this growth to see if it is cancer. Poor thing! I feel terrible that she is having to go through this. Keep her in your prayers that she can recover and have the strength to keep pressing forward. I am trying my best to help her in every way that I can and I want to do more! But that is why I told you this so that you can pray for her as well!

Well this week was also interesting! About _____________, she is 100% GOLDEN she is amazing!! She has a huge desire to learn more and more! Friday we got a call from her and she said that she would not be able to go to church this week.  She said that her old pastor went to her house and yelled at her and said a ton of bad things about the Mormon church. Right now she is scared. not scared of us, she is scared of her church before, because they are her friends. Well she said that she still want to meet with us and we have an appointment with her tomorrow. I have been studying a lot for her the last couple of days and I think I know what I need to do. I just need to teach with love. That way she can feel the spirit. A lot of times I have no idea what to say in lessons (mostly because I lack in the language) but I have come to know how important it is to teach with the love of Christ and with this, it doesn't matter if I lack in the language or not!  I really don't want to loose her, and with the Lord's help, I won't!

So this week really has been nuts! I I have another crazy thing to tell you! TTuesday in the evening we received a call from a member from a different ward and she said that she has a few friends that want to meet with us because they want a blessing for their home. She said that there was a spirit there and they want it out! Well at first we were a little hesitant but then I thought, I should be used to spirits in houses. One lives with Grandma Bird and I am over there a lot! haha No the truth, I was a little nervous but I had a feeling that we really needed to go, so we went. When we got to the house the family was really friendly.  Her name is L___________ and she lives with her mother that can't walk, talk or move very well.  When we entered the home I felt an instant change. I felt like the Holy Ghost was waiting outside the door. It was the oddest feeling. We set an appointment to return with a Priesthood holder and we returned yesterday with Presidente Lavrino. During the blessing when he ordered the spirit to leave.  I felt an instant feeling of peace and L__________ and her mother began to cry. It was so powerful! L__________ is of gold too!!

To be honest Tres Cerritos has been my Gethsemane it has been so hard and I feel like I have never worked so hard in my life! I was talking to Hermana Lavrino in the hospital waiting for Hermana Barrientos and she said that she has seen a great change in me since I have been here! And I can feel it too! I am glad to call Tres Cerritos my Garden of Gethsemane where I have suffered so much spiritually but have grown the most spiritually! My testimony is so much greater, and so much stronger! At first I thought that Tres Cerritos is the area where absolutely NO ONE wants so serve, and that is the truth, but the truth, I recommend it because I am not the same missionary that I was..... I am better!!!

I love your guys so very much and I miss you even more! Remember to keep my companion in your prayers!!!!

LOVE

Hermana Creason

Hola mi querida familia!!!! Como estan???? 

Oh my have I got to tell you something!!

So the last couple of weeks I really have been struggling! This area is so dang hard and very little sucess! I don't know how many prayers I said pleading with Heavenly Father for a miracle....... (I totally had to go to google translate to remember the english word of miracle!!! Oh my how embarracing!!! hahaha) ok back to the story. Well for weeks I have been struggling! With this area, with my companion, with my ward, and with a lot of things but I have learned something really special this week. 

Tuesday we had a zone conference and we talked about doing the Lords will and not our own. I really got "motted" in terms. It really took me by surprise. I had been praying for a miracle but it really was for my own pleasure. I felt embarassed and ashamed. That night in my prayers, I asked for forgiveness and that I will dedicate the rest of my mission for the will of the Lord. I felt the peace and joy from the Lord. The next day was a lot better. We had no success but my attitude was better! And this attitude followed the rest of the week. But because we have a loving Heavenly Father and he just loves to answer prayers, he answered mine and we received a miracle.

Friday we recieved a referral. The member said that this woman is looking for the truth and really is seeking. Her name is Milagro (Miracle in spanish) Well we called her and she was super excited that we wanted to share with her our religion. We set an apointment with her Saturday. During the lesson Saturday we talked about the restoration of the Gospel and it totally clicked for her. She understood everything! At the end she asked "Why have I never heard about the Priesthood, of the Book of Mormon, or Thomas Monson?" Great question right??? Well we invited her to church and she cheerfully accepted! We also invited her to be baptized on Feb 8 and she accepted as well!!! 

Well we went to pick her up for church yesterday morning, and she was waiting outside in a skirt and her Book of Mormon. She was so happy! She had a great time at church. She said that she learned more here than any other church...... UH DUH!! Because this church has the fullness of the gospel!!! Well she asked if she could make us lunch today! How great is she!! Well we went to her house for lunch and we talked about the things that we had left for her to read. Now keep in mind that we met her Saturday.... Well we asked her where she was in the Book of Mormon and she said that she was in 1 Nephi 7!!! We left her the Introduction and she read the testimonies of the witnesses and Joseph Smith and up to 1 Nephi 7!!!!!!! I could not believe it! She said that she ablsolutly loves the book and that she had wondered if God communicated with the Indians here in America!!! She really is GOLDEN!! We have another visit with her tomorrow! and I can not wait!!

It is really interesting that I prayed for a miracle and we recieved one and her name is Milagro!!!!! It's just a tender mercy of the Lord!!!

I was reading in the Book of Mormon and came across a scripture that I honestly apply to in this moment. 

Alma 26:16

16 Therefore, let us ^aglory, yea, we will ^bglory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his ^cmercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.

I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father that really answers our prayers, even if we stop asking for it! He has heard every one of them and remembers them! 

I have learned so much in this area that I struggled with in the beginning! But now I am hoping that I can stay a little longer!! 

I can only think of one more thing that I want. I want Ensigns in English. I want the general conferance address in English, I have it in Spanish, but I want it in English too. and the October and January. Can't think of anything else I want.... oh more peanut butter???????? hehe.  No I have not gotten the package from grandma yet.... maybe next week

Thank you for your prayers!1 I honeslty think that is what is getting me through!!! I love you guys sooooooo very much and miss you more!!! I 

I LUV YOU!!!!!

Hermana creason

When it rains - IT POURS!!

Christmas morning

Hermana Barrientos and me

HOLY COW!!!! 
Today is my 10 month mark!!!!! I am in double digits now!!!!!! ahhhhhhhh!!!!! I can't hardly believe it!!!!

Well I am over the hill now and now rolling down the mountain, but this week I think I rolled through a thorn patch. This week was a tough one. 

I think I found where Satan lives.... We were tracting in a street and came to a door and talked with a young man. His neighbor came over and started yelling at us. 

Get far away from here

go back to you country

quit preaching to us

your not welcome here

I am going to put a bomb in your church.

and with every sentence he would get closer. I thought that he was going to hit us.... It was bad. We quickly left and began to cry. Never have I experienced something like this in my life. It was hard. but we had the strongest impression to return, and as much as we didn't want to.  We returned and the first door we knocked on a woman warmly welcomed us into her home and we taught her the plan of salvation. We have another appointment with her tonight! Pray that all goes well!!

We hardly have investigators. I think we have 4 or 5. Everyone here has their hearts locked and doesn't want to open them! ugh it is rough. And my companion is sick. Really sick. and because of this, our work has suffered this week. Our numbers are extremely low!! I mean really low! It is lower than they were in Georgia!! and that is bad!!! But I know that the numbers aren't everything and it more important that I am sharing my testimony with every person I talk to but it is hard when I don't see the fruits of my labors. I really don't want to sound like I am suffering because I am not. I have experienced something beautiful this week.

I received a video that is absolutly AMAZING!!  I think that you can find it on youtube.  It is called Missionaried and the Atonement. It's Elder Eyring and Elder Holland and they are speaking about the missionaries and the atonement. I cried the whole time because I have experienced every part of this talk during this week!! I really want you guys to watch it! Elder Holland said something interesting.  He said that missionary work has never been easy because salvation was not a cheap experience. I realized that what I have felt this week is so minimal than what Christ experienced but he did it for me!!! and for you of course! but to be broken into pieces during the week and the pieces being broken into smaller pieces, I am beginning to feel Christ bringing the pieces back together. I am not whole yet but I can feel the power of the atonement working through my spirit!

It is an opportunity that I don't want to take back. It's a hard one but it's beautiful!!

Wow I am so sorry that this letter is short but I am out of time!!!

I so sorry for all those that have written me, aunts, cousins! Thank you so much for you letters!!! I absolutely love them! But I hardly have time to write my mission president! haha! KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU AND AN SO GRATEFUL FOR EVRYTHING!!!!!!

ALL MY LOVE AND MORE!! 

Hermana Creason

PS FIND THE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE!!!!!!

HOLY COW ITS 2014!!!!!! Where in the world did the year go!!!!! I can't believe that I have ALMOST been out a year!!! I will be hitting my 10 month mark in 6 days!!!!! WOWOWOWOW!!! the time has just flown!!! When people ask me how long I have been out and I say 10 months, those that have returned from the mission say, "Chou" meaning that I only have a little left!! How sad is that!! I am really sad that I am more than half way! The time is moving much faster now than it did in Georgia and the beginning of my time in Argentina. I absolutely love Argentina and I love the mission! It is the hardest but most rewarding thing that I have ever done!!! haha!!!!

New Years was fun I guess. My companion is really sick and did not feel good New Years Eve so we stayed in the apartment. I studied the whole day while she rested. It was hard not to work when I so wanted to but I had such a spiritual experience studying for hours. As a missionary I only have 1 hour each day to study and that hour FLIES!!! So it was a good study! That night we had to be in the appartment at 7:30 because it gets a little sketchy at night New Years Eve. So with 4 hermanas in the apartment we had a blast! We actually had a feast! We ate so much!! I made beef and Hermana Francis made chicken, pan de banana, chocholate, peaches with dulce de leche, and so so so much more! Oh and I bought diet coke!!! haha!!! Well we ate a ton!!!  After we waited till midnight because here New Years Eve es más importante de Navidad. entonces (oh my, i wrote in spanish without thinking... sorry! ahaha) so at midnight there were more fireworks and balloons! It was beautiful!!!!! 

OH NO!!!! I dont want Presidient Thomason to be released!!!!!!!! I want to come home and have my released interview with him!!!!! NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

haha

Well this week was good! We found more investigators but the problem was none went to church!!! We have such a prolbem with this! Asistencia in the church has been 0 for the past 5 weeks! and if we don't have people going to church, we don't have baptisms. This area is hard. Our district leader said that it is one of the hardest areas in the mission.... well that really brought up my spirits!! haha but I know that I have a purpose here and I am so ready to find it!! haha

In my studies yesterday I read about true conversion. A talk by Richard G Scott! He said that we experience true conversion through faith, repentance and being constantly obedient. How true is that!!! So I have a challenge for you! In your FHE this week, I want you to talk about this! 

Conner I want you to talk about Faith

Dad I want you to talk about repentance

Mom I want you to talk about being constantly obidient

And I know that their are others that read these emails and I want you to do this too!!! It really was a spiritual study and I want you guys to feel it too!!!

I am so sorry I have ran out of time and I don't have time time send pictures!!!! Love you soooooooooooooo much!!!

Hermana Creason!!!!!