Hoy es dia!

Hoy es dia!
Updates while serving in the Uruguay Montevideo West Mission taylor.abel@myldsmail.net
Current Mailing Address:
Elder Taylor Abel
Uruguay Montevideo West Mission
Enrique Martinez 1167
11800 Montevideo, Uruguay
Uruguay

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

The Lord Has a Plan For Us!

Oh man, another long week but what a great week!
 
We had a Zone Conference this week with President Smith and the AP´s. What a great experience. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I had to be a part of it.  I'm so excited for 2015 and all the things that we will be doing as a mission. I look forward to helping people recognize and know about the gathering of Israel.  Yes, we will now be teaching in every moment the gathering of Israel! Crazy huh?
 
Last night I was saying my prayer right before bed and I was asking to know how to be a better missionary. Right after my prayer I went to my scriptures and just opened up to a random place. The scripture was Doctrine and Covenants 81:5-6. It talks about being faithful and helping people in verse 5. I couldn't wait to study it a little bit more this morning.  After reading, "God has a Plan for us!" By Elder Carlos A. Godoy, (awesome talk) I went to verse five and I decided that I would just jump into the footnotes.  I found a lot of cool things as I went through the footnotes, but there was one that really caught my eye.  It was Doctrine and Covenants 31:8 and it says,
 
"And you shall strengthen them and prepare them against the time when they shall be gathered."
 
That really caught my attention when I read that because I know now with a surety that we are supposed to be sharing about the gathering of Israel in every moment.  I am so grateful that I took the time to study the scripture this morning and I am going to study the gathering of Israel more so that I am able to teach it.  I am so grateful for the things that I learned in the Conference and for the opportunity to know who my new companion is.
 
The moment you are all waiting for.... can I get a one, a two, a one, two, three, four.. Vivaaa Las Vegas, Vivaaa Las Vegas.. Vivaaa.. Vivaaa Las.. Vargas?! I am very excited to have Elder Vargas coming to Obelisco.  He is from Chile!  He is already in Salto, but was serving in another ward here.  He is moving in with us tomorrow. I am super excited to have a Latino comp finally!  It will be awesome.  I look forward to just jumping right into Spanish.
 
Elder Studebaker is headed to Gualeguaychú, Argentina to open up a Zone there and in Concepción del Uruguay. He will be a great ZL and I am very grateful for the time that I had with him. 
 
Other things that I learned at the Zone Conference that I would love to share.... take a look at Doctrine and Covenants 101:52.  President Smith dropped this verse on us reminding us of the relationship between Elders and Hermanas.  He said.. We are not friends, we are servants! Then he later said, ¨Hay que dedicarnos¨ Pretty strong with his words, but it´s good that way because now we know he isn´t messing around.  haha. One thing that I love that he said was that when he was called as AP in his mission, he didn't feel qualified because he only had 11 months in the mission. His Mission President said, "I don't call those who are qualified, I qualify those that I call." I loved that.  All in all, it was a very great conference. I learned a lot.


BAPTISM! It was a very good service. I loved it. It was good to see the pure joy of Angel's mom as Angel entered the font and the waters of baptism with Bishop Rebollo.  It was a neat experience to watch the ordinance with Stude at my side. I really believe that he will be a faithful member of the church with his mom. Great family! I am grateful to have taught him and to watch him be baptized. Such a blessing! 
 
This week was honestly full of blessings! I would now like to end this letter with a challenge for you guys! I would like you to read the talk from Elder Richard G. Scott, entitled, "Make the Exercise of Faith your First Priority."  Sky, I want you to read the talk from Elder Carlos A. Godoy, entitled, "The Lord Has a Plan for Us!"  When you are reading Sky, I want ya to think about it in terms of your life for sure but also for running. When I read it today, I applied it to running and it worked. 
 
I hope that you all have an awesome week and find JOY in the little things! I miss you guys like crazy, and I love you even more!!
 
Love,
 
A very happy and excited missionary,
 
Elder Taylor Abel
 
Elder Devashrayee, Elder Studebaker, Elder Vargas
All of his companions together!
 
 
The District

 

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Count Your Blessings

Hello!

It honestly seems like it has been a year since we chatted... if you know what I mean?  This next week is my last week with Elder Studebaker and I am hoping to get a Latino comp. I guess we shall see.   

So how is big 2015 for you guys? It has been pretty good for us here in Obelisco. We have another baptism this Saturday. His name is Angel Cardozo and he is 10 years old. We had to get permission to baptize him from President because of his age.  His mom is reactivating and really wants to live with her son for all eternity. She cries at the end of each lesson. Angel is a smart little cookie for his age, and his mom is super sweet and teaching her son well. He will be a stud. We will be having this on the 10th! We are hoping the Bishop will baptize him. We actually realized that we have a lot of people to teach.... like we have a big teaching pool. 
 
This next week should be a great week full of a lot of work. This past week was full of divisions. First, on Tuesday I did divisions with Elder Huntsman because both of our comps were down in Montevideo with President and all the ZLs. I won´t lie... I was pretty nervous with the both of us being newer missionaries in the big ole' Salto with lots of Spanish, but it turned out to be an awesome day!  Next is where my picture came in to play.... I had divisions with Elder D-RAY in his area. It was awesome!  It took me back to the glory days of training, although this time I could actually speak Spanish and understand stuff. It was actually really fun to speak Spanish all day with him in the street. We then stayed up chatting about the mission and everything that we have learned and all the fun times we've shared. He is such a good example to me.  He only has 6 months left.... crazy!



Next, I had a 2.5 block with Elder Villar in his area where we just go contacting.  It was a great experience.  Elder Villar is Argentinian but lived in Chile.  He is hilarious. I would love a comp like him. It was a super good week. We hope for another solid week and for a great turnout at the baptism!  The divisions were great! 
 
My quote from the Skype call....¨The secret of happiness is to count your blessings while others are adding up their problems.¨ -Anonymous. I have been studying all the conference talks.... one talk every personal study. They are so good. My challenge for your 2015 is to read all the conference talks over. I am on Elder Russell M. Nelson's now.  I only have a few to go. I am excited to read them all.  What do you say....will you read all the conference talks?  #didijustreallygiveyouacommitment?  That was a long hashtag. Sorry if it takes you a minute to read it, it took me a little bit to figure out if commitment had two t's or only one. Spanish is messing me up. Ü
 
New Years......I didn´t get any crazy dates like Sky.....but we did have tons of fireworks and they were awesome! I can't believe we are in 2015 already.
 
I certainly love you all so much and hope you have a great week! I miss you and look forward to Tuesday to hear from ya'll again!  I love you!
 
Love, Your smiling Elder Taylor Abel