The Break Up!

I am not quite sure what to think about the changes. As you can tell from the subject.  The dynamic duo is separating. That is right, you read it right...we are splitting up. This is almost more sad than when the Backstreet Boys split up, however, with the Backstreet Boys.. they got back together! We have hope.  YES... Huntsman likes the Backstreet Boys too ♥ 

Huntsman is headed to just across Montevideo to another stake to be senior comp with Elder Jimenez from Ecuador. I will be staying in the beautiful Cerro 8 with Elder Figallo. Here is the thing though... Elder Figallo has more time in the mission than me. He was senior comp and even district leader last change and he is coming down here and I am going to continue being district leader and I will be his senior comp. Not quite sure what to think.. it shall be a very interesting change. When the assistants called, they told me my new comp and I couldn't believe it.  He was even district leader in Salto when I was there. I am excited but I just don't know what to think!

Our attendance at church was super low.... 74. Gotta love a rainy Sunday. Please pray for sunny Sundays here in Uruguay (:

So the rumor you may or may not have heard is true.  I met up with Nico. It was super good. He was with his girlfriend.  She seems like a super nice girl. She is from Spain. They met up in Holland and are now living in Montevideo and have been for 8 months.  They will live here till Christmas. They both speak 3 languages... Italian, Spanish and English!  They had a lot of questions about the mission so it was a good experience to tell them what we do. They invited us to dinner too so we shall see if we take up their dinner invite! So good to see him. He is a good dude.  He would love to connect with you guys!

This morning, we had the chance to go to the temple because we are close. Man, it honestly is just the best experience! I love the temple.. it had been 6 months since I last went! I challenge you guys to make your way to the temple when you can.

I sure love you guys so much and I hope that you have a wonderful week!! Be safe and be ever so happy! 

Elder Abel with Nico & Sara 

Elder Abel, Nico & Elder Huntsman

The one and only district.. great guys! 

Happy Father's Day!

How are you guys all doing? I won´t lie.. I have been sitting in the cyber just staring at the screen not knowing what to type you all. I kind of set the standard high last week #humbleprobs. I will do the best I can to try to make this one good too!

This past week was a whole lot of walking. We had a lot of charlas fall through which means just trying to find something to do but we ended up making a pretty good week out of it.  HAPPY FATHERS DAY to my wonderful daddy, my two favorite grandpas, and my two cool brother in laws as well (: You guys are the best. I am so grateful for your example to me of a worthy priesthood holder. I sure do love you all. I hope you guys had a very special day! How come we can't skype on your day too? #parentist anyways.... yesterday at church we dropped the attendance down to 88. Kind of a joke but the Uruguayans are pretty funny when the weather isn't just perfect and it was freezing so we didn't have too many people come out. 

As for Josefina, we have been able to teach her and we have finally set up a charla with her and her parents so we shall see. They still have yet to come to church :( Speaking of Josefina, I got a cute letter from Macarena, Emili and their mom Raquel this past week.  They are so great! Love them. 

With Martin and Carlos we weren't able to find them this weekend but last week we did and we taught them the restoration and so we will have to wait to see what happens this weekend if we can track them down!

We receive changes this next Monday... so we shall see what happens. My pday will be Tuesday! I am thinking that Huntsman and I will stay together but you just never know! 

Anyways, I love you guys soo much! You are awesome and mean the world to me. Keep on smiling and finding the joy of the gospel everyday (:

Every day sight of Elder Huntsman

The Gathering of Israel

Dearest Family and Friends!

How are you doing? I am doing really good and everything here has been great! Ü  We didn't have any super spiritual experiences, but it was a good week formed with many great things!  I would love to share my thoughts about Wednesday with President Smith.

It was truly an amazing experience when we had our interviews with President Smith.  Elder Huntsman and I actually had the opportunity to teach President in front of a group of missionaries.  He even filmed it on his computer, and told us that when he meets our own children, he is going to show them our mission videos.  The lesson went really well.  Elder Huntsman and I were super nervous, but we were able to teach the Gathering of Israel clearly, and in a way where we focused on the Abrahamic Covenant.  Check out 1 Nephi 15:14, 18; 3 Nephi 20:25, 1 Nephi 17:40, Abraham 2:10 and Jacob 5:71.  Now you have basically experienced our lesson Ü  The Gathering is truly so important in the work of Salvation.  Are you all Gathering the house of Israel?  There was one part of our discussion with President that really touched my heart. He mentioned the talk by Elder L. Tom Perry, "Why should marriage and family matter - everywhere?  Public opinion polls show that marriage is still the ideal and the hope among the majority of every age group - even among the millennial generation."  He was referring to us as the millennial generation.  President then stopped and told us with all sincerity in his heart, that we are the millennial generation.  We will be here when Christ comes.  Both Huntsman and I just completely felt the Spirit.  We are not too far away from the coming of our Savior...what a glorious day that will be.  Oh family, it is so important to keep people on the right track, and it is so important for us to stay on the right track!  Do you realize that as we gather Israel, we are helping with the coming of Christ?  My invitation to you would be to start thinking of the gathering of Israel in every moment so we may have more people a part of the plentiful blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the many blessings from the promise God made to Abraham.  I know that as you do it, your lives will be enriched with many blessings because as Mosiah 2:17 teaches us.... when we serve others we are only serving God.  Doctrine and Covenants 18:10-15 says.. how great will be our joy as we bring the joy of the Gospel into someone's life. I pray for you daily, that you will have the desire to share the gospel.  

Do you all know that you live in the places you do for a reason.  President talked about this, and I know that he is right.  We live in the neighborhoods we do because it is our responsibility to help those around us.  I would invite you all to think of and care for the people close by.  I love you and know that each one of you can make a difference in the lives of many.  I know this is the true church and that we are lead by a living prophet, Thomas S. Monson.  I know that he is a prophet of God. I know that missionary work is a work of God and that it brings absolute joy.  I pray that you may be able to find yourself in this great work.  The only way to find yourself in the work is to lose yourself first.  

I love you!  Have a wonderful week Ü 

Elder Taylor Abel

Blessings from Uruguay

What a wonderful day is has been! Today we went to the wonderful Montevideo sign, old Montevideo (MTVD for short Montevideo so I don't have to type so much. Ü )  Now I get to sit down and read all your amazing emails and see what is new in the lives of the people I love. I am so grateful for your emails, they make my heart happy every single week and I sure do get a big smile ear to ear each week! You guys rock my socks.

Yesterday, in our combined lesson, us as missionaries found out about the gentle giant L. Tom Perry. We were talking about the temple and got to the topic of the spirit world and then he mentioned how Elder Perry had passed over to spirit world. Us 4 missionaries looked at each other surprised.  Isn't that crazy that we are so apart from the world that we don't even know if one of our sweet Apostles has passed away. He will be missed. I absolutely loved when he raised his voice.... he spoke with such power! 

This week we found a 9 year old girl named Josefina. She is adorable. She reminds me of Macarena and Emili. She is very intelligent and it has been fun to teach her. We were able to find her through an old reference from the assistants (we are in the assistant's old area). Her parents are members and have been inactive for a long time so we are going to start working with them all so we can reactivate the parents and baptize Josefina. We are super excited for this family and for the desires that Josefina has. One thing that she said after we shared about the restoration.. was that it made her sad to hear that Christ suffered for all of us. She is darling.

The work here is going really well. We share the ward with Elder Degn and Elder Gonzalez who are the Zone Leaders. Elder Degn is from South Jordan and went to Bingham. Elder Gonzalez is from Chile and is always joking around.. we honestly don't know whether we should believe him or not. Now I know how you feel mom! #sorrynotsorry (; I would say sorry but it will probably happen again Ü  Gotta love a good ole jokester! The work is still really fun although Elder Huntsman last night was a little sick.... he seems to be doing better now which is a blessing because I hate silence in the street! It is still crazy to think that we are comps. Tomorrow is my 2nd District Meeting.. pretty nervous still but I have a better plan so vamos arriba! 

I better get going, but I am so lucky to have you! You guys are the best and I am grateful for each and every one of you! Have a wonderful week and remember to smile and.. smile big! I LOVE YOU!

Best companionship Ü #butreallytho 

Beach Pocitos background

Elder Degn, Elder Gonzalez, Elder Huntsman and I 

Pretty classic

Outside the front door of our house!