Elder Bednar Makes a Visit!

¡Muy buenos días a todos!

¿Cómo están?  Espero que hayan tenido una semana muy feliz y que hayan sonreído mucho!

This week was absolutely unforgettable. It was filled with Elder Bednar. He got to Argentina early on in the week and he had a few transmissions there that got sent out to the rest of the area.. Chile, Uruguay, and Paraguay. We had the opportunity to attend the transmission for the youth on Tuesday and the transmission for the young single adults on Wednesday as well.. not to mention a missionary transmission for the whole area on Wednesday in the morning and then the real face to face conference on Friday.. like I said this week was full of Elder Bednar and I loved it. I learned so much and now I have a lot to put to practice. I am so grateful for the opportunities that I have had to grow and to learn in the last little bit, the gospel is so great! 

One thing that I loved that Elder Bednar said was that we don’t go anywhere by coincidence. He shared a story about how he was working on his roof one day.. and he needed some nails so he went to the store in a baseball cap, jeans and a dirty t-shirt. While we was there a guy came up to him and asked "Are you Elder Bednar?" and he told him that he was.. The man then said.. "The disguise isn´t working" then the man continued and asked, "Can I ask you a question?" Elder Bednar said yes.. He said, I came to the store to answer your question. I need nails but that isn´t why I came to the store.. I came to answer this question.

He just kept saying.. the Lord works in his church.. One by One.. like said in 3 Nephi 17:21, 3 Nephi 28:1 and 3 Nephi 11:15. Remember that when you are asked to help someone in your calling.. the Lord works one by one! For us as missionaries.. I think a lot of the time we just get caught up in the motions and don´t take a moment to think about why we are in the place we are in or why we are in the situation that we are in and now I am going to take that moment to think about.. I really feel that it will help us as missionaries fulfill our call to serve!  

He also talked a lot about agency.. and it is interesting because there is a scripture that really has caught my attention that is found in Doctrine and Covenants 58:28. It really hit me hard during a charla when we were talking about the plan of happiness with a progressing member.. "For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves.".. I love it. It has gone perfectly with what we have been learning from Elder Bednar.. the power is in us and we are agents to act and not objects to be acted upon. I took the chance to study agency more too after the YSA transmission and I had a remarkable study in Moses 7. Agency is awesome, check it out. We really don´t have the agency to choose between good and bad after making covenants and you can find it in the scripture. Just think about this question.. "Why do we have agency?" If you remember from a few weeks ago.. the doctrine always answers the question "Why?".. so go find the doctrine!

This week in the area was great! After such a spiritual week full of Elder Bednar we topped it off with a baptism on Saturday. Maikel is such a sweet kid.. right after being baptized and changed into his clothes again he had the opportunity to share his testimony. He couldn't finish it without just breaking down, we are excited for him. He will get the priesthood next week and we couldn't be happier! Church didn't quite go as we would have liked but we were able to help one investigator come.. we went an picked up Margarita and about 2 or 3 hours after church finished she sent us a text telling us that she has a friend that wants to go to church and change her life. We were able to meet her last night and it was awesome, so much potential in her friend. Her name is Monica and has 3 kids. References from investigators are amazing and now they both have a friend to walk with to church because they live right by each other! 

We also received another reference from a progressing member and her name is Mercedes. She is 56 years old and doesn't like with any guys nor have marriage problems.. she now has fecha for the 26th. Missionary Work is awesome (:

This week we did better with our progressing members.  We aren't quite sure what happened with our attendance but we aren't going to let it get us down. Only 74.... but we are going to try to get 100 people there this week to end the change right! I won't be writing until Tuesday just FYI. I love you guys! I hope you know. My desire for you guys this week is that you can feel my love and feel the love that I have for this work and go and do something about i.. The power is in you, you are agents to act! I hope that you have a wonderful week! You all make me the happiest little guy! Until Tuesday ♥

Love, Elder Taylor Abel.. an agent ready to act!

Maikel and his momma and little bro. His little bro is the cutest.. His name is Matias!

Us and Maikel.. cutie huh?

Elder Emrich and I chilling at a birthday party.  We went to visit one of our investigators.. Juan Carlos, and they were having a party for 2 of their 3 sons and so they insisted we stay. It didn't take too much convincing once we saw the cake Ü