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

Monday, April 25, 2016

A Beyond Grateful Elder

How are you doing? This week was really good, I am really missing Elder Saldivar. I think that I had the most fun with him, he was a great companion and even though we had our struggles with the zone. 

Things are looking up here in Mercedes.. there are some great missionaries that arrived last week. I am very excited to see what we can do this change as a zone. I know that Elder Bushman, Elder Alvarado, Hermana Evans and Hermana Bojorquez are all here on very inspired changes and I am so glad that they are here. What a blessing it is to see the missionaries come and go. Talk about a long day but a very good one. I was seriously running off 4 hours of sleep and then we woke up early again to go back to Fray Bentos from Mercedes, but I made a big decision and got a new suit. (Pictures to come this next week because we got the leadership meeting on Wednesday with Pres, the other zls and the assistants. The suit will make its debut there!) 

Elder Aliaga has been good to have around, it is weird that he knows the area already due to his 3 changes here not too long ago but it has been nice because I haven't had to show him around.. he more takes me around to the people that Elder Saldivar and I never made it to. It will be a different change, but different is good. We are going to go to the Stake Council tomorrow, so that will be good to see the direction of the stake and gain the confidence and relationship of Presidente Patrone our stake president.

This last Saturday we had the chance to go to Dolores as a zone and it was so humbling. We went to familia Rodriguez.  They aren’t members but they have a son in Chile serving a mission. It was neat to see how they have completely softened their hearts. As we served them I just began to love them. It is amazing how service does that. I also had a very tender experience.. we went to put a tarp over a roofless house and so we all left.. us 8 strong elders ready to go. As we got there we got the tarp up.... there was a lot of standing around waiting for some wire. As I was looking around observing I saw Hermana Leyva and Hermana Evans off in the distance.. and then out of nowhere there were a group of 7 to 10 kids running full speed to them. the Hermana's were giving out toys and that is all these kids wanted.... just a new toy because they were left with nothing. It truly touched me.  We are so quick to take advantage of what we have and there are kids who don't even have a toy. I just wanted to run over to them and hug them. It was a great experience for the zone.

The time is going so quick.. it is weird to think that every time we talk there are 7 days less. (good math right?.. Am I scared for math class.. yes!) We are so close .... blows my mind but just gotta stick to it and endure to the end of each day right?! I sure do love you guys. You all make me the happiest missionary alive. I hope you have a great week!

Elder Taylor Abel.. a beyond grateful elder.


The Plaza in Dolores



Asado style bbq




Tuesday, April 19, 2016

The One Where He Realizes ALL of His Blessings ♥

We are done to less than 20 days before mothers day.....How are you guys?

I am doing really good. I am a little weirded out with this upcoming change being my last, but I am excited and ready to work hard until the very end. I will be receiving a new companion. Ü   I look forward to being with him and working with him here in Fray Bentos. In my study today after my prayer I opened up the Book of Mormon and I landed in Doctrine and Covenants 104 and as I was reading a little bit I read around 8 times.. the faithful will be blessed. As I studied more, I felt the Spirit testify that really through our faithfulness we will be blessed. That the Lord will really multiply His blessings over our heads. This past week I have realized how blessed I am. I was watching a Mormon channel series called Two Brothers Two (check it out.  It made me think a lot of my great brothers) and I realized how blessed we are as missionaries with all the love and service that the people give us here.... especially here in Fray Bentos.  So many great people!  You just gotta love the mission!

I especially realized my blessings as we took a trip over to the part of the zone that got wrecked by the tornado. When we got a call from the Elders there in Dolores and they told us that there was a tornado, we were thinking yeah.. sure there was, we were sure it was a big wind and all the Uruguayans were calling a tornado but we were so wrong. We have 4 missionaries over there. The Elders were in the house when it came by and are doing good. Their house was a little damaged and their front door was destroyed. The Hermanas were away from the major damage but if they would have left their lunch 20 minutes later, they would have been outside when the tornado hit and where it hit hard. We are talking that this tornado threw cars and uprooted huge trees. It was a number 3 out of 5 tornado and it hit the little town of Dolores.. only 19,000 people. We went over there and I was amazed by all the different people from other parts of Uruguay ready to help. We went looking for the church and we asked like 5 different people and they all told us that they didn´t live there. We found the church and there was so many things that people had sent.. we too also came with a truck full of clothes, food and water. It left many people homeless.. they say out of the 19,000 people that live there.. 10,000 were affected. It tore up the center of town. The worse part was when they told us that people were robbing the houses that were destroyed. What a world we live in.. it was definitely a time to think about all that I have in my life.. sooo grateful.

I should probably tell you about the new comp! I called President the other day to talk to him about the progress in Dolores with all that happened.  As we were finishing the call, he thanked me for all that I have done here in Mercedes with the zone and told me that I will be receiving a new comp. He said that is was a last minute decision but thinks that my comp will benefit from it.  He is Elder Aliaga from Bolivia.  He will be my last comp. He already knows the area because he was the one that left when I got here.. so he was only out of Fray Bentos for one change and now he returns. I am excited. He was in Elder Huntsman's zone this past change and Elder Huntsman told me how great of a guy he was. If Elder Huntsman says so I believe it because Elder Huntsman is pretty straight forward.  I am ready to work hard! We are both old missionaries so it should be great!

Thank you for all you do! You guys rock my work. I love you all!






Monday, April 11, 2016

I Feel My Savior's Love

Bom Dia! 

This past week was great! I have good news and bad news.. the good news is that I am completely stoked for that little brother that got his mission call. I know that his call to serve in the Brazil Sao Paulo South Mission is inspired. I know also that he will be the best missionary out of all of the Abel boys.. that is just what happens when you are the youngest, you learn all the goods. Hence his good looks, his charm, his smile and his testimony. You have big shoes to feel putting on the Elder Abel nametag on in Portuguese .. who am I kidding, you have bigger shoes than dad Ü   No but seriously, you will be great. I love you Sky, couldn’t be happier for you. You better be ready to speak a little Portuguese with me on Skype.. I am gonna be practicing. I already have a lot to say! It is very similar to the good ole Spanish.

Now onto the bad news.. Our investigator Mathyas will not be baptized this Saturday. We headed into Saturday ready to teach him the remaining doctrines and principles and we started the charla by asking him if he is ready to be baptized on the 16 and he said, "We actually have to talk about that. I talked to my mom and she said that I can’t be baptized." I was honestly shocked. He has been coming the church and has had a change of heart and now he is stuck waiting for his mom to either say yes or wait until he turns 18 in a year and 3 months! let the countdown begin Ü   We decided that we should probably teach a little bit about staying positive and how we can find strength through Christ. It went good, he is a strong kid and has a real desire. I know that he will do great things here as a member or not.

As for the zone, things have been pretty normal this week.  It has been a great change. I have never laughed so hard with a companion.. love him. So yeah, next Tuesday I will be writing due to changes. I can’t believe that changes are already here.. like what!?

#trunkytime.  We are about to drop under 50 days.. and I was thinking, we should probably focus on the Skype call first. I mean we do still have another Skype call before I come home.  Ü I am so excited, I have a song in mind.. maybe two. Let the countdown until Mother’s day begin? #27days "I hope that this doesn’t make you trunky".. one of the classic lines you all say, I love it. Cracks me up every time. I only am trunky on pday when there is a whole lot of time to think haha (;

Well, my cute family. I must say, I love you with all my heart! You make me the happiest missionary ever. This week, I would just like to share my testimony of this great work. I know that this is the work of our Savior and that He leads it. I know that we have to share the gospel, it is our duty as members and you may wonder "why?" It is because the house of Israel is scattered and as we preach the gospel we are gathering the house of Israel and making it easier for Christ to come. I know that we can receive spiritual strength from the Lord’s Atonement to do things that we couldn’t alone. I know that Christ lives and as we have Him on our lips all the time, we will feel His love more abundantly in our lives and that is my hope for all of you.. so share the Gospel.. talk of Christ and I know you will be blessed! I love you!

Elder Taylor Abel.. couldn’t be happier.



Lots of rain lately.. causing some flooding.




Delish lunch!

Monday, April 4, 2016

A WONDERFUL Week in Uruguay

How are you doing? 

This week was a wonderful one to say the least. It started a little rough but it ended perfectly! Last Tuesday we took some time before the district meeting to talk to the zone about obedience because they didn´t quite get it the first time. We talked very clear and very direct with them to help them and it went pretty good. We had a little "companionship inventory" between us and the zone and I thought that we were on the same page. We are now on the same page about obedience but we have seen that some of the missionaries have hardened their hearts to us and no longer want to be around us. I feel like the zone really isn't too fond of me.. in fact, they quite frankly don´t like me and aren´t afraid to show it but if they only knew that we did it out of love and not only to "drop cane" then they wouldn´t treat us any differently. It is sad that they have changed their thoughts toward us in a negative way but that is just part of being a leader right?.. not everyone will like you and I guess I am okay with that. It really bothered me throughout the week but what do ya do? Only two more months and no more dealing with missionaries.  However, that also means only two more months of teaching this great gospel as a full time missionary.  Definitely bitter sweet.

So yeah, that was the start of the week for us but the weekend made up for it all. I loved 1conference, it was amazing. So many great talks and I can testify that God answers our questions. God sure is great, I love Him and I am grateful for His love. The two talks that hit me hard were Elder Oak´s and Elder Holland´s. I also found some answers to my questions as Elder Waddel talked. So many good messages. This time I tried not to write down anything that they said.. I only wrote down impressions and it was really good. I quite enjoyed it that way, notes that I will actually use instead of just quotes of the talks.

During one of the breaks between sessions we had a charla with Mathyas and we have seen a complete 180 turn around in him. He is ready to be baptized and already has a date to receive the priesthood a week later. I am so grateful that he had the desire to act and that the Spirit was able to help him come to know that these things are true. What a true blessing he has been for me, I am positive that he has blessed my life much more than I have blessed his. The Spirit does it all, we are just there to help him feel of the Spirit. If he has the Spirit as a constant companion then he will stay firm in this wonderful gospel, I am sure of it because someone who has the Spirit as a constant companion keeps the commandments. I am grateful for him and that he has been able to have a change of heart.. the Lord sure does prepare His children.

What else could I say that hasn´t already been said to close an email.. I miss you and I love you. I love you more than you can imagine.. now picture that love and make it perfect. Yeah, that is God´s love for you. He loves you perfectly even though you are imperfect. I hope you have a great week! Until next week (: See you in 8 weeks!

Elder Taylor Abel.. an Elder who is learning a whole lot.




Luis Rovelli and I watching conf in English in the family history center.
 He lived in North Salt Lake for 4 years so he likes to watch it in English so he doesn't lose anything in the translation.



so many miles!