¡Montevideo...!

Family and Friends,
I´ll go ahead and apologize now for the short letter...but I´ve got a good excuse this week-we´re leaving for the temple in like 1/2 an hour! How cool is that?! Yep, that´s right. Artigas has invaded Montevideo. But just for today. Our zone met our baptismal goal last month, and so are "reward" is that we get to go to the temple! Which also includes getting to like hang out in ´Deo for a day!
We left last night at about 9:30, and drove on like a 16-seat bus all night. Got here at about 5:30 this morning. It wasn´t too bad of a ride. Granted, a bed is always better to sleep on (or in my case, a couch) but it was good. This morning, Elder Stoddard, Elder Talbot, Elder Villa, Elder Damairu, Elder Klingler, Hermana Aranda, Hermana Mamani, and I went and cruised around ´Deo. We went over to the ocean and took some sweet pictures. Went and visited some members that who were in Elder Stoddard´s area here-who live in a HUGE, OLD house. It was cool. We went and saw the ashes of Jose Artigas, who is basically like the George Washington of South America, but especially Uruguay. It was way cool-you´ll love the pictures. And then we ate-amazing buffet. And then we went bowling! It was so fun. Especially with the latinos who´ve never bowled in their lives. Haha. Good times.
So there ya go, Dad-that´s why last night we didn´t answer the phone with that new number you found-we weren´t there. So use that new one you found and either call tomorrow (Wed.) or Thursday. Between 9:45 and 10:30 our time. It should work. If not, I´ll just call you on Sunday around 3ish your time.
Mary-Anne said I sounded weird on the phone-why?! I admit, I was trying to keep it kind of quick, because we were just supposed to be setting up with our fam´s, and I don´t want to break any rules. If I want the help of the Lord with the language and all, there´s no breaking rules for me! So I´ll try not to be so WEIRD this Sunday, Mary-Anne. My bad.
MELANIE MADE JAZZ CHOIR!!! Elder Stoddard and I celebrated on Sunday-he made ARROZ CON LECHE. I leave the translating to you, because it sounds way better in Spanish. CONGRATS MELANIE! I AM SO EXCITED FOR YOU! You´re going to be awesome! We´ll chat more on Sunday.
NEIL GOT HIS CALL AND HE´S SPEAKING SPANISH?! YES! Wow, I love this week. Haha. That´s way exciting. Try to find out what´s going on with Jer before Sunday, if you can. How´s Elder McCarty doing?
MARY-ANNE´S DONE WITH COLLEGE! YAY! Your pictures were so cool! I might print some of them out when I get back to Artigas. Ah, my cute sister!
I´m still waiting for stamps, so those of you who are waiting for letters, please don´t hate me. You´re in my thoughts, at least! Haha. The intention´s gotta count for something!
Mom, did ya´ll get my package yet? I guess it´s kind of pointless asking, since I´ll talk to you on Sunday, but what the heck. It´s weird to think I´m calling again already. The mission is going so fast. The days go by like weeks and the weeks go by like days. It´s weird, but it´s SO true. On Sunday when I call, it will be my 5-month mark. That´s crazy. The Spanish is really coming along. I can understand just about everything, and I´m doing alright with speaking. We´ll see what Elder Stoddard tells you. Haha.
Changes are a week from Thursday. Already?! Crazy. We´re about 99% sure that Elder Stoddard is leaving and I´m staying. He´s been here in the same area for four changes now. If he stays it would be ridiculously rare. So I might be getting a new companion...any bets? Do I get a Latin, or a Gringo? One of the Assistants told me this morning this morning I´m zone leader next change-haha. That would not be cool. Just heard that the President and Assistants are doing the changes right now as I write. That´s cool. So be waiting anxiously, as all of us will be.
Once again, I apologize for the short letter-I know I´m going to get an ear full, but I wanted to see all of M-A´s pics before I wrote back. Can you blame me?! I promise details on Sunday and a juicy letter on Monday when things settle down!
I love you all. Know that you are in my prayers and that I think about you often.(but not too often!) The Lord lives and loves us. Ya´ll don´t know how lucky you are to get to go to the temple as often as you want-GO AND DO THE WORK! I am so excited for the chance I have to go. The Lord has invited us to help Him in this wonderful work-now let´s do it. I love you and I love this opportunity! ¡VAMOS ARRIBA!
Con Todo De Mi Amor,
Elder Taylor