Marratxí – Week 7 … A “funeral” and I’m the “District Monkey” again 🐒

Hello everyone, how are you all doing?!

Wow, it's so good to be able to write to you all today! It's a real blessing to be able to do it. So, let's get cracking to the stories! 😎 

So, I will start with transfers! I am staying!!!!! Yep, I will "kill" Elder Salazar in the mission meaning that I will be his last companion before he goes home. That means that I will probably train but you never know. There are always exceptions. Our district was me and Elder Salazar in Marratxi, Elder Holbrook and Elder Jacobson in Manacor, and Elder Rathke and Elder Molina in Inca with Elder Molina as Disctrict leader. 

Now it will be Me and Elder Salazar with my companion as District leader, Elder Holbrook will be training in his area, and Elder Rathke and Elder Rodriguez in Inca. Elder Rodriguez is in my group and we get along really well. I am what they call the "District Monkey" because my companion is the District Leader so I will be doing a lot of exchanges. I basically have one a week. Lol. But that's okay because I am excited to learn even more! Hahaha! 

Today we traveled around the city a lot. We went to a store called Tiger and I got a new transfer journal.  It will be a lot neater now. We went to Llao Llao again. I got myself a member card for free so now I can save points and get some ice-cream for FREE!!! I'm super excited. 🍦🍦🍦🍦

We ate at Burger King today and talked with all the people there. Basically, every companionship changed except for mine, so the whole zone is getting new missionaries while we stay the same. 

This past week we had the “funeral” for Elder Jacobson. It was super good. When a missionary goes home, the District usually does a funeral for that missionary because he is "dying" in the mission.  It was super fun and we wrapped him up and we had a little funeral where we all talked about him. I almost got a napkin set on fire that was in my hands because it was by the candles that we lit. Hahaha. Oops.

Yesterday, we all got together with the youth and young adults to write in each other’s transfers journal. I love being with them because it's so fun. We got ice-cream and were by the cathedral writing our letters. It was a fun time. This past Friday we had a World Cup activity with the branches. We got our faces painted with the flags from where we are from. So yep, I got the American flag painted on my face, and the red paint didn't come off as easily as the other colors and it stayed on me for a bit longer, lol. But it was a great activity! A lot of people and good food! 

There were two baptisms that occurred this past Sunday. They were so prepared and are going to be great members and contributors to Zion. It truly is a blessing to be able to watch baptisms for the Lord. It really is. 

Answers to questions... 

Have you received any mail or packages yet?

I have not gotten any mail yet, but I should next week when Zone Co Reece happens. Since it is in a Monday, preparation day with be on Tuesday again. 

Since the next milestone is where you burn pants, can you find a thrift store to buy some inexpensive pants to burn?

I'm actually going to buy a new suit since we are in the same season. I saw a nice suit jacket for $20 that was originally $80-100. But I also have to plan to find pants that I will burn as well. 

How are you doing on contact lenses and solution?

Contacts and lens solution is good. Another bottle would keep me set for a while since I don't want to have to run out and not have any, but I can actually just buy some in a pharmacy so no problem there. 

Are you using mouthwash regularly?

I believe I can job at some mouth wash here. I will get some tomorrow actually. 

Can you explain to us what you do during siesta time?

In my siesta time, we have one hour to eat and one hour for language study, then we get right back out and work! The kingdom of God never stops. 

The World Cup is happening right now and it's super crazy. We can see it sometimes when we pass by a bar every once in a while. And when Spain scores, everyone freaks out and starts screaming, it's only natural though. But when it happens, you know about it. ⚽️

Well that's it for this week! I love you all super much, thank you for the emails! They make my Day! Keep the faith! 

Love Elder Maybury 

World Cup Fever!!!  Go USA (even though they aren't in it) :D

The "Funeral" for Elder Jacobson

Beautiful Spain - Palma de Mallorca, Baleares Islands

ICE CREAM TIME - MY FAVORITE!!!!

P-day Activities - Llao Llao

A bakery where the floor is glass and you can see the workers below

Selfies!  and with My Companion

Sleeping during companionship study! *gasp*

Thank you all for your love and support of our son while he serves the Lord.  If you would like to write to him, you may do at the following address:

Elder Alexander J. Maybury

Spain Barcelona Mission

C/ Calatrava 10-12, bajos

08017 Barcelona

Spain

All letters require one international stamp = $1.15 / up to one ounce

Emailed: June 26th 

Marraxtí – Week 6...I burned a shirt and almost died! 😂

Hi everyone!!!!! How are we doing today?! 

It's been a bit of a long week, but I have very grateful to start a new one. 

First and foremost, I would like to give a shout out to my father for being the best dad in the whole world!!!!!! Happy Father’s Day Dad! I love you super-lotta-much. 💖💖💖💖💖

And then a shout out to my brother Joshua for getting a job already!!!!!! Wow, 15 1/2 years old. That's quite impressive, and when I tell other people about it, they are shocked. So yes, I do brag about you Joshua. Congratulations brother! I'm so proud of you and I know you will do great!!! 

So, we had an Intercambios (exchanges) this week with Inca. I went with Elder Rathke and I enjoyed it a lot. He is a calm fella but once you get to know him, he can be really fun to be around. He also taught me some things on the ukulele, so I should be posting something soon for you all, maybe, we’ll have to see how it goes, hahahahaha!!!! 

The miracle of this week was that when Diana and Paco came to church, Sebastian (son of Diana) came as well. He is less-actives so it's really good to see all of them together. And he enjoyed the classes for the youth as well. So, thumbs up to the teachers. And the parents of course for bringing him, claro. 

The world cup is going on right now and it's really big as you can imagine. So big thing is that we have actually not been able to meet with some people because their team was playing! Hahaha!!!😂 My companion told me that the world cup is going to be so bad for us. And it's true. 

One of our investigators, Juanma, has been having a bit of a rough time and we don't know why, he lost his fecha for baptism but, it happens. We are gonna try to figure out what's going on and help him hopefully. He really is a good person, he just needs that last push. 

Have you received any mail yet or only at Zone Conference?

I will get any packages or mail at this next coming Zone Conference

When is your companion going home? 

Elder Salazar is going home August 7th, pretty close eh? 

Any plans to sing in the near future?

I hope to sing in the future this next transfer. We will see how it all goes. I'll try to post something on Facebook as well. 

What are you working on for the ukulele?

I am working on "Abide with Me" and "God be with You till We Meet Again". I am also writing my own song as well and its pretty hood. I just have to figure out thee cords and everything. Lol. 

Today we had a pretty relaxed preparation day. Elder Salazar got his hair cut and then we went to the center to get some Llollo (Yao-Yao). It's ice-cream yogurt and definitely good! Wow, it was so good. I have a photo of it that I will include for you all. Then we came to the church, played some basketball and soccer, played the card game UNO, at some food although an Elder ate my donuts! I was pretty mad, but I got over it quickly. And then we had a water balloon fight and played some water games. Some people chucked buckets of water at people.  Well, I did the chucking of course.  Hahaha!

Oh, and perhaps the most important thing was that I burned a shirt today for my one year mark! It was pretty fun to do. We did it in the bathtub because Elder Salazar didn't want to do it in the canal, because he's lazy (his words, and mine😎). I almost died because the smoke was building up in piso. It was kinda scary!  But all in all, it was super great! Now it's pants the next time. 

That's about it for today! But I will be ready with more things next week. I love you all, keep doing amazing things, and keep the faith! 

Love Elder Maybury 

One year mark shirt...Burning a shirt 🔥🔥🔥 

On my year mark!  June 12, 2018 👍🏼

Celebrating my brothers great accomplishment and supporting his company 

Llollo 

Found some Mochi (Japanese ice-cream).  My sister LOVES these! 

Activity at the church with some members! 

And many pictures I tried to send last week, but took too long to load.  So here are some more from the wedding! 

District P-day and our last activity with the Hutchings.  

Brother Hutchings is Sister Dayton's brother.

They are both leaving next week for home.

Animals in Spain

(A pig on a leash, a bird, a goat)

Me in the canal.  I always wanted to climb down there. 

It was actually harder to do than I thought it would be.

Me being me - a King, Sinatra, and Clark Kent! 

I love it here!  Best decision I have ever made!

Well, what joy it gives me to hear from my son.  I absolutely LOVE his personality.  It is so present in his emails and especially in his pictures.  It’s great to see that even 5200 miles away, he can bring joy to others and smile to our faces. 

Well, as you read, for his one-year anniversary in the mission, he burned a shirt.  It is a tradition amongst the missionaries to do so.  At 6 months, it was a tie.  And apparently at 18 months it’s pants!  Umm, I’ll have to either steer him from that one OR encourage him to go find a thrift shop to buy some pants to burn.  Hahaha!  And, of course, some pointers on NOT burning clothing inside your home.  Gah!  Missionaries!  They clearly ARE and NEED to be protected by angels. 😇

In the personal emails that he has sent home, he has shared his testimony with various family members and what I love about reading his testimony is that you can FEEL his conviction and the strength of his heart in his words.  My son had a good testimony before he left, but it was nowhere near what it is today.  And that has come directly as a result of HIS efforts to study and pray and to invite the Spirit into his life daily.  He is on the Lord’s errand and every footstep has been in dedication to the Lord.  His reward has been growth.  Physical, emotional, and spiritual growth.  Growth through painstaking effort and dogged determination.  Does growth really come any other way?

In another email last week, he also shared some keen insights on the lessons learned from Liberty Jail.  I asked him to read a talk on the subject and to share with me his thoughts.  I have never seen my son write more words than in sharing his insights and impressions on this topic.  I was not reading words from my 19-year-old son who left just a year ago.  These were words and insights that one who converses with the Lord is able to capture and articulate.  I was impressed, amazed and proud of his testimony.  💜

Next week are transfers.  We hope he stays in Marratxí.  He most likely will because this will be his companion's last transfer in the mission before he leaves.  But at the end of next week, he will get a new mission president, as President and Sister Dayton have completed their 3-year mission service.  It is always a tough time for missionaries to say good-bye to their mission presidents.  They have been like second parents to them.  Their new mission president will be Brother & Sister Galli.  It will be interesting to see how he leads and what new inspirations he will have for the mission. 

Additionally, July 1^st officially closes the 3^rd mission in Spain – the Málaga mission.  All of Spain will be absorbed into the 2 remaining missions: Barcelona and Madrid.  So, there will be new missionaries to meet, perhaps even some they knew from the CCM.  They were be some new areas to cover, as well.  Change can be difficult, but change always leads to new adventures, too!  We will wait and see what happens.

As always, thank you for your continued support of our son.  He loves you all and loves your prayers and your support.  If you would like to write to him, please feel free and you may use the following address:

Elder Alexander J. Maybury

Spain Barcelona Mission

C/ Calatrava 10-12, bajos

08017 Barcelona

Spain

Each letter will require one international stamp = $1.14 / up to one ounce

Emailed: June 18^th