Hello everyone! How's everyone doing today?!
Wow what a week we have had here in the islands. It has been so
fun! I have loved every minute of it! I really have. We had a wedding this week
and it was great. We went to the other side of the island basically. Paco (our
investigator) got married to a less-active member, Diana. She is reactivating
herself to the gospel, by the way. It was a great moment. It was small, as they
didn’t want too many people. We went to
a fancy restaurant with a nice view of the beach and the ocean. Definitely will
be coming back there, with you all. Hahaha. The sister of Diana lived in the
States and brought chocolate from the State's. Wow, I almost died! Lol. I'll send the photos of it.
We went to Fromentor today for Preparation Day. It’s at the end of
the Island, as in the very end. That's why there was a lighthouse. It was so
neat. We were able to climb some switch-backs which was really neat although it
killed my feet! We took a lot of photos as well, because I know my mom likes
photos. I do too.
I have been feeling a lot better by the way. I can go out and do
everything again. Yay! I'm a getting so burnt out here. When we play soccer, it
can be so bad for me because I can just feel all the water leave my body.
That's hot!
We have been traveling to pueblos (towns) to meet people and clear
points on our map. Now that everyone is cleared, we can start finding people
more often. Oh, and another thing. I have been gaining some pounds, which I do
not like one bit. So I am going to start cutting out some things and running
more often. It's what's necessary.
Questions
to answers...
How was
the wedding?
The wedding was great, and a lot of love and friendship was there.
Everyone was so nice.
If you
could meet one prophet, who would it be and why?
If I could meet any prophet, it would be Nephi. He has just been
my idol from the beginning. Just him respecting his parents and just always
going to the Lord really resonates with me.
What do
you think has been your biggest growth during this first year of your mission?
The biggest growth? Wow, that's hard to choose. I would say in one
way that I have grown is with my patience. I am a lot more patient now and not
so quick to anger. I have sacrificed a lot but it's all been for my benefit.
What
has been one of the more profound things you have learned from your study of
the scriptures since you have been on your mission?
Well, one thing is that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. We
read it in Mosiah when the people of K!ng Benjamin make covenants and are born
again. King Benjamin says that if they are willing to be born again of Jesus
Christ and enter into a covenant with him. So that was very interesting to
me.
What
would be your advice to any missionaries just now entering the MTC/CCM?
My advice to a new missionary entering the CCM would be to pray
for humility already. Do it so you can learn how you work with the Lord and
what it takes to do so.
What
are 1-2 goals that you have for yourself by the end of your mission?
One goal is to be fluent by the end of the mission. The other goal
would be to hit my goal of 20 baptisms. For me it's not about the number but
bringing someone to start in the path of the Lord again. That is my joy. Alma 29:9
Well that's about it for right now. I'll have more next time! I love
you all!
Love Elder Maybury
Me and My Companion Dressed for the Wedding
Our trip to Fromentor! Beautiful Scenery
A Lighthouse, just for my mom!
What a great email
this week. It was short and sweet, but I
could feel the JOY coming from him.
As most of you know,
this week, he hit his One Year Mark! It
was such a wonderful day (for me!) to remember all that we did to work and help
prepare our son for his mission and now to see him finding his stride as he
works and labors in the field to help share this glorious gospel. I see my son becoming a happier and much more
confident young man. I see him learning
to delight in the small and simple things.
I see him growing in his humility.
I see him setting aside the things of the world and the desire to be OF
the world right along with it. I see him
growing in patience, in love, and in meekness.
I see him desirous of all the Lord has to offer and desirous to share it
with others. As a mother, I could want
nothing more for him.
So now we have less
than a year. 49 ½ more weeks, to be
exact. But who is counting, right? I can’t help it. It’s how my brain works. Haha!
I have heard from so many who have been through this, that the 2nd
year goes by much faster than the first. If
that is the case, then YIKES! But I will
continue to love and appreciate his growth each week. I will continue to work to develop my own
testimony so that my son is not the only one who has changed in 2 years. I will continue to pray for his health and
his success and his growth. No amount of
time on the calendar changes those desires.
There are days where
I miss him like he just left two days ago.
Hahaha. I just feel it stronger
on some days. Sundays are always the
hardest, but Mondays are always the best.
This week, I heard a song sung by Freddy Mercury and Montserrat Caballé. It’s called “Barcelona” (Live in Ibiza). I got chills.
I thought of my boy and felt so proud of him for his service and so very grateful to the people of the Spain Barcelona mission for taking care of my son.
I hope that, like my
son, after 2 years, I am better than I was before. I hope that each of us is better and that we
have taken the steps and put in the effort to grow, to develop, to be humbled
by our circumstances, even failures. I hope
that we have taken the time to step away from the world to find greater
peace. I hope that we have developed a
closer connection with our Savior by learning more about Him and learning to
listen to Him and follow Him. I hope
that when my son comes home that he will be able to see a difference in each of
us (his family), as we have committed to increase in our study of the
scriptures and in our service to others.
We are seeing the benefits here at home.
I hope he will notice them too.
Thank you to all of
you for your love and support of our son.
Thank you for those who have taken the time to write to him. He will receive his mail in a couple of weeks
and I know he loves to get mail. He says
that there are some missionaries who do not get mail. Some missionaries do not have families who
are supportive of their mission service.
So, I have taken to sending a few cards to those missionaries, as
well. A little card of encouragement
goes a long way when you are so far from home.
If you would like to
write to Elder Maybury, you may do so at the following address:
Elder Alexander J. Maybury
Spain
Barcelona Mission
C/Calatrava
10-12, bajos
08017
Barcelona
Spain
Emailed: June 11
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