Hello
everyone!!! How are we all doing today?!
It has
been an interesting week. Let's see...
For
preparation Day, we wanted a pretty relaxed day so we took it nice and easy.
The Elderes from Inca are with us today. They stayed the night in our
piso. We went to Corte de Inglés (a shopping
store) to look for some clothing. Still super expensive with all the discounts.
Well, at least the suits are expensive. Then we left and went to Sara and the
same thing was happening there. I found a suit but the pants where too long, so
I didn't get it. And the same thing happened at Mango Outlet, found a suit, but
the pants were too long and I couldn’t find another matching pair. Ugh. Well,
my pride and lack of desire to leave empty handed got the best of me, so I
bought a sweater for 10 dollars and it's pretty nice. I like it a lot.
Well, our
two investigators played a really mean joke on us. Ignacio messaged us saying
that he didn't want to get baptized on the 4th of August with Paco because all
of a sudden, he sees something bad in him. WHAT? YOUR BEST FRIENDS! Then Paco
messaged us saying that he didn’t understand why Ignacio was treating him
really bad and weird now. Turns out that they were playing a joke in us. Those
two are getting baptized together on the 4th of August and are best
friends. Yay!
Last week
was the temple trip for our ward. [They had to fly from the islands to the
Madrid temple, so it requires a sacrifice of money for them]. In the sacrament
meeting, they gave the time to the members to talk about their experiences from
the temple. Paci and his family gave me Reese's Cups and Jerky from Madrid!
Wow, I'm so blessed! So, we couldn't visit any members at all. But it was
super good for all of them. Maria, married to Ignacio, is reactivating herself,
and she went to the temple to get her endowments! She is coming back very
strong. She and Ignacio want to be sealed together 1 year from the baptism, so
they have that going for them. It's the same situation with Paco and his wife
Diana. Diana is a less active who is reactivating herself. They are the ones
who just recently got married so now Paco can be baptized.
*Names have been changed or
removed for privacy*
Now this one
family had an interesting/troubling thing happen to them. Well, the dad didn't
come to church and it was weird because he told us of course he would come. At
the end of the day, his wife, messaged us saying that she would like to speak
to us. We thought that something bad might have happened between them. Well,
that's not what happened. They picked their son up from the hospital. Saturday
night, he went to a party with some friends. Well, long story short, they
drugged him, robbed him down to his shoes and left him. Now, their son has
complete desires to change and wants better influences. He will be spending
more time with us now and going to activities at the church so he can have
better influences. It has been very rare times since I have seen someone be so
humbled and just be at rock bottom. He asked for a blessing of comfort and
counsel and he asked me to give it to him. I will tell you all that that was a
very powerful experience. I began to cry at some of the words which were said.
I felt the words leave my mouth as if it were cool water from a stream.
Towards the end, my legs began to wobble. I know that I was working by the
spirit and that my physical strength was not the only strength which was given
to me at this moment, but the strength of the Spirit. And then I knew when the
Spirit had ceased speaking because your mouth just sits opens an nothing
leaves, you can't even force air to come out, and that's when I knew that what
needed to be said and heard had been communicated. I am so thankful that I was
in a place spiritually to be able to experience that.
Answers
to questions...
Any packages or letters
this week?
Nothing
this week, but we will see if I get something when President and Hermana Galli
come for interviews.
Did you get a haircut
this week?
I did,
let's just say that it is shorter than what I thought it would be, lol.
How is Elder Salazar
doing? He only has a couple weeks left,
no?
Elder
Salazar is going good. He is not too trunky at all. I don't think he wants to
go home. He likes the mission.
Is there anything that
you need me to send to you?
That I
know of right now, I don't need anything. Always love the cards though. Money
is always nice, haha! I need some white shirts.
What have you been
cooking lately?
Chicken
and meat have been the normal things. Pasta every once in a while, and I am
starting to eat more sandwiches and making my own mixes. It's quite
delicious.
How are the bed bug
bites?
I don't
know if I have them anymore, but I am still do a lot of cleaning with all of
that.
Did you ever get a
picture with your new Mission President?
We did from the first Zone
Conference, but they don't ever pass it around. Good for nothing it seems like.
But that's okay. I'll find it.
How in
the stinking world has Joshua worked an 11-hour shift?! Is that even legal.
The longest I ever did was about an 8-9 hour and I was completely dead by the
end. This kid has some stinking super power or something. He is destined for
some great things. Isabella is much bigger now in the photos with me than with
Joshua. About a quarter of her size bigger. Oh, I found the cord to the camera,
and then I couldn't find the camera for two weeks! Then I looked behind the
dresser right by my head where I sleep and there it was. Mas tonto no nazco,
jejeje. That means if I was any dumber I wouldn't have been born. Those
Spanish phrases come in handy. The Swedish lady wasn’t here last Sunday so I
didn't translate for her, but maybe next time.
That's
about it for this week! Love you all and keep the faith! Thank you for the
letters, prayers and the best wishes.
Love
Elder Maybury
Group
photo
(Me, Gomez, Salazar, Rodriguez)
Haircut - Yes, I let another missionary cut my hair *sigh*
New
sweater - I like it!!!
In the
park flying kites!
Regarding his haircut....all I could do was chuckle. I think most missionaries have haircuts like this at one point or another in their mission. ESPECIALLY when they let another missionary cut their hair. *hahahaha* Oh well. For me, it means I can see his face even better now! And I love his face. Also, it teaches one not to rely on the outward appearance too much. *hee hee*
I am supremely grateful to my son for his sacrifice of service to the Lord for these 24 months. They are right when they say that the second half of the 2 years goes much quicker than the first. My boy only has 10 months left!!!! More important to me, however, is that he is happy. He loves what he is doing. In his letters home (actual handwritten letters), he said, "Choosing to serve a mission was the best decision I have ever made. I am so grateful that I am here right now in my life, serving the Lord and the people of Spain. This is where I belong. I don't think I could be this happy any place else right now." You see. He gets it. He sees the BEAUTY of the choice he made. He doesn't see it so much as "I had to give up all of these things...", he sees it as "I am right where I belong!" His companion is going home this next transfer (Aug 7th) and so a new companion means new experiences and new personality meshing. I hope for good things. But I truly feel that him spending these past almost 3 months in Marraxti with Elder Salazar WAS INDEED AN ANSWER TO MY PRAYER FOR MY SON. He needed this particular area and this particular companion. I have seen a significant growth in him over these past 3 months and I am so grateful to a Father in Heaven who hears the prayers of his children and answers them. I hope for great things for my son. Continued learning and growth, of course, but also HE is starting to see and accept HIS OWN growth and that equals confidence. Confidence in himself and in the blessings from the Lord.
As always, thank you for your love and support of my son. As you read, he is grateful for the cards and letters he receives. 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
Each card/letter costs one international stamp ($1.15) / up to one ounce
Emailed: July 23rd
