Sabadell – Week 9 … My verdict on Taco Bell 🌮

Hey everybody, how has your week gone?! 

Let me tell you about mine...

So, we had Zone conference this week. President Johnson of the Area Seventy was at our Conference. It was super good. We got our annual shot at Conference as well.  It didn’t hurt too much.  Haha.  The song we sang turned out great! I'll have to send it to so you all can watch it. I also got to see some missionaries that I have wanted to see for a while so that was a fun experience. 

For preparation day, it has been pretty low-key. I got 4 donuts because it's just one of those days today. We are going to Taco bell in Barcelona and Alberto who is our ward mission leader will take us. It should be pretty fun, although I am not a fan of Taco bell. Sorry, mom.  I promise just this one time. I got myself a pull-up bar with different functions since this piso doesn't have any weights. Just a small one that you use for dumbbells. But there is no dumbbell, lol. These triceps are gonna start popping out of the sleeves, lol. I'm now at 170 lbs so that's good. But I still have an excuse to eat whatever I want so I can gain a little more. But I do actually eat healthy. 

I can't remember if I have said this already, but we are getting started in the Downies For Brownies activity. I realized that I can't put tape on paper to make a covering, like when it looks laminated. It looks terrible, hahaha. Nothing like the ones done by the sister missionaries. But I guess it's always been like that.  They are better than us. 

We went to go eat with a family Saturday night and wow, they are amazing. They offered to take one of our friends to church so she doesn't have to go alone. This will also help her finally come to church. There are members who ask about her and her mother as well so when I told our friend that, she was like, "Wow, I didn't know that" and she felt good that members were asking about her. There are a lot of members who want to do missionary work. Others no, but we will get there. It's all a work in progress.  

We were playing soccer last Saturday at 5:00, and although not a lot of people turned up, we still had fun. I have turned into quite the scorer now. Normally I play defense or mid, but now I go up more and shoot the ball .... and score. And I am a pretty good goalie as well. But hey, I just do what I do. As my mom says, “Don’t try to be like me, you’ll hurt yourself.”  Haha.

The miracle of this week was that as we were in an eating visit with a family, we told them of one of our friends needed help getting to church so they offered to take her every Sunday! Wow, it was an answer to our prayers and our fast. We have to work with members. You can already tell the importance that comes from it. 

Answers to questions...

How is the ward mission leader doing?

He is doing much better now. He can come to church and do most things, but exercise and sports as still a no go. 

Are you going to cook a turkey this year?  Maybe try the cookies again?

I have no idea what we are going to do for Thanksgiving this year.

Where do you think all the swords are that were buried?  (from the Nephites and Lamanites) Why have they not been uncovered on the Earth somewhere?

I think the swords are still in the earth. There's no need for them to be uncovered. If they were, it would be to use them (during the time of laminates and nephites) which would break the covenant with that people. So, I think that because those people have kept there part of the covenant t keep them buried and change to follow Christ, I think they will stay there. As to where in the earth, well I can only say South America. I'll throw Guayaquil, Ecuador in there just for fun. 

You probably have only 1 or maybe 2 more areas left in your mission.  What areas would you like to serve in?

Well, for my last area, I don't know where I would like to go. I would like to go to Valencia or be in Barcelona Zone 1 or 3. 

How is your pinkie doing?

The pinkie is hanging in there. There is a good part of it that is dead, but it doesn't grow out any more so I don't want to clip it off and have 25% of my life kid with out a nail. Sigh, what should I do. 

If you could write one message in the sky from a plane, what would it say?

If I could write one message, hmmm. I think it would be I Love God. And He Loves You. 

Well I think that's about it. The Taco Bell didnt turn out to bad. I got myself the Mexican Burrito. As soon as I saw that, I knew I just had to get it. Hahaha. Well thanks for reading the email. I am super glad that you take the time to read about my adventures. I love you all and I hope you all have a great week. Christmas is almost here! 

Love Elder Maybury 

Our Visit to Taco Bell

The Members Feed Us Ribs *Yummy*

Zone Conference Pics

Me and Elder Parker

Some Missionaries From My Group

As always, it was good to hear from my son.  His mission president has now allowed the missionaries to “chat” via Facebook Messenger with their parents on P-days.  No video chats and not everyone.  I had only heard of this from another mom on a Facebook group I belong to (for Barcelona Missionary moms).  My heart leapt when I heard this and HOPED that it was true.  So, I sent off a quick message to my son.  And sure enough, it was true!  Oh, it was so nice to have a back-and-forth with my son.  We were able to actually discuss a few things and get definitive answers.  I would say it was an INSPIRED decision by the Mission President.  Haha!  Of course, I had post-P-day depression afterwards.  But, I am sooo looking forward to Monday again!

I will say, while he is happy and working hard, he is COLD!  His Christmas list is actually pretty short and sweet.  Money to buy warm clothes.  LOL!  He said when the wind blows, it is awful.  He cracks me up.  This is his second winter there! And last winter he was in the north of Spain where it is colder and snows.  I think spending the entire summer on the islands warmed him up a little too much. 

He did say that he wanted me to communicate his love for all of his family and his ward “peeps” (that means people or friends).  From both Sacramento and here in Utah.  He wanted me to say “thank you” for the prayers and the cards and the love.  There are days where he really needs it and it’s good to know that he has a cheering section rooting him on.  So, from Elder Maybury and from me, THANK YOU.  Thank you for taking the time from your busy lives to send a card or a note or an email to him.  He has 6 ½ months left.  That’s it.  I am going to make sure that he feels loved for the entire 6 ½ months with cards, love, prayers, sparkly dust and warm clothes. 

If you would like to brighten his day and send him a letter or card, you may do so at 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 = $1.15 / up to one ounce

Emailed: November 12^th

Sabadell – Week 7 & 8 …Singing for my Sister 🎵🎶🎵

(Week 7)

Hello everyone!!! How are you doing today?! 

Wow, what a week it has been! It's been full of blessings and miracles, just like every day of course. So... let's get to it. 

We have had a hard time finding people. But the Lord blessed us with 3 people to find and teach. We went and visited a woman named Rosario who stopped us in the street. She had talked with missionaries before and she is amazing! We visited her, and her daughter was there so we were able to talk with both of them. We are going to visit her this week and she is going to make Dominican Republic food for us! Wow, blessings! 

I have been feeling a lot better. I try and eat healthy every day and not eat a bunch of garbage. Sometimes I slip up but most times I do well. I am trying to be more obedient by getting up out of bed when the alarm goes off and start praying. The thing is I get up to pray, but then fall back in bed. During this time (winter), it's still dark outside so I don't have any energy or desire to start getting up and do exercises. But I am working on it and doing better. 

For preparation day, we have had a calm one. We are right now watching church films in the chapel. It's super fun. We ate sandwiches and popcorn. It's a good experience. We have watched Ephraim’s Rescue, the Testaments, and The Restoration. Watching movies of the Savior has touched me in a new way. And I am happy about it. Spiritual growth is always something to be happy about. 

This past Sunday we walked about 10-15 minutes in the rain. We missed the bus and so we took a train half way there. When we got to church, we were half drenched. But it was all worth to take the Sacrament. We got in contact with a recent convert and her daughter who we are trying to teach. We explained a bit about the church and the necessity to be baptized. She accepted but still has things to learn. We are excited to meet with her again this Wednesday. 

We are having Zone Conference next Wednesday and I will sing in it. It will be fun of course. There will be 4 zones together for this Zone Conference so there will be a whole lot of missionaries! 

Answers questions....

Any mail this week?

I got 4 letters this week today and 2 or 3 last week. Thank you for all of them!!! And I also got a package with food and needed toiletries! Thank you so much! 

How are you feeling, truly?

I am feeling so much better! Always floating about 95-100% 

How is it going with investigator Gustavo?

We haven't meet with him yet but we have plans to do so this week. 

Any news on the mission blog?

No news yet. He got sent to Elche I think. 

What food are you most looking forward to when you come back to the USA?

I am looking forward to some Little Caesar's, Mountain Mike's, and some normal cereal. The stuff they have here is plastic and cardboard with sugar mixed in it. 

The miracle of this week was that I have received revelation concerning a few things and people to teach which will certainly help us, them, and the area. 

We taught seminary for two days because the teacher is sick with kidney stones. It was pretty fun. My companion likes it because he wants to be a paid seminary teacher as well. So boom! 

We are both feeling better and working hard of course! I thank everyone for your prayers about our health and the area. We are certainly doing the work of the Lord and it brings joy to me heart in doing It! 

I love you all! 

Love Elder Maybury 

 On the Trammy with my companion (Elder Newman)

With a lighthouse for my mom (she loves them)

I got letters 

Happy Halloween! 

What a wonderful report from my son, especially to hear that he is feeling better.  Prayers truly are answered and I am so grateful to see his smile each week.  Even though the work is hard, it is a joy to see that he can rise above it and look for the good in all things.

This past week was my daughter's 8th birthday (October 25th).  It's a big birthday for us because it is at the age of 8 that a child can decide if they would like to follow the Savior's example to be baptized.  Alexander always knew that he would miss this birthday, but I love that he does everything he can to still be a party of his little sister's big day.  He sent her presents early and she loved them.  Then, he sang to her.  Here is the video of his birthday song for his sister.  

Happy Birthday Isabella

Emailed: October 29^th

(Week 8)

Hey everyone! It's so good to talk to you all again! 

So let's get to it! 

For this preparation day, we went to a cathedral called Tibidabo. It's got a beautiful view of the city and we took lots of pictures. Funny and very good ones. We took a small Trammy to get from the train stop to the bus where it would take us up to the cathedral. It was really neat. It's at the top and there was a bar/cafeteria on the side and a small amusement park on the other. I got some neat souvenirs and I'm not mad about spending money to get them. I had a great time being there with our district. It was really fun, and I would do it again. Next time I come, if anyone is with me, we will defiantly go.

Funny story about getting there though. 

We were on the back of the train and as we got to the stop, it was still black and dark because we were still inside the tunnel because the train is too long for this stop. So, we got carried to the next stop where we switched trains to go back.  This time, we got in the very from part of the train and it went all the way inside the tunnel again at the stop, so we got taken to the next stop. Aaagghhhh! When we switched sides AGAIN, we made sure that we got in the middle of the train, so we could get off. Haha, one elder said that this type of thing only happens to missionaries and I feel like that is a pretty accurate statement. 

We have been meeting with more members, trying to boost everyone's spirits. We are now doing an activity from the ward missionary side, it's called "Downies for Browines". It's a system of points. When members do certain things like bringing a friend to church, they will get a certain amount of points. For every certain amount of points to get, there will be a prize, like brownies. When the whole ward reaches a certain amount of points, we will do something crazy like a party. We hope that it will animate the members to work with us and us with them. 

We, as a zone, are working on being "cazadores" (hunters) this transfer. As a Hunter, we go out and find what we want, we don't wait like pescadores" (fishers). So, it's pretty neat and fun. It's defiantly changing my mentality as well. 

I shared my testimony this past fast and testimony meeting. I talked about how my sister was being baptized and confirmed and that what is remarkable is although she spent KNOW everything about the church, she BELIVES it. And how sometimes we worry so much on how we don't know things that we feel we should. I told the congregation that the Lord said to believe first. And as well to have the desire to believe and it shall be enough. You have to believe first before you can know it. If we start to have doubts and questions, don't let those doubts throw you off, remember what you believe and how it has helped you. Knowledge comes from constant work and diligence, you'll get there, and God will reveal his truths and give you knowledge on you journey to a firm testimony. In your journey from belief to knowledge. 

The ward had a Halloween party but we did Intercambios so I didn't get to go. I was there for only a little bit because we had a visit there, but we didn't stay. We played soccer this Saturday and wow, I think I have improved a lot. I scored about 5 goals at least. Not to brag or anything, but now everyone knows that just because I am American, it doesn't mean that I can't play soccer. Ya gotta know that I'm Mexican and Sicilian, I mean come on, it's in my blood! Hahahaha! We also play on Wednesdays as a ward so I'm playing with Spainards and South Americans. Wow, difficult, but I'm learning and scoring. I'm also a pretty good goalie as well. Who knew?! 

We have Stake Conference in two weeks and me and my companion are in the stake choir. I am singing tenor and it is so much fun. I'm learning a lot as well. Elder Newman really helps me out. I can't read notes yet or hear them too well to where I can make it up, but I'll get there. I will also be singing for Zone Conference this Wednesday. I still have to learn a harmony or two, but I'll get it with the Lord's help. Oh, and we will also be singing in church. We still have to figure the song and when we want to sing but we will get in that for sure. 

An area seventy will be coming to Stake conference as well. It will be exciting to see him! 

Answers to questions.....

Who made the arrangement that you sang for Isabella’s baptism?

The arrangement I just made up. It sounded good, so I went with it. 

How is your health?

I am doing so much better. I have to watch what I eat though and the Holy Ghost warns me if I am eating something to fast or if I shouldn't eat something. He has really helped me be careful and stay healthy thanks to a loving Heavenly Father.

When does Elder Newman go home?

Elder Newman Goes home in March, two transfers before me. 

How is Roberlando?

Roberlando is in Cuba fixing some papers. He will have 1 year membership in the church on the 29th of November 

What are you singing for Zone Conference?

We are singing a mix of Brightly Beams Our Fathers Mercy (in Spanish) and the Malaga mission hymn called O Vos los Llamados. It means All He who are Called. It will be fun. I'll be singing bass as my part, and alto in a certain section of the song. It will turn out great. I am singing with some talented people. 

What are some things you would like for Christmas?

Wow, there are a lot of things, kind of. Here's a list...

- Money

- A Christmas sweater

- Some ties

- A watch 

- stamps

- socks (neat designs and church socks (black, blue, grey)

- Cereals such as Trix, Lucky Charms, Coco Puffs, and Golden Grahams

- Prints photos of home

- Some more pins

Money is the most helpful just because I will be able to buy things here while there are discounts and you don't have to pay for shipping. 

Well that's about it family! I love you all, I hope your Halloween was Spookily Amazing and that you all can recognize and focus on the good things instead of the negative ones.

I love you all so much and keep the faith! 

Love Elder Maybury 

It is COLD here! 

Elder Jara and I were both trained by Elder Graham

So, we are "Golden Grahams"

All the Native Missionaries.  I finally made it!  *LOL*

The "Gun Show"

Our district on P-Day at Tibidabo

Me and my companion

Graffiti around Spain

Selfies for Funzies

Well I will say this for my son, he does not disappoint with the pictures.  I LOVE them!  He is so good about taking and sending pictures.  I know many missionary moms who have to beg their missionary children to send more photos.  I am so glad that that is not the case with my son.  

It was great to hear from my boy this week.  As I have mentioned many times before, it is the JOY that I can see in his face and eyes that makes me the happiest.  It is knowing that he is happy, healthy and working hard that brings peace to my heart. With him being 5,200 miles away, peace in the heart is a welcome gift.  

As I mentioned in the previous post, my daughter turned 8 and thus had the opportunity to choose to be baptized.  She was baptized on Saturday, November 3rd.  It was wonderful to have my mom and son come up from California and James' parents come up from Arizona to be there for her baptism.  One of Isabella's requests was that her brothers all participate in her baptism.  Graciously, her two brothers who were here offered to say the prayers.  And I had asked Alexander to prepare something for the baptism, as well.  He decided to sing the song "When I Am Baptized".  

When he sent it and I listened to it, tears formed in my eyes because it was such a beautiful arrangement and I love listening to him sing.  

I did not tell anyone that Alexander would be doing a special musical number and so they were quite surprised to see his name on the program and of course, eager to hear from him.  After the song was played, all of our family, including his two brothers had tears in their eyes.  The Spirit was very strong and love was overflowing.  It was a priceless gift for our family to all be together on this special day.  

Here is his song for Isabella's baptism:

When I Am Baptized

The Maybury Kids

Isabella - Age 8

As always, thank you for supporting my son through your thoughts, prayers, letters, cards, and emails.  He loves it all.  He loves you all.  If you feel like sending him a letter or card of encouragement, you may do so at the following address:

Elder Alexander J. Maybury

C/ Calatrava 10-12, bajos

08017 Barcelona

Spain

Each letter will require one international stamp - $1.15 / up to one ounce

Emailed: November 5^th