(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
Emailed: October 29th
(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:
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 5th
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