Lleida – Week 1…A New Area and a New Calling 😇

Hey ya’ll! How are you all doing today?

So, let me explain the heading of this email. It was the Saturday when we normally get our calls (about transfers). We got to piso and were doing our studies. We get a call from Presidente Galli. Now you normally only get a call from him if he is calling someone to a leadership position. Anyway, Elder Newman picks up and he tells him that they are going to CLOSE OUR AREA!!!!!! 😯😥😓😟😢😭😭😭😭😭 I was completely shocked, but I did think about it for a moment. Anyway, Elder Newman is going to TorreVieja, where he will probably finish his mission because he only has 3 months left.

After talking with Elder Newman, President Galli wanted to talk to me. I told him that I was sad that they were closing the area, and he said that he understood. Apparently, there are not enough missionaries to keep areas open. So, they are closing this one which means there will only be sister missionaries serving in Sabadell 1 and elders in Sabadell 2. He then told me that I was going to Lleida to be with Elder Clarke and that I was going to be the District Leader. I was again completely shocked. I didn't think about that one. I am surprised, a bit happy, still shocked, and feeling overwhelmed and unqualified. But maybe I have learned something with being companions with 3 district leaders. So, I keep praying for inspiration. 

Elder Clarke and I are going to get along well, I think.  He is pretty cool.

The week was interesting. We did an intercambio and also killed Hermana Lighten (meaning she ended her mission and she went home). We had her funeral and it was pretty fun. It's the 3rd one that I have participated in. I feel grateful that I was able to send one of my hermanas home (as in she was an hermana who came in the mission field when I came in). It was a blessing. 

Wow, saying goodbye was so hard. There were a couple of families that I grew really close to. I was able to share my testimony with the ward and we also did a musical number. It is the hymn, “Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd”. I think that's what it is called. We sang it really well, and I could definitely feel the angles singing with us. We gave our final Gospel Principles class and it was fun. We talked about obedience. We ate with Los Cachari and that was a great visit. They are so good to us. We then visited Roberlando and Marco Antonio who I have known since the beginning of my mission. We taught Roberlando about Family History. He wrote in my transfer journal as well. We then went to the church for the ward’s farewell that they were planning for us. So that was really nice and fun. I got all the members to sign in my book. We took good photos as well and we shared our testimonies. We had some food there was well. And it was a great night. 

Then Monday was a day of visiting people and saying good-bye. I love them all so much. In the visits, I played "Away In A Manger" while my companion and I sang. It turned out really well! I'll upload the photos of the visits for everyone so don't you worry, lol. 

The miracle of this week for me was this past Friday/Saturday. On Friday afternoon, about 1:00pm, we had an eating visit with Sister Cacahri. The family was planning on going to the temple because it was the ward’s temple trip. But Ian, their 1 ½ year old was still sick and wasn’t eating very much and was kind of fussy. As we said the prayer, we prayed for him, that he would feel better and start eating so the family could go to the temple to complete some sacred covenants and ordinances for the bringing about of the Lord's kingdom and doing his work. After we said the prayer,…he started eating everything! Later that night, after the temple trip, when we went to the church and all the members were there including that family! So, they were able to go to the temple.  The other miracle was seeing Roberlando in church and knowing that he had received his endowments. 

You don't know how special it was for me to be able to be an instrument in the Lord's hands and baptize him, then find him a year later and prepare him to enter the temple.  He also took a family name to the temple which was awesome. 

Answers to questions... 

How was the temple for Roberlando?

The temple was so great. He loved it alot! 

How did it go with the investigator who had a baptism date?

Andrea did not reach her baptism goal. But we put another baptism date for one of our friends called Carlos. He has a date for the 5th of January so I pray that the hermanas can keep teaching him and he can reach that date. 

What are you doing to engage in the Light The World campaign?

We have been meeting with members and inviting them to do the challenges or better said the invitations. I hope it goes well.

What has been your greatest personal accomplishment, thus far, in your mission?  

My greatest personal accomplishment has been promising blessings without fear. I love doing It. 

How is your pinkie toe?

Great! 

How are you doing on stamps?  Do I need to send you more?

Yay, I need to send more 

How are you feeling spiritually?

I feel more like I want to give it all. A lot of preparation and growing will be taking place here in Lleida.

When was the last time you read your patriarchal blessing?

I read it last Sunday on fast Sunday 

Well that's about it everyone. I love Elder Clarke so much. We are going have a great 6 weeks together. I love you all so much and can't wait to write to you all again next week! I love you all and keep the faith!!! 

Love Elder Maybury 

Our last picture as a district

Elder Newman, Elder Frazier and I were transferred and 

Hermana Lighten went home.

It is always so hard to say goodbye to so many wonderful people.  

I love them all.

(don't worry, she is 12)

Me and Elder Newman

It's cold and we walk...a lot!

Yummy food!!!!

Me with Roberlando and Marco Antonio

Our very last Gospel Principles class

The ward gave a Send Off Party.  It was fun! 

("W" for the win...for Jesus)

Well, I must say that my heart was extremely FULL of love for my boy this week.  Hearing of his transfer and his new calling truly caused me some emotion.  The emotion is more FOR my son and HIS ability to accept the blessings that come from this opportunity to serve in a leadership position.  My son loves to serve others.  He doesn’t aspire to lead others, but he has always said that he will do what is asked of him by the Lord.  What a great example he is!

I have been praying for him to be able to have an opportunity to serve others in this capacity because, as a leader, you do more than just go out and preach the gospel.  You lead other missionaries.  You listen to them.  You counsel them.  You pray for them.  You motivate them.  You want good things for them.  You come to love them.  You resolve any issues.  You conduct interviews.  You keep stats.  You do reports.  It is more work and more service, all in the same number of hours in the day. 

So, of course, my son asked for prayers.  I ask you to add your prayers to mine, that his shoulders will be strengthened.  That his footsteps will be sure.  That his eyes will be focused.  That his ears will be tuned.  And that his heart will be open.  I KNOW he will do well and I KNOW that the Lord truly does answer prayers. 

I am adding a new piece of information here to these blogs.  It is another way to contact my son, Elder Maybury.  You have to know how much he loves all of you for your love and support of him on the mission.  He loves hearing from you. So, while you still have the opportunity to send him a letter or a card, which he LOVES to get, I am now extending to you all his email address so that you can drop him a line and let him know you are thinking of him.  It doesn’t have to be long, but you never know what your few words of love and encouragement might mean for him.  With this new weight of calling as District Leader, I can assure you, he will need the uplifting words that you can share. 

Please note…he may not be able to respond to you right away.  As a matter of fact, I know he won’t.  He WILL WANT TO, but he has time limits for writing emails on P-day.  So, send him your good wishes and love with no expectations.  Send him an email just because you know it will brighten his day. 

Thank you all so much for your love and support of our son.  We are so grateful to you for it. 

Email address:

alexander.maybury@myldsmail.net

Mailing address:

Elder Alexander J. Maybury

Spain Barcelona Mission

C/ Calatrava 10-12, bajos

08017 Barcelona

Spain

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

Emailed: Dec 11^th