HE SPEAKS ITALIAN

One of Robert's friends parent's are going to Chile on a mission, actually as mission president and wife. They are going to the Chile Santiago South or North mission...can't remember which....anyway....
M goes to the MTC several times a week to study Spanish. Today as she was walking the halls..guess who she saw???? That's right! OUR missionary..Elder Bona!!! She said that he wanted to give her a hug so bad (her son and Robert are really good friends-he is going to another mission in Chile in June and they leave in July)....but of course there are rules that missionaries must abide by..so instead of a hug he handed her is Book of Mormon and their hands hugged for a few moments.....
M continued to ask how he was doing and how the MTC was treating him. He said that he really loved it there. He told her that he is always having some type of spiritual experience and that it is wonderful! He also told her that he really loves his companion that they get along so well. He said that in his district there have been other comapionships that have hit the rocks a few time, but that he and Elder Dunshee really are great friends and have a wonderful time together and they have never had any problems!
M then proceeded to ask Robert about his Italian...he said that it was coming along okay. She asked for him to bear her his testimony in Italian. He did it!!! She said he sounded amazing and she was so happy for him! Then Elder Dunshee proceeded to bear his testimony as well. She said that you could tell that he was having a bit more difficulty with the language and Robert had to help him along, but he did it as well. We were so happy to hear that Robert could actually speak in Italian. We were also glad to know the he is helping his companion out as well with the language.
M said that Robert looked like a missionary, spoke liked a missionary and you could see that he was becoming a great missionary!
He passed hugs our way and to tell us that he missed us all "like heck"!
(We miss him "like heck" too!)
As they were talking his friend Coulton (who is going to Athens, Greece) came up to them, so they all were able to visit for a few minutes, then Morgan with his escort walked by and they all said hi! Morgan is going to Raleigh-Durham North Carolina and was just entering the MTC today when they all saw him. I'm sure he was glad to see a familiar face!!!
I have to admit that my eyes teared up for just a minute.
We are so proud of Robert. I can't wait to here him speak in Italian...Finally after 16 years he is speaking Italian again!!!!
Sure do love that boy!!! and miss him "like heck" too!!!

(This is a post from the family blog on April 14, 2010)