MISSIONS ARE HARD AND SACRIFICES-THANK YOU DAD!

Dear Mom and Dad,

Well first off I will let you guys know about transfers: nothing special. We are staying the same. I'm not going anywhere and neither is Anz Winegar. So that's pretty chill! Sounds like the sports world is crazy! Man I miss it so much.... it's always so tempting to check it out!!! ha ha but I don't.... it will all be there when I get back so it's OK!

It is so cool mom that you went to my friends wedding reception! Super weird at the same time but it's OK if they're happy then that's what matters! Give Aubrey and Andrew my best wishes! Good for them! It is so cool that you are going to your friends sealing! That is so special! It really is what it is all about: making it to the temple so we can be sealed for time and all eternity. Man I just love thinking about that! :) it makes me so happy!!!

Everything in the apartment is now fixed.... finally!!! Gosh dang... it was so stressful.... just more stuff that I really didn't wanna worry about! But I had to! ha ha! Now stuff is much better finally, but the work has been super rough lately.... We have been working hard but we have not been able to see much good fruits... Ik is a nice guy but basically he still has some issues with some things and doesn't wanna make the necessary changes... oh well it happens, we can only do our part! Now we are teaching this guy named Eddy. He is the referral from Columbus. He is a chill guy. We only get to see him once a week though so it's hard to see a lot of progress but it's OK. He seems really bravo so I guess we will just find out and see.

Dad guess what?..... I love you :) You are great. For real! Kids growing up need more than just a parent. They need a friend and that's what you were for me and I loved it! I was pretty dumb sometimes but you were always there when I needed it and that's what matters the most. Honestly I know exactly how you feel. I feel the same way out here sometimes.

 

Honestly these last 2 weeks have been pretty hard for me. I haven't been on my A- game. The work has been hard. No one wants to listen to us. I'm tired as well!!!! It doesn't matter how much I sleep or whatever, I always feel tired. I miss home too and I've just been like super stressed to the max lately!!! There is so much stuff for us to do and so little time to do it, and when there is time to do it I feel so inadequate to do it. T

 

he last district meeting we had I decided to talk about trials because that's what I needed. It was really good and the meeting went well. When I reflect about all of these hard times in life I realize that they are really for our good! I'm just like you dude! I ask why!?!?! Why me? I don't want to deal with all this "stress" and stuff. The thing is that we don't need to know why us. The Lord gives us these hard times because He loves us and wants us to grow. It is so hard, trust me I know!! ha ha I wish I could just grow and learn without all these hard times but we can't! We need to be tried!

One thing I've realized since I've been out here is how great of a sacrifice it was for you and mom to go to America and literally just start over with your lives. You gave up everything for me and Brian. For that I really am eternally grateful. Thank you so so much!!!!! You have no idea how much it means to me. That was literally Christlike love that you showed for me and Brian. Giving up everything for someone else without really asking for anything in return. So thank you so much. Brian is still young and probably doesn't understand as much as I do. I just wanna say thanks! I love you!!!! Be happy!!!! You really do have so much to be proud of. No need to compare yourself to other people. In Gods eye's we are all the same. Who cares if someone has a big house or what not!!! Are they gonna be taking that with them in the next life?!?! I think not!!!!! ha ha That's why all we need to worry about is the family. That is something that you and mom did super well!!! That's what matters!!! :)

I think we all just need to pick our heads up a bit and be thankful for what we have. It's one of the hardest things to do but it's what everyone needs to do as well.

Mom I loved the little thought you shared. I loved it a lot! It's true. and I love that scripture in Matthew. It lets us know that God never leaves us alone. His angels are always here by our sides helping us through our hard times. It's something we need to keep in mind!

We are looking forward to our work and we have a lot of finding work in the future ahead of us!!! Not easy but we are gonna make the best of it!!! As I said, we just need to keep our heads up and do the best we can..the rest will be OK!

Thank you guys for the email. It's so crazy that Brian finishes elementary school next week! What a little stud!! I love that kid :) ha ha I love you guys so much and am thankful for your guys example and love and prayers. They really do help!

 

San Marino last p-day was chill. Today I think we are gonna go look at some mosaic's or something like that. Not sure. Maybe we will just take a nap!

Well I'll let you guys go now!!! Keep me updated on the sports! ;) I love you guys so so much and can't wait to hear from you all next week!!! bye bye!!! :) May God bless you!

Love Anziano Bona

PS.... I did a scambio with Anz Dunshee last week and he got my package when he was in Milan!! :) So i got your packages, just letting you guys know!!! ha ha love you guys have a great week!

MOTHER'S DAY PHONE CALL

Anz Bona called on Mother's Day. We had the opportunity to talk to him for almost an hour. It was so nice. We were hoping to be able to Skype with him...but it didn't happen. At first I was disappointed because I really wanted to see him, not just hear him. But then when we knew the reason why it made it much easier.
It is against mission rules to use memebers computers and the place where they go to email does have Skype, however, they would have had to pay for the internet usage, and since Mother's Day was on Sunday, they wanted to keep the Sabbath Day, and not have to purchase/pay for something, So as a compaionship they decided on phone calls only. How can you be upset after that reasoning. Especially when we have been telling Anz Bona how important obedience is.
Anyway...it was so good to talk with him. He and Anz Winegar are doing well. The work is going forward and they are doing their best.
He has had the chance to see his Uncle and family a few times as well and that has been nice too.
He sends his love to all his friends and hopes they are all well.
He feels blessed to be serving a mission and loves Italy and the people.

BIDE', FLOODS, AND MIRACLES???

Dear Mom and Dad,

yup yup yup It was pretty sweet talking to you guys on Sunday!! I loved it!!! It just makes me sad knowing I gotta wait a whole 7 months 'till I get to talk to you guys again!! Oh well it'll be worth the wait!! But ya not a whole much to talk about, but these last 2 days have been interesting.

Wanna hear my story? I sure hope so 'cause I'm gonna tell you it!!!

 

OK so it starts like a week ago or so. We find out that there is a leak in our bide'. ha ha So we call people to come over and fix it and they tell us that it's actually the pipes in the wall that are leaking so they said that they are gonna need to go in there and just destroy our whole bathroom basically. So Monday they came over and started working on it. It took 10 hours for them to do it!!!

 

We had to cancel 2 huge appointments, and we were about to have to cancel another one but then I was all, we cant miss this one we gotta say a prayer to help them finish fast! So we went in our study room and prayed and when we came out they were gone!! It was a miracle, or so we thought!!!! ha ha and it kinda was cause we were able to go out and teach Ik an amazing lesson and get things back on track with him!

 

But the problem was. that we were looking at the stuff thry did and we realized that they didn't finish! And they just left all their cement stuff everywhere! So our house was a complete mess! And they ended up having to go through the wall so we couldn't use our sink or our washer either! So all we had that worked that had water was our shower! . Oh well right.  So we thought they'd just come over the next morning to finish up the work. So Tuesday morning we wake up and go look at all the stuff where they were working and we noticed a puddle and also that 1/2 of the cement had fallen off and hadn't worked!! So they came over and started looking at the stuff and told us that they have to come destroy everything again and even destroy more then the first time!!! So we like waited for them all day yesterday to come back and start working on our stuff but they never came! I called them like 5 times and nothing. We wasted so so much time these last 2 days and nothing has been fixed :( which means we are gonna have to waste more time another day when they come to fix it.... so until then we are without a sink and without a washer and our house is completely filthy!!!

 

So last night around 730 we are like, well lets go to church because there is an activity going on and our branch pres wants us there. Anz Winegar is like hey I'm gonna try to do some laundry cause I'm out of white clothes. I told him I wouldn't cause the water will just get everywhere. So he like rigged it kinda funky so all the water would go into this bucket and he was like there it'll work! So we left and went and did our thing. When we got back guess what was waiting for us? yup you guessed it!!! A flooded apartment!!!! ha ha ya!!!! I was so happy last night!! ha ha Man it was funny we laughed so hard and said that it was just our luck. so we turned on some musice and started cleaning up!!! ha ha so ya it's been an eventful couple of days!!!

 

We weren't able to see Cristian but we are hoping to see him next week. We did have a great lesson with Ik though. Ya he is still down with baptism :) I think we are pushing it back till June 4th though. But that's OK at least he is still down!! :) That was our great miracle these past few days.

 

But ya we are in Rimini right now and we are heading to San Marino in a little bit!!! yay I'm exited for that!!  It'll be fun!

That's super cool about Brian and Talon! They are good friends! And I hope you guys know I was playing about the mini cooper! Of course I want one they are super sick!!! I've seen so many nice ones here!!! But of course I also know I'm not gonna get one! That would be too crazy!! The scooter works for me :) ha ha but ya I still got 10 months till I get home so we don't need to worry about that for now! ha ha

And mom, it's OK, no one is perfect! The thing is is to do our best and at least try :) That's what the Lord wants from us!

 

But hey I gotta bounce we are just about to head out!!! Thanks for everything! I'll catch you guys up more on everything else next time!!! Take care I love you guys so so much!!! Tell Brian sorry I don't really don't have time to write him because I still need to write Pres Wolfgramm!!! Tell him I'll write him next week for sure!! I love you Brian! :) 

I love you guys so much I hope you guys have a great week! :)

Love Anziano Bona

SHORT ONE!

Hey Mom and Dad!!

Wow no way the shuttle didn't go off again!? Bummer, that's just dads luck huh?! ;) ha ha jk! But ya that's super cool 'cause you got to spend a lot of good time with Brian!! That's super fun! You gotta take me to Florida a few times too! ha ha

So I'm probably gonna keep this one kinda short cause I will talk to you guys on Sunday! 99% chance we won't be able to do skype. We really don't have anywhere to go to do it (we don't use members computers) and we don't wanna go to our Internet point and pay money on the Sabbath to do so! So ya we just might have to call! But hey that's better then nothing :) Look at the positive! ha ha so ya I'll be calling around 8pm here which is noon there. Man! I'm super excited!!!! ha ha

A little update about the week... It was a pretty rough week. I got sick again :( I think i ate something pretty nasty cause my stomach was having problems all week then I totally died Saturday and Sunday... it was kinda yucky!!! ha ha Not to fun being sick on the mission. ha But now I am feeling way better. I think I just need to eat a bit healthier :) ha ha

Ik has disappeared off the map!!!!! Jis phone is gone and doesn't work and we've passed by his house and he is never there!!!! We don't know what to do.... Only thing we can do really is to keep calling him every once in a while and then just keep moving forward! Since I've been inside lately I've  had so much time to just read the scriptures and study... it's been so amazing I've learned so so much these last couple months!!! Ive absolutely loved my personal study time. It is to bad that we only get one hour a day to do so!!! :( I wish I had more!!!! ha ha But at the same time we've worked with members a lot lately this past week and have been blessed for that!! Once you get there trust and they realize that you really do want to work they will give you referrals!!!!  Columbus gave us a super solid referral!!! ha ha So even though it's kinda been a tough week we are still getting blessed by the Lord! That's what I'm talking about ;)

 

Well I'm gonna go now and I'll talk to you guys more this weekend!!! We are going to visit Zio  Nicola today!!! Hopefully they made us something super yummy!!! I'll let you know!!! ha ha

 

Love you guys talk to y'all soon!!!!! :)

Love Anziano Bona