SanRemo Part 3

SanRemo Part 2

FINALLY PICTURES FROM SANREMO PART 1

Finally!! Pictures from SanRemo.

FRANCE AND WELCOME TO ALESSANDRIA

Dear Mom and Dad!!!!

It's pretty crazy that I'm here in Alessandria and that people know us and stuff!!! ha ha

But first did you guys get my package!? I hope so. I hate Italian post offices!!! I was in there for like an hour and a half! It was a joke!! And they wouldn't let me send everything I wanted to 'cause they said it was too heavy!!! It was lame! I'll make sure to send stuff again don't worry!!

But how is everything back at home? I hope everything is going great!!!

But there is a problem!!! I didn't get an email from Zio Pino!!!! ahhh!!!
Via Piacenza 66
15121 (Al) Alessandria Italy
is my new address but I don't really know any other addresses or anything!!!! Tell Zio Pino to email me and ask him if we can do it the week after!!!! Because I think that would be super great and my comp already said that it'd be way chill!!!! ha ha let's aim for the 29th!!!!! Because I won't be able to contact anyone to know if he's coming or not next week!!! I didn't have an email from him in my box :( I think it's a great idea and if we can get it set up I'd love for him to come down and chill for a while!!! That'd be my dream!!!!

OK listen up!!! The new memory card for my camera doesn't work!!! I put it in and it says that it doesn't work!!! So I cant take pics right now!! Please send me my other one once you guys get it! You have my address so you can send it straight to the apartment! Just kinda hide it in a letter or something!

OK story time!
So last Wednesday was my last day and Anziano Brooks last day in Sanremo right?! So we were all, "dude we need to do something epic!!!" so.... we decided to go to France!!! ha ha We took a train to France and chilled there for a few hours!! ha ha It was way funny and so cool! We ate some french food and stuff. It was chill! But French people are weird!!! We got kicked out of like no joke, 5 different places and they were all yelling at us in French and we had no idea what was going on!!!! ha ha!! It was so funny!!So ya it was fun! Then Anz Brooks and I had to wake up at 330 in the morning so we could catch our 5 am train! It was harsh!! But it all went well and I actually fit everything I had on my bags!! ha ha! Mom you'd be happy 'cause I can kinda pack now!! ha ha

So my new companion is Anziano Gallacher. He has technically been on his mission for a year and a half but he as a crazy story!!! So after his first transfer he had to go home to get surgery but they didn't release him. So he spent 3 months of his mission at home!!!!!! ha ha Crazy huh!!! Then when he came back to Italy and he was here for 7 months and then he got deported!!! ha ha! :) :) His visa thing didn't all work out!!! So he spent 3 more months of his mission serving in the New York South Mission and now he is back!!! He just got back in Italy two transfers ago!!

He is so chill! We get along great!!! Guess who he reminds me of? Austin Bair!!! He sounds just like him and stuff!!! It's so crazy!! But we really do get along great! The only thing is is that my Italian is better then his!!! So I normally take more of the leads in the lessons and stuff! It's kinda hard but I think it's really gonna help out my teaching and my Italian!! The work here is going OK but it needs a bit of help!!! So this is gonna be a big test to see if I can help it or not!! I sure hope so!! I love my new comp but he is kinda on the laid back side so I have more responsibility now! I'm excited, it's gonna be so much fun here!! ha ha

And ya' the ward here is great! They all know us and the Martinango's!!! ha ha, and yes, we go to Asti once a week at least so if there are any referrals from anyone please let me know!!! Everyone here is so nice and loving they are great! I really do feel right at home!

So I'm glad you got to see the little video!! Sorrella Malara is so cool, she's nice. I'll try to talk more Italian next time! But ya i promise I'm doing fine!! All things are going good!

Kinda sad to leave Sanremo and everyone there but I'm super duper excited to be here in Alessandria!!

I love you guys so so much and am thankful for all you guys do! Please send the memory card so I can start taking pics!!! And ok FYI check the bank account and make sure I have a little money in there just in case!!!

I love you guys so much and miss you guys tons! I pray and hope all is going well at home!!
Send my love to everyone and grandpa and grandma!
Can't wait for your guys next email!!!!

Love you guys!!!! :)
Have a great week!

Anziano bona

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What a wonderful surprise when we checked our email tonight and saw that there was one from Vanesa Ciccio' Malara who lives in Alessandria!

Robert and his companion Anziano Gallagher went and ate with them,

and she took a few pictures and a video to send to us.

It was so good to see his face and hear his voice again!

It is obvious that he is happy and loving his mission.

I could tell from his letters, but to actually see it....WOW!

That silly boy...What a cheesy, typical Robert smile!

Gotta love it!!!

Robert and his companion Anziano Gallagher

That boy...always being silly

(He really hates his picture to be taken!)

And here is the last one....in his finest moment.

We sure had a hard time falling asleep!

PS: Remember to turn off the music down at the bottom

if you want to listen to the videos.

FUN FACTS ABOUT ALESSANDRIA

Anziano Bona is now in Alessandria....

Here are a few fun facts and pictures of his new area.


Population: 85.438

It is in the Piemonte district of Italy.

The average temperature for Sept - Dec is about 55-65 F, with about 3-4 inches of rain per month, and is also known for the fog.

The church has a stake there with several wards.



We also have some dear friends who live there...The Malara/Ciccio' family. They are from the Messina/Calabria area where we lived and where Robert was born.

Also, the Martinengo family is from there as well.

We feel blessed to know so many people in the area who will keep an eye on our son.

TRANSFERS-OFF TO ALESSANDRIA

Dear Mom and Dad!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!! I love you dad!!!!! You're the best!!! I love you so so much!!!! Happy birthday and I hope so much with all my heart that you have a great day!!! I sent a little something home!! I'm sorry it's nothing big but it is a little thought! I can't get soccer shirts till my next city 'cause Sanremo is so dang expensive! I'll do better with that next time! ha ha but yes in there is the memory card!! ha ha :) But ya dad happy birthday I love you!! :) yes mom I love you too ;) ha ha
But ya all is going well here! But guess what... transfer calls came and yup I'm outta here! I'm getting transferred to Alessandria!! ha ha I'm excited it should be fun! My new comp will be Anziano Gallagher or something like that! ha ha But ya it'll be fun! and it's where the Lord wants me to go so I'm excited!! ha ha I'll let you know how that city is next week! ha ha
But dang it seems like so many cool things are going on at home! Sounds like everything is great and I'm so happy about that!!!! :). But I'm glad all is going well with all you guys!!! I love you all so so much! I know this email is short but I got a lot of packing to do so I gotta go! Next week I'll tell you more and answer all your questions and what not! thanks for the pics, and you will be getting some soon!!
I love you guys have a great week! :)
much love
Anziano Bona



Hey Brian!
I've been good dude! How have you been? That is way chill that you get to play football tonight! I hope you have so so much fun!!! ha ha Do work my friend!! ha ha But ya guess what I'm getting transferred....I'm going to Alessandria! I'm excited it will be way fun! I know it's where the Lord wants me right now so that's where I'm going!!! ha ha it'll be way good! So now I'm just way busy packing!!! ha ha Hopefully all works out well! I hope you keep having fun and keep doing good work! It's almost your birthday!! ha ha Give dad a big birthday hug for me OK!!! ha ha Thanks bro talk to ya next week!!! I love you so much!!!! Ciao!!!
love your bro
Anziano Bona

SIX MONTHS!!!

Dear Mom and Dad!!! and Brian!!!!
(I don't have a ton of time cause it's Thursday and I got some work to do!)

Yup tomorrow is my 6 month mark!!! Crazy huh!?

Well first off real quick I just wanna say sorry about not writing yesterday! I have a really good excuse and I'll explain it all later!

But ya' mom you are exactly right. Time just seems to fly by! But at the same time it does feel like I've been here forever! Like right now I just can't think of doing anything other then missionary work now! It feels like I've been doing it all my life and that I'll be doing it all my life as well! ha ha I know that's not true though. I'm just exaggerating a bit! ha ha But ya I'd say it feels like 6 months is about right ha!

Well first Brian that is sweet about football and your number! Atta boy! #47! and sorry about your arm dude. I'm sure you'll be fine! Your a tough kid! I hope all goes well with that!
And I'm glad you are enjoying school! Year book I bet will be way fun! It sounds like your gonna have a great year. I'm really happy for you dude! ha ha and it's OK dude you haven't let me down! I love you so much! :) just do your best! I know it is really hard sometimes but I can promise you that it will be worth it! I love you bro!

Dad your letter was epic! You're right we really are super duper lucky to have a living prophet with living apostles to help guide us during these crazy days!!! I too am way thankful for all of them! Thanks for your testimony! It really was great! :) I look up to you so much!

And ya, keep me updated on the Utes!! ha ha

Mom it's totally cool that you talk with them. ha ha They told me that you talked with them for a bit and that's totally cool! They are both really way chill! Jessica is preparing for a mission, it's really exciting! We are so happy for her she is great! ha ha

But ya' Sister Barnes emailed me and told me about Justin! ha ha that's way funny! and that is cool about Felipe's sister and Alberto. Good for them! But ya Colby sent us all his talk and it seems like he did a really good job! I really happy for him too!

I'm really glad it sounds like everything back at home is going really well. That makes me happy! We are doing our best with the work right now. Felice is having a bit of trouble but we are still working hard with him.

We have been doing some bomb finding work and just destroying areas here! We found a lot of investigators so hopefully we will see if they start progressing or not. That is one thing I've learned. Don't waste your time here with people who really aren't interested. We are only here for a little while so we gotta use our time wisely!! ha ha

OK... so now the reason why I didn't write yesterday.... so Tuesday night we went over to Savona to spend the night 'cause yesterday we had a big zone activity and went to Cinqueterre!!!! :) How sweet huh!? ha ha It was so ballin and it was so dang fun! I got some epic pics and yes yes I will be sending them home this week!!! ha ha Oh my freakin heck it was so beautiful! Like the most beautiful thing Ive ever seen! And another cool thing was that I got to chill with other missionaries in our zone and I made some way good friends! It was a legit hike though! We were way up in the mountains but the view from the top was amazing! Right now I just feel like I wanna die 'cause I'm sooooo tired but it was so worth it! It's a 9 kilometer hike (so around 5.5 miles). We started around 1030 in the morning and finished around 3. Then we had to catch a 5 1/2 hour train back to Sanremo and got home around 830 and by that time we were just dead and had no time to email!! So I'm doin it now!

Everything is going great! I hope everything keeps going well at home! I'm so very thankful for you guys and for your love and support! I love you guys tons!!!! And miss you tons but there is no doubt in my mind that the church is true and that this is where I need to be right now! Thanks again and have a great week! :)

I love you guys!!
Much Love!!
Anziano Bona!