PICTURES ARE WORTH A LOT OF WORDS~RAVENNA

Anz Bona and Winegar

Studying

Anz Duersh, Dunshee, Winegar and Bona
(Bona and Dumnshee were MTC companions)

Lo Stadio di Bologna

Anz Bona and Dunshee
Scambio #2

Baptisimal font

Read carefully...font was used for baptism by "immersion"

Dante Alighieri

Anz Bona and Dante

Anz Bona and MariaLuce Bosio
(Mary is a long time family friend from Messina-she was like an aunt to Robert when we lived there
she came to the hospital the day he was born)
How specail that they just happen to run into each other while he
was in Bologna.

Future Universtiy for Robert

P-day playing basketball

Robert's district

Anz Bona and Bushman

Anz Bona and Columbus

Anz Bona and Luca

new distric

A FEW VIDEOS FROM RAVENNA

BATHROOM AND BIDE' PROBLEMS

SICK IN BED (DAY 2)

PASQUA (EASTER)

WITH LA FAMIGLIA PATANE'

A BIKE RIDE IN RAVENNA

AFTER TRIALS THE REWARDS

Dear mom and dad,


Thank you guys so much for your emails this week! They were both super good. It sounds like things are going well at home. It seems like Brian did a great job on his talk! What a stud. I miss that kid tons. I'm glad it went well!

It is really sad about Nicole. I am so sorry and I will keep them in my prayers for sure. People just need to realize that it's not God's fault that all these bad things happen. Like this person we spoke to last night who was saying that there is no way God exists because if He did he wouldn't let little kids die young and blah blah blah. But what people need to understand is that it's not God doing all these bad things. In the scriptures (Isaiah) we learn that the Lord's ways are different then ours and that His thoughts are different then ours. Sometimes we just don't understand so we either blame God or just lose faith in Him.... and that's wrong. We shouldn't do that! I know that it is easier said then done but it's what we gotta try to do! I will keep them in my prayers don't worry! Miracles do happen! :)

So I was so jealous you went to see HP7 and Transformers 3!!! So not fair!!! ha ha. I can't wait till my super movie marathon starts once I get back home!! ha ha It's gonna be epic :) Anyway... mom you are right! I loved what you said about judging people. It is so true we just shouldn't do it!! ha ha it's that simple.

Things with me and Anz Bushman are great. He is a great kid. I love him! We get along good. We are still trying to work out all the kinks in our teaching but that will come with time. It's always weird trying to get used to new people's style, but the work is still going super good. Luca is great and progressing. His baptismal date is Aug 6th. It's coming quick so we are working very hard to get him ready for that day! Eddy is legit!!!! Such a nice person! We are now teaching his family too and we are trying to get the mom to come to church too but she is being stubborn! We are still seeing miracles and it's great. Also this family - the Nicolas and Omas -should be getting baptized around the same time Luca is. I can tell you they are elect!

Last night we found a very nice lady and another family who have interest so we got more potentials as well... so- how you can read ... things are really really going good! We are having fun and doing the Lord's good work. Finally after all the long hard months here in Ravenna, things are paying off. I feel like I've had lots of ups and downs here in Ravenna but I feel that in the long run this will be one of the places where  I've grown the most! I love it here and the branch is great. Tutto bene qui!!!! (All is well here!)

Dad thanks for the message from Pres Monson. That was such inspiring message! Thanks again for all that you guys do and for your prayers!!! I miss you guys tons but the service is worth it and love you guys even more. Stay strong in the faith!!!! rwyaawysf!!!!!! lets see if you can figure out what that means! ;) ha ha love you guys have a great week!

love anziano bona

500 DAYS IN PARADISE

Dear Mom and Dad!

It was nice to hear from you guys! Sounds like things are going pretty good at home. I'm glad that makes me happy. Dad I really liked your story that you shared about your running and stuff. That was really cool and it made me think a lot. But don't feel bad about being a bit out of shape because I feel the exact same. ha I'm gonna be so out of shape by the time I get home!! ha ha Hopefully not to bad though!

Anz Bushman is a boss. We get along really well and there aren't any problems so far and I don't think there ever will be! Except we have a chess battle going on and right now I'm up 10 games!! Dude I'm a beast at chess it's fun! ha ha I feel like a nerd. I've gotten so good at it! ha ha But besides that all is chill!

Sorry I'm not super descriptive in emails and stuff. I try to keep the confidence and privacy of the investigators as well. But things with Luca are great. He accepted the big commandments thankfully. Ya he is Italian so of course there are some things that he needs to change a bit but he is trying and he is going to succeed! With Jesus everything is possible and anyone can change! He is really cool though! and our other investigators are doing really well too. Eddy is turning out to be a baller as well. We had such an amazing spiritual lesson with him. And we finally taught him and his wife together. It was so good.

The grilliata (bbq) was amazing. The ward members really love me now!!! ha ha But ya' there were a ton of investigators there and all the members were awesome. It was just a great night. We got home pretty late but it was worth it!

Yes I got your package! Anz Dunshee picked it up for me when he went to Milan. He's a boss too ;) ha ha

I know this one is super short and I'm super sorry!!! We are in Bologna and we gotta' go catch a bus and what not! I'm really sorry! I promise next week will be better! I love you guys so so much! :) have such a great week!!!
vi voglio bene!!!!!!

Love Anziano Bona

PS... you'll be getting pictures soon don't worry!!! ha ha

SUMMERTIME IN RAVENNA AND ANZ BUSHMAN

Dear Mom and Dad,

Thanks for all the pics! Freak Brian is getting huge. What a baller :) ha ha It looked like you guys had a blast on your trip and that makes me happy! I'm glad you guys got a little pausa (break) from real life! Thats always nice and even needed every once in a while! Not gonna lie it made me miss you guys but that's OK I miss you guys anyways! ha ha

So to answer your questions... yup Dunshee is still my ZL thank heavens!!!! ha ha I love that kid! Another tranfer in his district is gonna be sick. Our new ZL is a little dude named Anz Duque. He is so funny and such a baller! It's his second time being Anz Dunshee's comp! They were comps in Siena, and now they are our ZL's in Bologna! Anz Lehnardt is out! He is now in Siena. Anz Mendel is the other new kid in our district. He's a baller we are gonna have fun with him!

Bolnick is travaling assitant! That's so sick. Basically he's a scambio (splits) monkey and gets to go around the whole mission doing scambi (splits) with everyone to make sure we all are doing our job right! ha ha I hope they come scambio with us! That would be so fun!

Anz Jon Robert Bushman is my new comp. He is chill. He is starting his 4th transfer. He is one transfer above Anz Winegar. I'm gonna miss that kid but it was time for a change. And he's gonna do great work. He will be fine! But Bushman is way cool ! I was way sick last week during transfers (got food poisioning) and Anziano Bushman was a super baller and took real good care of me. He serves me so much it's a joke. He speaks super good Italian for someone in his group. Hes just got kinda the same problem as Anz Winegar and thats that he can work on his teaching skills some (but that is to be expected from new missionaries, I still even have a hard time, sometimes). He's learning and he's just gonna get better and better and he will be just fine. He loves chess so we play it a lot! It's pretty fun i like it.

So ya the work is going good. Luca is chill. Everything is going well. He came to our super sick activity Sunday night. We finally did our praying and reading activity in the mountains and he came. It was epic. There was such a great spirit there. It was a really spiritual expirience for everyone. Luca even said that it was good and he felt something so that's legit. He's making good progress.

We are also starting to teach Omas and Nick. They are these people that just showed up in church and have came for the last 2 weeks! They are friends of this sister who is super old but super sweet and she invited them to come and they've came ever since! They are way cool! So ya that's chill! And we got another cool acitivity where we are going to have a huge BBQ with the members Friday night so that'll be fun! So things are pretty chill at them moment!

So for the 4th of July we had d-meeting and then we wanted to do something together as a district to celebrate! So we decided to go out to eat all together. We went to eat at the most American place ever. Do you know where we went!?..... yupp you guessed it! McDonalds!!!! ha ha it was terrible, but that was the best we could do! ha ha Man I missed home a lot! It's OK next year I'll be there!

So I passed the 2/3 mark! It's super crazy. I've had so so much fun and have so many cool stories! I can't wait to expirience the rest of my mission because I know it's just gonna be amazing! I'm so thankful for my mission and everything it's done for me!! Man it's been great! And things are going well. It's just summer which sucks because it's one of the times of year when you think of home! But it's chill, so ya' that's a bit about here for now!

'll try to send my pics sometime soon! Thanks so much for everything you guys do!! I love you guys so so much! Have a great week! Can't wait to hear from you guys next week!

Love Anziano Bona

ps.... Don't worry about Brian. Let him have a little bit of fun! He isOK! Plus when he gets older I'll be there to keep him in line too! ;) haha jk!

2/3 DOWN....AND LUCA

Dear Mom and Dad,

Thanks for the emails again! They were greatly appreciated! ha ha Wow I never say that I bet I sounded pretty funny right there huh?! Greatly appreciated?! Come on who says that!!!! hahaha.

Well I'm glad you can feel for me because ya it's been really hot lately. And it's just humid. That's the part that sucky! You just sweat and smell and I bet that by the end of this summer all of my short sleeve shirts will be destroyed. But it's OK it's totally worth it! ha ha

I'm super jealous about you guys being able to go visit the temples. That really is a great idea! I'm glad you guys did it. We are so lucky to have so many temples so close to home. I miss them so so much. But its OK only 8 months left! ;) ha ha did you know that?! Sunday is my 2/3 mark. What am I talking about of course you know that mom! You have that crazy countdown thing on the blog! ha ha but ya send me pics! It sounds like you guys are having fun! I wanna go to Vegas and see shows and go to Cali and go to the beach!!!! ha ha One day I'll be able too ha but ya I'm super glad that is going well for you guys.

Things here are going really well. Anz Winegar and I get along fine don't worry. There were just a few days of iffyness. ha ha But overall we are chill. The work is going good. Luca is chill and is on track for his baptism. This week is where we crack down though. We are gonna start the commandments our next lesson with him. But I know that all will be OK. He is a good guy and is really trying to have God in his life. The last lesson with him his mom was there and she is like super Catholic and we were finishing up il piano di salvezza (the plan of salvation) and she started freaking out about how non of this stuff is in the bible and then the member that was with us (who is a baller) totally proved her wrong (with the spirit of course) and it was sick (awesome). Then the mom was just saying stupid stuff then I just bore hard core testimony and then Luca just jumps in and basically say shut it mom these guys got ragione (what they are saying is right/true)! It was super cool. He is way bravo. So we are excited to start teaching him the commandments.

OK so about transfers.... So there are three possible things that we were thinking could happen. 1st and the best would be that we both stay for one more transfer. 2nd best would be that I leave and Anz Winegar stays here and does great work with our investigators. 3rd and worst is that I stay and Anz Winegar leaves and I get some weird new comp. So take a sec and think which one happened..... just take into consideration how my luck is.... and yup there is the answer!!!! its #3!!!!!! ha ha I'm staying here in Ravenna, and Anz Winegar is getting transferred! He is going up to Bergamo to be in a 3some. and I'm staying here for my 4th transfer and my new comp is Anz Bushman. I hear that he's having some trouble so hopefully I can help him out. I'm sure all will be OK. I hear he speaks good Italian so that's a plus!!! ha ha I'll tell you more about him next week.

Lately we have been seeing a lot of miracles. It's been great. The stories are kinda long so I don't think I'll really share them (we gotta go so Anz Winegar can pack, etc)  but basically things don't just happen by chance. The Lord has his hand in everything!!! It's been amazing. The work is going pretty good. So ya tutto bene. I think next week I'll send home my pics. I'll get a few of my new comp in there too.

But ya all is well! I love you guys so so so much. I miss you guys too. But this is just where I gotta be at the moment! ha ha and I'm loving it. It's hard sometimes but overall it's amazing. Well have such a great week! Let me know how the rest of your trip goes!!! I love you guys and I'll hear from you guys next week! Take care!!! Spero che abbiate un buon settimana!!! ciao ciao!!!

Love,  Anziano Bona

68 DOWN 36 TO GO!

Dear Mom and Dad,

Wow only 36 more weeks? Doesn't seem like that much!! ha ha But at the same time it is a lot! There is still so much time to do so much good! ha ha Whatever mom I know your counting! ha ha But it's OK! I understand ;) ha

Things are going good. I just got done doing a 2 day scambio with Anz Dunshee. We are in Bologna again and he is chilling right here next to me and he shouts out his love to you guys! haha I love that kid. We were in Ravenna for Monday and Tuesday then this morning we took a train back up to Bologna.

 

This week was another really good week though. We had district conference in Rimini and Anziano Shultze from the 70 was there and spoke and it was really good. Our members did great and brought so many friends to come it was great. Also our allstar investigator Luca came with the branch pres to Rimini to see it too. So it was super chill. We got to stay in  Rimini over night. And that is where Anziano Zanni is and I love him! I don't know  if  I've talked about him much but he is from the same mtc group as me and he is from Argentina and he's just a baller. And he is training someone from Winegar's group like I am so it was super chill to be with them for a while.

 

But ya we've just been working really hard lately doing our best. I'm just getting really tired and just drained but I  love it. It's been great ha ha. Me and Anz Winegar are chill. Like this past week was his capo week so I've been training to give him a lot of the responsibility so he can grow and learn too but I think from his point of view he thinks I'm just being lazy and making him do everything ha. I've never been with a comp for more then 2 transfers and I've never been in a city for more than 3. And I'm at my max here in Ravenna. I've been here for 3 and have been with Winegar for 2.... so I dunno whats gonna happen! ha ha like if I stay it might be rough for me cause I love changes cause it just kinda gives me more energy and stuff! But at the same time I want to stay cause I wanna see Luca get baptized! He's got a date and progressing really well. He just seems like super elect. I don't wanna jinx it or anything but he is legit ha ha so its like a bitter sweet feeling. But if i stay with Winegar I'm scared there might be some tension cause he will then be in his 3rd transfer so for sure I'm gonna give him a lot more things to do and a lot bigger role in teaching and what not. But who knows we will see it's all in the air! ha ha I'll let you guys know for sure though, but ya overall things are going pretty well here.

You guys are going on trip!?!? Lucky bums! :) ha ha No don't worry about it, that's super chill I hope you guys get some good chill time!!! ha ha just remember that when your swimming in the water in Cali just think of me here in a shirt and tie sweating my stuff off suffering in the heat and not being able to swim!!!! ha ha I do hope you guys have such a great time!!! ha ha Have fun and take pics for me!

Ya I love Coulton and Beau and just all of my guy friends! Wow that's crazy that those guys are getting home soon. Its hecka nuts that Downing gets home in August! Wow super crazy. Ii bet he's like freaking out now! ha ha

 

Dad thank you so much for your message from Uchtdorf. It was awesome and it's so true! We all need to be committed in being followers of Jesus Christ for our whole lives!!!!

But ya all is going really well. Just chill doing my thing. You know how i do ;) There are a lot of peole comming out of the wood work for summer...and boy they don't dress like they do in Utah. I miss Utah where everyone is  mostly modest and stuff. Wow I can't believe I said that but it's true!!! ha ha A lot of chicks here are super sketchy!!!! ha ha But its funny! ;) ha ha Um the book Crank was pretty chill. i actually read it in 6th grade. cause i remember talking to ms rawlins about it. and its a chill book.

 

But ya all is chill. I love chocolate... bacio.... and fragola and nocciola and just everything!! But those are my good favorite ones!!! ha ha I love you guys so so much! Have such a fun time on your trip! Let me know how it goes!!!! Take care love you guys! :)

love you all!

love anziano bona

THE BOOK OF MORMON

Dear Mom and Dad,

It sounds like you guys are doing well! I loved your emails this week. They really were great. I loved the pics! It was so nice to see all your smiles! I loved seeing Ms Rawlins too! Holy cow she was such an amazing teacher that helped me out so much! Brian looks like a monster!!! ha ha He looks huge it's crazy ha but it looks like and sounds like things are going well so that's chill!

And no way... the Mavericks won?! So epic. Man I wish I could of watched that series!!! That's so cool. Dad I loved what you said about team work. It's so true. Heck you guys saw it happen right before your eyes! ha ha

Hey dad..... HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!!!!!! I know it's not Sunday yet but I can't call you like I can call mom on Mother's day so I just wanted to tell you  now! I'm so very grateful for the sacrifices you have made for our family. And for me. I will be forever indebted to you for them. Thank you so much. You're such a great example to me and Brian. Yes you are my father but at the same time you are my best friend. And I love you!!!! So so much! So, go buy yourself something nice for fathers day from me! (But use your own credit card not mine;)) ha ha

That's cool about Beau and Coulton. I really do got some bomb.com type friends! and I'm just making even more out here! At the moment I'm in Bologna with my boy Anziano Dunshee and Anz  Duersch, Anz Rich, and anz Lehnardt. All these guys are hecka' chill. But not gonna lie there is and always will be a special place in my heart for all my Provo boys!!! I love all my friends I really was blessed.

Speaking of Bologna there is a member here who says she knows you guys!!! Her name is Sorrella Bosio. She said she knew you guys from Messina and knew me when I was a little kid! We took a pic and you'll be able to see it when I send the memory card home. She was a really nice lady and had amazing things to say about you guys!!! She loved you guys a ton.

This week was really good. Things really are going really well. We found this super solid dude named Luca. Man he honestly seems so prepared. We found him Saturday and he came to church the very next day and loved it. We are seeing him later tonight. Hopefully all goes well. But things are all going well. I'm so so dang tired 'cause we have been working our butts off. But it feels good. And piano piano we are seeing the fruits of our work which is really nice too. I just got done with a scambio with Anz Duersch, one of our capi zona. He is so dang bravo!!! It was so fun. I don't think I've ever worked so hard. We both just got back to the apartment and just like passed out!!!! ha ha  But it felt good. I learned a lot from him. He's a great kid! ha ha It was fun.  Today for p-day we went and played basketball all together. Man I'm out of shape!!! I'm not used to running around like that!! ha ha but it was fun.

We had a zone conference on Monday, and guess what it was based on.... the power of the Book of Mormon! :) You're right mom that book is special. Not much more to say then that. I love that book. It has been a big help out here.  And is the key for anyone who wants to know the truth. It was great I learned so much and there was a great spirit there. I didn't get the package... but it's coming. I  think the next possible time I might get it is at interviews in the middle of July. (1 month from now) :( haha o well I'll be patient!!!

But ya everything is going really well. I'm so freakin stanco though!!!! haha but it feels good knowing I'm working hard. I think it's time for me to go get a nice cold gelato though :) So I'm gonna let you guys go and wish you guys a great week! I hope you guys have a great week!!!! Stay strong in the faith!!!! :) love you guys so much! :)

Love Anziano Bona

PS thanks for the pics again i loved them!!!

JUST THE USUAL and A FEW NEW INVESTIGATORS

Dear Mom and Dad!

Sounds like things are pretty chill at home! Just usual life! Nothing fancy! ha ha I'm glad that Brian is having a good summer! He already goes and "hangs out"? Ha jeez that's just great! ha ha Man I was not to good of an example huh? Sorry about that. If I could go back and change some things man I'd do it so fast!! Just keep a good eye on him! At least he is good at letting you guys know where he is! I wasn't to good at that either! ha ha

So Jessie's getting married huh! Good for her! Kinda weird but chill! Tell her I say congrats! Give her my best wishes! I haven't heard anything from Jordan but Coulton did and he said he's alright. There are plenty of girls in the world!  All this means is that we are just gonna have a lot of guy time when we all get back home! ha ha

I'm glad that the baby blessing went well for Riley. That's good! Kinda weird thinking Cassandra has a kid but whatever! ha Sounds like all is going OK for them so that makes me happy!

The work is going alright. This last weekend we found a lot of new investigators. It was nice. It's still early in the process to see how solid they will all be but at least we have some new people to work with, and that makes me very happy.

 

We found a yummy Chinese restaurant! We went there for lunch on Monday. It was funny, the Asian people there didn't speak English or Italian. Little Asian people are so cute! hahahaha We were just laughing the whole time. You have to order using numbers so they know what you want ha ha

 

This weekend we are going up with our branch into the mountains to do this activity with them. We are going to some spiritual place to read scriptures and pray. It seems kinda interesting but hey, it'll be fun and something different so we are excited for that.

 

Yes I got the letter with them memory card. But for some strange reason the memory card won't work :(  I can't see the videos or anything! Oh well, thanks for the thought! I'm using the big memory card remember, so S still have  a lot of space on it. I can send it home anytime you want me to because I have others here that I can use. If you want me to send it home let me know next email and I'll send it to you guys.

 

Um.... no you don't need to get anyone else's emails. Just the ones from you and dad and Brian.

 

That's cool that the series is tied 2-2. Sounds like a good one!!! ha ha Let me know how it goes :)

 

Everything here is going well. Nothing special ha kinda just like you guys. It was just another average week! But it was good. I have to admit, it just seems like time totally slows down during the summer time! ha ha but that's OK too.

 

I loved the story that you guys shared with me about the gold sprinkles. Totally true. I hope that I get your package next week with the conference talks in it! We have zone conference on Monday so I hope I get it then because I really want to read all the conference talks again!!! Hopefully I get it!

 

Well this p-day is kinda shot! It's kinda bitter sweet! We have lessons planned all day!!! So it's nice because it means we are teaching people and doing what we are supposed to do! But at the same time it's hard cause that means no break! Right after lunch we are heading out!

 

Overall things are alright! Anz Winegar is pretty chill. We get along pretty well and laugh and what not so that's good. But it's just hard because when it comes to missionary work I still carry a lot of the load. He is still shy and still learning Italian. but he is trying and that's what counts.

 

It sounds like everything at home is going well and like I said, that makes me happy! I love you guys so much and miss you guys tons! I'm praying for you guys every day! Have a great week alright!?!?! :)

vi voglio bene!!!!

love Anziano Bona