Ciao a tutti! well it's time for my semiannual blog post! ha just kidding. Sorry about that. Anyway, It looks like My time in Bologna has come to an end. I'm going to be going to Muggiò (Monza), a city right outside of Milano, and Opening a companionship there, so we'll be living in 4! I'm excited, the other 2 are going to be both Italians, and my new companion is Anziano Cleveland. So this is more than likely the last city and last companion! I can't believe it!

I'm excited to start a new city and get to know new people. However, I am super sad leaving bologna, I absolutely love it here! Its like leaving home all over again, whoda thunk. I've just grown to love the members and the people we've been working with so much. But I guess it's got to come to an end sometime right? It will definitely be one of the first cities I come back to whenever I return for vacation. We had a baptism this last Sunday too so at least It ended on a good note as well. I've loved my time here, it's been so great! But I know that Muggiò has something waiting for me too. And I'm excited for Christmas and new years and all that good stuff! It's going to be awesome! So things are going pretty good here, I just can't believe how little time is left, it's just so unreal! The greatest learning and growing experience of my life is swiftly coming to an end. crazy. I'm excited to get to my new city and get to work tho!! It's going to be great! Anyway, That's the gist of it all! I hope all is well! Buon natale a tutti!

Anziano Bolnick

...pictures to come......

Photos from Thanksgiving!

Hello! My bad for not writing forever! This one will be short as well and I apologize.

Well, another transfer has flown by, I'll be staying here in Bologna! My companion is going to Vicenza and V'm getting Anziano Parker as a companion, I've worked with him a few times before and I love him! I'm super excited! Its going to be awesome. So a little update of this past transfer.... We live in four, Anziano Weller and Anziano Mendel are the other 2 in our apartment and they were another companionship with us in Bologna. But a couple weeks ago they reopened an old city, Ferrara, so they're working there now, they have to take a train every day ha, I feel bad for them. The whole transfer had kinda been an upset, Almost all the cities in our zone were supposed to baptize and it was going to be a miracle, but then like everyone didn't! It sucked! We were supposed to have a lady named maria baptized last week but she doesn't want to see us anymore! It was really hard with all the things going on but that's ok! This next one we'll all make up for it! I'm excited!

I cant believe I only have 4 more transfers left now, time goes by so fast! I really hope to just stay in bologna for a long time ha, I would not mind that at all! I really like it here. It has been super hot here tho lately, during august and early September was just brutal! It was too hot to even go running at 6:30 in the morning, kind of ridiculous. But the other night we went to bed and woke up and it was suddenly fall ha. It dropped like 10 degrees (Celsius) overnight and now it's cool :) So I'm happy! Well, I better get going. I'm sorry for not writing as much! I would attach some pictures but we're in an Arab point doing internet and the computers stink so it wont let me upload. I'll get some next week hopefully!

Hope you all have a great week! A presto tutti!

August 6, 2011

Well, I am so sorry I haven't really had too much time to write for my blog these last couple weeks! I just wanted to take a few seconds and talk about how this transfer has been so far. We have been traveling to as many cities in the mission as possible, training and helping missionaries out. We have gone everywhere from Lugano to Ancona, exchanging with many missionaries in many different cities. This transfer has been one of the hardest things of my life, there are never any breaks, we are always traveling, I have to worry about saving the life of every missionary I'm with, it's really tough.

But it has been the greatest transfer by far in the same time. I have learned so much about life, missionary work, myself, and the savior. It has been the coolest experience, going down into the midst of the fights with some of the greatest people I have met in my life. I have learned so much from each and every missionary here, even tho I was sent out to teach. I feel like I am a completely different person now thanks to this transfer. I just wish I would have learned this stuff earlier on so could have been better in certain instances. But I am so grateful that I did learn all that I have. Now I truly understand what it means to be a missionary.

I truly know how great my calling is, and how powerful the authority I have been given is. I know that the rights of the Priesthood are based on the principles of faith and righteousness, and every good act we perform unlocks more possibilities of what we are capable of doing. I know that the Lord is more involved in our lives than we think, and that we can all notice it more if we just slow things down and look at whats going on around us. I know with every fiber of my soul, that Heavenly Father loves us, and wants so bad for us to just be happy. There are so many people in the world that are missing something. They don't know it yet, but they are. And it is only in and through us that they can start to find it. My whole life I've been stubborn to accept the blessings the Lord wants to bestow upon me, and I've closed my heart against advice that would draw me closer. But this last transfer I have really learned to to just open up, and accept. And it has truly changed my life. To everyone out there, please, just listen when people are trying to give you advice. You never know when the littlest, stupidest sounding thing, could change the entire course of your life. Never be afraid to try something new. And most of all, never fail to let those around you know how much you truly care about and love them. It is so important i can honestly not enforce it enough. I know that my time as a missionary is more sacred than anything else, because not only am I helping other people better their lives, but it is a time given to us, to prepare for eternity.

It is a time to be literally set apart from the world, with no problems, and nothing to worry about. We get 2 straight years to focus on Christ and develop His attributes. I feel so bad for all those people who go out and don't realize that, because their lives will never be the same as opposed to how it could have been if they would have made the most out of it. So to anyone and everyone, I can not express enough how important this work is. I don't care if your an active member or a lesser active, or even if your not a member. There is no greater thing on the earth than this. Never underestimate the power of a mission and what it can for you. Never judge too quick and never be stubborn. It's just going to make your life suck. If you're on a mission, make the best of it and don't let a second go by wasted. If you're thinking about going on one, stop thinking and JUST DO! If you're less active, get back to church! If you're not a member, think about what good things could come to your life by opening your hearts and trusting others, and BE BAPTIZED!

I can promise you with every part of me that it will change your life!! All is takes is a little faith and acceptance, and it will never fail you. There are so many great things to be experienced on this earth that we are not living up to. Our potential is much greater than we see it as. think about it! I cannot not express enough how important this truly is. This is not just a church. It is not just something we do to make friends and get fancy recipes. This is life. This is much greater than any of us can comprehend. I would not be writing all this if I did not know what it could do to each and every one of your lives. Please please please, just think about what you are doing and what you can do to change your life and allow the true happiness take part in it. Because that true happiness is just a taste to what we can have after this life if we just make the most out of this time.

I will not stand another moment without screaming to all nations and people how great this is. I have learned for myself what it has the power to do. The gospel is real. No matter what anyone says or does, nothing will ever change my mind, because it is fact. My life has been changed countless times, over and over again, especially this last transfer. And I will never reject the fact that it has been done by God. I am so grateful to be here. This means everything to me. I have truly come to understand what it means to love people as Christ loves them, and the desire in my heart to tell everyone burns like a thousand raging suns. I love you all so much, and i know that God loves you. Please don't ever forget that. It has helped me one to many times to let it go to waste.

This past month has truly been fantastic, and indescribable. This is the last week and i have no idea what is going to happen for transfers, but I'm excited to hopefully get back into the field and put to practice everything I have learned and finish these last 7 months with a bang. I love you all so much and I am so grateful for every good thing that you do, and especially for the support you give to me, thank you. I hope everyone has a fantastic week! I'll try to be better at writing more often!

Ciao!

Where in the world in Anziano Bolnick?

Welcome to the new life! Man this is going to be a crazy transfer! First off, my new p-days are on Saturdays now so I will no longer be writing on Wed. Second of all, we live right next to the office, so if anyone is sending letters or whatever you can just send it to the mission home address!

So first off I'll explain a little bit about what I'll be doing! My companion (Anziano Duersch) and I, will be traveling around the mission teaching and training missionary companionships. We have our schedule planned out and we're seeing everything from Ancona to Lugano-- it is going to be way cool! We will be getting a car here shortly, too, so it's going to be weird driving again!

So now we live in Opera (where the mission home is), and when we have time (which we probably won't), we work in Lodi-- which is right outside of Milano (about a half hour away from us). But we're leaving Sunday nights and coming back on Friday nights for p day Saturday, and then church and office meetings and stuff on Sunday. Then we take off again so we're rarely at home here. But when we are at home it's SICK because we have an awesome apartment! We have 2 bathrooms, a sweet stereo system, a drier, a huge balcony with a pretty view, and a bench and exercise equipment, as well as a grill! It's so cool! In fact yesterday we grilled up some hamburgers in celebration of 4th of July. It was so nice.

We live with the other 2 assistants, Anziano Gray (who was with me in Bergamo) and Anziano Maughan -and it's way fun being in four again too! So I've been super nervous lately, but I'm excited. We have a huge responsibility, and it's going to be tough but i know I'm going to learn so much at the same time. I've already been learning a lot and I've been here for 3 days! Thursday night we got to sit in with the departing missionaries. It was incredible. First we all had a really good dinner that Sorella Wolfgramm made, and then after we had a testimony meeting of everyone in the room. the group that went home consisted of missionaries that I got to know pretty well so it was hard seeing them at the final moments, but it was so powerful. I wish you guys could have the experiences that I've had. You have no idea how great some of the things we see and experiences we have. It is absolutely amazing. Their testimonies, as well as everyone else's, were just so strong.

It's so weird to see these people that have served so hard and have finally just come to an abrupt halt. It was way weird to be there too because my time isn't too far behind and it really scared me. My mission means so much to me and it's just slipping away so fast, and there is nothing I can do about it. Thursday before we got there we had to go to the Milano chapel for the trainer's meeting and that was a hassle! It was sooo hot! We each had our 3 huge bags to lug around and they all weighed as much as a horse, so it was a super epic journey.Yesterday we just planned and did some errand's and what not. We have some big things we're going to pull off with the cities we're going to, and I'm excited about it! I'm happy that I get to serve other missionaries, it's going to be really fun helping everyone else.

Tomorrow we have church and then maybe a meeting or so, and then it's off to the start! This week we should be in Piacenza and Modena (where I get to see Anziano Neff again haha) and then we should be back by Friday. It's going to be epic! Anyway, that's the update of what's going on! It's going to be tough, but I know I'm going to love it! Well, I hope you all have a great week! Take care!
Until Saturday, Anziano Bolnick

Pictures:
1. The office crew
2. Our epic packing in the van of everyone's luggage
3. Goodbye with anziano anderson

On the road...again

Good bye Verona...........................

Well, it looks like my time in Verona has already come to an abrupt end... sadly! I am going to be an assistant and travel the mission helping and training missionaries, so that'll be fun. I'll hit you up with an update when I know about it later on. I'm pretty sure my p-day will change to Saturday now tho so yeah. I'll let you know more next week!

I'm sad I'm going to be leaving Verona already! I really love this city and we were just getting some good work started! We got to see a baptism the other day of a family, they are really cool! The dad didn't get baptized because he didn't think he was ready, but it totally is! Hopefully soon he should be getting in! We had some cool miracles in church this last week too! This member brought his girlfriend and she wants to take the discussions, and this other member brought this other lady that wants to be baptized! So that is sweet! I think we can help with that :) I'm sad I'm going to be leaving this all behind!

So Monday was crazy: we had to go to the questura to renew my permesso so I can be legal ha, we got there at 830-ish and finished at 1:30. Yeah that's right, 5 hours of waiting ha. That wasn't too fun! Then we stopped by Alessandro, the crazy bed and breakfast guy and then President called us for transfers. Then we got home and I packed a little and we headed to the arena to go see the Divine Comedy! It was way cool!! It got started an hour late so it kinda killed us over with time, but it was so cool to see! Operas aren't actually that bad haha.

So then we woke up early Tuesday morning and deep cleaned the whole house and it was so hot!! But it looks a lot better now so it's all good and worth it! Then we had to go after lunch to help a member move some things which was super hot and tiring too! We had to take down tons of cabinets and sinks and all the good stuff. I was dead afterward hah. But we got to go teach Barbara (girlfriend of guy in church) and we had a really good lesson, so that was cool! I'm super tired today though, but it was a great day!

It has been so dang hot here lately! I really hate humidity-- you're always sticky. We have three fans in our room at night because it's impossible to sleep. And of course Italians are scared of air conditioning, so no one has it! At least we get a little breeze when we ride our bikes --thats nice.

Our zone did really well this last week too! We had a total of 8 baptisms! That's so sweet! That's more than we got all of last transfer. It was awesome news! There should have been more tho but some things happened, its ok tho because most of the dates are just moved to this week so it's all good!

Well I better get going, I still have to pack and do tons of other stuff, and a nap would be nice! Hope you all have a great week!

Ciao Ciao!