Working smart and hard is really paying off because we have had so many miracles.

Ciao Famiglia e Amici!

Anzioan Vasquez



Probably the best food I've eaten so far



Best ragu I have ever tasted in my life!

Cena

 This week was super sweet! So much has happened in the last 7 days with both Anziano Wright and Da Ponte leaving. As I mentioned last week, Anziano Vasquez is my new companion and things have been great so far. He is actually from Huntington Beach, CA and for the both of us, it's our first time serving with someone from California. So as you could imagine, it's pretty sweet serving with someone who is from the beach haha. We have been trying to do everything we can to not only work hard, but work smart too, and it's working for us! We have been doing lots of finding using the "thanks to Him" video which has stopped lots of people. We have also been going through our area books and calling lots of people who used to be taught by us years ago.

The Manaresi family

 

 Working smart and hard is really paying off because we have had so many miracles. Since Saturday, we now have 5 new people to teach this week! One of the five is a family who we will be meeting on Friday. Also, we have a baptismal date for Umberto in the beginning of July.

 Just this last week was the beginning of summer here in Bologna so all the kids are out of school and tons of people are visiting here. The summer weekends here are really cool because they block off all the main streets in downtown so that everyone can walk around and it's super fun. The odd thing is that it has been raining almost everyday but it makes for more adventure.

 Anziano Vasquez has a really good friend who lives here in Bologna who picked us up on Monday and showed us all the cool secrets of the city. He introduced us to some really cool university friends who we were super interested in what we do! Then he ended up driving us to our next appointment which was super nice. I ended up sitting in the trunk of his smart car (which is tiny) and he drove us super fast through bumpy cobble stoned streets. Before he dropped us off, we were able to share a scripture with him which he really liked! Today his family is teaching us how to make super good Bolognese food. Ci sto!

Me in the back of a smart car

 I can honestly say these have been some of the best weeks of my mission so far. I love Bologna, I love sharing the gospel, and I LOVE serving other people. I believe Heavenly Father will bless us if we show Him that we are willing to work hard and and put in our best efforts. That doesn't apply to just missionary work, but life in general. Love you all!

 Anziano Hogan

 PS. Fun fact, my dad and brothers came to Italy and went to Firenze "Florence" and ran into some missionaries that I know haha.

this is the famous Bologna Catholic Church.  Way back, the pope took away the funding of building the outside marble because it was going to become more beautiful than the one in Rome.

 

Street in Bologna

 

Bologna cat