This is Buddy's Mission President and wife, The Acerson's.
Sister Acerson sent this email and pictures...BLESS HER....I'm sure it will be a while before we see some pictures from Buddy! :0)

This is the group that came from the MTC assigned to Rome.

Anziano Koozer and his new companion, Anziano Bennett from Canada.

They are pointing to the area they have been assigned to serve, Pescara, Italy.

Image by francoventoso (www.websignature.it) via Flickr

Image by francoventoso (www.websignature.it) via Flickr

Anziano Koozer in Rome at the Mission home.

Dear Brother and Sister Koozer,

We are so grateful to have your son serving in our mission! He is happy and confident and excited about talking to people already! In fact, they went out last night with the assistants to do a little tracting and talked to a man about the church. He came back so excited that he said he wouldn't be able to sleep! (Of course the next morning he said he was asleep within seconds.) He will be a great asset to our mission and we thank you for your sacrifice in letting him serve the Lord and the people here in Italy for the next 22 months.

I have attached some pictures of him that we took today: one with President Acerson and I, one with the group, one with his new companion, Elder Bennett from Canada, and a few others. He will be serving in Pescara across the peninsula from Rome and we know he will have great missionary experiences there.

I have also attached a document that will tell you how to mail letters and packages to him. If you have any questions about this or anything else, please feel free to email me.

Thank you for raising such a fine young man who is completely ready and prepared to serve.

Sincerely,
Sister (and President) Acerson

Anziano Koozer has arrived in Rome

Hey Family,
I made it safely to Rome! It was a super long trip, but we arrived at around 12;30, and were met by the President, his wife, and the the 2 Area Presidents. They straight off took us to get some pizza and we just finished a tour of the whole city on foot! I took some way cool pictures and will try to send stuff by next week or two. But I love you and have to go, I have an interview with the president right now, so I'll email you next week.
Anziano Koozer

Koozer Family update

I know I've kind of dedicated the last several entries to Elder Koozer....but really there are a lot of things happening in the lives of the rest of the Koozer family. School is out and summer is here.

Image by kevindooley via Flickr

All the boys did very well in school this year. Cade did football and lettered in track. He does the shot put and disk throw. He is working this summer and trying to complete his eagle. Hal started a new driving school here in Maricopa so Cade would get a discount with our insurance company. They don't have a driver's class at the school here and everyone was driving their kids into town - so you know Hal...what is better than a new business!! Well, Cade took his first class along with about 10 other students in Maricopa, and he passed his permit test the first time! He now has to finish his Eagle Project for Scouts before he can get his licence.

Image by acordova via Flickr

Dane worked hard at school this year while he played football, basketball and baseball. He was also involved in student council. He has been nominated for an academic - athletic achievement award. He will be taking golf lessons this summer.

Image via Wikipedia

Emmett got all A's all year!! He is so smart, we can't believe he belongs to us sometimes. Reality hit when he showed me his award the class voted on for him....that's right...."CLASS CLOWN"! Yep, he's a Koozer! Emmett played basketball this last year and this summer he will do flag football.

Cade and Dane already have gone to scout camp this summer. Emmett has scout day camp at the end of June. Hal has been called to the stake young men's presidency... over scouts, no less! I am still in young women's and will go to Mt. Lemon for girls camp this summer.

I guess the most exciting and crazy bit of news is.....I am going to be a grandma....aaaahhhh!

Image by soylentgreen23 via Flickr

I don't feel old enough to be a grandma. I am thrilled for Bailey and Wills - but I have been searching for a name other than, "grandma" to go by....grams, nanny, grammy, oh wow! I'm not sure any of them sound any younger! Hal and I are going to have so much fun with grand kids. What an exciting new chapter in our lives.

NEW flight plans

SO we just received NEW flight plans again. And they are giving us permission to use our emails to let our families know that there have been changes again. Here is the new schedule.....We depart from the Salt Lake Airport at 7:10am on Tuesday the 16th, and Arrive in Chicago IL at 11:13am.

Image via Wikipedia

Our next flight Departs at 5:25 pm, and we'll arrive in London England on Wed. the 17th at 7:05 am.

Image via Wikipedia

We depart London at 9:15am, and arrive in Rome Italy at 12:40pm.

Image via Wikipedia

We'll be landing just in time for an Italian Feast! We'll stay the first night all together at the mission home which is actually one of the biggest Manors in Rome. Its a Mansion that was built for Mussolini's Son. HAHAHA i could hardly believe it when we found out today!! I can Hardly Wait!Depending on how much down time i have at the airport Tuesday morning in Salt lake i thinks that's when I'm gonna try to call the family, cus our paper work still says that we are to report to the travel office at 3:45am, and my plane doesn't leave till 7:10. If it turns out i don't have time ill just call in Chicago. But anyways things are going good here. Some of the younger Anziani have gotten sick and 4 have been taken to be quarantined. SO this morning i went into the Medical Center on Campus and pretty much demanded in a loving way that my group be given the medication that the infected people are getting, cus there is NO way I'm staying another 2-4 weeks if one of us gets sick before we are scheduled to leave. And surprisingly they gave it to us!I couldn't believe it! So many people have gone in asking for it so they wouldn't get sick and they were all turned away unless they tested positive. So our entire district is on what is known as the pill now, haha. But anyways, I'm healthy and happy and super excited to talk to everyone on Tuesday! I love you all. oh and please call Tia and let her know too! Thanks so much! Ciou Famiglia!!Love Anziano Koozer

Week 10

Hey Family,It was great to get to talk to you mom and Emmett on Friday. Things have been kinda slow this week just a lot of personal study time. Our teachers are only allowed to have so many hours with us now cus they are teaching the new Anziani that just came in, so we only see a teacher now for about 4 hours, as apposed to our normal 8-10. It has been great though to work on all the things i feel i personal need to work on. Our official flight plans have been given to us, and i am so excited!!! We leave the 16th and head to Atlanta, then straight from there to Rome! I'm going to try to call everyone in the Morning from Salt Lake if i have time. Cus we report to the travel office at 3:45 in the morning , and our flight doesn't leave till almost 8:00. SO i should have time to call the Family and visit for a while. I have learned so much this last week, and am really grateful for the opportunity to stay here and learn all the things i have. Well i miss everyone and will talk to you all on the 16th!!Love Anziano Koozer

WEEK SWINE

Hey everyone,Well it turned out that thank goodness no one in our district has the swine flu. last night we went and were tested and it turns out that the 5 in our group all just have a pretty good cough, and cold. We also found out that over 30 people have been diagnosed with the flu, but only 3 have been found to have the Swine flu. The MTC is the absolute ideal place to spread bugs, and sickness. There are over 2000 missionaries who are all eating 3 times a day and touching the exact same things, and who are meeting in large group meetings 2 to 3 times a week. So what have seemed like simple seasonal sicknesses have spread like wildfire and now that the Swine flu has been found in the mix the first presidency has had to shut us down immediately, because the last thing the church wants to do is is be responsible for spreading Swine flu across the entire world. So yesterday when i found out we were not flying out, i have to admit I was pretty dang mad. Every one was completely packed up and just waiting for the day to be over so we could get going. And then we found out that the date had been pushed back even farther to the 15th, and it absolutely crushed me! A week is one thing but 2 weeks was just too much. Time is different here in the the MTC, a week is really like 3 weeks in the real world, cus all we do is sit in the same class all day long from 7:30am to 9:30pm, and by the of the day our heads are ready to explode! So the 15th was the last thing i wanted to hear. We were sent back to the room early last night to unpack our things and to relax cus our teachers didn't have anything prepared for us cus they found out after we did, and i was in a terrible mood. I was SOOO mad, and frustrated, and i didn't feel good, and all i wanted to do was to be out of the MTC. After I grudgingly unpacked my bags and cleaned up my room, I just laid on my bed totally defeated. And laying there I realized i was feeling something that i hadn't felt for a really long time.... I didn't have the spirit with me. I felt completely alone, even though there were 3 other missionaries in the room, there was an emptiness inside of me, and i couldn't stand it. I immediately got off my bed and fell on my knees and i prayed to Heavenly Father for forgiveness. I prayed and prayed and prayed until i could start to feel the spirit with me again, and i pleaded with Heavenly Father for the companionship of the Spirit. As i finished my praying i apologized to the other elders in my room, for all my complaining, and for my previous bad attitude. I realized that the extra time that i have been given is such a blessing. Now i have the opportunity to sit down and write out another set of goals to better myself over these next 2 weeks and to become an even better missionary for the Lord. I can better my language, and teaching skills, i have the opportunity to do so much more that i would have never gotten the chance to do. I know it would have been great to be in Rome tomorrow but i know that we are being held longer for a reason. I know that there are reasons that i cannot see for me having to stay longer, and i so grateful for the opportunity to get to better myself. I love you all, thank you so much for all the support you have given me. Mom thank you so much for the awesome picture book you sent me and for the calling card its exactly what i needed. well I'm out of time, but i love you and look forward to getting hearing more from everyone these next 2 weeks. Love Anziano Koozer

Hey everyone its Mon. night and the absolute worst thing has happened. Swine Flu has hit the MTC and we are now on lock down. I was scheduled to leave tomorrow morning at 4am, but ALL out going Missionaries are being held here till at least the 15th. The date may be pushed back even farther as more and more missionaries are being infected. The number is well over twenty and they are starting to quarantine entire buildings now. NO one goes in and no one goes out and food is just dropped off to them. Its absolutely terrible! So please pray for us. Our district might be where it started. 5 missionaries including myself are being sent in to be tested tonight, because we are all starting to get sick. I'm so sorry i wont get to talk to everyone tomorrow, I'm super bummed, but i will get to email since it is my P-day, if it turns out I'm not infected. Well my time is up for now but i love you all and will keep you posted. PS- Please call Tia and let her know for me. thanks i love you.Anziano Koozer