California Fun

Hooray for Spring Break! Mine was pretty good. I spent a lot of time working at the beginning of the week, so that I could spend a lot of time playing at the end of the week. We went as a family to San Diego. It was lots of fun. We went to the beach.

It was pretty cold! On Friday we went to SeaWorld. That place is so much fun to me. For some reason it makes me feel like a little kid again. Me and my brothers sat in the soak zone for everything, and subsequently, we were soaked most of the day. We were also a lot more pleased with the Shamu show this time. Last time we sat in the second row, because you wanted to get soaked, but the only thing that got soaked was our butts.


This time was much better as you can see!


We went back to the beach the next day, and walked along it, and then came home.














I would say the trip was an overall success. We all had a great time.

Everything I Think I Need

Friends - check
Money - check
Well-slept - check
Opposite sex - check
Guitar - check
Microphone - check
Messages waiting on me when I come home - check
-John Mayer

Ok so its not exactly like that for me. Right now it would be

Friends - check
Money - uncheck
Well-slept - uncheck
Opposite sex - uncheck
Guitar - check
Microphone - uncheck
Messages waiting on me when I come home - uncheck

Dang, that's only 2 of them. Despite all this, I am happy. I don't know why. I had an impression this last week that I have everything I need in my life to be happy right now. That was a bit unsettling, because there are lots of things I think I need, but it did bring peace knowing that I'm where I need to be. Not that I still don't want some of those things, and not that I should stop trying to get some of those things, but for now, everything is where it should be. So life is happy!

The Path of Life

Here's a poem a wrote while I was on my mission. It came to me all at once during a sacrament meeting. I could hardly write it down fast enough. Hope you enjoy!

The Holy Ghost hath testified,

I know within my heart,

The other paths that I have tried,

From them I must depart.

I turn my feet toward the light,

The mountains fill my view.

I see the rugged path of life,

And see where I must choose.

Knowing that the path is hard,

But knowing that it’s right.

My body’s weak with sin that’s marred,

I’ll try with all my might.

But on my own I know I’ll fail.

The natural man is weak.

Rememb’ring suffering, cross and nail,

The Son who was most meek.

And following his Father’s plan,

He suffered for our sins.

And with Him I must take my stand,

And then my trail begins.

Through winding roads and jagged rocks,

And dangers at all sides.

A thoughtless group, a crowd that mocks,

My standards must abide.

Then climbing up the steepest slope,

My foot loses its place.

I fear, but then I search for hope,

I see my Savior’s face.

He reaches out his hand, and I,

I take it eagerly.

“I cannot make it.” I reply,

He answers, “Trust in Me.”

“My strength is gone, I can’t go on,”

Was my sorrowed plea.

“I know you, what you can become,”

And again says, “Trust in Me.”

Then drying tears that fill my eyes

He embraces me most dear.

I set aside my foolish cries,

I see the pathway clear.

I see the pitfalls up ahead,

And where I must avoid.

The Lord will show me where to tread,

And with him I am buoyed.

I finally reach the mountains peak.

My heart, it swells with joy.

Tears fill my eyes, I cannot speak,

I’ve traveled since a boy.

“Well done thou good and faithful one,”

My Savior says to me.

“Now look at what you have become,”

He tells me tenderly.

“But without Thee I could not have come,

I’ve failed too many times.”

“That’s why I’ve come. The victory’s won.

And friend you now are mine.”

“You’ve come to me and tried your best.

You’ve done what you could do.

My sacrifice makes up the rest.

I’ve done it all for you.”

“Now come child, your reward awaits.

Your Father’s waiting too,

Now enter in the Celestial gates,

And live the life of new.”

Rock Your Socks Off

CD's and Apparel in stores soon.

A Few Of My Favorite Things

Ok, so I am not talking about the Sound of Music. I'm talking about CHRISTMAS! It is one of my favorite holidays. I usually make a big long christmas list of things that I want, but this year I only had one thing on my list.

My parents said I should probably make a new list. But Christmas presents aren't the reason I love Christmas so much. Here are a few reasons.

I love getting Christmas cards. I learned that I really enjoyed this on my mission. Its fun to see how much everyone has grown and changed. I especially like it when there are inserts about what everyone is doing in their lives. A little brag moment for everyone. Its fun!

Oranges from my grandparents trees. They are perfect around Christmas time, and we always look forward to getting one in our stockings. This orange was actually the size of a medium sized grapefruit.

People in my mission always laughed when I told them we had a fireplace in our house. I even think it is a bit funny. Whenever we have a fire we have to sit on the other end of the room, and sometimes even crack the window open a bit, but it does add an ambience that makes it feel a bit like more like Christmas. Especially when we decorate the mantle.

I don't entirely understand the joys of this one yet, but I here it is quite a thrill to have a little kiss beneath the mistletoe. My parents always seemed to enjoy it. I think they actually just did it to drive us crazy when we were kids.

Nativity sets are always facinating to me. I love the display at the Mesa Visitor's Center of all the Nativity scenes from different parts of the world.

The Temple Christmas lights are always such a wonderful thing. I look forward to it every year. There is just such a wonderful spirit to be looking at the beauty of all the lights all around the House of God. That is one of the things that I missed while I was on my mission.

My Family. They are so great, and I am excited to spend this Christmas with 2 new additions to our family. Brent Hill, and Holly Butler (now Johnson).

Most of all is Christ. It is so great to have a special day to celebrate the birth of the Savior of the World. Without him we all be lost forever. He is everything to me. He is the Reason for the Season.

A Little Recap

Well, a little recap on my life since last I updated. Life has been good. It has been so much fun being home. I do miss my mission, but not too much.

I am loving life, and enjoying this time of it. Our Family took a little outing to one of my favorite places, Usery Pass. It is tradition that we go there every Christmas Eve. I think this year we are going on Christmas Day though, so that we can have the whole family there. Usery Pass is such a great place, because there is so much to do. Marc, Seth, and I ran up and down the hills out there the whole time.


We found this cool place that we appropriately named “Split Rock” It became our “Secret Hideout”, only I don’t think it is actually very secret. But It is the perfect place for taking pictures at sunset.

I have worked for my dad some. Doing the normal stuff. Cleaning cooling towers, brushing chiller tubes. Thank Goodnes we don’t have any ponds to clean the pond scum out of. 2 weeks ago I started a CNA course. It has been really interesting. I get to wear scrubs, so it feels like I am going to school in pajamas.



How do you think I look as a Nursing Assistant? I started clinicals this week over at Archstone. It is a Nursing Home in chandler. I have definetly learned a lot in the past two days. Today I got to go work in the Locked Unit. It is where they put all the people who suffer from dementia. They keep them in there to be under closer supervision, and to make sure that they don’t wander out of the building and get hurt. I actually really enjoyed working there today, and I am excited to go back again tomorrow. Once I graduate this class and get my licence I think I want to work in a hospital. I might even look for a job working hospice. I don’t think I want to work in a nursing home though.

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