My Life In A Nut Shell

Well, the first full week of classes is pretty much at a close. So far everything is going pretty well. I have actually had to do quite a bit of reading for both my geology and sharing the gospel class, but all in all, it isn't too bad. I started back at work also. Everything is the same as it was before I left to go back home. The kids are still crazy but really fun to be around. One huge plus is that I got a pay raise. So instead of making about 7 bucks an hour, I will be getting 10 bucks an hour. Not to shabby for helping out kids with their homework. The state of Hawaii raised the pay for everybody working in the A+ program since a lot of people were quiting and going to work at McDonalds since they pay more. I was actually happy with the 7 bucks since it is better then I would have received around here, but I will take the 10 no problem. Other then work and school, I have been going out to play basketball these past couple of nights over at the old gym. Man, I am out of shape. It's actually pretty sad how bad I am at ball right now. I felt like I didn't really lose much when I first got here since after all I played in the 3 on 3 tourny back in Redlands and did pretty well in that. Looks like I need to get back in shape. Oh well, I have been meaning to anyways. Well, this post is pretty random, so sorry about that. It's been a long day. Welp, that's it from my end. Late

Aloha to everybody out there in blogger land. I have made it back to Hawaii safe and sound. The semester has officially started as well, and I am really looking forward to my classes. I am taking physcology, english, geology, chem, chem lab, book of mormon, and sharing the gospel. In all, I am taking 17 credits this semester, so I should be pretty busy with school and work. I'm really excited though because all my professors are really awesome and the classes should go relatively smoothly. However, I am not happy about the amount of money I had to freakin spend on books. Today, I spent 3 hundo on books. I was pretty mad/sad since now I am officially broke. Looks like I am going to have to try and get some more hours in at work. All in all, I am really happy to be back here in Hawaii. It is still gorgeous, there are still awesome people here, along with quite a few new people, so it should be a great semester. Hope all is well back on the mainland. That's it from my end. Late

Well, the end of my vacation is rapidly aproaching. That is correct ladies and gents, I am peacing out of Yucaipa, yet again, tomorrow. And I never thought that I would actually say this, I am really looking forward to it. Don't get me wrong, I really do like Yucaipa, it was a great place for me to spend my childhood and all, good schools, good people, but my time is up here. It just no longer feels like home to me anymore. I know that it is, it always will be, but I know that it is time for me to just leave it all behind. I will always remember the great friendships that I was so blessed to be able to establish here, and I know that I will always have them. When I was in Hawaii, I was really looking forward to coming back home. I really was, mainly to see the crew again, and just hang out with them. I was able to do that, but I don't know, it just didn't really feel like how I wanted it to be. Well, I take that back, I was wanting it to be like how it was in High School, for us all to just pretty much resume where we left off four months ago. Shortly after coming here though, I realized that that could not happen. All of us have changed these past four months. It's not bad that we have, it's just that for the past like 12 years of our lives, we have been growing and changing together. Now, we are apart and life is leading us down different paths. I will always cherish the friendships that I have here in good ol' Yucaipa, and I will always be there for those people dearest in my life. I think that I just learned the hard way that people change and that life holds different things in store for all of us.
Don't think that this is me saying "bye" to all of you because I am not saying that at all. What I am saying is that life leads us all down different paths. We have all been on the same path for the past 12 years or so, the path of actually getting into college. That path is behind us now and new ones are arising every single day. Like for me, I just had an interview with my bishop to go on my mission. I never thought the day would actually come when I was going to be able to. Now it is just around the corner, and I know that those two years are going to be going by like the blink of an eye. During that time, all of you will be finishing up on your degrees, meeting the right person for you, maybe starting a family, finding a career, all of that great stuff. So, I think that the main message that I would like to get across in this post is, thank you all for everything. Thank you for helping me become the person that I have become, and I hope that somehow I have helped you to become the person you want to be. I will never forget you guys, and I will always cherish the friendship that we have established. I hope that we all are able to keep in contact, because I would hate to not hear from you guys anymore. Thanks for all the memories and heres to the ones yet to come. Well, that's pretty much it from my end. Late

It's only the start of the new year, and I already hate it. I feel like crap and I know that I only have myself to blame. I should have been a better example. Only two things could make me feel better right now. First is to go back to Hawaii and it's beauty. Second is to go back and re-live my experience at EFY '05. Since I can't have either, I'm listening to my EFY cd. Here are the lyrics to the song that is on repeat in my cd player right now.

I feel a chill when the shadows grow still
And I'm standing to close to the edge
With nothing to ground me, the world swirls around me
I'm lost in a mist of despair

I need to run to the light of the sun
Feel the warmth of its rays on my face
I need to walk with my feet on the Rock
And my heart lifted up in His grace

I will stand in the light
Look to the dawn as it breaks through the night
With courage and strength I will stand in my place
With the flame of my faith burning bright
I will stand in the light
Hold up the truth and stand for the right
I can reach so much higher
I'm filled with its fire when I stand
Stand in the light

Steady and still like a light on a hill
It shines for the whole world to see
Chasing the dark, washing over my heart
Changing what I want to be

I feel it grow, flooding into my soul
This river of truth flows through me
Filling me up with conviction enough
To live what I truly believe

I will stand in the light
Look to the dawn as it breaks through the night
With courage and strength I will stand in my place
With the flame of my faith burning bright
I will stand in the light
Hold up the truth and stand for the right
I can reach so much higher
I'm filled with its fire when I stand
Stand in the light