Good times--once again.

Well it's been a while and life has been equally crazy! Last week my work schedule was crazier than it had ever been previously at work! On Monday my boss gave me a special assignment that was ultra boring, but that's okay because it gave me plenty of time to think. It was seriously just as bad as watching paint dry though. Oh well, I make good money. My boss then gave me two more projects to finish before the end of the week because she was going out of town. Realistically speaking it would have been very impossible to finish even one of these projects, but I continued to work hard, I never took a break, I took 15 minute lunches and just worked my tail off. It was definetly not too desireable. The last two days of my work week I was at work until 5:30 and then the next night 6:45 to finish my projects. I worked a full week in only four days. I was DEAD tired at the end of the day on Thursday, but I got to do my FAVORITE thing ever. After my 6:45 day on Thursday I went to play soccer with some old friends. Now this is a pretty substantial thing. I hadn't played soccer competitvely in over two years and I could finally do it. It was so cool to lace up my old cleats and regain some control on the ball. It was ugly at first and we lost and lost due to some of my mistakes, but towards the end my command returned and it felt so good. All the stress caused by work and not being able to finish all my projects left me. I really do love soccer. I hadn't felt so satisfied in a long time and boy was it good. On Friday I woke up early and drove to Florence to board a plane to return to the homeland--Arizona. On the first plane ride to Atlanta my neighbor on the plane was sleeping and preferred that the arm rest stayed up (so he could take over a third of my seat!) I was hoping for some relief on the second plane ride but they placed me in the middle of two people! Ugh! My neck was very sore as I discovered that it is pretty hard and hurtful to sleep sitting up. It was so nice to return to the Valley. The first thing I did was go to the temple--that place is so amazing! I think it is highly underrated! After the temple I went to the vistors center to watch the Joseph Smith movie. I love that movie. So up to this point it was a pretty spiritual day. I loved it! After seeing Amy and the kids I went back out to see my cousin Scott. We met at Filiberto's and then ate at his house. It was amazing food, but not the best stuff to have before a blind date! Speaking of the blind date, as I was driving to her house and turning into her neighborhood something crazy happened. The gas ran out! Picture this--literally less than a block from her house and I run out of gas! She thought it was funny that we pushed the truck to her house for the first time we met, but all is well. On Saturday we went to lunch as a family and then I hung out with the kids before going out for the night. We ate at PF Changs and then saw Kung Fu Panda. Good movie--very hilarious! Today was any normal Sunday. I went to see my Mission President's homecoming talk. It was so nice to see him today. It just made me miss my mission so much. I miss the good times. I just sat there reminiscing the good (and bad) times of my mission--and that, in fact, was good times.

Wal Mart (La Tienda del Pared)

I love the prices. I hate the people. I went to Wal Mart today and I realized there that every single person is only worrying about themselves and no one else! I got cut off so many times, people would block the isle looking at things without moving their cart out of the way, cashiers talking to their friends rather than doing their job. I was just pretty touchy today. When I was looking at the watermelons i stepped away from my cart and I heard this family vying to steal my cart from me. The lady began to walk towards my cart and I dropped the watermelon and returned to my cart quickly to show my owenership. I wasn't having it today! It didn't help that that was my second cart on the day. My first cart had the bum wheel and I ditched it quickly! Well, that was my fun Wal Mart trip--gotta love it!

Things are looking up

Life is going well. It's been a while since I last wrote, but I've been busy this week. I've been at a serious lack of sleep lately and so two nights this week I went to bed at 8pm! I felt soo good in the mornings of those days! On Wednesday I was able to have an interview with the Stake President and we discussed my life since my mission and also I got my new temple recommend. Okay, call me a dork, but I love having temple recommend interviews. I love the feeling that comes from being able to answer correctly to all the questions and being able to be worthy to go there. I love it! That night I got a letter from the temple here in Columbia calling me to be an Ordinance Worker! I was soo excited! I want to work on the Spanish Saturday so I can keep my Spanish up a little bit. This week was just so great! On Friday I got a letter from my last companion in the mission and he said that Tina--one of our investigators that we had set for baptism--had gotten baptized! I was soo happy! It really put an end to my mission. I think that all of our investigators have been baptized now. Well, there are two more that need to be. They weren't able due to problems with probation, but I heard this week that that got all cleared up and so they are good to be baptized very soon, too! I loved my mission so much. This week was just a time to reflect on that. I chatted with plenty of people from my mission and even talked to my trainer! He left me right after I started my mission and so we just had a nice long chat about his life and his WIFE! I saw a movie this week with Adam, Incredible Hulk. It was a good movie. Pretty action packed and left a door open for the next one. This morning dad and I cleaned the garage out in preparation for mom coming home from YW camp. He loves doing these little surprises for her. He's a good example to me. I am excited for my vacation next week! It's gonna be a lot of miles over such a short period of time, but I'm really excited to figure things out. I went mini-golfing again last night with Adam. I'm really trying to get good at it. I had a great first 9 and just blew up the next 9. I wish this game actually mattered... :) Life is going great!

Crazy Weekend in Charleston

We had a good weekend in Charleston. On Friday I went out to lunch with Karen, an old friend, and we just talked and talked. It was so nice to be able to chat with her again about old times and what has gone on in the last two years. After that I went to search for a Father's Day gift for my dad and I realized that he was just the hardest person to shop for. For those who don't know my dad, he has the best of EVERYTHING! Karen was making nice suggestions, but they were in vain due to the things my father already has. She suggested everything from books (he uses I-Tunes) to movies (he uses Netflix) to speakers (he has a Bose system). I finally decided what I was going to get him, but have since changed my mind. It so difficult to shop for him! I then went to wait for my train starting at 5:30, when it was originally supposed to take off. The train finally left the station at 7:15. It was interesting to ride a train--it was my first time. It's so shaky! When I arrived in Charleston I had my greeting crew there and we all acted like it had been years since we had last seen eachother. I was showered with hugs and "Welcome home" chants. I'm glad my family are such goofballs like me! We went mini golfing that night and I just stunk it up. The truth is that I was prideful. I finished near the bottom. Saturday was fun, just really hot. We shopped--A LOT. I was pretty tired from doing so much shopping and so little buying. My dad asked why I hadn't bought much and I told him that it was because this week alone had been very expensive for me. I paid my cell phone, bought a plane ticket, paid my insurance, bought my contacts, and filled up my gas tank. The joys of being home... I got a call today to ask if I could teach the Gospel Doctrine class at church tomorrow. I accepted because it was the right thing to do. On the way home from Charleston I slept. When we got home I took care of the dogs (cleaned up their poop) and have just been lazing around. Life is

good.

Well I'm new to this whole blog thing... but life has been good since I got home from my mission a month ago today. I've made somewhat of a transition, but still find it hard to say that my name is Karl or to ask girls out or to even talk to girls! But the first month has seen me get a job, register for school, make an impulse decision buying, and impress people with my Spanish. I got a calling as the Executive Secretary to the Bishop (my dad) and am just trying to learn all my new roles as a Returned Missionary. I've been talking a lot to a girl lately and she seems really nice. I miss my mission at times. Last night I talked to my 'son' and I was all smiles. I wish I would have been there. They set some of our investigators for baptism and I just missed that feeling. Nevertheless, I am still loving this new life and have yet to sleep in too terribly much. I read my scriptures everyday still and am continuing the traditions I learned as a missionary (making my bed as soon as I wake up.) Life is good.