Jerusalem if I forget you....today was our last day in the glorious old city.

Tender. Endearing. Surge. Tears. Joy.

Although this is the end of our journey here in Jerusalem, it is just the beginning to a bright new future awaiting us at home.

One full day of bag checking, airplane food, and a few personal screenings then we are home.

PASSION WEEK

I am now on the home stretch of one of the most defining and incredible experiences of my life. It honestly doesn’t feel like the end…I don’t think it will hit me until I get on the plane in a little over 48 hours. We are all trying to say goodbye to the things that have grown so fond to our hearts. It is hard. However, one thing I like to think and hold onto is the thought that this is not the end but rather it is the beginning. We have experienced things I could not have imagined 5 months ago. We were trained and taught by “the best of the best,” the experts, the cream of the crops in their fields. Now is the time to use what we have been taught. If I have learned anything here, it is the kind of person I want to become. The more I have learned about the Savior, the more I want to reshape my life, priorities, and values. I am grateful for this building stone I will use for the rest of my life.


These past few days the students and I traveled the course of the last week of Christ’s ministry here on this earth. Starting from Palm Sunday (his entrance and recognition as King of Israel) we ventured throughout the city as well as the Mount of Olives to end at the Garden Tomb-Christ’s resurrection. Oh how beautiful it is to be in the city and see the actual sites visited and changed by Christ 2000 years ago.


Yesterday was a wonderful moment for it was the time of Passover. All over the city last night, Jews were in their homes celebrating this symbolic festival. This does not only mean only unleavened bread and bitter herbs for seven more days, but it is a celebration and remembrance of the Exodus, the children of Israel being saved out of the land of Egypt. In celebration to commemorate Christ’s life, we reflected upon the Last Supper. As we looked out upon the Old City, there was a display of a table upon the auditorium floor (similar to the thought of the set up at the time of the Savior) with an arrangement of food used at the meal so many nights ago. We read John 13-17 to get the message Christ illustrated at this sacred and emotional supper. This was the last meal Christ ate with the apostles before he entered the trees of Gethsemane to perform the most matchless sacrifice and act of love known to mankind. It was a really special experience and I am so grateful for these countless opportunities to learn more about the teachings and life of Christ.







Lazarus' Tomb

Church in Bethphage. This is the beginning of Jesus Christ's journey to his triumphal entry into the city.
This is also where we began the march on Palm Sunday.

Jesus taught his disciples often in this cave near Dominus Flevit.

This hallway is full of prayers, it is near the cave (previous pic) depicting prayers in many different languages.

Dominus Flevit.
This is the site whereJesus sat and wept as he overlooked the Temple Mount.
The church is in the shape of a tear drop representing the tears he shed over the people and the Temple.  I try to picture Christ, looking at this sacred mount, knowing that it as well as the people will be destroyed and killed a few years later by the Romans.

This church possesses the most beautiful view of the Kidron Valley and the Temple Mount.

Dormission Abbey.
 This church commemorates Mary, the mother of Christ as well as many other influential women within the Bible.

Upper Room.

Upper Room.
We sang many hymns and learned more about the messages from the Last Supper.

Saint Peter in Gallicantu. This is the site where Peter denied Christ.

These are stones Christ must have walked upon after suffering in Gethsemane and being taken by the Romans. We had the most beautiful lesson on the importance of Christ's atoning sacrifice near these steps.

The "Upper Room Experience." This is what the meal prepared by Peter and John would most likely have looked like. We always see the Last Supper depicted at a table with the Apostles sitting around the table. In reality they would have been laying on their side (left), eating along side the Savior. This is best depicted in the scripture talking about John putting his head on the breast of Jesus. It is a beautiful image and I am grateful we were given a life size view of what that sacred night might have looked like.

This morning we walked over to the Garden of Gethsemane. We sang a few hymns and read a few scriptures focusing on the atonement. It was wonderful to sit and ponder in the place (or near the place) where the Savior suffered for my sins. The Olive trees are a beautiful, symbolic representation of the pain and suffering Jesus Christ suffered. The process of making olive oil requires the olives to be crushed and then pressed. The color of the olives when crusehd is a dark red color. It is after the olives have been pressed when that beautiful golden yellow oil is produced. This is the oil used for healing. Christ suffered and was stained in his own blood in order to provided us the ability to be healed and perfected. I cannot express my gratitude for this matchless sacrifice for me. I love him and I know the power of the atonement is real. We have the ability to change and become more like Christ if we utilize this gift the Savior so selflessly performed for us that night in Gethsemane.

Greg and I at the pool of Bethesda. This is the pool of one of the most beautiful miracles performed by the Savior. A man who has been sick for 38 years lay by a pool, unable to get into the healing waters of the pool. "Sir I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool." Jesus responded, "Rise, take up thy bed and walk (John 5:1-8)." Christ is our advocate for the Father. He helps and heals those who cannot heal themselves. This is a beautiful message of peace and comfort for we all need the Savior's healing power in our lives. Whether it may be physical or spiritual, we must rely upon the Savior to truly make something of our lives.



Church of the Flagellation.
 This is the possible site where Jesus was condemned and beaten before he carried the cross to Calvary.



The Garden Tomb.

"I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father. Of Him the Prophet (Joseph Smith) also declared: "And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: THAT HE LIVES!" -The Living Christ (The Testimony of the Apostles)

CEMETERIES!!

I have anticipated posting this blog since the first week of my arrival here in the Holy Land. One quirky little quality of mine is my passion for cemeteries. My friends here have seen me rave uncontrollably as we have visited many different, unique cemeteries. I must devote an entire blog post to the many cemeteries we have visited over the span of this semester. 

Background.

 Before you all judge me, I must explain where this passion and love came from. It boils down to my mother. My mother is wonderful and has taught me the wonders of cemeteries. She used to take my sisters and I around the Salt Lake cemetery along with a map and her wisdom for wonderful adventures in the summer time. We would search for prophets, family members, and just random inspiring individuals. I loved it. I even took dates there to explore the wonders of the cemetery. There is just something peaceful and serene about cemeteries. Rach and I would often go running in Provo through the one cemetery south of campus. We have had many good, long conversations within the walls of that cemetery.  

 Much to my surprise there are cemeteries ALL over the Mount of Olives and East of the city.It is a beautiful sight. There is so much history coorelated with each of these cemeteries. Cemeteries are found on the east and northern sides of the city because it was thought at the time of the Temple Periods that cemeteries defiled the city and therefore must be placed away from civilization. They are on the north and eastern sides of the temple mount because the winds blow from the West and therefore they did not want the "evil" from the cemeteries to blow over the Temple Mount. Consequently, today there are thousands of graves covering the eastern wall of the city and the Mount of Olives.

Even on some of our random field trips we have passed through a few. Although this quirky passion of mine caught a few people off guard, they began to understand and even embrace this passion of mine.

Mount of Olives:

 Ein Karem...

 In GALILEE...

Yad Veshem...

Just the beginning...

The end is near and therefore I have already had to say goodbye to a few things that have grown fond to my heart this past semester.

 These young women.

Half of  these girls belong to the Tel Aviv branch but the other half are mine. I LOVE them all.

The rest of the darling kids in the district.

All of these kids have impacted me so much. They are such great examples of standing for truth and righteousness. Amidst a world of doubt and secularism, these kids (often being the only members in the entire district) are really what its all about. I am grateful to have learned so much from them this semester.

 Sister Bentley.

 I worked with her for both the humanitarian committee and in the young womens program. You could say we have bonded a bit. I love her and her husband. I am grateful for their love and willingness to serve.

 Hygiene Kits.

Over.

We made more than 7000 kits over the span of the semester. We were the fastest group the JC has experienced under the Bentley operation that is. It was so fun. Crank a little tunes and let the body move. This really reminded me of the days back in the warehouse (which isn't too far off in the distance) breaking boxes, tape guns, counting kits, trash runs-we did it all! Just a little warm up for the summer I suppose.

Studying.

This past week I have studied more than I have done anything else. I LOVED IT!!! Everything we have learned from our field trips, in class, from the scriptures, from guest speakers all came together. You know those moments when all the points seem to connect to illustrate a bigger picture...my week. My professor said these would be the most crucial 48 hours of the semester, how right he was. I have loved learning and applying these principles into my life. This is not the end. I know this is merely a stepping stone and a rock solid foundation to further build upon. I am excited to continue to grow upon this foundation for the rest of my life. I am so grateful for the wonderful professors who make it possible to learn such difficult and abstract concepts in one semester. I am surely not saying I know everything there is to know about this land or the Bible for that will never be the case, however, I am saying I have gained a sense of confidence. Confidence in my power to study the scriptures. Confidence in my ability to teach others. Confidence to receive and act upon the promptings of the Spirit. I am learning. If anything this experience has given me the ability to see what I hope to become.

 Four days left....



Jordan

JORDAN!!!

Jordan. It is amazing what a border crossing can do. These past four days have been full of long, sweaty bus rides, pita overdoses, hiking monumental structures, dance parties in random archeological sites, sicknesses spreading like wildfire, a few master suites, and getting whole lot of mauling from little girls. If this trip contained anything it would be surprises. Although I was completely unprepared for what we encountered, I loved every second of it.

The most amazing part of the trip for me was the people. I have never felt so much warmth and love from strangers in my entire life. If anyone is ever lacking self-confidence Jordan is the place to go. All of the people we encountered were so eager to talk to us. Although many of them knew little English, they tried so desperately hard to communicate and create conversation. Teenage girls were among most of the Jordanians we met. For some reason they were there by the hundreds at almost every site we visited. They were smiling, giggling, complimenting, and just being darling in every way possible. It was so fun! With the combination of an all girls home, yws in the JC, and the 60-20 ratio of girls to guys, I could pretty much say I was at home in Jordan. Girls were everywhere.

I can honestly say I am grateful and happy to be alive. Here. At this moment in time. Adventures continue to grow and build upon each other. I am sad to announce our visit here in the Holy Land is coming to an end. The Dead Sea tomorrow is our last field trip of the semester. Words cannot describe my emotions. I am sad, happy, blessed, and overall grateful to have experienced such a wonderful culture, people, academic program, teachers, callings, and personal growth.

Here is a random collection of the many adventures we encountered this past week. Brace yourself for a long post...



Madaba. We stopped at a place with the most beautiful mosaics.

 

This is a map of the land I have been experiencing these past four months.

The one name that popped into my head when I saw this pot was G.G. I remember as a child playing with this same dish set on G.G.'s floor while watching the Great Race. I have never seen a set like this anywhere. Who knew I would find one in Jordan.

Machaerus.
We hiked to a Herodian Fortress. This location is associated to the death of John the Baptist.

PETRA!!!
The Nabateans (North Arabians) were the founders of this fantastic city. It was ruled by Aratas IV (9 BC-40 AD). This city was destroyed in one night by an 8 level earthquake.
 This behind me is the "Treasury" or as many may know it as the location of  Indiana Jones...beautiful!

My darling roommate Keri and I. She was kind enough to share a headset with me as we toured this "rose red city."

On our hike to the Monastery.

I am convinced every field trip always turns into a hike..which I love. We were hiking all over these red rocks, exploring the remains of ancient history.

The Monastery.

An example of hidden beauty. A group of students and I hiked to the "high place." Along the way we saw many structures like this hidden within the depths of the red rocks.

Lauren and I almost to the high place.

Lauren and I hiked up with some crazy boys whom I absolutely love. This here is Josh, Cami, and AJ. They are all so fun and full of so much energy. One of their biggest hobbies is parkouring. While we were running around, hiking near death drops offs, these boys were attempting to prove of their parkour expertise. This includes twisting, bouncing off walls, pencil jumps-pretty much the more ridiculous one looks the better.

Exploring the Petra shops turned into a tutorial on how to fold kaffiyehs. 

King Abdullah Mosque.

It was absolutely beautiful. Plain and simple. Inside on the carpet there were rows and rows of red, rectangular boxes. This pattern is used to help Muslims kneel in a straight line to pray. I thought this was very interesting.

My girls. We were required to cover every speck of skin as well as our heads.
 I love becoming immersed in unfamiliar cultures. 



More girls.

Some of my most favorite girls on the program.

In front of the Jabbok River. This river is associated with Jacob who saw God face to face. I am so amazed by the many wonderful sites we get to experience. Our teachers usually read the associated scriptorial reference at the actual site the story takes place. AMAZING!

Jerash.
The place dates back to the Middle Bronze Age II.  It was absolutely gorgeous to see the many ancient ruins still in great condition.

Victoria (my engaged roommate, soon to be married in less than 8 weeks), Synthia, and I in front of the forum and cardo.

Ok one of the happiest memories of this whole Jordan trip was in an ancient stadium. This stadium was unlike any we have been to thus far, mainly because it was full of hundreds of teenage Jordanian girls on a field trip. WE entered the stadium and instantly the girls were singing, pounding drums, and clapping. My class of JC students and I stood in the middle of the stadium and began to sing "The Spirit of God." They were so intrigued by us. It was so funny. Then this man brings out his bagpipes and began to play "Praise to the Man." We were all just clapping and singing. Then the drums picked up again and I went over to dance with some darling Muslim girls. They were so excited to teach me their quite difficult dance steps. I loved it. I was in heaven. This moment definitely marks one of the happiest moments in my life. To follow our rockin dance party in an ancient stadium, completely surrounded by young Muslim girls screaming and cheering, it was time for pictures. I have never felt so popular in my entire life and I guarantee I won't ever feel that way again. They were just so kind to me and all the other students. Finally Brother Muhlestein had to come grab me to get me away from this darling crowd of giddy school girls. One word: bliss.

Love love LOVE these boys.
All the street vendors were selling these little whistles. Naturally all the boys bought one and insisted on playing them constantly....boys will be boys.

Once again girls rule the world in Jordan. Kissing is definitely part of this warm and welcoming culture. I have never been kissed so much in one day. I felt so much love from these wonderful individuals. If only I could have that much joy and warmth to strangers...the lessons we can learn from the Jordanians.  

Livin the dream.

On our free time we went to the city mall. It was HUGE! I am positive every store I have ever seen in my life and more could be found in this wonderful place. From a large Walmart to the trendiest European clothing lines- Jordan has got it all.

Spontaneity at its greatest. We randomly went to an Automobile Museum. I know I am not the biggest car fanatic but wow it was so fascinating. I learned all about V8 and V12s and how the engine works. The boys who I went with were in heaven and trying to touch every car possible. This bad boy behind me is one of the most expensive things I have ever seen.

Amman Citadel.



Roman Theatre. The largest one in the Middle East. This is my FAVORITE PICTURE. First off I adore this boy (he has become a fond friend). Second children. I love them. Third I am in heaven in this beautiful place we call Jordan.




More of the Roman Theatre.

Common sight.

Jordan River.