Shabbat in Galilee

We had the incredible experience to be able to go to Tiberius for church the Saturday we were in Galilee.  Next to the Jerusalem Center, the Tiberius chapel has the most beautiful view while sitting in Sacrament meeting in the whole world!

There is just a huge window that looks out to the Sea of Galilee! How much more wonderful could it get?!  The branch there was wonderful, and the Spirit was so strong! I loved it.  From there we went to the Jordan River and it was beautiful! 

Galilee

One of my favorite places we have been to in the Middle East is Galilee. I loved learning in the exact place where Christ did the majority of his teaching! It’s so amazing to be able to learn about the wonderful life of Jesus Christ, and to learn about his miracles while being where he did them.

My favorite day in Galilee was when we took a boat across the sea. While we were on the boat, we talked about the time that Peter walked on water to get to Jesus, even though there were storms and the water was treacherous. Peter showed such faith to be able to climb out of the boat and onto the water and be able to walk. Only when he looked away from Christ and began to be afraid did he start sinking. I have noticed that in my own life as well. When there are storms going on around me, and the waters are wild, if I lose my focus on the Lord, I start to sink in the other things of the world. Only when I look to Christ and he helps us up can I come back to Christ. It was a very moving experience. Also that day we went to the Mount of the Beatitudes which was completely incredible! It’s hard to describe the experiences that we had while being in these wonderful places. The spirit was so strong and always with us, that these things were incredibly touching and caused soul searching. I think we all grew in the Gospel that day. I know I did.

I love learning about Christ. He did so much for us! We would be nothing without him.

Since then...

So, I know I have a TON to catch up on. I still haven't posted anything from Galilee!! So to catch up really quickly, Galilee was absolutley unbelievable. We stayed on the beach, and got to see amazing things every day. I have never had a more spiritual ten days of my life! It was wonderful, but also nice to come back home to the center. Since then, we have been finishing up our classes, and finally just finished finals. I am SO glad those are done. I am sad because my computer broke recently, so no more pictures for a while until I get that back up and running. But I am enjoying my last week here in Jerusalem. I am going to miss it here so much, and I am going to miss my new incredible friends! But I am also very excited to get back to reality, friends, family, and my harp! So I will be back the fourteenth! I can't believe it!! I have completely had the best summer of my life, and will never forget it!

Night at the Oscars

The whole group!
Rachelle and I
me and my two escorts: Isaac and James
Me and Juno! (Becca)
Esther, Erin, Brittany, Catherine, Ashley and me.


For weeks now, students from the center have been making films for the "night at the Oscars". We got all dressed up for the red carpet, and watched the films and had an awards ceremony following. It was such a fun night. We always love any excuse to dress up. And because none of us had anything even close to "red carpet attire" we had to really get creative. I ended up using a loofah for my veil. What a fun night!

Herodian Fieldtrip

Stephanie, Elise, and me standing in the place where Christ walked.
The cemetery in the Kidron Valley viewed from the Temple Mount
The Temple
Hannah, Stephanie, me, and Ashley
We got to see a bar mitzva going on. Very cool!

Ashley, me and Elise.

Me, Rachel, Sydney, Jessica, Stephanie, Mandy and Stephanie in the Kotel Tunnel.

Our last field trip we went around Jerusalem and visited the Kotel Tunnel, Davidson Archaelological Park, and Wohl Museum. It was an incredible experience! All these sites were about what was around during the Herodian time, and what is still around today. It's incredible! I even walked exactly where it is positive that Jesus walked. There is nothing like it! Every day I feel so blessed to be able to visit these incredible places!

The Old City Tour

On our way back through the city, we finally took a picture with the pyramid of Zatar. It's a very common spice here. It even comes in little packages when you order pizza. It's oregano and a couple other spices and salt. It's very yummy.
Shaban, me, Rita, Hannah and Kyle. Rita is Shaban's brother-in-law, and he owns the shop right accross the alley. One is never without the other, and we love these two men! They bought us pita and hummus! What great guys!
We stopped by this shop. This shop is known for its five schekle earrings ($1.25), but they had some other great stuff also. This is a fun wall filled with necklaces. This is how most shops look. So fun!
This is on one of alley's that you take to get to Shabans. It's always so bright and colorful. I love these streets! So much to see, and so much to do! My favorite is when the shopkeepers play backgammon with each other in the evening. It reminds me of my Grandpa!
I was so tempted...don't they look INCREDIBLE!?
Rachelle, Me and Hannah in front of Damascus gate. This is the gate that everyone enters to get into the Old City. It's very busy around the gate, and always bustling with busy shoppers.
This is Omar. He has a little bit of a scary face on here, but he is very nice. Notice his affiliation with Utah State behind him.
This is at Omar's olive wood shop. I bought my nativity there.
Everyone at the center exchanges their money at Aladdin's money exchange. It's a frequent stop.
Kyle and Hannah crossing the street. On the left you see the wall surrounding the Old City.
These pictures are of the road that we take to get to the city. First we go downhill then back up. It's quite the walk for a recovering foot. But completely worth it!
This is the walk that we have to take to get to the lower gate of the Center. We then scan our cards and the gate opens. Very high tech.


So I realized that I really hadn't taken very many pictures in the Old City and on the way to the OC. But because the Old City is one of my favorite places in all of Jerusalem, I decided I should fix that! I will take you on a tour from the JC to the Old City! It starts at the bottom picture and goes up.

Sushi Party!

The Whipples!
The Allens!
Me and Sister Okiishi!


So this is a little late, but I just got the pictures so now I can blog this! But the night I got my cast off, I went to one of the service couples - the Okiishi's - apartments and they were making sushi with the Allens and the Whipples. They invited me to stay, and I had such a fun night! Sushi is so much fun to make, and we had some incredible salmon afterward! What fun!!

Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem!

This is on the Bethlehem side of the separation wall
Kristen, Me and James on the streets of Bethlehem
Marie and me on the rooftop of an olive wood store looking over the Church of the Nativity

Licking the chalky wall to help someday with my fertilityIt worked FAST!!
Me, Jessica and Daniel in front of Milk Grotto
Me in the Church of the Nativity

Where Christ was born. Erin, Me and James.
Making a Wish!
Me and Rachelle in the Church of the Nativity


the assortment of things we could put in our pita bread
Andy and Annie with flowers in our hair
Katie, Erin, Rachelle and Me. Half of our table at lunch.
The chapel at Bethlehem University

Today we went on the most incredible field trip to Bethlehem - The birth place of Jesus Christ, David, and Benjamin. We met up with our Modern Near Eastern Studies teacher, Adnan Musallam, and he first brought us to a place to have a lecture on the West Bank. They put 90 of us into a very small hot room with comfy chairs, so of course by the end most of us were asleep. I felt bad because it was very interesting, I just couldn't stay awake! Then we headed to Bethlehem University. First we had a tour around the school and went chapel they have there and learned about the history of the school and the beautiful chapel. Then we had a question and answer session with three students that attend Bethlehem University. After listening to them speak, I realize more than ever how blessed we are in the United States to be so free. Some of the students that go to BU have to commute for hours because they are on the Israeli side of the checkpoint, and it takes forever to get through every day. That sounds so hard! They are so amazing to come to school despite all the hardships.

After our tour we went to lunch at a very fun place. We had pitas with lots of different kinds of sauces and hummus and more to put in them. Then they brought out the meat, but the pita and hummus remains my favorite there. It was a very fun environment in the resturaunt which was much like a huge tent.

After lunch we went to the Church of the Nativity. That building is so beautiful! We went through the building and got to see so many amazing things! We saw where christ was born and where the Kings were. And we saw where St. Jarome spent many long hard hours translating the bible into Latin. What an inspiring man! We sang many Christmas hymns and the spirit was so strong in that Church. I love how music invites the spirit so strongly! After the beautiful Church of the Nativity, we walked to the Milk Grotto church. It is a myth that Mary spilt a drip of her breast milk and it carved out a chalky cavern that if licked would increase firtility. So of course I couldn't live having been there and not licked the wall...so I did. I am sure it will help down the road! haha.

Bethelehem is such a beautiful and holy place! I feel so blessed to have been able to experience going there! I am so fortunate to have the opportunities that I have! Thanks to my wonderful parents!!! Thank you mom and papa!!!