For your viewing pleasure...

So, I was planning on doing some super sweet posts about my adventures to Galilee, but school is a tad bit crazy right now for me to take a chunk of my time our and write about it. Therefore, I've decided to share some photo's, so you can get an idea of how much fun I had. ENJOY! :)

These Few Days...

Hey guys, I know I know, I am slacking on my blogging BUT I will update about my fabulous trip to Galilee this weekend. Before that event happens I wanted to share some pretty fun things that have happened in the past 2 days.

Yesterday (July 24,2011)

FREE DAY!

So, a bunch of us went to the Dome of the Rock. We got in pretty successfully until a guy caught me and said my skirt was too short. Lame. He told me to walk down the side walk to this man who was selling cover ups for I have no clue how much because I didn't care, but Kim Stone came up with a great idea.

Skirt Swap!

Kim and I went into this green box structure with windows that went down to my hips and tried to switch skirts super quick. Josiah was keeping watch when the door opened a little bit and Kim screamed, so naturally I screamed. The guy wasn't a fan of our screaming since we were on a holy site. After we changed we went to find the rest of our group and we found them talking to the security/police officers and we were totally confused...until we got over there.

When we walked over the officers were laughing at Joan because she was reporting lost shekels. Apparently, people in Israel when they see 100 shekels on the ground they just take it, but not us! They were so confused as to why she was giving back the sheks, but she knew her integrity was more than 100 sheks (about $30).

After the Dome we went to go see our good friend Shaban, so Kim and I could change back, and he always gives us free drinks. Then we asked him where we could go to get some yummy shwarma's and he was like, "FOLLOW ME!" So, we followed and he took us on this top secret back way around the city all the way to Damascus gate and it was the greatest thing! Then he took us into the back of this shwarma/falafel place and we got the best shwarma of my life! My day was off to a fantastic start.

Finally, we had to make our way up to West Jerusalem because we had to go to the Israel Museum for a paper we have to write, but on our way we made a quick stop to a play ground. Can I just tell you that I love swings. I LOVE SWINGS. I also found out that when you go on a teeter-totter you need to do it with someone your size or else its no fun...Joan

We made our way up to the Israel Museum and we had a great time! While we were in the Dead Sea Scrolls part of the Museum we ran into a lady who was from Florida. Not only was she from Florida, but she lives like 5 mins from me! She lives in Aberdeen. Here and I chatted for a fews minutes and I wish I would've gotten her name,but we were on a schedule. We had to make through the Museum in like 3.5 hrs. It was totally worth it. When we were done, Angela, Sharla, and I got on a bus and made our way home and when we got home I watched Gone with the Wind for the first time. The only thing great about that movie is Clark Gable...what a stud.

Favorite Line: "Quite frankly my dear, I don't give a damn." haha LOVE Clark Gable

Today (July 25, 2011)

We had a super fun field trip today in the Old City. We went to the Wohl Museum where we saw excavated houses from the 1st century, the Burnt House Museum, and then we went to the Davidson Center. At the Davidson Center we were able to walk right outside the Temple Mount walls. We walked on the road to the Pool of Siloam, took pictures on the pinnacle that Christ could've stood on when he was tempted by Satan to jump, and sat on the steps that Jesus could've walked on when coming in and our of the Temple.

A highlight on the steps was when we were done we all decided to sing, "Nearer, My God, To Thee" and this man just stopped and shush everyone around him so he could listen to us. I love that. Wherever we go, if we sing, we make people stop in their tracks and they just watch us.

Now, time for the exciting part of the day. Angela, Joan, Josh and I were planning on going to the Ariel Center today, but we found out that the english tour started at 12pm and we got done with our field trip at 11:45. We quickly took our pictures on the steps and in front of the temple gates and sprinted to the Ariel Center. We got there with 1 min to spare. Boy, were we sweaty! After a fun time at the museum we went to Sam Booki (an amazing bakery) and got a huge chocolate donut, walked through the city to Herod's gate and got a taxi for 5 sheks each. All in all, today was a great day.

Now, I'm sitting in my stench, watching Breakfast at Tiffany's, and procrastinating homework. Oh, the life of a student in the Jerusalem Center.

HAPPY 8TH OF JULY!

As you may or may not know, we celebrated Christmas on the 4th of July in Bethlehem, so when would we celebrate the Birth of America? Obviously it would be 4 days later! It was SO much fun! Apple pie, corn on the cob, hot dogs and most importantly hamburgers WITH cheese!!! I was SO excited...hmmmhmm good.

Along with delicious food we had fun party music, face painting, and three legged races. What more could you ask for when celebrating the Independence of America in Israel? To top off the night the local Palestinians decided to shoot off some fireworks from their cars because they were super jealous they weren't partying with us.

Did I mention that some lucky boys got some sweet lovin' from me & Ashley? Happy Independence Day to them! :)

One Word. One Face.

You wanna know what that word is?

FINALS

You wanna know what the face is?

Yeah, this is just an example of what happens to you when you have finals in the JC.

I can't wait for next week to be here and I only have 2 classes to worry about.

Can I get an AMEN?!

AMEN!

Garden Tomb

So, this past Sabbath I ventured up to the Garden Tomb with a small group to just walk around and enjoy the beauty of the place. One thing that I've learned since I've been here is that it's not the place the brings the spirit, but the event that brings the spirit. There are always controversial conversations going on whether or not certain sites are the exact sites where the events happen, but quite honestly I don't care. What I do care about is the event. The one thing that hit me that day was that it doesn't matter what faith you are or where you come from you can still have a strong testimony of the Savior and how He suffered for everyone. While I was sitting at the Garden Tomb a girl named Kayla, who was with a group from Panama, came and sat next to me. When we were sitting there she translated for me everything the different people in her group were saying about the resurrection of the Savior. It just touched my heart so much that she would do that. It reminded me that we are all children of God whether or not we are a part of the same faith. Granted, I really wanted to tell her everything I knew about the gospel and show her the fullness of the gospel, but I knew that the Lord would provide. Because I can't share my testimony to others here in Israel it helps me realize that the Lord has mercy on all of His children. He will take care of them in His own way and I just need to accept it. It is such a blessing to know that the Savior sacrificed Himself for me and for Kayla. By the way, Kayla had the most beautiful voice when she sang it just invited the spirit and was with me so strong. I love the tender mercies I experience everyday.

Me, Chewy and Scott livin' it up in the Garden

Over the hills and through the desert...

To the desert of Jordan we go!

My oh my, can I just say that this field trip has been one of my favorites by far! Not gonna lie, I loved going to Turkey and all over Israel, but Jordan has been one of the most significant for me. For the past 4 days we went from Mt. Nebo where Moses and Elijah were translated all the way down to Petra where the Nabateans ruled, and back up to ancient Rabath-amman where Uriah was killed by the order of King David.Here are some highlights of the trip...Day 1-Mt. Nebo: looked over the valley of Moab, Dead Sea, and off to Jericho looking up to the hills of Jerusalem-Madaba: went to St.George's Church where there was a Byzantine mosaic map of ancient Palestine
-LUNCH-Machaerus: The place where King Herod Antipus (son of Herod the Great) had a palace and where he imprisoned and beheaded John the Baptist
-3 hr drive to Petra-Arrived and ate an interesting dinner at a not so great motel with brown water

Me & the Mt.Nebo Memorial

Me & My Surrogate Parents aka the Chadwicks

Day 2-PETRA!

Oh boy, what can I say about this place. Well, a few things1. Sunscreen AND a hat are a must while you are there. When it's 95 degrees and you are in the middle of the desert a nice sweaty hat will keep you cool.

2. Don't try to look cute when you go. Throw your fashion and pride out the window because you will be drenched in sweat once you walk out of the air conditioned bus.

3. Drink water every 5 mins or else you will die...literally, but it's ok because there are plenty of tombs there for them to throw you into.
4. When you find shade savor it.

5. Beware, camel's have lots of bugs/fleas, but they are way fun to ride
6. Expect to be covered in 5 layers of dirt when you leave
7. BEST PLACE EVER!-Shobak Castle: well, when we got here we were extremely tired from a full 8 hrs of being in the sun at Petra, so we were dead walking up to hill to this castle. However, there was a crazy steep tunnel that Bro. Muhlestein took us down and I thought I was going to slip and fall to my death, because it led to a cistern that looked like a bottomless pit of doom.-Another 3 hr drive to Amman-Ate decent food at the hotel and passed out by 10 after showering off dirt for 30 mins

I LOVE PETRA!

Being one with the elephant rock

I RODE A CAMEL!

Yup, I'm spider woman

Day 3-King Abdullah I Mosque: SIKE! we skipped out on this place because the head people there were being crazy. We didn't miss anything though because we saw mosques in Turkey that were 100 x's better.-Citadel of Amman: place where David ordered Uriah, Beersheba's hubby, to die in battle. This site was a little sad for me because this is presumably where David lost his chance at receiving the highest degree of exaltation. David was such an awesome guy and an example to all of us that even the greatest and most beloved of the Lord can fall. It shows that we need to continually rely on the Lord and when we make a mistake we need to immediately repent and come back to Him.-Jabbok River: when we were driving to this site I looked out the window and saw how beautiful it was outside. Bro.Muhlestein told us that we were driving through ancient Gilead and I just thought of how beautiful the green valleys and hills full of olive trees were. Too bad we can't travel into the West Bank because I've been told it is just beautiful. Anyways, the Jabbok river is the river where Jacob came to prey to the Lord right before he met up with his brother Esau. He had just split it family into two groups because he was scared that Esau would kill them due to the fact that Jacob got his birth right. During the night, Jacob was visited by an angel and they wrestled all night until the angel gave Jacob the blessing he wanted and gave him the additional name of "Israel." I want to be like Jacob. Throughout his whole life he has been fighting for what he wants and doesn't give up until he gets it.

Tyson and Scott reenacting Jacob wrestling with the angel

-LUNCH: the place we ate at gave us the most delicious pita and they gave it to us straight from the oven. Hmmhmm goooood.-Jerash: By this point we were all exhausted from the day before in Petra and walking around everywhere else, plus it was SUPER hot. However, this ancient city was way fun to walk around. It is probable that Jerash was ancient Jershon where Abraham traveled to during the MBII period.
-After a long day we made it back to Amman and played around the city eating delicious pastries, ice cream from "SCREAM," and dancing past the King's night club. All in all, it was a great day.

DAY 4
-Roman theater: SUPER COOL! Apparently this is the biggest theater in the middle east and the most impressive. There is the "sweet spot" where "X" marks the spot, and when you stand there you can be talking in a normal voice and everyone can hear you perfectly. You can guess that we had some fun singing there in that theater.
-Then we walked around through downtown Amman where the normal citizens shop and work and we got to see some interesting things like sheep heads, technicolor baby chicks, and hooka's up the wazoo.-Jordan River: This place is absolutely beautiful. It was here that we read the account of Christ's baptism and sang the song "Baptism." After Bro.Muhlestein gave a lovely devotional he gave us time to share our testimonys. The spirit was so strong that afternoon while we were looking over onto the river. It just made me think of my parents and how thankful I am that they joined the church when they did. I'm thankful that when I was 8 years old my dad baptized me with the correct priesthood authority. I"m sad for those who don't have the full knowledge of the gospel and I just wish I could tell people here about it, but that will come in its due time. I can, however, share my knowledge with you guys. I hope that if you have any doubts or you are just curious about anything I write on here that you will email me. I am more than willing to chat with you about what I know and I'm ready to answer questions. I just love you guys.

-After a fun couple of hours going through the border, we got back, ran and did a quick load of laundry, showered days of stinkiness from my body, and got ready to go to a Matisyahu concert in West Jerusalem. A little frustrating at first, but the night was full of good music, dancing, and thousands of sweaty people that don't believe in personal space. That's ok though, it was worth $26 ha ha.

Me in the Jordan River

I LOVE LIVING HERE!