Jerusalem Week 3:)

It has been quite a week. I think that I wrote last Saturday, so I will give a brief update on what is happening.

On Sunday, (We treat it like Saturday since church is on Saturday here), we went to Tel Aviv. It started as just being a little group, but soon grew to be a pretty good majority of the students here. Tel Aviv is located right on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, so we all started out at the Beach. It was really fun, there were really big waves, and the sand was really fine, however, the Sea was really salty, more so than the Pacific, and the Atlantic I believe. I spent a few hours there, we had a really fun Ultimate Frisbee game, and played in the waves for a while, then I went out with a group and we rented some bikes (They had lime green bikes that you could check out electronically and ride around, and drop them off at any other stop) However, because it was electronically, and we didn’t look at the bikes before, I ended up on a bike with a really low tire, it was stuck in the lowest gear, and it had very little break. It was really fun though, we rode around Jaffa, through the stores and around the streets, then we went back to the coast and rode the trail that went along the coast for a while, then went back to where we had to meet. It was really pretty.

After Riding, we went back out to Jaffa, and shopped a little. I didn’t end up buying anything, but we spent a lot of time at this little shop that had all sorts of little instruments – most of which we have at home, but the girls that I was with hadn’t seen. It was pretty cool. We stayed out shopping for about an hour, and then we had to go back to where the vans were picking us up because most of the group was leaving at 4 so they could be back in time to clean up and do homework before dinner at 6. The group that I ended up being with wanted to stay until 8, one of the girls in the group had heard of a really good burger place called “Moses” that we tried to find. We walked around for about 1.5 hours before we found the place, and then even though they were really good, they were a bit expensive so not everyone got one. After we ate, we went back to the beach, taking a long way and shopping a little, and then we swam one more time before we were picked up and brought back to the center.

On Monday, we went on a field trip to the Negev. The Negev is the southern part of Israel, and it is mostly hot desert. We started at a Bedouin women’s weaving factory and got a tour/explanation of what they did there. It was pretty cool, its amazing how the women could start it up and earn money/educate the other women through this factory. It was a really cool experience.

Other places we went include Tel Sheva (Be’er Sheba in Solomon’s time), where we say many things, including their housing, their gate system, storage, and a huge underground water system that we got to walk through. Then we went to Tel Arad, which had 2 parts to it, one was from Israelite time (including a Fortress, from after the time that the Children of Israel came in and concurred) and a section that was from Canaanite time (Before the Children of Israel). On the way back, we drove past the Dead Sea which is 1300+ feet below Sea Level (We sang “Under the Sea” as we dropped below), and we also passed Jericho, we will be going back to both of those places later on. This was also by where Lehi and Nephi were when Nephi and his brothers went back to get the Brass Plates from Laban. It would have been about a 22-day journey to get there, and the Babylonians were around, very dangerous. It was cool to learn about the different places, like we will be doing often these few months:)

The rest of the week we had classes, I went out to the city a few times, but only went shopping. We talked about a lot of interesting things, in all of our classes. We had a lot of interesting discussions, but it is school, you know how it is.

One thing that I did think was interesting was in Palestine class. The class is basically about Islam, and what they believe, their history, etc. Yesterday, (Friday) when we had it we started asking questions because of some things that happened here. Sometime this week, there was a YouTube video that was degrading the Islam religion, and their prophet Muhammad. From what I understand, someone in America posted it, and it was really offensive, and degrading.  I have heard that it might have been an Israelite Jew that lives there, but that was just from one other student, I don’t know if it was true. On the surface, this doesn’t seem to be a big deal, it was one movie, and yes it was offensive, but not big enough to cause a ton of trouble. However, there is more to it. Here in Israel, Jerusalem is divided into two parts, East and West Jerusalem. East Jerusalem is occupied by Palestinians/Palestinian-Israelis, and it includes the JC center, the Mount of Olives, and Old Jerusalem as well as other important places. Both George Bush and Barak Obama have made references to helping make Palestine its own state, but has not only gone past the times that they said it would, but have been working/supporting against it, especially with the election coming up, and with so many Jews in America, they want to be voted in, so they are making almost pro Israeli statements.

In reaction to the movie, there were a few (I think it was 3) Americans that were killed by extremist Palestinians. Not all Palestinians believe or act that way, in fact, all the people that I have met have been really nice, and are very willing to help, or point in the right direction.

Friday is the Muslims prayer day, where they all gather at the Dome of the Rock, so we are never allowed out of the center on Friday’s before 3 O’clock. The Old city is divided into quarters, and things tend to get a little tense between the Israelis and Palestinians on prayer day. We were kept in this week as there were some little conflicts, but nothing big. I know that the news shows violence, and the extreme, but it is not really what we see here in the center.  Right now, you can tell that everything is a little tense with 9/11 a few days ago, the Jewish holidays this week (There is 2 big ones in the next 2 weeks, Their New Year, and the Day of Atonement), and so things do get to be tense anyways, and then adding the movie on top. However, we still went out to the Garden Tomb today, and we were perfectly safe. We will be leaving to go to our Turkey field trip this week, and so we wont even be around this week.

That information was meant to calm any fears that you might have, and to assure you that I am ok. I hope that it will clear up any questions that you might have had if you had watched the news. Everything is good here at the center, and they are paying close attention, but don’t have any reason to keep us in today.

P.S. I will Post Pictures Soon! (Probably in the Morning)

Jerusalem Week 2

What a week! It has been crazy busy, and lots of fun.
We had our first field trip on Monday, we went to a few places around Jerusalem/Overlooks from different viewpoints. It was a long day, and it seemed that the same things were pointed out to us from different directions, but it was fun to learn some of the new testament history behind the sites. We read about when and where Rachel died, overlooking the hill they think that she was on, we talked about the Nativity story overlooking shepherds fields, and Bethlehem, David also watched his sheep in the same hills, we talked about Samuel and Saul overlooking their hometowns, and lots of other historically significant places.

Tuesday we started three new classes - Israel, Palestine, and Hebrew. Israel and Palestine are classes on the history of Israel from their different perspectives, and also Modern Day Israel from their viewpoints as well. We have about 30 pages of reading for each class, to be donne before each class period, which means that we had a ton of reading to do. We also had a test on Friday (That was only this morning?) that everyone was freaking out about. It meant that we all studied, probably a little to much for the test, and didn't spend as much time out in the city as we should have.

However, I did go out a few times. On Sunday, a few of us went into the city and and did a few things. We started at the money changers to get some Shekels, then we saw Golgotha (It has been turned into a bus station now), then we went to Zedekiah's cave/King Solomon's Quarry where Zedekiah tried to escape Jerusalem, and where King Solomon got his stones to build the temple. After that we did the Rampart's walk around the top of the city wall around Jerusalem. That was pretty cool, and we had a great view of West Jerusalem, as well as inside the Old city. After that we finished at the Western Wall, AKA the Wailing Wall where the Jews go to be close to the temple since they cant go on temple mount.
Wednesday we also had classes, and then I went out with a few other people. We started at a olive Ward Carving place, called Omar's Souvenirs. He was really cool, he has lots of amazing Olive Wood carvings, many depicting Christ, but also other figures from the bible and Book of Mormon. After that we just shopped for a while, which was a very interesting and cool experience.

Thursday I caught back up from not studying much on Wednesday, and then today I also did homework and then we went to the Western Wall for the beginning of the Sabbath. The place was covered in Jew's, it was amazing. There were all types of people, Jews and Tourists that were there to see.

Tomorrow is the Sabbath, we have district conferenct then we will got to the Garden Tomb, then Sunday, (Treated like our Saturday) we are going to Tel Aviv to the beach. I will write about it next week.

Jerusalem

For those of you that didn’t know, I am attending BYU Jerusalem this semester. I left Utah on August 28^th, so I have only been here a few days, but it seems a lot longer than that. I can’t upload any pictures right now, but I will get up early tomorrow and upload some. It is a great experience to be here. I have meet most of the 82 other students that came with me, and we have become fast friends. 

Our days have been pretty full, and we are still trying to get over the jet lag, but it ha been fun. Jerusalem is a lot denser than I thought that it was going to be. There are tons of buildings, and it seems that almost of the buildable land has been built on.  I am looking out over the city right now, from my patio, I can see many landmarks like the old city, including the “Dome of the Rock” (the Muslim temple where they believe that Abraham was going to sacrifice his son, Ishmael, and the Jews and Christians believe it was Isaac), the Church of the Holy Seplicure (Lots of different sites there but manly where the Jews believe that Jesus was laid to be prepared for burial before going to the Garden Tomb), Rockefeller Museum (the first Archaeological museum in Israel, I haven’t been there, but it is supposed to be cool), and many other area’s that I don’t know what are yet, but I’m sure that I will learn. 

The Jerusalem Center is in East Jerusalem, where the Palestinians (Muslims and Palestinian Christians) live. I am still having a hard time with directions because the Center is on a hill (Mount Scopus) and directions are diagonal (My patio points southwest I believe), the other side of the Old City starts West Jerusalem where the Israeli’s (Mostly Jews) live. 

Our first day here, we landed in Tel Aviv which is right on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Driving here took about 40 minutes, and although we were all dead tired from being on a plane for the previous 11 hours, and having left Salt Lake a day and a half ago, it was col seeing what we could out of the bus window. I have learned that the drivers are a little crazy, and there are next to none sidewalks, however, the drivers will usually give you a honk before flying by you. Also, there is no flat country here. The song “Far, Far, Away on Judea’s Plains” Should have been “Far, Far, Away on Judea’s Hills” or I guess for us it is “Near, Near, so Close, on Judea’s Hills.” Any place that doesn’t have buildings on it, has olive trees, they are all over here. I went to Peru a few years ago, and there were terraces built into the mountains everywhere for farming, It is close to the same here, only it is olive trees instead of gardens. 

The first day was mostly orientation meetings, which seem to have been happing in some way every since Monday. The second day, we where split into groups, and got to have a tour of the city. The Palestinian part of the city is kind of older and trashy. Going into the Old City, I was expecting to see old building everywhere, and have it seem like a special place in the sense that it was peaceful, and people respect it more that it was. Immediately after walking in through the gate, (We entered from Damascus Gate), it was like an outside farmers market, until we left. There were people selling things everywhere.  There was anything and everything you would ever need, shoes, jewelry, fresh produce, Jerusalem bagels, candy, pharmacy, blow dryers, silver works, clothes, anything you would need was lining the small streets in the old city. Then suddenly, you would be in the courtyard of a church, here there wouldn’t be any merchants, but there would be huge tour groups with the leader yelling the history of that church, and what was inside. There were also some merchants that were handing out their business card, with a map of where to find them. It was a little crazy. However, It was really cool to be there.  We only went into two churches, and a hospice, but there is so much more to see, I can’t wait to see the rest of it.  We came out of Jaffa’s gate, into West Jerusalem. That side of the city is more modern, there was a modern mall underground that my tour guide pointed out, and then we walked through a courtyard that had real looking concrete pillows (Brother Judd warned us that they were concrete before we saw them, and we all kind of laughed thinking that we would be able to tell that they were concrete, but they looked authentically like a pillow, colored and textured with indents to sit on, it was kind of amazing), then we hurried to Ben Yehdan Street. This street was like a main street? There were strip malls on both sides that were very modern. There were also sky scrapers, and other things that you would expect to find in a big American city.  We spend a little time there, and then got on vans to come back to the center.

Today after church, we went to the Garden of Gethsemane, which was really neat. There was a sectioned off garden, that was full of really old olive trees, and then on the outside was the Church of the Nations. It was really peaceful there, even after the other tourists started coming, it kept that peaceful feeling that I had been expecting. I tool my Bible, and read the accounts what happened there in Mathew, Mark, and Luke, and then wrote in my Journal. I will be returning there often. 

Other things that happen here often: There is call to prayer that is blasted through a huge speaker system that fills the valley 5 times a day, I haven’t decided exactly what times it is at, but it does include about 7:00 pm, and about 4:30 am, it is going on right now, I think it also goes off about 10 pm, and sometime in the middle of the day.  There are fireworks that go off all the time, at all hours. You can’t see them, but it sounds like a firecracker. 

We started classes yesterday, and I am overwhelmed already. And we only had two classes, which were both two hours long instead of the usual 50 min. There will be a few days that does that, but it will be mostly 50 min. Old Testament in interesting, I knew when I came here that I was coming to where the Savior walked, and healed and performed miracles, but it didn’t really click that most of the Old Testament happened here as well. It is really cool to be here and learn in the places where special events happened. The other class that we had was Ancient Near Eastern Studies. This is the class that I am freaking out about. We have a test next week, and it is on the basic Geography, History, and Archaeology of the Middle East. I am excited to learn about it, but it has been a lot of information in a very little time.

 Anyway I will write again later, and try to keep this blog up to date. Lots of fun things happening!

We Love You, Dash

So much has happened since I wrote last. Many good things, and some sad things, for this post, I’m going to tell of the sad, and then I’ll write a good one. Yesterday, I was really gloomy all day, I thought that it was because it was cloudy and gray outside again, Rexburg weather and all. However, Mom called me last night with the answer to why I was gloomy. One of my first horses, Dash died last night. He was a great horse, and taught me many things. It’s hard to believe he is gone. He was an older horse, and died of old age, but it was still kind of sudden.

Dash has had a swollen leg for the last 2-3 years, (it’s been a while). We couldn’t figure out why, and finally decided that it was a protein build-up and that he needed to be exercised more. Soon after we decided that, I started teaching lessons to two little kids, and because he was getting ridden for at least an hour every week, it went down some. That summer we didn’t ride as much as we could, and it built up again. Then last winter he kicked the fence and tore a tendon in that leg. It took him a while to get better, and his leg has been really swollen since.

My little sisters still rode him, and would fight over who got to ride Dash, because he was the one that they weren’t afraid to ride him. Then a few weeks ago, DelRay built a pasture to keep them in so they can get more exercise, and his leg has getting better. Yesterday, the girls got up and went and checked on him, and he was fine. DelRay was down there until 2:30, and said that he was running around having a grand day, but when DelRay went down to feed last night, he was not breathing. I’m so glad that it was last night and not this morning when the girls would have found him. It’s a miracle that he was fine when they went down yesterday, and didn’t have to find their favorite horse dead when they went to check on him.

I’m so glad that he had a great day yesterday. He was running around and playing. He wasn’t in pain, and he was in the sun. My Great-Grandma Mary died a couple years ago square dancing, and we always said that she danced right into Grandpa Harold’s arms. Grandma Mary and Grandpa Harold were farmers, and always had horses. I’m sure that Dash and Lady (my other first horse that died a few years ago) are running through the green grass in heaven. I’m sure that they are both really pretty horses now that they aren’t skin and bones because they wouldn’t gain weight, or have a swollen ankle, or skin problems, and Grandma and Grandpa are taking great care of them.

Dash has taught me a lot in the 5 years I had him. I learned how to ride, I gained confidence in my riding when I was able to transform him into a good horse, he was a friend when no one else was, he was a great trail riding horse, he was the horse I did 4-h on, and he was the one that taught me that I could be a good horsewomen. But he also taught me responsibility, hard work (among other places I learned hard work), accountability, and trust. I’m grateful for the opportunity that I have had to take care of such a great horse. He will always have a special place in me heart.

Oh the Places You'll Go

I can't believe I haven't posted here since may. I have a private blog that I have posted to since then, as well as a journal, but I have sadly neglected this blog. It seems I have been everywhere this last few months.
My summer was really good, and really busy. I went on a 4-day trek with my Stake where I was a big sister to a family of 5 boys and 3 girls (all teenagers). It was a great experience, and a strong testimony builder.
I have been to a Music camp at BYU where I learned a little bit about the Organ. It was a fun-filled week with many new friends in the music world.
I got the opportunity to attend EFY in Hawaii. Memories of those 2 weeks are my reason for writing today. I am part of a Women's Choir at DSC, The Director, Merrilee Webb taught at BYU-Hawaii for a time. This semester we start our concerts with an Hawaiian Chant. It goes like this:

Hiki Mai E Na Pua I Ka La'ie
(Come forward and appear you precious flowers arising in the calmness of this special day)
Ke Pi'i A'E La Ka Mauna Kie'Ki'E
(Each of you are taking up the challenge of not simply climbing a High Mountain but you have chosen to climb the Highest and Most Majestic Mountain of all)
Ha'a Mai Na Kama Me Ka Makua
(Dance forward you children of your Heavenly Father)
He Wehi Pulama A'o Ke Kupuna
(For is it not so that you our children are so very precious, in fact, you are the most precious adornment worn around the neck of your ancestors)
E Ka'i Mai Ana E Ka'i Mai Ana
(Come Forward come forward for there are many roads for you to choose
E Hahai Ka Leo O Ka Haku E
(Be sure to follow the voice of the Good Shepherd, for he will always keep you, protect you, and show you the way)

This chant seems to be just for me right now, I leave in a few months for Idaho where I will go to school, but more on that later. We also sing a song called "Waika" That is Hawaiian. Today one of the student body presidents from BYU-Hawaii came and danced Hula while we sang. The spirit was so strong in that room. It brought back memories from those two weeks in Hawaii.
While we (Me and my 16 year old brother) were there, we had the opportunity to not only make many friends, but to stay with a local man. between our new friends from the islands, Brother Lolofie and others we meet there, we were able to learn tons. Many of the stories and things that Kiekie (The lady that danced for us) shared with us I have learned from that trip and from Merrilee. The best part of this trip was after EFY where we know people who lived on the island and got to know them. The people there are the ones that make all the difference. I could have enjoyed it without meeting anyone, but it would have been an entirely different experience. I would have a good time, but It wouldn't have been as memorable. The people make all the difference.

Soon, sooner than I think, I will be moving to go to school in BYU-Idaho where I will live in a dorm, and be hours away from my family. I start school on January 4th, 2012, It is the first step to achieving another dream. I want to go to BYU-Jerusalem Fall 2012. In order to be accepted I have to have attended 2 semesters at a BYU, not be married (not much of a worry now, I'll only be 18 at the time of the trip), and not have my Bachelors degree. I will finish my degree in Web Design the semester after I get home from Jerusalem. I can't wait to see were this road will take me as I get my education and come closer to my Savior Jesus Christ.

School, Work, and Play!

Well, I think I forgot I had a blog! It has been forever since I posted. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get in!
Anyway, lots has happened since I posted last, so I guess I'll just do bullet points again!
- Big J is on his mission in Taiwan, has been for about 10 months. He is a Senior Companion, and is doing great with the language. A few weeks ago, he taught 28 lessons in a week! How awesome.
-Little S was born. She is now about 9 months old, and is mobile. She crawls everywhere, and is liking paper.
-Little J is 4, and is as cute as can be. If he wasn't so cute, I don't know what we would do with him.
-I graduated as an Honors student with my Associates degree. I finished in December so I could be 16 when I finished, then walked on May 6th, 5 days after my Birthday.
-Even though I only go to Seminary at the High School, I have managed to get a date for every dance this year.
-the horses are doing great, I just wish I can get down there more.
-I am applying to go to BYU-I in January! I am so excited. I'm pretty sure I will get accepted, I could enter as a senior! I want to major in Web Design and minor in Music.
-I have finished the 4 semesters of music theory, but I am not ready to be done, so I will find other classes like it to fill next semester.
-Trek is in 2 weeks! I am SO excited! Mom is in charge of the music, and so I have been helping get that prepared. I am also a Big Sister. all the big brothers and big sisters got a harmonica and was told to learn it for trek! I can now play most songs in G, Including transposed. I can play "Come, Come, Ye Saints" "Praise to the Man" "How Firm a Foundation" "The Spirit of God" and "I know that My Redeemer Lives" just to name a few.

Anyway, there is no way I could get a whole year in detail, but these were the highlights. I will do my best to post again soon!

It has been forever since I have posted. I don't even want to because I have to much to catch up on. I'll just give some highlights.

~I turned 16:) I am so excited, and glad to have a car:)
~Jed has got his mission call to Taiwan Taipei and leaves on July 21st.
~Jed also got home the first week of May
~ another on Jed is that his team in nationals in their division in Basketball.
~I just got back from an amazing week at EFY and made lots of friends.
~I am almost scuba certified, and am planning for a trip in a few weeks.
~This summer is jam packed.

I have been busy lately, having just finished with school for the school year, but I only have 1 more semester left until I get my AS degree:)
got to go, but i try to keep things posted:)