WeLL I MaDe IT

Well I am home and adjusting. I just wanted to post one last post that has do to Jerusalem (there might be more for pictures if I can figure out how to fix the picture problem that I have). This is an entry from my journal that I wrote while sitting in the Garden of Gethsemane and it somewhat sums up these last three and half months for me.

"Well this is probably the second to the last chance I will have to come to the Garden of Gethsemane. How did I get so lucky to be here? I just keep thinking about mom's email that said something to the affect of 'just think, you out of all the children of Heavenly father are here on this world and not only that, you are in that place, able to walk and be taught where the Savior taught. Where he lived, and where he suffered and died for you.' All I can say is "oh it is wonderful to me." No I probably won't see Him today or anytime during my mortal life but if I did I will be able to say that I love and know Him. I don't need to see to have faith or to know that I have a Savior who atoned for my sins and suffered for my trials so that He would know me infinitely and intimately. I have been given the gift of peace while here in Jerusalem. I feel myself becoming whole and complete. I still have stuff to work on and I know that I will continue to face trials but if I can keep the growth that I have had here I will be able to face them head on and will be able to endure to the end. I know it is true. I know it is real and I know I will have the opportunity to wipe my Savior's feet with my tears and will be able to thank Him in at least a small way. I won't be able to fully repay Him but I know He doesn't expect us to. All He asks for is a broken heart and a contrite spirit, doing our best to follow Him and His commandments. I feel His love for me and I just hope and pray that I can return it by my actions and that I can share the truth of this gospel to those I come in contact with. I am so grateful for this chance and for the knowledge and feeling that everything is going to be ok."

Jerusalem was a life changing experience for me. I don't think I could ever fully express my gratitude for my chance to live there and to learn and experience the things I did. It is something that words just can't describe. I loved it and will miss it a great deal but I know that I now need to focus on using that knowledge and growth and press forward in life. Blooming where I am planted and trusting in the Lord and His plan for me.

I Be COmINg HoME

I cannot believe that it is here, the last day of this crazy, at times difficult, most amazing experience I have ever had and will probably ever have. I am so grateful for these last 31/2 months. I wouldn't trade them for the world. I am so incredible blessed to have the opportunity to come here and I will hold it in my heart for the rest of my life. It has changed my life. I have learned so much about myself, about my Heavenly Father and especially my Savior and His Atoning sacrifice for me. I can't say that I have gained the answers to all of life's questions but I have gained the tools to make it through the trials to come and I am so grateful for that. It is a very bitter sweet day today but all things come to an end and the best we can do is cherish the moments that we have had and embrace the changes to come. Oh Jerusalem I will never forget you.

BleH

Google is dum so there will be no pictures for a while until I figure out how to fix a problem that has come up. So my Galilee update will just be words. But I won't be writing it right now because it is crunch time for finals and I really need to get something productive done beside being frustrated and trying to get this dum piece of technology to work.

PrOM WaS thE BoMB....ToO SOoN?

Well what can I say. There was a bomb threat, the sirens did go off and we did have to go to the bomb shelters. But it all only lasted about 30 minutes and the rockets landed south of Bethlehem, which is five miles south of Jerusalem. All in all it was quite an adventure and looking back now it is kind of surreal, like something out of a movie. Everything is back to normal and that night we had our very own JC Prom. Yeah yeah, I know how it sounds and frankly I was a little apprehensive at first. As most know dances aren't usually my thing but I can honestly say it was really fun. We had two to three girls to every boy so all the pictures look like we are all polygamist but there are some pretty good ones. We had a dinner, a picture booth (it looked like something from a vegas wedding) dancing and even royalty. The big winners were the Benchs, who are one of the couples that help out here at the center. They are awesome and it was so much fun to have them join in. We actually had a few couples join us, the District President and his wife and the Squires who are the music people here.
I can't believe we have less than a month here, time has gone by so quickly and I am not so sure I will be ready to leave when the time comes. We are off to Galilee tomorrow for eleven days which I am super excited for. Most of the events in the Gospels take place in the Galilee and so we actually get to study while we go to the places. It just can't get better than that.
Picture time. There were some people who took pictures while in the shelters but I haven't received those yet, so those will have to wait. For now here are some prom pictures and maybe a few more.

Awkward Family photos

I have absolutely no explanation for this picture

Our very own king and queen Bench

The rest of the royalty

Photo bomb!

And the Roomies

ThAT's THe GoOd STUff

I can honestly say that I love life. It is so incredible right now and being in Jerusalem doesn't hurt. This place has been the healing drug that I have needed for a very long time. I am finally becoming whole, finally returning to my "old self". I don't know exactly when things started picking up but it was sometime during October. It is like this weight has been taken off of my shoulders and I am finally free of some of the burdens that I have been carrying around for the past couple of years. Almost like I have finally let go of stress and worry and doubt and fear and have just embraced life and who I am, trusting fully in the plan that the Lord has for me. No I still don't have a clue as to where I want to be in five years, what career to choose and all that fun stuff that life likes to throw at us but I have found that, that is ok. I don't need to know everything right this minute. As long as I am progressing forward I will be just fine.
Being here has given me so many opportunities to come to know myself and my Savior all the better. I have gained so much knowledge, understanding and faith and have experienced so many tender moments through the Spirit and love of my Heavenly Father. I have been so incredibly blest that I just want to shout out to the world my joy. I am so full of joy, of peace and of comfort that I might burst and I just pray that i will be able to maintain this feeling the rest of my life. I will do anything and everything possible to never go back to how I felt before. This place and the church are amazing. The gospel and the Holy Ghost have the ability to change lives and there is a Father in Heaven and a Savior and Redeemer whose love knows no bounds. Who has given the most amazing gift to everyone, through the most selfless act of atoning for sins and suffering affliction to be able to know perfectly each and every one of us and all that we have gone or will go through. And I am so grateful.

I know this post seems like a private journal entry but I just wanted people to know this feeling that I have been experiencing. And now I am here tearing up for absolutely no reason...ridiculous...anyway moving on.

Now that, that is out of the way I shall share more pictures: in no particular order- Dome of the Rock, Turkey, a cool tunnel that goes along the entire Western Wall, some from Jordan and just random stuff

ChRIsTmAS in NOvEMbeR AnYOnE?

 Yes an inaccurate depiction...deal with it

What an incredible experience to be able to go to the city were the Savior was born. I can't say that going to the "place" he was born was the most spiritual/uplifting moment of my life. It just felt super rushed and like we weren't wanted there. I don't know how to explain the feeling, but it definitely didn't feel as sacred as I was hoping for. With that being said it was still interesting to me to see the way that people worship and to listen to their thoughts and feelings. What made the trip to Bethlehem special was the opportunity to sing Christmas songs and have alone time at the Shepherd's field. There is where I felt the sacred/spiritual feelings that I was hoping to feel. To have the chance to sit and look at the place and then think and ponder about the event was awesome. I took that alone time to listen to some Christmas music and then to sit and think about what the birth means to me. I don't think I am going to be able to listen to the Forgotten Christmas Carols in the same way. What I experienced was not a huge choir of angels singing praises but rather just simple peace of mind and heart and a re-confirmation of my testimony of the birth and life of my savior. In my opinion that is just as good as a choir of angels.
Today in New Testament we talked about how being here will give us a different perspective and insight on things of the gospel and that has been one of the sweetest things that I have come to recognize. I cannot even begin to express my gratitude for this opportunity and for the growth that I have experienced and knowledge that I have gained not only about the gospel but about myself. It is awesome. The Lord really knows what He is doing.

JoRDaN waS PeTrAFyINg

(Ok ignore the cheezy title, I just had to) Holy Moly Jordan was amazing!! Gotta be honest I kind of thought that Petra was going to be the only cool thing but really there are some awesome places there. I also didn't connect that there are some awesome biblical things that happened there too. I love it when the scriptures come to life and you can start to connect things. Anyway I will save that for another post. Now for the pictures. Ok most are from Petra, the other are from other sites in Jordan except the last three. They are sunsets in Jerusalem.