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.