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.

SimPLy AmAZiNg

I will like to take this brief moment and say even with all its flaws and such, technology is simply amazing. I just spent a good hour talking to my family, face to face, while being literally half a world apart. Got to be honest, kind of blows my mind. Then again it doesn't take much to blow it...tell me that we are having ice cream for dessert here and it will blow my mind.

Anyway moving on....Things to look for in the near future
1. An update on how things are going here
2. Pictures of the trip to Jordan-Amazing by the way...blew my mind
3. that is about it

FoLLoW thE ReD, ARab, IsRAeLI, RoAD

Below are pictures of the 

Red Sea, 

Arab night, 

The Israel Museum (look for the stunner in the blue shirt, she is a beauty)

And the actual Jericho Road

aND ThEN You BLinK

It is funny how life pans out. Happy one second, sad the next. Poor one year and rich the following.
Chances, success, failures, trials, people, places, learning; these are the things that make up life, that give life sustenance, gives it personality. But every single thing, every aspect can change in the blink of an eye. There is no telling when those changes will come, whether they be for good or bad, whether they bring blessings or consequences, all we can do is do our best. Doing our best to remain strong, to remain humble, faithful, happy and trusting.
Life is fickle and we cannot control it but what we can control is how we react to it. A wise man has told me countless times that life is 10% of what happens to us and 90% of how we react. We control whether or not we get offended, we control whether or not we keep and strengthen our friendships and we control whether or not we have regrets.
Why go through life with a heavy heart thinking there is no hope. Why go through life punishing ourselves for what we did or didn't do. Why let opportunities past by because you think your are not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, funny enough or liked enough.
Why not choose to be happy, why not choose to succeed, why not choose to do the right thing, why not choose to enjoy the simple moments, why not choose to live life to its fullest.
You may be wondering why I am writing all of this and so here is the reason. Today one of the students in my program had one of their family members take their own life. Something no one is ever ready for and something that can change so many things. We cannot judge that person for we do not know his circumstances, we cannot know what the loved ones are going through because we are not them. However, what we can do is learn from it. Learn to enjoy the time that we have to be with loved ones, learn to trust in the plan of salvation given, so graciously, to us by our Heavenly Father. And learn to trust Him and believe that everything will work out in the end.
Don't miss out on the important things in life; faith, the Atonement, love, friendship, memories and time, they are what bring true happiness and joy. Remember life may be going one way or another and then you blink.

HaHA WoW

Haha after the announcement of the age change for missionaries you won't believe the erruption in the forum of all the 19 year old girls here in Jerusalem. I don't think I have ever seen so many people cry during conference and then jump up and down afterward. It is like their whole life has changed and some just don't know how to react. It is hilarious. I still can't say if the mission is right for me but it was fun to see others receive answers/promptings that they may or may not have wanted.
Also how awesome was conference!! It is my favorite and always a sweet reminder that the Lord really does care about his children. There is nothing better then to receive answers to prayers, reminders of the important things and feel the love that the Lord has for me.