Journal Excerpts Jan 5-10

Jan 5

After traveling for about 26 hours since leaving Riverton I arrived in Jerusalem. Lessons began on the bus from Tel Aviv. We drove along the highway that many people, including Hebrew University Students my age, fought to keep open during the war in 1967 so that they could supply food to the Jewish citizens held under siege in Jerusalem. I’m sure the jet lag came into play but it was a very emotional ride for me. I tried to imagine how terrifying it must have been to drive scantily armored vehicles through the hills of Judea dreading the awaiting ambushes. I’m not sure I can even begin to comprehend their demonstrated devotion to their cause. I asked myself what I would be willing to give that kind of sacrifice for.

My first view of Jerusalem had to wait forever on a red light. Literally I spent several minutes knowing that as soon as the bus turned left and drove passed a wall I would be able to see the Holy City. Talk about anticipation!

Upon arrival at the JC shortly thereafter, we received a tour of the building. My favorite part was when we went out on a balcony where we could see the city of Jerusalem. The Muslim Call to Prayer was playing over the city. I got amazing chills. The only building I could identify at this point was the Dome of the Rock but that will change!

Jan 6

Tour of the city. Down the Kidron Valley and up the Kidron Valley. Arive at the city wall. First we walked a couple streets in East Jerusalem which is the Arab half. Located the money changers and post office. Ate Zaatar which is bread dipped in a green spice mix-heaven! Finally we went through Damascus Gate into the Old City. This was what I was expecting Jerusalem to be like. Narrow streets with vendors all along. Smells like spice, incense, and smoke. My tour guide was my OT teacher Brother Muhlestein who knows a ton so it was information overload in a totally awesome and good way. We stopped at a couple of places briefly but will tour more in-depth later. Then we went out Joppa Gate into West Jerusalem which is the Jewish half. Different feel, more modern and open. Overall I can’t wait to “conquer” this city and know it in and out!

Jan 7

Mostly classes and orientation. Due to the nature of the students here grade curves are insane “to maintain normal grade distribution.” In one class a 90 earns a B. No joke. I understand why people said to prepare for a GPA drop. I need to apply to the accounting program fast! Grades aside I could not be more excited-I am going to learn so much about things that fascinate me!

After class I went with a group to try to change money but Aladdin’s was closed in preparation for Sabbath tomorrow (yes Saturday). All-uh-deen is how you pronounce that by the way.

Jan 8 Saturday Sabbath

Sacrament Meeting was indescribably amazing. Basically we meet in a room on the top floor of the building. The front wall is glass providing an incredible view of Jerusalem. The back wall is an organ and the acoustics in the room are out-of-this-world. The branch consists of about 20 native members, faculty and families, service couples, and 80 students. I am sure I will cry when I have to go to Sacrament Meeting in the Eyring Science Center and look at the Periodic Table of the Elements.

Oh, speaking of Sacrament Meeting, today is kind of personally historic. Because this story is one of the many events leading to me being here today please forgive the tangent. Two years ago I tore my ACL on Jan 8. A few days later I was sitting in Sacrament Meeting silently bemoaning the fact that my world had fallen apart. I happened to look up at the beautiful picture of Christ holding a lamb in His arms that is in front of the chapel in Pima. Previously I had looked at the picture mostly in an artistic sense, admiring the details and the lighting. This time though, I looked at the lamb and wondered if it had a hurt leg. I looked at the loving face of the Savior as He gazed at His lamb and for the first time in my life actually felt His love for me. Not that I hadn’t felt the Spirit before but this time was different. I could feel that the Savior, my Savior, knew and loved me personally and that He knew exactly what I was going through at that time. It was an incredible experience today in Sacrament Meeting to be able to, among other things, reflect on the impact that experience has had on my life and how far and how much my life has changed during the past two years.

I went to Sabbath School but missed Relief Society because I was asked to help out in nursery. Four kids, pretty crazy. We also had an impromptu talent show because President Ohman (Branch President and organist-way good) wanted to get a feel for musical talent. Susie wanted to sing so she and Faith learned part of the I Know that My Redeemer Lives arrangement by Sister Lund in about 15 minutes. There is so much talent, I am just in awe.

Jan 9

I went with Jessica, Susie, Faith, and Ashling to the city. We combined exploring and touring. We first tried to replicate our tour through the Old City but supposed short-cuts got us lost. It was great fun! We got unlost in time to go on the Rampart’s Walk at nine. Eight shekels got us up on the wall surrounding Jerusalem and we spent about three hours up there taking pictures and trying to get our bearings. It was a beautiful day-probably about 60 degrees with cloud cover. Unexpectedly the Walk ended in a pretty random place. We weren’t super comfortable so quickly exited through Lion’s Gate and then walked around the walls to Dung Gate which is the Western Wall (of the temple) entrance.

I was pretty impressed by the Western Wall and more impressed by the people worshiping there. This wall is the only remaining wall of Herod’s temple, men and women enter at different places and are separated like in a synagogue. Worshipers go up to the wall and pray and put special papers into the cracks of the stone. You have to back up instead of turning around so you don’t turn your back on the temple. There were a lot of traditionally dressed Jews and a lot of tourists and a lot of soldiers. One soldier in particular caught my attention. Every Israeli citizen serves in the army. This girl was about my age and height and dressed in the greenish military uniform. She wore a machine gun across her back, a backpack on one shoulder, and was leaning against the wall worshiping. So many things in common, yet so many differences.

We wandered a bit around the Jewish quarter (Jerusalem is divided into Jewish, Christian, and Muslim quarters) before heading back to the center to study.

Jan 10

First real field trip! The goal of this was to take us places to help us orient ourselves in the wider area which was nice because I finally figured out NSE&W directions! It feels good to know where I am. Each place we went we also learned a ton too. First Gibeah. Saul’s palace stood here. David and Jonathan would have been all over the place. I got to stand on a stone probably from the palace. Stories: 1 Sam 10:26, 15:34, 18:1-19, Isaiah 10:29. Today a dilapidated, unfinished palace stands that was being built by King Hussein of Jordan and stopped during the war in 1967. From the top of that structure we had a great view. From Gibeah (which is located in Benjamin’s territory) we could look north to the land of Ephraim. One of the things I love is that Brother Muhlestein stresses that this is our heritage. They aren’t just stories in the Bible of people who lived a long time ago. They are our ancestors and we are a part of their seed etc. In a sense we are doing family history research! It is like the Old Testament is coming alive in my hands. I didn’t anticipate that so much emphasis would be placed on the OT. I am coming to love it and realize how foundational understanding the OT is to understanding the other works we have which all assume familiarity with the OT.

Nabi Samwil (Prophet Samuel). Cool Crusader ruins that provided crusaders and pilgrims with their first view of Jerusalem. King Richard the Lionhearted only made it this far before Saladin pushed him back. Today the crusader chapel has been turned into a mosque upstairs and a synagogue downstairs, both to honor the prophet Samuel. The coolest part of the ruins were the parade grounds where the crusaders rode their horses and the stables (even stone water troughs). At Nabi Samwil we spent most of our time learning about Gibeon which is a small hill next to the big hill that Nabi Samwil is on. The reason we couldn’t go to Gibeon is it located across the wall in the West Bank. So we looked at it and learned. Stories: Joshua 9-10, 2 Samuel 2:10-16, 1 Kings 3, Jeremiah 41:12. Solomon asked for an understanding heart, sun and moon stood still during a battle etc.

Also went to the Hebrew University, Augusta Victoria Tower (got to sing hymns in the chapel with amazing acoustics and climb a billion stairs to see the way-great view from the tower-this tower is built on the Mount of Olives to commemorate Christ’s ascension), Seven Arches Hotel overlook (saw a camel and a donkey, my favorite view of the city, talked about how Jerusalem grew and why on a simplified timeline through history. I can’t wait to get into all of it in-depth!)

What an incredible day! I am so grateful to be here!!!