Near Eastern Time

Raffa continued

2009-12-22T15:51:00.009+02:00

Since meeting her... Raffa called me often, came to the Christmas concert (which is for another post..) and had us over for dinner twice. She called us her sisters- and my heart screamed out, "YES YES! If only I could tell you how true that is!! We are literally sisters!!". She brought us so much happiness and taught me through example more of how I want to be. She amazed me with her thoughtfulness, meekness, humility.. her ability to raise 5 kids so well AND go to school full time! She demonstrated true devotion to her God and lived the laws of Islam with sincerity and humility.

The night before we left.... I was at dinner... and was suddenly HIT with a very distinct impression of the words in my mind, "CHECK YOUR PHONE." I dropped everything and SPRINTED downstairs... feeling that it had to do with Raffa. I looked at my phone at there were 5 missed calls from Raffa. When I called her back, she said she had been at the gate for 30 minutes trying to get in to see us one last time. I didn't know she was coming, but the Spirit allowed me another opportunity to see her. I sprinted up to the 8th floor and ran out to the gate to find her, Hala, and her husband all in the car waiting to see us!!

Words can't express how sweet and tender the feelings were between us this night. She had brought us trays of baklava to bring home to our families...

and as we hugged kissed goodbye... we tearfully acknowledged that without a doubt... the Lord had ensured our acquaintance and that our friendship would always last. I am so grateful to have the blessing of meeting, being with, and learning from Raffa and her family. They brought so much love and bliss to my Holy Land experience. The essence of the warmth and love of the Palestinian people were perfectly exemplified by her.

Nursing continued...

2009-12-22T01:21:00.011+02:00

This was Lutfi from Bethany- a sweet and gentle man. I commented on how good his english was- and he finally wispered to me, "I am secretly a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. I speak english with my brothers in Christ in a prayer room every week. This is how I become so good in english. Are you Christian? Oh I love my Jesus. Hallelujah!" We then had a bond tightly knit in the Savior. I was only able to tell him that I was Christian too and from then on he called me "his sister in Christ." I loved that and felt very much that he was my brother. I invited him to our Christmas concert and he enthusiastically asked, "Are they songs about our Lord?!!!" I confirmed, and he responded that he wouldn't miss it for anything!!

This is Muhammed- one of my favorite dialysis patients. He was 20 and a very sociable young man, but again, he spoke about as much english as I did arabic. By the end, we had nearly perfected the art of cherades and were very good friends. I also invited him to our Christmas concert... and after a while... once we worked out what I was saying... he eagerly agreed to come.

These were Sabrin and Mya- very little, happy, and helpful nurses at the mother baby hospital, Red Crescent.

My favorite native friend that I made here was a nurse midwife student at the Red Crescent hospital, Raffa. Michele and I were accidently on the wrong assigned floor for half of our shift and met this darling woman who spoke beautiful english. She glowed with charisma, strength, and joy. She told me that her name meant "happiness"- and that's just what she is. She is 36 with 5 kids and looks like she a single 23 year old. She says that her "secret" is food and laughter!! We loved each other from the beginning and became instant friends. We ate lunch together and I freely asked her questions about life as a muslim woman. She had much to tell and we had SO much in common. I loved finding common ground with her on modesty, chastity, motherhood, prayer, and love and worship of God. She gave me her information and invited me to their home for dinner.

Going to Raffa's home for dinners were some of the ultimate highlights of my whole experience. Being under her hospitality was a great honor- and she was an incredible hostess. I was sure take good notes on all the Palestinian hospitality that I experienced in the Holy Land- they truly love to take care of you!! Meeting Raffa's awesome husband and beautiful children was so exciting- by the end they made Anna, Michele, and I feel like part of the family! Her husband Abrim studied Veterinary medicine in Italy for 11 years and speaks Hebrew, Italian, and Arabic and understands most english and can make good conversation. Her daughters were the cuttest dark eyed and curly haired girls you'll ever meet!

Dana gave us all makeovers. - for free even! :)

This family is SO put together, loving, smart, and fun. I felt very comfortable in their home and was pained to part every time.

Nursing

2009-12-21T23:54:00.012+02:00

Well... I'm on a blogging roll.... no stopping me now!!

This would not be a complete account without telling of my nursing tales.

Some of my most meaningful, impactful, and memorable experiences have been in the hospitals. Often they weren't specific or drastic events that touched me- but simply the atmosphere, the countenances and auras of the sweet and beautiful Palestinian people I was blessed to be with.

Children of Palestine have forever reserved a cherished place in my heart. They are so beautiful- with their dark skin, hair and penetrating brown eyes. I want a brown eyed baby so bad!! :) Being with these children brought so much love and appreciation to me. Looking into their eyes taught me so much more about the Savior as they are some of the ones closest to Him.

This room of women cracked me up! We came in to take their childrens vital signs.. and I looked up to see them flocked around us- facinated and very excited about these American girls with blue eyes!! They spoke just about as much arabic as they did English... but they sure tried their hardest to talk to us! We ended just laughing, smiling, hugging and kissing each other- very happy to meet each other even if we could hardly speak a word to each other. Sweet and dear women. :)

Oh little Muhammed!!

final Galilee entry- I promise!

2009-12-21T20:03:00.013+02:00

Can't ever get enough sunset pictures here...

Yoga at sunset in Galilee...

Could it have been any better?

We also went to Mt. Carmel

where Elijah called down fire from the heavens and dominated the prophets of Baal. It was awesome to be where such an incredible event and miracle took place.

Yet, I think my favorite part about that experience was being able to listen to different preachers tell the story and testify of the truth in all their different languages, words, and fashion. At all of these sites- it is so wonderful to be surrounded by fellow Christian pilgrams that also know and love our Redeemer. I love all hymns by so many people of many places, colors, languages, and traditions that praise the Lord. It is so beautiful to witness worship and devotion in this Holy Land.

We had the great pleasure of going to the restaurant and feasting on a traditional Galilean meal....

....it's all about the "experience"-right?

On our way back, we stopped in Haifa... a much needed and very significant stop for my friend Angie Clark and I.

Here in Haifa my relative John Clark was buried. He is a significant character in the history of the church in the Holy Land. He is a big part of the reason that the church is able to have a center in Jerusalem and that the BYU program is there. He was the first missionary to the Holy Land in 1893 and died there of smallpox. I read all of his letters home to his parents throughout his mission and got to share his story with my classmates in the cemetery.

John told his father, Ezra T. Clark, that he would give up all of his inheritance if he would be supported during his education and mission. He LOVED the gospel and was SO excited to preach the gospel to the world. His letters were beautiful- he was faithful and obedient and anxious to do the Lord's work. As I was telling my class about him... another group started singing, "I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go."- my dad's favorite hymn. These traits of John and that specific song are so dear to me- especially right now as I am dying to serve a mission and am striving to "give up my inheritance" and do everything possible to go. I was immersed in the Spirit, and inspired to follow John's legacy. I was again reminded of the good name of Clark that I bear. I felt close to John- like I knew him personally. I think it was because I could see the prominate and honorable Clark traits such as hard work, perserverance and faithful obedience that I've always been taught- in the story of his life.

I want to live up to the name of Clark- to be like John- to give up my life from all to small ways to be an instrument and allow the Lord's work to come through me and to help build the Kingdom of God.

Even more Galilee!!...

2009-12-21T18:23:00.019+02:00

The sunsets there were unbeatable. Oh my heart hurts just looking at this.

Akko was another beautiful place. It was a port on the shore of the Mediterranean and was where Napoleon was defeated and where Paul passed through on his way to Jerusalem. It is filled with Crusader buildings now inhabited by a Palestinian community.

Anna could tell you better... but we went to the Galilee branch in Tiberias. It was a house converted into a chapel with a beautiful view onto the Sea of Galilee.

It was a small, humble place with a powerful and sweet Spirit. People from all over the world with many languages gather there. You could taste Zion in that little building- that all were unified in Christ.

In a place that provokes such deep and genuine gratitude... it was a perfectly fitting that we celebrated thanksgiving there. We stayed on a little Kibutz in bungalos on the shore of the sea. The Israeli workers of the Kibutz wanted to recognize and celebrate our american thanksgiving. They wanted to honor our traditions... but rather... they started my new and future traditions.

We were surprised to walk into the dinning hall and see red white and blue decorations. Apparently... these Israelis had 4th of July and Thanksgiving meshed into one. I found it very fitting- I am grateful for America. :)

As we were marvelling at the decorations... the lights suddenly went out.... and out came....

Sparkling turkies!!

I will forever put sparklers in my thanksgiving turkey. :)

We went to Mt. Tabor- known as the Mt. of Transfiguration.

We sang "High on a Mountain Top" - a hymn written by my ancestor Joel Hills Johnson- a very special song for my family. I thought a lot about my family- especially my sweet father as we sang. I am constantly reminded the honor in my heritage and the examples that I have been blessed with.

As we sat on the Mt. of Transfiguration and read about the apostles recieving the priesthood and the sacred events that took place on this mount, I was filled with reverence and a deeper love and understanding of the Priesthood. All the brothers with the Priesthood stood together and sang, "Ye Elders of Israel".

It was so simple, beautiful and true.

All of it.

I love Galilee.

Galilee continued..

2009-12-21T16:04:00.018+02:00

Another neat site was Gamla- a Jewish city besieged and destroyed by the Romans. It was so cool to walk around this hill and be able to see and imagine a real city and civilization from the first century AD. You could see a break down in the wall that the Romans made to get into the city and the smooth round rocks thrown by the catapults. 5,000 Jews committed suicide by jumping off the pinnacle of the hill.

We went into one of the synagogues- and you could really imagine and live history in your mind through your eyes there. It was SO cool.

A site that I fell in love with was a little, humble, run down church in Nain- to honor the raising of the widow's son.
We read from Luke 7 of the compassion of Christ on this widow. We were taught that coming from Capernaum, Nain is 25 miles away. The mercy of the Lord really hit me as I was brought to realize and understand that Christ probably walked all throughout the night to come to that widow. He was aware of her, He knew and loved her, and came to bless her with the aide that she needed through her faith and His mercy. Reflecting on my own life, I can vividly see countless accounts of such miracles of personal magnitude throughout. I was again struck and overwhelmed with awe and gratitude for such unwarranted mercy for me.

Another unreal, and yet VERY real site was Megiddo, or "Armageddon". Reading from Revelations, Joel, and Zechariah about the event that will take place here in the last day made it a very impactful site. Imagining and realizing the horror that was surely come to pass in the world in the last days- but especially at this very site made me SO grateful for the prophets of the past and present and for revelation that helps us prepare for what is to come. Reading again of all the destruction to come and so often feeling it come more and more near should logically be a scary thing. I felt no fear as I was reminded of these impending events. I even became excited for them- and I know that those feelings of peace of surety can only come through faith and knowledge of the Savior.

I love learning of the past, living the present, and looking towards the future with a faith and trust in the Lord with the joy and sweet peace that it brings despite all the turmoil and darkness that constantly surrounds us.

Another fun experience was to walk through the shops, cardo, bath houses and tel of Scythopolis- an important crossroads Roman city that certainly the apostles would have traveled through.

This is part of the bath house- hot water would flow through this and steam everything. It looked and sounded divine.

Caesarea Philippi was another place of reverence and inspiration. It's one of the sources of the Jordan river, and right where Peter tells Jesus, "Thou art the Christ". We read from Matthew 16 and talked about Jesus as the "Living Water". Some return missionaries stood up and shared their experiences of declaring that Jesus is the Christ- and I was AGAIN absorbed with the burning desire to serve a mission and to add my testimony to the world that

Jesus is the Christ!

We sang the primary song "Give said the little stream" and as we did, I noticed a cute European couple standing next us, listening in very pleased. Afterwards, a few of us starting talking to them, and it ended up being exactly who I needed to talk to.

This man and woman were from Austria. They had loved the tune that we were singing and we gave them the words and taught it to them. They were very excited to learn that we were mormons and were anxious to tell us why they love the mormons. They became emotional as they told us about their destitute situation after World War II. They said that they had nothing- absolutely nothing. When the church humanitarian services sent them food, they said that all that they had- a block of cheese that kept them alive was because of the mormons in Utah. They gushed gratitude for those meager and simple rations of cheese and hope that the mormons had brought to them in those times. They wanted to thank the mormons for their help, but had nothing. The church said they did not want any repayment, but would love to be allowed to be recognized as a religion there. This event is the reason that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Saints in Austria today. I was touched by their humility, determined to better contribute to such causes, proud of my heritage and name, and thankful for modern day revelation that institutes such programs as the humanitarian aide that I know that the Lord truly directs and oversees.

Galilee

2009-12-21T14:33:00.016+02:00

I'm ridiculously jet lagged... and since I have so many other things to do at 3 am... I want to share a few more details about the glories of Galilee.

Our 10 days spent in Galilee were consecrated as sacred opportunities to seek a greater understanding and relationship with our Savior. It was filled with rich study of the New Testament, exploration of sites of His ministry, and many hours of private and quiet communion with the Spirit on the shore.

Being able to sit at the shore of the Sea of Galilee with feet in the same waters that my Savior had calmed and walked on brought a new reverence and meaning to the passages that I read during those days. We had 3 hour or so long classes on the gospels and my perspective and understanding of the sequence, reality, and undeniable significance of everything Jesus Christ performed and taught became even more real and sacred to me.

We went to Caesarea Maritima- the ruins of a city built by Herod on the shore of the Mediterranean. It was here that Phillip and Peter preached, and where Paul was brought to Felix and Festus. As we read from Acts 23-26 of Paul's bold testimony of the Christ in the face of persecution, I was again consumed with missionary zeal. This place held the great words and burning testimonies of the Lord's apostles. I left there determined to act as Phillip, Peter, and Paul at all times- to always testify of the reality and truth of the Savior.

One of the top sweet moments of this trip for me was sitting in a little boat on the Sea of Galilee. It truly was here that the Lord called His apostles to be "Fishers of Men", where He calmed the storm, and where He walked on water. These are such common stories and I have always believed them- I have always known that He performed these miracles. Yet, as we were reading these stories from the New Testament... and as I looked out onto the sea.. and as the Spirit spoke to me... I gained a deeper understanding and belief that Christ truly has control over my life. I recieved direct answers to many of my questions that day and came to a mucher stronger faith and belief that Jesus Christ can, has, and will calm my troubled seas.

I had the honor of singing "How Great Thou Art" accompanied by Kathryn on the violin, and the splashing of the water on the boat. It is very difficult to adquately describe the tender and overwhelming feelings felt there that day. As I was trying to sing, I found myself seized up with emotion and struggling to sing.
"When I shall in humble adoration, and there proclaim, My God- How great Thou Art."
and I was filled with even deeper gratitude and awe for my Savior. I walked off that boat with a greater ability to wholly and truly trust in my Lord.

We saw the ginnosar boat- found in 1986 on the shore during a drought. It is speculated to be from the same time that Christ would have spent His days in Galilee and would be very similar to that used by Peter, Andrew, James, and John as fishers.

We went to the Mt. of Beatititudes and read from Matthew 5-7 the Sermon on the Mount.

Sitting there on that beautiful hillside looking over the landscape of encompassing hills and the lake... I could totally see why Jesus chose this place to teach these sacred truths and give this beautiful commandments. The Spirit felt there made everything so clear- my perspective became black and white. I left there not understanding or desiring to live any way but to love my enemies, to continually hunger and thirst for righteousness, to become meek, to be an example of Christ and abide by every law Christ ever gave.

One of my favorite sites was Capernaum.

A frequently mentioned place in the scriptures as the home of Peter and the location of the synagogue that Christ taught in. It was hard to capture it in pictures... but there are the same basalt stones that formed the very 1st century AD synagogue that Jesus visited- the same stones that would have seen and used in His life. It is speculated that the building of this synagogue may have been funded by the centurion that had sought for the miracle working of Jesus. It had a 4th century synagogue built on on top of those stones.

Capernaum was the little town that jesus raised Jairus' daughter, healed the woman from her bleeding illness, healed the Centurion's son, and many more miracles. As we read the Matthew 8 and Luke 4 accounts of Jesus casting out and unclean spirit and teaching that He was the Son of God in this very synagogue a sweet peace overcame me as I realized that I was being taught in the very same place that Jesus Christ Himself taught. I didn't need to be there to learn these truths or to know that He had come and performed great works in Capernaum- but, as it's been said, "the visual aide sure helps!"

Shabbat Shalom

2009-12-12T20:56:00.002+02:00

I couldn't have asked for a lovelier last sabbath here.

Church was so edifying. I can't believe the wisdom and strength that constantly surrounds me. Not to mention that we have a spectacular view of the old city (My Old City as I like to refer to it in my head) in front of our eyes the entire time.
I spent the afternoon in the garden of Gethsemane. That fact alone is an amazing one.

While we were walking down to the garden I heard the chilling sound of many, many angry voices in unison and realized that somewhere nearby in the city a riot was going on. The hatred I could hear and sense filled me with such sadness. At the same time as the shouting I could hear the bells of the church of the Mary Magdalene. The sky was apocalyptically gray and the wind was a little cruel, and I was on my way to the spot where the most sacred and important event in the history of the world took place. The whole scenario was a little bizarre. But as I sat in the garden I thought about the peace that a knowledge of what happened in that place brings to me. And I thought how desperately I've come to love this place and its people and how I wish they would accept their Savior and partake of that same peace.

Anyway.

This evening we had the triclinium last supper experience in the magnificent auditorium. They had a table set up like it would have been at the last supper, to recline and eat with the right hand. We read John 13-17 outloud and had some beautiful music. Kali and I got to sing with our friends Teren and Jon, with Amy on the piano and Molly on the violin. Besides the fact that I seem to be extra emotional these days anyway, this song touches me so deeply every time I think of it.

Here are the words:

"Lamb of God"

Your only Son, no sin to hide.

But you have sent Him from your side

to walk upon this guilty sod

and to become the Lamb of God.

Your gift of love they crucified.

They laughed and scorned Him as He died.

The humble King they named a fraud,

and sacrificed the Lamb of Go

O Lamb of God, sweet Lamb of God,

I love the holy Lamb of God.

O wash me in Your precious blood,

My Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.

I was so lost, I should have died,

but You have brought me to Your side

to be lefd by Your staff and rod

and to be called a Lamb of God.

O Lamb of God, sweet Lamb of God,

I love the holy Lamb of God.

O wash me in Your precious bloodm

'till I am just a Lamb of God.

Good Sabbath to you all. I'll be home so so soon!

God is love.

He Lives.

And that's what I'll never stop singing.

Jordan continued...

2009-12-12T00:08:00.006+02:00

We then proceeded to the citadel of Amman, the original "Philadelphia". We saw more Roman ruins (ya.. not a big deal... just another day in the neighborhood. ;) )

We saw ancient relics such as..

Dead Sea Scrolls.

It was hard to remember all that we saw there... because my memory got glazed over by a random and unfortunate event.

Anna could tell you better... I didn't see it.. but there was a man from Spain... probably in his mid-60's that had gone beyond this railing to sit on the cliff to look over the beautiful city of Amman. As he got up.. he lost his balance and fell backwards and pummeled down the cliff. People ran to me because I had my "nursing bag" (aka- fanny pack of bandaids and tylenol...) to go down and help him. I don't remember what happened next... but suddenly I found myself at the bottom. This was a very lucky man and a very stressful situation. There were Jordanian security guards yelling at him trying to get his name... and he was so flustered... and in pain. He turned... and I was very surprised to see his ear dangling by the bottom of his earlobe. I realized that.. I didn't have quite enough bandaids. He was breathing... seemed to have broken his hand, collar bone, and a rib- but he was a lucky man. I was such a flustered, confused, and helpless little girl in that situation... doing nothing but trying to calm him down and speak english. I was so frazzled and left there with a renewed ambition to jump into my career and become a competent nurse.

Then... on our way back... we stopped by the revered Jordan River.

It was kind of dirty... overpopulated with tourists... but when we were able to find a quiet place as a group and to read of Christ's baptism straight from the scriptures and sing hymns... it was a sweet and sacred experience. I left there reaffirmed and grateful for baptismal covenants and determined to better keep mine.

Jordan was an overall beautiful country. It had the feeling of happy, loving, and humble Palestinian neighborhoods on a large scale.

From the short glimpse that I got.. Jordanians are kind and sweet people that truly love each other, their country, and their king.

2009-12-11T16:46:00.030+02:00

Uh oh... I've been so bad about keeping my part of this account. I could apologize for days... but I'm just gonna jump into it. Starting with Jordan.

So.. we went to Jordan!!!

We stopped by Mt. Nebo- where Moses went up to and the Lord showed him the promised land. (Deuteronomy 32:49)

I suppse we make quite the spectical of ourselves... 40 young adults singing hymns to ourselves- we look up and find tourists crowding around- mistaking us for attractions. Gotta love tourists.

We stopped by an Arab village called Madaba and saw the old map of the Holy Land. A mosiac dating back to 527-565 A.D that has been a very important reference to the format of the ancient Holy Land and events.

Explored Nimrod, an old crusader castle. Yup. SO cool! Epic Acorn battle between buses ensued from the tallest tower.

...mosied on into a beautiful mosque- Abdullah. BEAUTIFUL.

...witnessed a sweet ruinion of Anna and Shea. (which made us all ridiculously happy. We love Shea.)

Oh... have I mentioned PETRA yet?!!!

It was such a magical experience....

I felt like I was frolicing through a picture book!

It was such a carefree, sponatious, and beautiful day that I couldn't have possibly created in my own imagination

Then.. we went to Jerash- which contain some of the best preserved Roman ruins oustide of Europe!!

Whistle while you work

2009-12-11T06:31:00.001+02:00

I realized yesterday that Snow White and I have quite a lot in common.

1. We have many woodland creature friends

Sheep friends in the Zurim Valley

Galilean Toad

Big black bird in Masada

Matriarchal She-goat at Neot Kedumim Bible Lands Reserve. We had to herd her herd as a group activity, and she took a liking to me. Guess whose group had the fastest time? Oh yeah. That's right. Follwed me implicitly.

Feral Cats at Ein Gev, Galilee. (DON'T LOOK, DAD!)

The Kibbutz chef gave me his hat and I had to make good use of it.

Wild Baby Ibex at Ein Gedi National Park, right by the Dead Sea. Incidentally, Ein Gedi translates as "spring of the kid." This was my kid. He loved leaves, and I loved him.

perhaps you can't tell from the picture, but his horns were quite sharp.

2. We have much work to do.

She had to clean up the cottage, I have to study for finals. And try to make the very best of my last week (MY LAST WEEK!?) in the Holy Land.

I lied, though. I can't whistle very well.

But I'm going to do a lot of catch-up blogging before I go home. Until then... Happy Hannukah!

Some upcoming highlights:

Bethlehem at Christmas time

Spectacular student talent show and christmas concert

Perhaps (finally) something about Jordan (The Hashemite Kingdom of)

The Separation Barrier

Adventures in the Old City

Adventures in Palestinian homes

Med Sea, Red Sea, Dead Sea

Lessons and epipheries.

Love you all,

Banana

I'm going to do something a little strange

2009-11-28T23:01:00.002+02:00

I think Kali's going to give a lovely, comprehensive run-down of our Galilean days, so I'm going to contribute by way of my journal entry from our last day there. I think it sums up the magical ten before in the best (and most personal) way I can.

Suffice it to say, like many of old, I too experienced the healing influence of Jesus Christ on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.

I committed to myself to learn faith through raging tempests.

And I lived the entreaty,

"Peace, Be Still."

November 25th -- Special Rock, Sea of Galilee

Right now, I wish I could paint.

I wish I could somehow capture the colors and beauty and wordless thoughts rolling over each other in my mind.

Even then, how could it include this palpable presence of a Divine Creator, presiding over my last Galilean sunset? Breathtaking rays striking my very being. Inspiring Molly to be up on the rocks somewhere behind me, playing "How Great Thou Art" on her violin with such soul it drew tears from some unknown depth right to the surface of my eyes.

I never want to forget this.

I can feel time trickling, running, rushing through my fingers now. I can't paint and my camera doesn't do the scene justice, but thank the Heavens I can write.

Words too, though, sometimes fail.

I put so much trust in them, but there are so many spheres that exist and penetrate, far away from the grasp of language.

Maybe that's where music lives?

(Now she's playing "Whenever I Hear the Song of a Bird." I have such deep nostalgia over that song. And it's her anthem to this magical phenomenon. I'm glad we're sharing it, even if she doesn't know it)

I've heard "Where words fail, music begins." But even so, sometimes no words and no pictures and no notes exist to express the burning, the swelling.

And so a wordless, thoughtless, completely intangible prayer of thanks arises somewhere from my core and simply continues to exist here at the forefront of my consciousness.

I read in Jesus the Christ today:

"It is well to know that prayer is not compounded of words, words that may fail to express what one desires to say, words that so often cloak inconsistencies, words that may have no deeper source than the physical organs of speech, WORDS THAT MAY BE SPOKEN TO IMPRESS MORTAL EARS.

The dumb may pray, and that too with the eloquence that prevails in heaven. Prayer is made up of HEART THROBS and the righteous yearnings of the soul, of supplication based on the realization of need, of contrition and pure desire."

I can't paint and I can't play the violin, but I'm pretty good at feeling, and I can pray. "Pray always"! What a gorgeous invitation.
I can write too. I feel like a poem is forming inside, but can't gather up the right words to work its way out of my psyche. I can write poems, but perhaps I'll never be a poet.

...that's a sad thought.

I'd like to found out who I am so I can discover what I can be, you know?

But it's nice to just sit on my little rock here, no immediate obligations but to periodically swat off the wicked biting flies. Just encasing my spirit with wordless prayers, trying to build up an immunity to pride and selfishness and forgetfulness and temptation, so I can retain this handful of heaven for later, lonelier days.

...When I'm not reaching enlightenment on the shores of Galilee

to transcendent violin music and an ethereal sunset,

descending like a dove

to give me a warm and reassuring kiss on the forehead.

Love,
Banana

Fishers of Men

2009-11-15T22:01:00.000+02:00

We leave for Galilee in the morning for ten luscious days of learning, studying, and experiencing.

We are very sorry we've been so bad about writing
We haven't even written about Jordan yet
I had an amazing twentieth birthday in JERUSALEM and my friends and family spoiled me so much
I've been a rotten blogger, daughter, sister, pal, roommate, relative, and all-around nincompoop and I'm going to start writing even when this internet of satan won't upload pictures (that's why I never do it. I can't bear to write a picture-less post)
ANYWAY- I only have a very few weeks left in Israel and I promise I'm taking in every second. Every minute. Every precious, precious day in this city that feels so much like home. I'll do an awful lot of catch-up when I get back.

Thanks for caring (or not, as the case may be. I love you anyway),

Anna Banana

p.s. We snorkled in the Red Sea today and we fed the fish frozen peas and they swam right up to me and introduced themselves. I'm not sure if they were Palestinian or Israeli (or perhaps even Jordanian?), but they sure were friendly fish. :)

P.S. Elder Holland hugged me

2009-10-24T20:13:00.001+02:00

Don't be fooled by the awesomeness of that title.

It was a million times awesomer than that!

Kali sat by him at dinner (no big deal)

We sang for him

He delivered a comforting, uplifting, edifying, beautiful sermon that spoke peace to my soul in such amounts I can't really use written language to explain it

He spent about 15 seconds on me of all people, hugging me, thanking me, and telling me his grandchildren are enjoying my tennis text book

he told Kali he wanted us to sing that at his funeral

And he hugged me.

The tenderest, mercifulest mercy I could have asked for.

Love you!

Banana

"His Kippa is a Watermelon!" and other adventures (aka why I want to be Jewish)

2009-10-20T14:15:00.000+02:00

How many orthodox Jews does it take to change a lightbulb?

Answer: change?

Ha. That joke was told to us by our Judaism teacher who has graduated from rabbinical school twice but never wanted to be a rabbi, and considers himself something of a mixture of every Jewish denomination. He has absolutely no hair on his body and keeps his kippa on with double-sided tape.

While you're trying to work that one out, check out all our neat Judaica as of late.

Friday night we welcomed Shabbat at a neo-hassidic modern orthodox synagogue that met in a scout building. The service itself was phenomenal, with the leader totally rocking out and me finding myself being squished between two biddies gossiping away and kissing each other on the cheek, literally right in front of my face.

The music was so other wordly to my Mormon-channeled brain. It was beautiful and dynamic; somethimes upbeat, sometimes slow and mournful. All of it, though, was undeniably worshipful. And beautiful. I loved getting up and dancing with the women around the room, though I'm constantly a little bitter that they seem to always have a little more fun on the men's side. I was jealous of the little girls on the other side of the screen jumping up and down with their dads.
Best part of the service= a small boy storming up to the front to his mom, throwing down his soccer ball and delivering a heart-wrenching tamtrum in hebrew. I was laughing so hard on accident.

This month (the seventh, the holiest) is the month of holidays! We've been so lucky to be here during the most important days of both Islam and Judaism. The week before last was Rosh Hashannah (Jewish New Year!), followed by Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement), then Sukkot (A week of tent-dwelling, yiddish singing, street dancing, willow-whacking, all-around family fun!) When October in Jerusalem rolls around,it's party time!

Unfortunately, it's also house arrest time. Us poor little J-center students were confined to the center almost exclusively due to the inter-religious tensions that also mark October in the Holy Land. However, we were often allowed in West Jerusalem, so we spent a lot of money on cab fare and ate a lot of nutella gelatto whipped-cream belgian waffles (i.e. heaven). We also ran into many sukkot parties and visited some museums and had some incredible bagels. I always talk about food, huh?

"dwelling" in a Sukkah for Sukkot

With good reason.

We eat A LOT of gelatto.

I'm obsessed with Mahane Yedhuda, the marketplace in West Jerusalem.

I've always had a thing for toasters, so this was especially exciting.

We went to the beautiful Ethiopian church in West Jerusalem, and I now aspire to live on Ethiopia street. it's all flowers and sweet Ethiopian Priests, and peace.

Another pretty church

Herod's Family Tomb

The park brings lots of fun and also (On select weeks [i.e. one a year]) tons of sukkot parties with live music and dancing and crepes and happy hassidic children! Come with us...

Yesterday was a more solemn one, but one of the most imporant (I feel) I've spent in Israel.

We visited Yad Vashem, Jerusalem's Holocaust Memorial Museum. I was impressed with the approach and the feel of the place. I never got the impression that it was rooted in despair and regret and blame like we sometimes experience while studying the holocaust. I did, though, sense a lot of emphasis on hope, on education, on rememberance, and on honoring the heroic acts of Jews and non-Jews that stood up for human dignity and the love of God and his children.

The museum was made out of concrete (which is significant because it's a law in Jerusalem that everything be contructed out of limestone, the "Jerusalem Stone."), to stand as something unfinished. Imperfect. A scar. It is literally dangling off a cliff and has a breath-taking panoramic view of the Jerusalem forest and Mount Hertzl.

The museum experience begins at one dark side with the pre-Hitler years of the European diaspora and progresses to the end, which is a large window pane, letting in the only light. So basically, you slowly make your way towards the light at the end of the tunnel the whole time.

Something I really liked is that you can't just walk through the museum. It winds chronologically back and forth with the story of the jews (each room separated by walls and barbed wire), and each time you come back to the middle to the main hall, there's a gap explaining what's going on in the war and with the rest of the world. There you get another glance at the light at the end of the tunnel. It was a super powerful set up, because each time you get back to that gap you realize that the rest of the world is totally pre-occupied. You realize that you're completely alone (And truly you actually feel completely immersed in the story).

The first of these gaps showed footage of a giant book burning in Germany before the war started. it was full of actual books from the period, basically anything contrary to Nazi ideology. Basically everything. I liked the quote with it:

"Wherever books are burned, human beings are also destined to be burned."

My other favorite quote was in the hall of the righteous among the nations; gentiles who risked their lives to help jews during the war. This was from Pastor Andre Trocrne, one of those brave righteous:

"I do not know what a jew is,
we only know what
human beings are."
That man sacrificed his life.

I loved this story of Boris Saktsier. He ran an orphanage in the Warsaw Ghetto (? I believe?), and when the children were taken, instead of letting them go alone, he went and perished with them.

The Chlidren's memorial was by far my favorite part. (We couldn't take pictures inside) It was a completely dark room lined in mirrors and candles, with voices reading names and ages of children in their native languages.

Well, We've been learning so much about this Israli-Palestinian conflict and there are a lot of confusing feelings involved with it for me. I'm not sure if I'll ever have it worked out. But I have found myself quite often nonplussed that this nation of people who have suffered so much and felt so alone and displaced could inflict similar pain on the people who were living in their new national home when they made it such. It doesn't make sense, right?

But I know this. The Lord still loves his covenant people of old. He didn't abandon them to the ghettos and concentration camps (like some people say) for condemning Christ.

See for yourself!

"And it [the bible] shall proceed forth from the Jews, mine ancient covenant people. And what thank they the Jews for the bible which they receive from them? yea, what do the Gentiles mean? Do they remember the travails, and the labors, and the pains of the Jews, and their diligence unto me, in bringing forth the salvation of the Gentiles?

O ye Gentiles, have ye remembered the Jews, mine ancient convenant people? Nay; but ye have cursed them, and have hated them, and have not sought to recover them. but behold, I will return all these things upon your heads; for I the Lord have not forgotten my people."

-2 nephi 29:4-5

And neither have we!

Sorry, this ended much heavier than I meant it to be. I tend to ramble a bit. But just know that I love you, family and friends, and I'm jam-packing my brain with so much, and I intend to return a smarter, better girl. (So many commas there!)

Thanks for your love and Shalom!

banana

Mr. Holland's Opus

2009-10-16T07:38:00.004+02:00

FAMILY!

So Kali and I have the pleasure of announcing that we get to be part of the small group that gets to perform the musical number for our District's fireside.
The one at which ELDER HOLLAND is speaking!

Not only is he my personal tennis partner (long story there if you don't know it... ask my mama, she loves to tell it), but we get to add to the spirit brought by an apostle of the Lord with our song! Oh wowie wowie wow wow!

Needless to say we're stoked out of our minds. That's October 24th, folks. We're practicing real hard-like and will be singing a masterful arrangement of "Master the Tempest is Raging."
Weeeee! (also, remember how we're going to the Sea of Galilee next month? Just sayin...)

On another note, isn't Kali a beautiful person? She inspires me to such heights I'm not sure I can really reach them. Sinai's nothing compared. I feel so lucky to have my childhood sweetheart and oldest, dearest friend next to me while I experience the experience of my life.
Seriously?
She's a really good blogger too, huh?
I've decided I'm just going to leave all the substantive stuff to her and I'll post pretty pictures and lame puns.

Hey, teamwork, yeah?
I love you guys.

p.s. Also we went to a jazz concert last night (the center holds awesome concerts for the community and we get to go when they're not sold out) with a pianist and clarinetest. Clarinet player? Anyhow, it was sweet. Ragtime, Gershwin, Bernstein. (Mother, that woman played an original medley of West Side Story that BLEW my MIND. You would've been proud of how obsessed with it I was)

p.p.s. I know there's a place for us. With abundant bandwith and uploading capacity to spare. Peace and quiet and open air. Someday, Somehow, Somewhere (You see, I'm joking here. That's a take on "Somewhere" from West Side Story. It's funny). I will find this place and you will see SO many pictures and hear so many stories you'll beg me to stop.

LOVE YOU AGAIN!
Banana

Home is where the heart is.

2009-10-15T10:54:00.005+02:00

Dearest Family,

I think I am as ungrateful to be here as is possible or remotely acceptable. It's incredible that from across the world... I can still feel close enough to you all to feel your pain and sorrows. I wish SO badly that for the next week I could be there with you all... if not for you- but for my own needs.

I was thinking last night, as someone told me they were sorry for my "loss"- that "loss" seems like an innappropriate description of our current experience. Rather, I am choosing to deem this as a "transition". Loss is not applicable to Grandpa. He is ours for eternity if we do our part.

I am SO grateful to know that families can be together forever- and to have the opportunity to be with you all for all time and for all eternity. I intend to do everything in my power and through that of Christ to see Grandpa again. I have found so much peace and comfort in the knowledge of and the healing power of Christ's Atonement. Thank you for being so wonderful and mindful of even me.

I'm assuming and hoping that my heart is over there with you guys- because it feels like it's been ripped out of my chest and isn't here anymore.

A "little" catch-up

2009-10-07T05:20:00.053+02:00

Hello family and friends!

I am still alive! I promise! Sorry it's taken me so long- blogging is really not in my nature... and Anna does such a beautiful job that I cannot compare to.. but I suppose it is my turn to share a little of the bliss that I've been experiencing. I am very overwhelmed by how much there is to catch up on and tell... but I'll share with you what I can.

Ok...umm... where to start.................. Egypt?

Anna gave a great run down of what we did... and it was A LOT. I think being in a third world country was a MUCH needed experience for me. It was good to look beyond my comfortable USA middle class mormon perspective and see a life that I've always heard about... a level of poverty that I've read about... but never a state of despair that I've seen.

Yes- we did take a little sail boat down the nile,and it was BEAUTIFUL. We rode camels- a very necessary tourist attraction. It was all very exciting..the native children running around.. the grunting and putrid fumes of the camels... the sun setting,the glistening nile-all very exciting and memorable.

Yet, I think the most real and vivid part of that last evening in Luxor... was riding around the little farming villages along the nile and really truly seeing the people. Seeing their homes-basically ruins or huts.. seeing families together- working and playing together.. I felt guilty sick looking into their faces... seeing the struggle and humility in their eyes as they looked back at me- a silly, selfish and spoiled tourist up on my high camel using their reality as visual interest and entertainment for a measly $1.

It was painful to see their depleted way of life and to know that I'd be returning to such a beautiful and comfortable hotel and still hear complaints about not being able to drink the water.

I left Egypt with a renewed and burning desire to do my little part in making a change in the world around me- an ambition I don't intend to lose.

Speaking of not drinking the water.... "Pharoh's revenge" took great vengence on my bus on this trip. I was a bus nurse for my group... but most of the time I felt more like the group "mommy". I was surprised by how sick people really got (I was miraculously one of the few to walk away unscathed) and how busy I was... but most of all how much I loved doing whatever menial thing I could! Between explosive diahrrea and/or vomitting, the flu, dehydration.. whatever else.. I did nothing super advanced or life saving... but I experienced a few very profound moments in which I truly felt like a tool in the Lord's hands. I felt like I was really led by the Spirit to bring certain drugs or supplies that seemed random... but I ended up spontaneously needing every single "random" item. Things came to mind to teach or answer togive that I know I didn't have previous training or knowledge on- nothing to do with my own capabilities.

I tell this not to "toot my own horn"... but to give whole recognition to the Lord's tender mercies. In those moments.. I was tangibly taught through the Spirit that yes... I am a young, silly, and incompetent nurse... BUT it's not about me! Once I turn it over to the Lord, seek His guidance and allow the Lord to work through me to bless the lives of His children- only THEN can I get ANYTHING done. It's so humbling and even more comforting to know that this principle will remain true throughout my new and daunting career as long as I am worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

One of my favorite moments in Egypt was the last day as we were going through the Egyptian museums. I was off on my own just browsing and enjoying all the artifacts when I came upon a really cool colar and I wanted to share my awewith someone else at how rad this jewlery was! I looked around... but the only person near me was a cute little arab woman. So, I motioned and expressed to her how neat it was and for her to look, and she started talking to me in Arabic. I responded that I only knew a little and then she started speaking pretty good English. She was SO sweet and SO loving from the very start. She took me by the hand and we walked along looking at artifacts together- it wasn't in the least weird or awkward that I was holding this stranger's hand- we loved eachother- it was so natural!

When I was telling her why I was her from America and that I was a nurse- she got so excited. She told me that she was from the Gaza strip andthat she had to come to Cairo to have a colon surgery done (which is scary because Egyptian hospitals are NOT the greatest)because she wasn't able to get it done in Jerusalem because she couldn't get permission to cross the border. Her eyes filled up with tears and she asked if I would stay with her at the hospital and make sure everything was ok because it's a dangerous proceedure and she was very scared. My heart broke. I had to tell her that I was leaving in an hour-she asked if I could visit Gaza- I had to tell her that wasn't possible. She was so sad. She gave me her phone number and e-mail address and kissed me goodbye.Her name was Laila Nassar, and she made my day. I told her I would pray for the Lord to bless her..and she was obviously muslim but SO appreciative of my thought and faith for her. I was so touched by her ease and quicknessto love this random American girl. I want to be like Laila. I have been trying, but I haven't been able to get ahold of her because contact to Gaza from Jerusalem is nearly impossible. I still pray for her.

On our way back from Egypt, was stopped in the Sinai Penninsula, woke up at 2 am and hiked to the top of Mt. Sinai and watched the sunrise. Sunrises have always been my favorite- but nothing will ever come near what was experienced here.We welcomed the new day singing hymns on a holy mount used by prophets to commune with God. Really? This is my life?We had a beautiful and incredibly powerful testimony meeting... I wantto feel the Spirit that strong ALL the time-if my body could even withstand it. Such a great morning.

I will scavage beautiful pictures and post them later.

Spending time in the hospitals here have been... such beautiful experiences. When they were handing out assignments they asked who wanted to go the ICU. I jumped on it. As my instructor was taking me there... we were going down a hall passing the pediatric unit and I was glad that I wasn't there- I thought to myself, "wow, I couldn't handle the heartbreak of the children and families here- good thing I'll be working with adults!!" Then, my instructor said, "almost there!" but I saw no stairs, but rather a sign up ahead that said, "Pediatric ICU". My heart stopped. "Oh no... nono... I can't do babies on ventilators! NONONO!!!" but I didn't want to be a wimp. =

My heart sunk when I walked in.... this hospital is the best in the area- so they get all the really hard cases. Most of those babies were near their end. I was told many stories that involved the difficulties of getting from Gaza to Jerusalem or from Jordon- all because of the war- because of hate of men- this children had to suffer because they couldn't get help- and are now dying. The technique and instruments were pretty modern... but the mentality of the families and the people were still old. In the Muslim faith, or just between tribes, they marry first cousins all the time to stay in the tribe or family. So... there are tons and tons of genetic disorders. Knowing that the parents couldn't be there with their sick or dying baby because they couldn't get permission to cross the border- imagining the pain and the sorrow that these mothers must feel as they call the floor all throughout the day is so much to handle. Watching a baby on a ventilator cry without being able to make noise and my not being able to pick them up and hold them- kills.

I learned lots of new medications... techniques and theories... but mostly of how much I hate war, how important families are, how blessed we are, a glimpse into my families struggles with my sisters, and that I will not be a pediatric nurse. I'm not strong enough. I couldn't handle trying to sooth these babies and imagining my sweet sisters in their place. I was such a boob.

Yesterday I went to a different Palestinian Hospital called "Red Crescent" that is just for delivering babies. Again, another completely beautiful experience. A nurse put me in a room... gave me the chart of the laboring woman in front of me and rushed off to another patient. I started going through the chart with my classmate... but when the contractionscame to her... I stopped caring about how many previous births she'd had or what her blood type was. She didn't speakany english beyond "thank you very much"... and I didn't know if it was even ok.. but I took her hand and stayed with her for the next 7 hours. All I could really verbally tell her was that I was Kali, a nurse from America. At first I was a little frustrated by the language barrier... but by the end... I'd forgotten that we couldn't talk to eachother. It may sound cheesy... but we didn't need english or arabic. Our spirits connectd- and we spoke human. I felt like she was a good friend and I was so honored to be there through it all to remind her to breath, to hold her legs, to stop her from hitting the doctor, to try to transmit my love to her. I loved her so much- I was overwhelmed my how strongly I could feel about this woman that I didn't know and couldn't understand...but it pained me to see her in pain.

It was SUCH an exciting experience!! Medically it was a pure miracle- just an awesome process to watch and understand. Spiritually... it was out of this world- literally. After they took the baby... the mother asked me to run after them and look at him. When I came back and expressed to her how beautiful her boy was... she got the biggestsmile on her face and finally relaxed and started to rest. Saying goodbye to my new friend "Yadweh" was surprisingly hard,but I walked away from that little hospital on cloud nine- totally in love with love.

Ok... I just accidently went on a mother Theresa rampage- but those really are the main highlights and "life changing" things that I've been experiencing!- isn't that what I'm supposed to write about? I just haven't mentioned all the silly and fun little joys and pleasures that I've selfishly enjoyed.

Such as... my roommate bought a hammock. So perfect, huh? We had a patio party. Imagine.. a warm Israel night... patio overlooking the city lights of Jerusalem.. rocking in a hammock surrounded by the chatter and giggles of some of the most loving people I've ever met with the soft strummingof a ukulele in the background. Such events are not rare here. Yes, I live a dream in my wakened hours.

The other night we went to West Jerusalem to enjoy the night life of the Jews and watch them live it up for "Sukkot". We watched Jewish men vigorously dance with eachother to very catchy Hebrew music surrounded by a crowd of families-the joy and excitement was SO contagious. We proceeded to watch a man play the harp AND harmonica (at the same time) and a very eclectic woman play the violin and... recorder? (not at the same time.) Then we ate dark chocolate gelattoin a Sukkot, fell upon a piano and base jazz jam in the street, and just enjoyed the company of good, unique, and loving friends.

I got to be in the lowest place on earth and see the oldest structure in the world- a tower in Jericho- estimated to be from 8,000 BC (the exact date can obviously be argued).

There was SUCH beautiful produce. Oh fruit. I think I've bought more fruit than anything else in this journey. Oops.

We traipsed through Hezikiahs tunnel- nearly 3,000 years old-it was the route used by the
Babylonians to overtake the City of David.- so rad.

Yet, in the end, undoubtably the most important place I've been is the Garden of Gathsemane. We went early one saboth morning and it was such a sweet and beautiful experience. I can't tell or express all the feelings and impressions I received that morning... but I can testify to the power I felt there. Being on the mount that the most important event in all the history and future of the world... the very mount that the course of my eternities was altered... in the presence of trees that may have witnessed my Savior pay the price for me- was extremely humbling and impactful. I felt so much peace and so much awe at the reality of it all, and overwhelmed with gratitude for my Redeemer. No matter the grandeur or the fame of all that I have or will see here.... this site was the most important one I have and will experience.

The other day we did the via delerosa walk- the "walk of sorrow" - the path that is said to be the one that Christ walked in His last days. It was interesting to see these sites and the road that may be similar to those that He saw during trials. Though this path is probably not historically accurate- it stands as beautiful symbolism for such undeniable and powerful truths. I know that Christ carries my cross and has paid the price for me. I know that He lives, and I am constantly filled with such peace and pure joy because of Him. I know these truths not because I have now walked where He has walked- but because He walks with me every day.

Wow. Sorry this is so long. Yet, at the same time, I suppose none of you are obligated to read all of it...or, any of it. I would just feel very selfish to keep all of these things that I find so wonderful to myself. So... I feel better now that I've taken the opportunity to share with you. :)

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood

2009-09-29T17:11:00.001+02:00

Let me show you round my hood.

Yesterday I truly explored the Mount of Olives for the first time. It's so close and so wonderful, yet I had no idea just how magical it was.

So Kate, Bryan (you'll be seeing an awful lot of their backs), and I had no plan but to wander. And look what we found!

I collect graffiti, interesting signs, and license plates. I'll have to post my Middle East Edition collection sometime soon.

Bryan being a crescent goat. We really, really miss Ramadan.

We accidentally trespassed on an olive tree farm where we were chased and nearly attacked by a pack of vicious feral dogs. And thenwe were stuck between death and big brick walls and barbed wire and suddenly...

...We were at the Garden of Gethsemane!

These trees are very, very old. This place is very, very special. There's a certain feeling permeating the air. Asking us to remember that Christ suffered for the sins and pains of all. Right around here.

Maybe that's why he chose trees that can live to be a couple thousand years old?The church of All Nations, which is attached to the garden, has some incredible artistic elements. The doors illuminated an intricate olive tree design, and let the light birst in, It kind of took my breath away. {That's my dear Ali-cat in the picture}

More of the church:

We happened upon some Spanish Priests performing communion, and a nice little monk watching.Next was the incredible Hebrew cemetary we literally stumbled into. It has an amazing view of the city and the Mount of Olives.

There's another across the way (accross the Kidron Valley, rather) in the City of David (right below the temple mount) that I'm excited to visit. Oscar Schindler is buried there.

Jesus is supposed to enter the city through this gate when he comes again. Which is why Sultan Suleiman blocked it off, I suppose?

This one is for you, Laura Kipp!

So then we stumbled upon Dominus Flevit, a veritable sanctuary. It's the traditional site of Jesus' mourning over Jerusalem and its people.(Remember the Greg Olsen) And you can see why! The view is incredible. We sat in the small empty church, with a direct view of the Dome of the Rock, and soaked in the peace. It was one of my favorite places I've been.

The acoustics in the little domed chapel were incredible. I sang "I wonder when he comes again."

And I really did wonder.

And this sign says to me, "Please keep your rubber gloves off the plant life."

And then we said, "Let's go home." and were so grateful that where we were going was home.

We walked down our favorite street, which I don't know the real name of it is, but I call Baklava street.

Kate and I got kissed on the hand by little boys.

A man drove by in his car and said very sincerely and cordially, "You are beautiful!" Then drove away. Much better than the similar greetings in Egypt which were'nt so cordial. I always had to flank myself with strong young men:

Then we walked through practice at our favorite football {soccer, if you will} field, and along with the hundreds of small palestinian boys running around (one of which, the chubby one, said "Shalom." maybe he thought we were Jewish?), was a man with a giant beard. Racing around on a big grey horse. Through soccer practice.

And a smaller boy nearby breaking a horse.

At soccer practice.

This is quite typical of jerusalem and one of the reasons I love it so much.

I love it so much!

And I love You!

So this one time....when we were in Egypt...

2009-09-28T18:53:00.003+02:00

Classic Anna: Forgot my camera charger in Jerusalem. Thus, I have pictures for about one day of Egypt. One day. OF EGYPT. So you get to see us at the pyramids, and that's all.

But oh, what pyramids they are!

Our wonderfully fashionable Egypt sunhats. They've started quite the craze.

Luckily I hopped into as many pictures of friends' as I could, so once we're all thru killing ourselves over midterms and papers and committee meetings and Yom Kippur house arrest, I'll steal those pictures from said friends and you'll all have everything you ever wanted!!

I realize I keep promising pictures. Someday either

a. The internet will start working or

b. I'll finally get myself over to hebrew university and upload. And you'll all have everything you've ever wanted.

But until that magical, magical day, I'll try and remember highlights from that blur that was the ancient wonder of Egypt. Basically it was 8 days of pure, intense, learning, sweating, and watching loved ones have explosive illnesses.

My Favorite things:

The Great Pyramids of Giza, of course. We went inside Kufhu's (the biggest big one) and sang creepy, reverberant chants in the tomb. Um...I may or may not have laid in the sarchophogus.

The size and beauty was unreal. I just tried to imagine what they were like 4,500 years ago at their prime; smooth white limestone and gleaming golden point, telling the world of the sun god RA and Egypt's eternal power!
We also hung out with the darling Mr. Sphinx and avoided merchants in his neat-o, crowded, ancient temple.

Saqqara (the oldest old step-style pyramids. Here a member of the "tourism and antiquities police" graciously compelled some friends and I to take pictures on some remote temple. Sit on the king's throne. No big deal.

In my defense, ancient wonders in Egypt are kind of like a dime a dozen. People sit, sleep, pick their nose, play cards, spit gum, on them all the time.

LUXOR!! This place was beautiful. Ancient Thebes, where Joseph lived. Home of the Valley of the Kings (Yep, met Tut. Actually pronounced "toot" believe it or not. OUr awesome Egyptologist tour guide called us Tut.), The Karnak Temple (the 134 columns of this 10-temple, obelisk-laden dynamite conglomeration of ancient worship is one of the wonders of the ancient world. I saw two of these in three days, not bad, eh?), Hatshepsut's temple, the tomb where the book of Abraham was discovered, yada yada yada. I left my heart in luxor.

Here our hotel was right on the banks of the Nile. Once I was assured there were no more crocodiles, I was stoked beyond belief. I didn't expect the beauty. We took a felucca (sail boat) ride, to where our camels (let me tell you sometime how I feel about camels. They are truly noble creatures with funny pita feet) met us. I rode a camel! In EGYPT! We also took a motorboat Nile ride and a horse-drawn carriage ride and a trashy overnight train back to Cairo (I think they wanted us to experience all modes of transportation?).
Oh, and the LUXOR temple was also INCREDIBLE. Ramses 2 was huge. And hot. And then I met him in person in the Egyptian museum in Cairo! Mummies,.....woah. They're cool. I had something of an epiphany over King Tut's toes

By the way...Sinai? Was one of the highlights of my LIFE.

Oh heavens, I love you guys!

...Remember how I went to Egypt?

EXODUS

2009-09-25T00:14:00.001+03:00

We just returned home (Jerusalem feels so much like home. How incredible is that!?) from Egyptland and are as groggy as could be. We woke up at 2:00 am this morning to hike to the top of Mount Sinai and watch the sunrise {"Camel? Camel to the top? I give you good price. Camel?"}

We sang hymns to welcome up the sun then had a tangibly powerful testimony meeting. Last night in a Moses fervor, I re-read the book of Exodus. I felt so lucky to be on that sacred spot today and make new, personal covenants of my own.

Tomorrow will bring many catch-ups and pictures and phone calls I'm sure! I love you all. Thanks for helping make this dream life a reality.

Isis, Osiris, and Me

2009-09-17T06:23:00.001+03:00

We're off to Egypt now. (Like, right now. Like I'm late)
We'll be incommunicable until the 25th, when we'll have glorious tales of sights, sounds, and angry intestines (cross your fingers against the latter please.)

Love you all! thanks so much for your support!!

Before we go go

2009-09-15T21:16:00.000+03:00

In the wee hours of the morning Thursday we're leaving for Egypt for many many days, so here's a little catch up. (I stole away to Hebrew University with way too much studying to do to be able to upload these pictures so pleeease appreciate them)

First day in the City

These little boys were so cute! We love making friends with the kids here/ notice the onion-shaped church of the Mary Magdelene behind.

This one's for you, Shea Shea/ The church of the flagellation and the condemnation. There were symbols everywhere of the role of Pilate and of Christ's whipping. We loved decoding them.

Not to mention the cool, legit Roman things! Huh?WE TOUCHED ANCIENT ROME!

Heaven on earth?

2009-09-12T20:10:00.008+03:00

Woah. My heart is SO full- sounds cliché… but I’m not sure how else to put it. I am overwhelmed. It has been a beautiful last few days. Today especially.

----> You can't really tell... but that's a cannon going off for Ramadan- let the party begin!

I love, LOVE my Modern Near Eastern Studies class. It’s split up into two sections- one is taught by a Jewish teacher about Judaism, and another is a Palestinian Christian about Islam. I don’t need these credits… the grade probably doesn’t technically matter… but studying is such a treat here. I can feel my mind and heart opening and things are starting to make more sense. Learning more about the history, beliefs, and practices of these people cause me to love and respect them more, and causes me to truly reflect on my own testimony and I have become even more grateful for the truths that I love and hold on to.

The Western Wall was a beautiful experience. Beautiful. The moment we stepped into the entrance, we were caught up into a group of Jewish girls and started dancing and singing with them. We so obviously didn’t fit in, and they didn’t care- the joy and love was tangible. Watching the dancing rabbis, the weeping women, and the reverent children was truly moving. I put my prayer into the wall- and I really caught a glimpse of how sacred it was to the Jews. They are such loving and righteous people- I felt honored to witness their devotion and love for God. As I was standing and watching, a French literature professor from Berlin started asking me questions about what was going on there. After talking for a while, this woman, “Maggie” stopped and asked, “What are you? Who are you?” I explained that I was mormon, and she said, “Then what is with you? Why are you like this? What do you believe?” This killed me. I had to explain that we promised not to talk about our beliefs- that is the Israeli law. She continued to say “well… is there anywhere we can meet and talk more? I need to know.” I really couldn’t. I would have loved to. We did invite her to a concert here at the center tomorrow night- and I promised her I would go with her. I’m so excited- she was great.

I love the branch here. Saturdays have truly become my favorite. The students make up a good portion of the members, but the few members that are here are beautiful. They come from all over- some are here temporarily for visits, or business, and some are here permanently at great sacrifice. Our relief society president is a beautiful Palestinian woman that went to graduate school in the states and joined in the states, and has to cross over from Bethlehem every week- sometimes it’s dangerous and just hard- but she does it so gladly. There are a few Palestinians that joined in other countries- and they endure so much to have the gospel- and they are so grateful and dedicated. I am blown away by the mutual gratitude present in all the meetings. Everyone is so different- from all over the world and have so many different stories and backgrounds- and it’s wonderful to feel the unity in Christ. Everyone is so solid- there is not a doubt that this is truth. It’s like a mini-celestial experience to sit in the beautiful chapel overlooking the Old City, listening to beautiful music and beautiful people testifying of Christ- basking in the Spirit. I still can’t believe I’m here. I don’t think this will ever get old. Ever.

We went to the Garden Tomb today. It was incredible. I’m really not sure how to describe it. It was hard to tell which was more impactful- the actual site, or who I was there with. It was wonderful to see so many Christians of different sects making their own pilgrimages- unified in Christ. Everyone sang their own hymns in their own languages- all full of love, devotion, and belief in Christ. The highlight of my whole day was watching a group of Fijians belting out their hymns in their language- full of so much passion, and Spirit- as I found myself being overcome with emotion- I missed my dad so much. Dad- you would have loved it. It was similar to going to the Western Wall- different beliefs, different people, different language- same God. I know that God hears all of our prayers. We are all His Children, and He loves us all- no matter the sect, nationality, or form. I am constantly reminded of this. I am so blessed and grateful to be here with these people- to have the incredible opportunity to witness and experience such faith and love- and to so strongly feel of my Savior’s love. Nothing else matters. I don’t fear the future… so many concerns I had before seem beyond ridiculous. It’s liberating. :)

I can’t believe I have experienced so much in such a short week and a half. I’m still pleasantly surprised to look out the window in the morning and see beautiful Jerusalem. It’s unreal that I live on Mt. Scopus- RIGHT NEXT to Mt of Olives. We were told today that when President Kimball was viewing potential land… that they were taking a detour and walking around on the Mt. of Olives when President Kimball just took off walking by himself and they ran after to follow him. He stopped on this random plot of land and said, “This is the place.” They didn’t know if it was even for sale… who owned it… but through great miracles and severe persecution- this beautiful and sacred center is here. That’s where I live.

My life rocks.

We're alive! We promise!

2009-09-11T21:28:00.005+03:00

You may have read about the shooting in East Jerusalem today,

and while we actually walked right passed it without knowing on our way

to the Western Wall, they got us safely onto buses at 8 o clock and hurried us back to the center.

Ramadan is a crazy time. They keep us safe around here though, so nothing to worry about.

That said, kali and I have fallen in love with the Jewish people.

We welcomed shabbat in the most incredible way.

The devotion we witnessed tonight was so beautiful. So touching. So real.

I put a prayer (I wrote it in french. It seemed more secret that way) in the wall and fed on the energy of the women around me. It seemed almost expected when I heard about the police and soldiers covering the place where the trouble had happened right outside the wall. They were pouring in while I was praying for the peace of jerusalem with the swaying energy of those around me.I hummed some songs with the other girls. I didn't understand the language, but I didn't need to.

best though, was the eye contact and big grin I shared with a Hasidic man on the other side of the wall separating the men and women. It wasn't anything but pure "Hey. Yeah...me too."

shabbat shalom!

Oh, hey!

2009-09-09T12:54:00.003+03:00

Much more to come with pictures galore, I promise! (This dang server. You have to upload at 3 in the morning when no one else is on)

But just for a quick update before I forget:

Monday we went to

The Augusta Victoria Church of the Ascension on the Mount of Olives (The german lutheran pastor there was the wife of the pastor at the Church of the Redeemer in the Old City, which we attended the service of on Sunday)
The Greek Orthodox Elias Monastery honoring the prophet Elijah. BEAUTIFUL ceiling and walls. Super overlook of Bethlehem, olive trees. and so forth.
Nebi Samwill; a mosque and synagogue honoring the traditional burial place of the prophet Samuel (though the scriptures say he was buried in Rammah. Rammah? I have too much information in my head in the form of foreign languages that I mix it all up constantly.)
A few glorious viewpoints where we finally got a little oriented as to where everything was. We could almost see the dead sea. RAD.

Today we went to Zeddekiah's cave; a rediscovered quarry place of the second temple (and maybe even the first! They call it Solomon's quarry, but you never really know here what actually happened and where it happened and who owns it. It's fun) Big old caverns that stretch all under the old city and have graffiti from the 1800s.

I am amazed that I am really here every morning when I wake up.
I sit on my balcony and read about the destruction of the temple, simply look upwards and see the temple mount.
Every night I listen to the beautiful harmony of grand Christian bells ringing the hour, mixing with the sweet sound of Muslim children playing, honking horns, and a delicious breeze blowing through the olive and pomegranate trees.
This is real. It's a city of civilization after civilization, built on top of each other, each fighting for their chance to live and dominate and worship their God. Built and rebuilt, beauty and decay, love and hatred, sacred to so many. Ripped apart time after time, and yet somehow in front of me so amazingly whole.

I feel so lucky to be apart of the glorious chaos.

A Bit of Belation

2009-09-07T16:45:00.001+03:00

Sorry I've been so naughty and not posting (jet-lag/ JERUSALEM), but Kali has done a phenomenal job of summing up our beginnings. All I can really add is some pictures and what we got to do today on our Geography Field Trip. I'll split up my posts though so as not to bombard you. I feel like I've crammed so much information, direction, orientation, and olive oil into my brain the passed few days, I might implode.

Here's a little from our first Holy Sunset, a few hours after we

arrived at the center. A couple friends and I listened to the call to prayer

from a very nearby Minaret and soaked in the magic. {How lucky are we to be here during Ramadan!?}

Can you feel the Shalom?

2009-09-07T14:54:00.008+03:00

Yesterday was such a great adventure with my best friend. It was a completly free day dedicated to the exploring of the city. We finally got a few guys to go with us- and that made things much more comfortable and easy.

We went to a German Lutheran service at this beautiful church and listened to our organ player play for the service. The acoustics were incredible, and though it was hot and german- it was neat to be there.

Uh oh... I can't figure out how to turn this picture, nor delete it. Bummer. Sorry

THEN... we walked along the walls of the old city and nearly went around it all. It was really cool to look down into the living quaters and schools and really start to see how people live here.

Oops. I don't think we were supposed to see this...:)

Umm... I think I LOVE arab babies. yup. Look at those eyes!

I'm definately a naive and silly American girl here. An arab man said something to me in a very thick accent, and I thought he was talking about his falafels when I repeated, "They're half the size?" then he said, "NO! Oo 'ave nice EYES!". I'm so clueless here... but I'm workin' it out.

We're doin' good.

My first post ever.

2009-09-05T15:53:00.005+03:00

Hey family and friends! I can’t believe I’m here- in the Holy Land. I knew it’d be great- one can easily assume that- but I couldn’t have expected to be so happy here.

The people I’m here with are… incredible. Everyone is EXPLODING with light- they’re so strong and ambitious, caring and outgoing. It’s humbling to be with such a high caliber of people. I want to be like them!

The center is beautiful. The structure is ingenious and clean… but even more so… the Spirit is so strong moment you step in. It must be experienced to be understood. All the instructors and service couples are constantly smiling and seeking to help and serve to make this a good experience for us. It’s overwhelming.

Going out into the city was such a new experience for such a simple Spokane/Rexburg girl like me. Haha, my mouth was seriously like a cotton ball by the end of our first tour from having my jaw dropped for so long. There were so many different people, shops, smells…- even the ground fascinated me! It was impossible for us to fit in- especially in such big groups. We heard a lot of “Hey white girls” or “Hi mormons!”- people seem to know and like us- they’ve paved a reputation for us in the past. I like being a minority. I feel pretty safe here. It’s so neat to meet people so different from myself and what I’m used to- and to see all their different ways of worshiping- I love witnessing such devotion to God. It’s beautiful. It’s almost halfway through Ramadan, so all the muslims are fasting during the day, and at sundown a cannon goes off and you can hear everyone start partying and eating. The streets are decorated with lights- like Christmas. It’s so fun. We have to be careful not to even drink water in public. I suspected it'd be almost annoying... but I love hearing the call to prayer during the day and first thing in the morning. It serves as a reminder to me too- I love how imporant prayer is to them, and it needs to be as well constituted in my own daily routines.

Yesterday we went into the city on our own for the first time. We were doing well… or so we thought until it got extremely crowded, and we found ourselves following, or, being caught in, a wave of muslims- so we kept going until we were being stopped, “Hey! You can’ t come in here! Mormons- what are you doing?”- we suddenly realized that we were at the Dome of the Rock- as Christians-on their Sabbath- uncovered women. We were mortified. I can only imagine it’s like someone trying tramp into the temple in their gym clothes without a recommend. Oops.

It was said in relief society, that we will have a good experience not so much because are here, but because of what happened here. I know that I don’t need to be here and see “evidence” of Christ to know Him, because He has made Himself evident to me constantly in my life. One of our professors told us not stop considering ourselves as “tourists”, but rather as pilgrims. I love that. This is more than a tour or a fun travel, but a spiritual quest. I know I'm supposed to be here. I don't know exactly why- but I have recieved continual confirmation that this is SO right. I am so grateful to have this opportunity to grow and learn.

I can't believe this is my life- but I wouldn't want to be anyone or anywhere else right now.

Disclaimer

2009-08-25T21:59:00.009+03:00

I realize it's a little strange that Kali and I have a shared blog, like a hip young married couple.

But I knew her family and friends would want to hear from her and she'd never start a blog herself. So here we are!
I had so much fun finding that graduation picture that I thought I'd dedicate the first post to pictures of us. hokey? yeppp.