During all the anticipation of coming to Jerusalem I was going through all of my stuff because I had to move out of my apartment and organize things at my mothers house. One of the things that I did was go through some of my old journals. I am not going to lie; I think the most I had written in one journal was about 30 pages. I have about 6 journals and they all start “I know I have been really bad about writing in my journals before, but this time it is different.” I was shamed. So I found an empty journal that I bought so long ago I can’t even remember (probably a New Years resolution that never happened) and I made it one of my main goals to write in it everyday during this semester and hopefully develop a life long habit. I am happy to report that I have not missed one day! It makes writing this blog a little easier because I have forgotten what has happened already!
Naturally, a lot has happened but I will only tell some of the highlights. Sukkot and tensions, Jericho, Journey of Faith movie, General Conference, Heziekiah’s tunnel, and MATISYAHU!!
Ok, so Sukkot is a Jewish holiday and it lasts a week. They build these booths that they eat in and some children will sleep in them at night. They can decorate them with lights and fruit and all kinds of different things. It is to memorialize the journey from Egypt to Caanan and they give thanks for harvests and they pray for rain. This holiday has caused a lot of tension between the Muslims and Jews. Not really the holiday itself, but the Temple Mt. has been shut down and that has caused tension. It should open after Sukkot though. Lots of riots, rocks being thrown, and most everything has been shut down for us. We can only go to West Jerusalem and we have to pay for a taxi there and back so it gets a little old. But being here during Sukkot has been so great. We got to go to the Western Wall this morning for the last day of Sukkot. We were allowed to take pictures and I got some pretty cool ones (pictures coming within the week). They have their willows and their citron and they shake them and bang them while praying for rain. It was a really neat experience.
Jericho was pretty awesome. It was really small and the oldest known manmade structure is there. Got a picture, don’t worry. Jericho is also below sea level and it was really hot. Right outside the walls of Jericho there was this guy with fruit and I bought a mango. I ate it a few days later and it was the most heavenly thing I could imagine. I want to go back and just buy lots and lots of fruit!
I don’t know if anyone has seen or heard of the movie Journey of Faith but we got to watch it here. It is a history thing about the archeological evidence that supports the Book of Mormon. Brother Brown is the head guy here and he was the one to find this evidence! That is so awesome! He is in the movie and my Ancient History teacher is in the movie as well. I would watch it sometime, I have been to most of the cites they talk about, and it is just pretty cool.
General Conference. Not much to say about this except that is was amazing as usual. I was one of the dedicated ones who stayed up to watch it live. They were on at 6:00 and then 10:00. They are playing them again tomorrow for those who missed them. I would have to say that Holland’s was my favorite talk. I just love how forward he is and just says it how it is. His whole talk was his testimony and man it is a powerful one. As for the rest of conference; basically we all need to love each other!
Hezekiah’s tunnel was so awesome! It is this tunnel that they built so that they could get water into the walls of their city. We got to walk through it and the water got above our knees. It was pitch black and it was just a lot of fun. I want to go back sometime with fewer people because they were kind of pushing us through with so many people.
Last, but not least MATISYAHU!! First off, it was the strongest base I have ever felt in my life and it was awesome! Second, it was right outside the Old City wall. I cannot believe I had the chance to see Matisyahu in Jerusalem. I have heard a lot of his music before and I liked it. I never owned any of his music, but this concert was so awesome! I have been to concerts before and everyone just mind their own business. This concert everyone was talking to everyone. This one guy found out that we were mormon and everyone was yelling for the mormons. At first they though it was weird that we were there and then he said it don’t matter what religion you are, Matisyahu is awesome! He was drunk, but pretty funny. We were pretty close and I got some pretty sweet pictures and even a video of him singing the Jerusalem song.
IT IS SO AWESOME HERE!! Hopefully, we will be able to break free of the center next week and hit some more cites. Sunday we are going to the beach in Tel Aviv again and I am so excited! It is the last day we can go because the beaches close in a week. It will be a blast, so ill post some pictures of that as well. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to come here, and I don’t regret any of it, even when we are stuck in this center. I am meeting some amazing people and seeing some amazing things and I am trying my hardest to soak in everything that I can.
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