Shalom!!! That means hello, goodbye and peace in Hebrew. A lot has happened since I last blogged. Things have been so crazy here and not much time to spare. I have adapted very well to the time change unlike most of the people that have been here. In fact many are still suffering. It turns out it was a good thing that I suffered the first three days without any sleep because while everyone else was sleeping on the plane and I was wishing that I could, it turns out that my body would let me sleep any time I gave it a chance while in my bed. So, lesson learned. For me it is better to suffer the first few days and then catch up on sleep later. Anyways, I have been all over the area already. Which means miles and miles of walking. And let me tell you, everything seems to be on a hill and very hot. However it is great! I actually really enjoy it because it is a great workout and I feel like I have been sitting in a steam room all day. It is humid here which was surprising to me because I thought that it would be dry. On the second day we were here we got in groups of about 10 to each "more mature adult" and went on an orientation walk. Here we went around the city and they showed us places that we would want to visit and a little bit of how to get around. It is very easy to get lost in the Old City. We traveled about 7 miles and saw many places that I am very excited to go!
The next day we woke up early and went to our first day of classes! I went to Old Testament and then also to Ancient Near Eastern Studies. There is an incredible amount of homework just in these two classes and I also have Hebrew, Modern Near East as well as New Testament! It is going to be really hard to keep up in the class but it makes it easier to want to read because I am actually here studying the things that I am reading and then experiencing it every day. It’s incredible. Anyways, after class we had yet another wonderful Orientation meeting and then we were able to go out for the first time on our own and go to the city. This was on Friday. Friday is the Muslim’s Sabbath so we are actually not allowed into the city until 3:00 because it is so busy and crowded all the tim
e. But as soon as the clock ticked 3 I was out the door ready to see and experience everything. I went with a group of friends and we explored a little bit and went into many of the different shops. It was wonderful to be out and to meet so many people. It seems like everyone in town knows who we are because of the way we look, dress and act. They all scream out “the Mormons are back” or come up to us and say “hello Mormons let me show you something.” I am so happy that many of the students before me have acted in a way that makes us seem like such wonderful people!
Saturday is the day that is most celebrated as a “sabbath” day here so we as students also celebrate it as our Sabbath.
In the morning a group of about 7 of us woke up early and went before church started to the Garden of Gethsemane. 
It was absolutely wonderful. The spirit was wonderful there and it was gorgeous. We arrived right when it opened which was perfect because no one else was there and we could wander around peacefully and sit and read the scriptures as well as pray and meditate a little. All of my group made it a goal to come every Sabbath before 
church starts. It is a great way to start feeling and partaking of the Spirit! Right next to Gethsemane is the Church of All Nations and a small group went in to have a private sermon. I was able to hear them a little bit sing and pray in latin. It is so wonderful to hear and experience different cultures and religions. It really fascinates me.
On the way back we met three men. One of the men there was a pastor that had been to Jerusalem 65 times and was traveling all over making his sermons out of movies. That way the church will be able to literally see what things look like as well as here the lessons. He invited us to join him and hear his lesson. One of the other men that was there had been born and raised in Jerusalem and was able to tell about the culture and the geography of the places. It was such an amazing experience. I will never forget it.
The next day we woke up early and went to our first day of classes! I went to Old Testament and then also to Ancient Near Eastern Studies. There is an incredible amount of homework just in these two classes and I also have Hebrew, Modern Near East as well as New Testament! It is going to be really hard to keep up in the class but it makes it easier to want to read because I am actually here studying the things that I am reading and then experiencing it every day. It’s incredible. Anyways, after class we had yet another wonderful Orientation meeting and then we were able to go out for the first time on our own and go to the city. This was on Friday. Friday is the Muslim’s Sabbath so we are actually not allowed into the city until 3:00 because it is so busy and crowded all the tim
e. But as soon as the clock ticked 3 I was out the door ready to see and experience everything. I went with a group of friends and we explored a little bit and went into many of the different shops. It was wonderful to be out and to meet so many people. It seems like everyone in town knows who we are because of the way we look, dress and act. They all scream out “the Mormons are back” or come up to us and say “hello Mormons let me show you something.” I am so happy that many of the students before me have acted in a way that makes us seem like such wonderful people!Saturday is the day that is most celebrated as a “sabbath” day here so we as students also celebrate it as our Sabbath.
In the morning a group of about 7 of us woke up early and went before church started to the Garden of Gethsemane. 
It was absolutely wonderful. The spirit was wonderful there and it was gorgeous. We arrived right when it opened which was perfect because no one else was there and we could wander around peacefully and sit and read the scriptures as well as pray and meditate a little. All of my group made it a goal to come every Sabbath before 
church starts. It is a great way to start feeling and partaking of the Spirit! Right next to Gethsemane is the Church of All Nations and a small group went in to have a private sermon. I was able to hear them a little bit sing and pray in latin. It is so wonderful to hear and experience different cultures and religions. It really fascinates me.
On the way back we met three men. One of the men there was a pastor that had been to Jerusalem 65 times and was traveling all over making his sermons out of movies. That way the church will be able to literally see what things look like as well as here the lessons. He invited us to join him and hear his lesson. One of the other men that was there had been born and raised in Jerusalem and was able to tell about the culture and the geography of the places. It was such an amazing experience. I will never forget it. 
On Monday was our first field trip. We went to the Augusta Victoria Tower, Seven Arches Overlook, Deir Elyas, Haas Promenade, and then Nebi Samwil.
It was a great experience. I had a great time getting to see everything and at some of the overlooks you could see the most beautiful views. It was truly incredible. I was also able to see an overlook that looked over all of Bethlehem.
It was beautiful. I find myself pinching myself all the time seeing if this is real or if it is just a dream. I am in such a beautiful place in the world and feel so blessed to be here.Today was the first day of my other set of classes. I absolutely love Hebrew. It is so much fun. I feel like I am in Kindergarten all over again. I found myself smiling the whole time. The instructor must think I am a huge cheese ball. Anyways, it was wonderful and I think that it will be one of my favorite classes of all. If you got through all of this I am impressed! Love you all!
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