the way we are

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Trick or Treat!

Last night we had a Halloween party in the center, because today is the sabbath for us. My roommates and I dressed up as Fudge Pillows. Don't know what Fudge Pillows are? That's because Fudge Pillow is the name we gave to the cereal in the center. But that's what we were. We had to be creative with lack or resources. Not everyone had arrived for the picture, but here you can see Brother Brown, a rubix cube, a prayer rug, swine flu, ninjas, and other obscurely random costumes, that most people would never think to be. After this picture also came the Dome of the Rock and the falafel, with the falafel balls, lettuce, tomato, and pita. Creativity doesn't get much better than this.

Amy and Taylor were the center cats, so they wanted to drink some of the milk in our cereal

Warning: This is long...

This week we went to Jordan! I got my fanny, my water-bottle carrier (and of course did the "bottle waddle"), and my headset. All of which, if I didn't have, I would be nothing. These are my new favorite possessions in life. We started off at Mt. Nebo, went to see mosaics in Madaba, and finished our day at the Shobak Castle. At night we stayed just outside of Petra and we practiced our Arabian dancing in the streets with the local men from the village. We were walking, when all of a sudden we heard music coming from an alley, and some of our group down there dancing. This was an opportunity we couldn't miss. Last week we were taught how to do their dancing, so we had to show them what we could do. SO funny.

Tuesday morning we walked into Petra. The walk in was like walking through the Grand Canyon, then all of a sudden the canyon opened up and this is what I saw...

It was amazing to see all these structures built into the rock! And they built them from the top down, so the planning that must have gone into it is amazing! Along the roads were little kids trying to sell rocks, necklaces, postcards, etc. You'd feel bad for a minute, but then look off on the side of the road and see their parents sitting under the shade. This took away my desire to buy something from them, but it did make me want to steal the child away. He was my favorite...

me, Amy, La, Adri, Laur, Kate, Alli, Kate

After Petra we got in the bus and drove to Amman, Jordan. It was a bigger city, and felt a lot more clean than anywhere we have been, yet. Except for our hotel. Kelsey found a cockroach in our shower, and the room felt like a cabin-room in a train. But the city was nice! The next morning we went to Jerash, which has ancient Roman ruins that are better preserved than those in Rome. Who would have guessed. Better Roman ruins in Jordan than in Rome? Obviously they were different, and not as many, but still very cool. On our way there, our bus broke down, and so all 97 of us had to cram onto one bus. We were imagining the headlines..."Bus crashes in Amman, 97 killed..."

But we made it!

At Jerash, they did a show for us, but it didn't seem worth $10 to some of us. So we pretended like we were the peasants and went to the edge of the stadium and watched it from there. We saw all we needed to see, especially this chariot race! The coolest part of the show.

That night we went to the Royal Automobile Museum. I was just going a long to get out and explore, but it really was interesting and fascinating to see the different cars the royal family here has had since the early 1900's. There was even a car that drove on water! And randomly, while we were there, I saw Heather Sanders!

On our last day, we went to a mosque and then the Citadel Overlook. Not only could you see the royal palace, set within the poor neighborhood of Amman, and the world's largest flag pole, but there were ancient ruins, columns, and a museum with pottery from different ages and some of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

When we were at the overlook, an older man was sitting out on a little ledge. He was probably in his sixties, and was just looking over the edge. Another Jordanian couple were sitting out on the ledge also, celebrating the guy's birthday, with presents, candles, and food brought by his wife. We all sat on the railings, as pictured below, which turned out to be a good thing. The older man got up to come back, when he lost his balance and fell. Like a rag doll, he fell down at least 20 feet of rocks, and then landed out of sight. It was a heart-stopping moment. Without telling of the detail of what I saw, he survived, but with a broken clavicle, many broken fingers, bruised ribs, and his ear was almost completely ripped off. No one wanted to break any rules after seeing this.

But the trip still ended on a good note as we went to the Jordan River. It even started to lightly rain as we were there, and 3 men striped down in their speedos and decided to get in this disgustingly polluted river. Yes, it has a lot of importance, obviously, but so does life. I did put my feet in, but made sure they were cleaned after!

It felt good to come back home! Especially to Sister Whipple greeting us and rain!

Saturday, October 24, 2009

A Day to Always Remember

This morning in sacrament meeting, President Okiishi stated that, "Today will be a day you will always remember." I thought about it, thinking that of course I want to remember today, I want to remember everyday. But his words were profound.
Today is the halfway mark for my time her in Jerusalem, and I feel an overwhelming amount of gratitude for my experiences here so far, and the people I am with. Elder Holland arrived at the BYU Jerusalem Center, the same building he helped create, in the early afternoon, as we were finishing church. He ate dinner in our ordinary Oasis, but they went all out for him tonight. We had turkey with cranberry sauce, and actual chocolate ice-cream. This is big. Usually it is chicken cooked with Palestinian herbs, or fish with the skin still on it, and every desert tastes like egg nog. But today we had turkey with cranberry sauce. I instructed Sister Holland on the tricks of the salad, and welcomed both her and Elder Holland as we moved through the line. And yes, of course Dad, I asked him about your tennis match, which he said he won!
I sat on the third row in the auditorium, directly in front of the podium, waiting to hear the voice of an apostle speak to us. I looked at the stage and was struck by the presence of those in front of me. Not only the presence of Elder & Sister Holland and Elder & Sister Porter, but also the everyday presence of Brother and Sister Brown.
The Porters bore their testimony, then Sister Holland, and Elder Holland was to speak next. As Sister Holland went to sit down, Elder Holland waited for her, looked into her eyes, grabbed her hand, and kissed it quickly, but with affection, as she sat down.
He began by forcefully reminding us students of our privilege and obligation we have for being here. He stated that if we go home the same as we came, he will be ashamed and disappointed. That this experience is of such great worth that it should change our lives forever. He then continued to talk about the Nephites begging Christ to stay a little longer in 3 Nephi 17, and that with Christ, mercy trumps justice. His talk was unbelievable, and so powerful. I sat watching him talk about the most important site of the Old Testament being the Mercy Seat in the Ark of the Covenant, which resided in Jerusalem, and gratitude doesn't begin to describe what I felt. And as he talked, Jerusalem lit up behind him.
Later a group of us met on my balcony to read each Gospel's description of the Atonement, and then read through what Elder Holland taught in 3rd Nephi 11-17. I know, not a typical activity for me to sit and do on a Saturday night. Technically, Saturday is the sabbath here, but still.
The gratitude I feel for being here is unbelievable, and I feel like I am not appreciative of it unless I express it. It's not every study abroad where an apostle of the Lord comes and speaks with you, hugs you, and stays in the apartment right above you. I feel like I am having an experience that is fully changing my life forever, and today helped me remember that. Everyone always notices how people come back from Jerusalem a little bit quirky... or kind of obsessed with the other people they were with... but I understand why. This is a life changing experience. One that will bless my life forever. So I feel like I need to yell it! Today is a day to always remember.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Diet Coke and Mentos...

A Diet Coke and Mentos eruption...is a reaction of Diet Coke and mint Mentos candies...Dropping some Mentos into the bottle, usually around four, causes the Diet Coke to foam at a rapid rate and spew into the air. Mint-flavored Mentos are used, as fruit-flavored Mentos have a smooth coating which slows the reaction... - Wikipedia, "Diet Coke and Mentos Eruption"

Tonight I ate fruit Mentos and Diet Coke, while studying. Uh oh.