Neot Kedumim

 Who knew that when I went to Jerusalem I would learn how to herd sheep?! I didn't...but we definitely took a field trip to this place where we got to herd sheep, and there were goats too! They kept themselves pretty segregated though. What did I learn from this experience? Probably that I am not cut out to be a shepherd. But really, we talked about how Jesus Christ is the good shepherd and he will always help his children find their way.

We were the last group that herded and by the time the three other groups had gone, we were pretty much pro! The sheep and goats just followed our voices, and I think my hand gestures were most helpful! Looking like a movie star here...yeah yeah!

 Our group of sheepherders at the end of our experience, yes...those are real sheep...

 My favorite part of the day was getting to hold this cute little baby goat!! I wanted to take him home with us, he was too precious!

 We also got to make our own homemade pitas! Truly, they weren't very good...and all we used was water, flour, oil, and salt. So not super great, but they were fun to make ourselves!

 Jenessa definitely just got run over by this oil press before the picture was taken...

 This was our last field trip with Bro. Judd! He was such a great teacher, I absolutely loved his class!!

My First Half Marathon...in Jerusalem!

 On March 1st, I ran my very first half marathon! And the best part about it? I ran it in Jerusalem!! How cool is that?! I think the number one reason why I decided to sign up to run a half, without any training (actually, that's not true...I ran once before it), is because I would have the bragging rights to say that "Yeah, I ran a half marathon in Jerusalem...no big deal." Truth is, it was a big deal! The morning of the half, my roommates and I woke up, after not being able to sleep all night because we were SO nervous!  -->As we were getting ready, someone had the brilliant idea to put baby powder in between our butt cheeks to prevent chafing. Lindee must have put in a lot because it kept coming out through her pants, oh it was too funny!! We went upstairs for breakfast and I literally just ate a banana and had some water before popping some pills and heading out to the bus. There were about 14 of us that were running the half and I was one of many of us that didn’t care about finishing fast, just finishing. So as we are trying to get dropped off at the start of the race, the bus driver says that all the streets were closed and so we would have to walk the rest of the way. It was 2 miles! I was like “are you kidding me? I already have to run 13.1!” Oh it was annoying at first, but we laughed about it because it was totally something that would happen to us…Americans. Who else had to walk to get to the start line of their marathon, seriously? --> We got to the start and there were seriously thousands of people there! I didn't know this thing was that big of a deal, but it was! As we crossed the starting line I couldn’t believe that this was actually happening! Oh my gosh…I was starting my first half marathon! Ahh! It was fun because they had music playing and people dressed up in silly costumes, like clowns, guys on stilts, batman, just weird things, but it was awesome! It made for a good start of the race. I put my headphones in my ear, turned my ipod/phone to my “Marathon Mix” and stuck it in my sports bra. I was ready to run! 

 The night before the race we went to this special dinner for the half and full marathoners and got our race t-shirts, bought some nice tight running pants, and were treated to a delicious pasta dinner!

 This guy came and interviewed our table and he asked if we were ready for it...of course I told him that I had been training for months and that I planned to be finishing in the first group, along with our Ethiopian friends...so hopefully my big fat lie is on Youtube somewhere, he definitely believed me. I guess I look like a runner? Ha.

 Breakfast of champions...bananas, water, and ibuprofen baby!!

 We all got matching t-shirts made in the city! They say Jerusalem-Just Do It! We thought those were pretty appropriate for a half marathon! Matching shirts, tight black pants, ponytails, and tennies! YEah yeah! We might have died running, but we looked good! That's for sure!

Heck yeah I finished! It might have taken me 2:45, but I did it! I tried to run as much of it as I could, but walked some of the hills...this city is very hilly! I was surprised that I did as well as I did too, I was just in the zone and I am pretty sure my legs just went numb after the first 10 km and just kept moving. --> We started at the Knesset, ran by Jaffa gate, into the Old City, by King David’s Tower, near the Western Wall, overlooking the beautiful city of Jerusalem! Each day I realize more and more how blessed and grateful I am to be here! The last 2 km were definitely the hardest! I kept getting a cramp in my right calf, which was the weirdest feeling, and I could see the Finish line but it was at the top of a hill and just seemed to be getting further and further away! But I finally crossed the finish and that was one of the best feelings ever!!

 Most of our group together after finishing the half!! I love these guys! 

 My lovely roommates, Lizzy, Lindee, Michelle, and I, together after we all finally finished!

This is our whole group of JC kids, both the half marathon runners (the elite) and those that ran the 10k...which I guess is pretty cool too. Haha. I felt so great after finishing, it was amazing! We all got medals for finishing and I know for a fact that will be one of my most prized possessions in my life! That was a big accomplishment for me and I am so grateful that I did it! Yeah babyy!! I just ran my first half marathon, in JERUSALEM!!

Roommate Lovin'

I have three favorite people here. Their names are Lizzy, Michelle, and Lindee. They also happen to be my roommates. Some would say that spending so much time with each other is unhealthy...but I beg to differ. Let me tell you why I love these girls so freakin' much!! First, Michelle...she's my nookmate, from Reno, Nevada. She is going on a mission to Japan in June!! And she's a quiet, but sassy one! Then Lindee, 5'7" from Idaho Falls, in the Nursing Program at BYU, skinny as a pole, and such a drama queen! All the boys love her, and she puts diaper rash cream on her face and baby powder in her hair! And then there's Lizzy...from Woods Cross, Utah, with an angel of a boyfriend, Dan. She is incredibly talented, both musically, and bodily...use your imagination, and she is the funniest girl I know! The four of us have lots of fun together!

After the worst day of the year (which is Valentine's Day, obviously) we all decided that we would have a slumber party in our room and put all of our mattresses in the middle of the floor and watch a movie! That movie happened to be High School Musical...the only movie I have on my computer, don't judge. I still have all the songs stuck in my head. "Get'cha get'cha head in the game!'

 I wouldn't say that we are cliquie at all...oh wait, yes we are. We even all have matching roommate rings!! Haha. Lizzy's amazing boyfriend, Dan, sent her a V-day package and sent us all these beautiful sterling silver rings! Ahh, so great! So if you don't have a ring, you aren't one of us!

 It was Thursday night again, and we deemed every Thursday "Slumber Party and Movie Night!" And Dan also sent Lizzy a movie and chocolate and popcorn for us to all have a movie night together! Lizzy and I were so excited, we set up everything, sprinkled chocolate all over our mattresses, and waited for Michelle and Lindee to get home. They came home to us jumping on our beds and screaming (this is completely normal for us). The best part about this movie night was that we watched THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE! My all time favorite movie!! And we stuffed our faces with chocolate and popcorn....

 This is something that happens every single day! Michelle's closet literally projectile vomits everything in it! We have no idea how it happens...mysterious.

TEAM NAPTIME!! This could possibly my favorite picture of all time. Our room enjoys taking naps! And by that I mean...Lizzy and I enjoy taking naps, and occasionally Michelle and Lindee join us. I firmly believe that naps change lives, because they have certainly changed mine. Aren't we all so cute?! Go Team Naptime!

 I have no words for this picture. Really...none. That may be Nutella on our lips...

 

 Umm yeah...so this happened. One night, as we were all enjoying Lindee's Nutella, we decided to smear it on our lips with the spoons that we stole from the Oasis. And everyone jumped on my bed and some great pictures came out of it. Many more pictures were taken that are definitely too embarrassing to be posted, for me. Let's just say that we all really really love chocolate!

 This is definitely the best of "Team Naptime."

This is the cute little Jewish boy that sleeps in Lizzy's bed sometimes...notice the Kipa and her teddy bear Rainbowda :)

That is a headlamp on my head...I was just wearing it in preparation for when everyone goes to bed and turns off the lights and I want to stay up and read my scriptures without any other lights on, so naturally...a headlamp was the perfect solution! And everyone made fun of me for it...

We call these our "Bathsheba Pics," for good reason. It was such a nice day today that we decided to spend it outside on the balcony eating our lunch, and naturally tanning our legs that haven't seen the sun in months! And we tried to take some sexy pictures...and Sawyer definitely took these. Hope that wasn't awkward for him, hahaha. I LOVE MY ROOMMATES SO MUCH!!! We have way too much fun together and we never get anything done because all we do is sit in our room and eat chocolate and laugh and scream! Oh it's great!! I love these girls!

Hezekiah's Tunnel

On February 11th, we took a field trip to, wait for it...The City of David! When David became king of Israel in Hebron, he seized the city of Jebus and renamed it the City of David. It is located just outside of the Old City walls, near the Temple Mount. So we learned that in this city, there was one main water supply, called the Gihon Spring where everyone would come and dip their buckets in and get their water, but it was just outside of the city. During Hezekiah's reign, they built a tunnel underground in case they were under seige so that the city would be able to get water without having to go outside of the city walls. We got to trek through the tunnel to see what it was like!

 Before we got to walk through the tunnel (which was really the only thing I wanted to do here) we had to watch this video about the City of David. But it was cool...because it was in 3D!

 We finally got to jump into the tunnel, with water up to our thighs at some points! It was freezing at first, but eventually wasn't too bad. For the most part, the water was about mid-calf deep, the tunnel was only a few feet wide, and tall enough that I never had to bend over...but I'm not that tall ha.

 The worst part about this whole field trip was that it was the one reason why I brought a headlamp to Jerusalem, and in the 2 seconds that I had to get ready this morning (because they changed the departure times on us), I forgot it! Ahh. I was devastated. But we got by with Hannah and Jenessa's lamps, and half the time we just left our lights off to walk through in the dark. We also belted some Shania Twain "Man I Feel Like a Woman," I feel like that definitely added to the experience. It only took us about 20 minutes to walk through, but it was super fun splashing around in there!

Right after we exited the tunnel and took a mandatory class pic, we stopped at the Pool of Siloam. When Christ healed the blind man by spitting in the mud and putting it on his eyes, he then told the blind man to wash in the Pool of Siloam. After washing, this man was healed. Many ask why Christ didn't just use oils and herbs and His power to heal him, and the reason why is because people could discount the power of God and just say that it was the oil and herbs that healed the blind man. But Christ used spit, mud, and told the man to wash in this water that the sick and leprous would wash in, this showed that it really was the priesthood and the power of Christ that healed the man. It was awesome to be able to be at the place where this miracle occurred, and to be near where Jesus would have walked. Every day I am touched by this spirit of the Holy Land! I love Jerusalem!

Arab Culture Night!

 Tonight was Arab Culture Night and it was SO MUCH FUN!! Most everyone dressed up in their most Arab looking attire and came ready to party and celebrate the Arab culture!

At the beginning of the night, we had two Imams, prayer leaders, come and explain the process of prayer to us. Muslims pray five times a day always facing Mecca and recite different verses of the Koran. These Imams have the Koran memorized, it's crazy! Minarets are towers positioned throughout the city in which the voice of an Imam can be heard calling people to come and pray (this wakes me up every morning). They did a special performance of some prayer recitations for us tonight.

 My roommates and I, Lizzy, Lindee, and Michelle, all dressed up! Don't we look hott?!

 We had some traditional Arabic food, including my favorite-schawerma! It's this shaved meat stuff that just, I couldn't even explain it, it's delicious though. And I also tried a lot of weird stuff that wasn't all that great. But it's all about the experience!

 Me and Bro. and Sis. Bench (our JC doc and his wife) and Bro. and Sis. Jackson (the assistant director and his wife). Love them both!

 The running joke around here is that Mikkel, the guy in the very middle, is in love with every girl here! So we tried to fit as many of us girls in the picture with him as possible! Haha.

 Guess what?!!! My roommate and I, Lizzy baby, won the costume contest! The best part about it was that I had Arabic right before this class, so I literally took like five minutes to get ready and I won! Ahh I was so happy, I never win anything! It was a proud moment for the both of us. Best part, the prize was chocolate...and not just any chocolate, the infamous Israeli Pop Rock Chocolate!

Dance, Dance, Dance! Ahh we learned how to do some traditional Arab dancing which was so much fun! I love dancing here, much better than in America! I'm gonna bring back some sweet dances to the states! 

 This is Lizzy's most proud purchase. She bought a belly dancing costume in the Old City and I am pretty sure that half the girls here have tried it on. It is so much fun! This is my best Arabian belly dancing pose! This outfit has had some fun memories! It was such a great night!!

Shephelah, Shephelah, Goliath's Back!

 For one of our field trips, we went to the Shephelah Valley,  where David took down the mighty Philistine giant Goliath! We first went to Beth Shemesh, overlooking the Sorek Valley, which is where Samson (you know, the guy with the hair that killed a ton of Philistines) grew up.

 These are two of my favorite boys, Hunter (left) and Sawyer (right). Isn't this a precious picture? This is definitely one for the books.

 A group of us overlooking the Sorek Valley on top of Beth Shemesh, where the Ark of the Covenant was returned when the Philistines were punished for possessing it.

 This is at Azekah, the site of an Israelite fortress in the Valley of Elah, best known for being the site of the story of David and Goliath told in 1 Samuel 17. The whole time we were learning about this, all I could think about was the Veggie Tales version of the story, where the little asparagus (David) goes up against the giant pickle (Goliath) and the Philistine peas. David was just a little herder of sheep that fell over all the time, "oh look, there goes one now." And was apparently a superior little sling thrower because he took Goliath out with his first shot! Oh I love David! This is me and Sarah practicing slinging stones...let's just say I'm no David.

 I've got the whole world in my hands! I've got the whole Elah Valley in my hands! Ahh it's so pretty and green! We have been super lucky to be here during the winter because the precipitation has made everywhere we go so beautiful!

 Ok, one of the coolest things about this field trip was that we got to go into these huge bell caves at this underground city of Mareshah and sing hymns! My favorite song we sang in there was Abide with Me Tis Eventide. It was seriously breathtaking and the acoustics were great! I loved it! 

 This was at the end of our very long field trip when I am pretty sure that Stratford was talking and no one was listening...very typical. This is me and one of my very favorite people, J-honey! I feel like this captures the essence of our field trips very well, sitting down after a long day, Chaille with her field trip manual in hand, Courtney looks like she could die of boredom, Ragan with his makeshift sun hat, and Jenessa and I posing for a picture. And this concluded our Shephelah field trip!

Also tonight my roommate Michelle got her mission call to freakin' JAPAN!!! Me and my roommates got to be there when she opened her call while skyping her family! We were all so shocked and thrilled for her! I am soo excited for her, she leaves June 15th, speaking Japanese baby! She is going to be such a great missionary! I love that girl!