French Concert

This is a continuation of my day after visiting the Holy Sepulcher.

I know I need to crop out my finger - I've gotten much better at using my iphone as my camera, so this shouldn't happen anymore...anyways, this is down in West Jerusalem - the Modern part of the city.

This map is also in West Jersualem - if you click on it to make it larger - notice how Jerusalem is at the center of the world.  I thought it was interesting.

 So the previous night Brother Ohman (President I should say - he's the Branch President and organist here) had all of us play the piano or sing to see what level of talent we had.  That's when I got to play the organ too. It's an insanely incredible organ by the way.  People come from all over just to hear concerts on the organ.  They also come for other concerts.  The JC provides musical performances every Sunday night and other nights throughout the week.  Anyways, Sister Ohman had asked for 5 ushers, and after all of my ushering at BYU this last year I was eager to volunteer.  Sarah and I ran up to her and wrote our names down.  The next night I "ushered" in the Art Exhibit with another girl named Tiffany (from Wyoming) and it was SO much fun!  Israelis and a bunch of other Jews from all over the world (not kidding) including the US came to the concert, about 40 people on standby.  They were so fun to talk to and loved getting to know us.  They couldn't believe I had only been here a day and was already put to work.  You can see in the picture below how packed it was - it was completely filled - I hadn't any idea how well known the Jerusalem Center is.  And the concert was amazing.

Me and Tiffany (I was still borrowing some clothes)

The entire concert was in French.  Piano and Flute music written by French composer s and then French Opera.  The Opera singer was the skinniest little thing, but had this incredible, booming voice.  And of course I loved the French.

The security on our internet here is so high that it's difficult to do much, but you will all have to see one or two of the videos that I took during the concert either when I get home or if I get the chance to upload it somewhere else.

The Holy Sepulcher

On Sunday (our Saturday) I went on an orientation walk throughout the city.  As soon as I got back to the center a big group of us went out again, because we weren't allowed to take cameras the first time, simply because we weren't making any stops, it was just a quick tour to see how to get everywhere.  So here are some pictures of the outing that I took with friends.  By the way, I now know the meaning of walking uphill both ways (literally) but it's just about a 20 minute walk to get where you want to go.

Just another picture looking out from the JC

A small (French) chapel; so everyone asked me to translate the sign.  I've already had a few chances to use my French.

Walking through the Old City

Inside the Holy Sepulcher: people from all over the world come here and when first entering you can watch dozens of people literally bathing this stone (on the ground - not in the picture) in their tears.

The Holy Sepulcher is, according to several catholic and christian religions, where Christ was crucified, where he was laid in a tomb and where he was resurrected.  All of the different religions fight over who has rights to it though.  Thus a Muslim family keeps the keys to the Cathedral.  There is even a ladder still sitting on the ledge outside, because a man from one church was cleaning the windows and some priests from another church got angry and the man was forced to come down.  Ever since then no one has been able to decide who has the right to climb up and take down the ladder!

I loved the lamps/decorations/burning incense that was hung around the church.

Me :)

More lamps (this is down below where Christ was supposedly crucified)

Another ritual people from all over the world would do.  They probably lay their head down and pray?  There was a stone inside - not quite sure what it was supposed to be...maybe the stone rolled away from the tomb.

I love the mosaics here (the cathedrals here are neat, because they're catholic, but have a strong influence from Islamic architecture.

another Beautiful Mosaic

First Day in Jerusalem

I've been in Jerusalem for 4 whole days now, so it's time for me to give an overview of my arrival and what I've been doing since I got here.  Well, you all know the story about me trying to leave for Tel Aviv last Thursday...it was stressful but worth it.  I ended up traveling with 3 other girls and after everything that happened I'm so grateful that I flew with them.  I would have been fine on my own, but when we got to the airport in Huston we had to get our boarding passes to Frankfurt, but the airline employees couldn't find my roommate Sarah's ticket.  We only had twenty minutes before the all the passengers had to board the plane and the employees were not helpful.  So since mom and dad had me upgrade to an iphone I was able to get online and find a number for US airways (our last airline) so they could talk to Sarah and give her the ticket number for her flight on Luthfansa Airways.  I know on here the story doesn't sound that crazy, but we ran onto the plane RIGHT before the door was closed. Then we took off for the worst flight of my life. I have never felt nauseus on a flight before, but on this one I felt extremely clostrophobic and ready to throw up at any minute. As I went through the channels on the radio I found a station that gave "yoga exercises" for the plane. I definitely recommend it for relaxing on a flight! haha

Anyways. Once arriving in Tel Aviv we headed to customs and it took a while again to get through because the woman checking my passport got upset when I told her I was going to be here for 3 1/2 months and I didn't have a visa.  Luckily the women in the office that they had me go too were really nice, especially when I told them I was mormon, but when they asked how long I would be here I only said 3 months (because we will be going out of the country twice while we're here we didn't need to get visas for longer than 3 months).

SO...I waited for my bags and only got one of them. After checking all of the baggage claims Sam (one of the girls in my travel group) and I filled out a form for our luggage to be sent to the JC.  We found out that our bags didn't make it onto the flight to Tel Aviv from Frankfurt. 

I got tired of my clothes very quickly the first couple days here, but I was able to borrow clothes from Jaclyn once she got here. Then my bag finally arrived Monday night.  

I bought some German Chocolate as I was running onto the plane from Frankfurt to Tel Aviv (Even though I was only there for a half hour I needed a souvenir)

Scenery of a city on the way to Jerusalem

After a few days in Phoenix and 20 hours on planes I'm here! It's supposed to say "Entrance" but I guess I didn't make that clear when I asked my friend to take a picture. I guess it's still appropriate - I was pretty much in a trance... 

My roommate Sarah and I in front of our room.  We had chills as we walked through the "outside hallway" and heard the Muslim Call to Prayer echoing throughout the city.

A picture of the Old City that I took while we were on our tour of the Jerusalem Center

A view of East Jerusalem

This is what the auditorium looks like from the outside.

and Me. Yep - this is where I live!

Oh Jerusalem

W.O.W.

(not word of wisdom, just WOW)  Holy cow this place is INCREDIBLE.  I can't even describe to you the feeling that is here!

I probably cried/teared up 3 or 4 times last night just walking around these grounds.  I love looking out on the city.  I love walking through the halls and listening to the Muslim Call to Prayer, I love hearing the church bells ring and I love listening to the Pipe Organ at our center.  It is so amazing to hear people of all different religions praising God.  It is beautiful.  Then when I stood out on my balcony for the first time last night the most incredible feeling hit me.  I knew before I came that this is where Christ lived, but it honestly was not the first thing on my mind as I drove into the city yesterday evening.  So as I stared out at the valley and the feeling came over me, it was the strongest impression I have ever received in my life maybe. I was not expecting it.  But I loved it.  Jesus Christ, walked, and taught and preached and blessed the people here!  I LOVE IT!  So I'm looking forward to this day and can't wait to go out into the city.

Shalom

Phoenix Adventures

Phoenix is:

HOT
hot
Hot
HoT
hOt
hOT

But here's what I've been doing - mostly with Jaclyn - during my stay in Phoenix
Our group arrived at the Phoenix airport at 11:25 on Tuesday, August 30, 2011.  We hurried to our next flight as it was "boarding" within the next ten minutes, but when we got to the gate US airways announced that the flight would be delayed for an hour due to some maintenance issues.  So we waited. For an hour. Then maybe two hours. Then the flight was cancelled.  Our gate became chaos because the flight was booked with our group, plenty of families and single passengers and a lot of Israeli families whose visas would expire the next day.
So we continued to wait...

We started out bored...

Then sad...probably tired too...

and so...we lost it

 But it was a fun SEVEN hours in the airport waiting for US airways to get us a Hotel.  Where did they send us?  Fiesta Inn Resort. How Lovely! The pool is broken!

Jaclyn and I tore off our sweats because we were in 110 degree weather (not an exaggeration) and we fell asleep from 7 pm until 7 am.  Got some breakfast the next morning and then decided to go to the Mall for the day so we could get some lunch and Jaclyn needed a new brush. [it broke in half - she threw it on the ground ;) ha]  We spent several hours at the mall not wanting to go back to the hotel.
There was a big and very well organized, I must add, Ross in the mall, so Jaclyn and I tried on some wonderfully fun dresses.

African Princess

um?

After playing "Say Yes to the Dress" we stopped by the Animal Kingdom and purchased a new puppy that had a respiratory sickness so we aren't allowed to touch any other dogs or we'll spread the disease.

Wiener dog a.k.a. Dachsund

Jaclyn with the puppy

Don't worry, we couldn't find it's eyes either.

After hanging out with a bunch of the other students at the Hotel Jaclyn and I finally got some dinner but didn't want to sit in the Restaurant so we asked if we could take our food in boxes to go.  The waiter liked us so much that he said, "I have a better idea" asked for our room number and turned it into room service instead.  The "Cactus Burger" is delicious. 

and really hard to eat (But still delicious ;)

We ended up staying up most of the night because our sleep schedules have been so thrown off (not that Phoenix is in another time zone or anything) and I went to the airport at 4:45 am this morning to take off for Tel Aviv!  I was given a flight by myself (ha I wish. This simply means I was flying separate from anyone else in the group) so when the US Airways employee couldn't find my itinerary I explained to her that I had different connecting flights than my fellow travel friends.  She then found my itinerary and said, "Oh you're going through Huston" Ok, doesn't really make a difference to me whether it's Huston or Philadelphia. But then she added, "You don't leave until tomorrow."  I tried to argue with her but she was right.  She printed off my itinerary and asked if my middle name was Sharlene.  YEP.  I'm leaving TOMORROW morning to Jerusalem. I'm still not sure if BYU changed my flight or if the Airway did, I'm sure they just told US Airways to keep me on standby for the next flight so I wouldn't have to fly alone.  So I'll be travelling with 3 other girls in the group and it will be fun.
Anyway. I waited for the shuttle to pick me up from the airport and got back to the hotel around 6 am.  I fell right back to sleep and Jaclyn and I woke up today at 1 pm.  Walked over to Denny's, had some lunch, walked back to the hotel and slept until 6:30 pm. Played more games with some friends, ate dinner, and I came back to my room to write this post and pack up my things again. Let's hope I get on an airplane this time - AND make it to Tel Aviv.

Here are some photos of our day.

Jaclyn posing in front of the greatest Landmark in Phoenix - we dubbed it...

The "Ant Hill"

We were going to eat at McDonalds, saw this construction and Jaclyn said, "Ew, what if that was McDonald's" we laughed...until we saw this

but we enjoyed Denny's, they always have good breakfasts.

Then we were going to older a milk shake to split until we read "Hand-Dipped"

Shalom

See you in Tel Aviv

Life Stinks?

I'm in Phoenix


Might be able to fly to phili on fri

Shalom