Snipits and Tidbits

Dear Someone, 

These are a conglomeration of days and photos that don't necessarily need a whole post but they are some of the things I have been doing around Jerusalem! 

Me and Megan at Dormition Abbey. 

I love a good artichoke statue! 

I also love a good giant donut. 

This is the best bakery in the world! 

Rockefeller Museum. 

Tomb of the Kings. 

This is just a literal hole in the wall. I was with Pam and Camila who... cough cough... were less than excited to crawl in a little hole. Pam is terrified of confined spaces and Camila got a new skirt. It was me and my headlamp in all of these tombs. It was creepy! It would make the best haunted house ever. The worst part was that when we came in the guy mentioned something about 4 people in his broken english. We didn't know if that meant that they had been there or were there. I looked for them and called out to find people but they didn't answer. Finally I was almost done looking around and found a little staircase down.. down.. down. Note to self: if you are in tombs by yourself don't go down the stairs. That is the part in the scary movie where they are all screaming don't go! I stuck my head down there and the only thing I saw was bodies. I screamed! Juan, Alvin, Karen, and Alyssa where all playing dead in the tombs. It was rude. I am just lucky they didn't jump out at me or I would have died from a heart attack. It was exciting to explore, after I had gotten over the shock. 

Finally dragged Camila into the tombs. 

I went with Pam and Juan to a park in West Jerusalem for some frisbee!

We try to watch the sunset every night! 

We live in such a pretty place! 

Pam has a lizard that lives in her room. 

This is me trying to make friends with Ned. 

Tower of David Museum. 

This is the door to the Tomb of the Kings. They are rarely ever open. I even tried to use my blonde skills to get us in. That works somedays. People here look at blondes like they are a different species or something. The other day someone tried to buy me for 20 Shekels. I was offended he thought I was only worth 5 dollars. 

Burgers! We went to Burgers Bar in the Jewish quarter. I had a lamb burger. It was delicious. 

Duck, Duck, Goose

Dear Someone, 

On one of our free days last week I got to go help at a Palestinian children's day camp. It has been one of my favorite things I have done the whole time I have been here. We had groups to do singing, dancing and games. I got to play games with a whole bunch of little kids! They didn't really speak a lick of english but we still had fun chasing each other around. It is amazing how you can just love someone you can't even communicate with. 

Me and Muhammad. 

They are such beautiful little kids! 

They had drinks and treats for us after a hot hour or so playing games. 

Duck, Duck, Goose! 

I have a new friend in Israel. 

It was so much fun. So amazing to see more into the lives of Palestinians. It made me really which I spoke Arabic so that I could tell them how cute they were but someone we still had a fun time together. Each day I learn something so new. This just got me even more excited to be a teacher. 

Love, 

Mary Jane 

Pride in Every American Heart

Dear Someone, 

Whats more American than baseball?  I am, I am, I am! Did you have a good 4th of July! I hope that if you were in America you enjoyed it and all of the things that come with this glorious holiday. The 4th of July is my favorite holiday. It includes fireworks, parades, candy, sunshine, watermelon, red, white and blue, swimming, family parties, corn, and singing patriotic songs. Those are some of the best things in the world all grouped into one! It is true that I wasn't in America. I wasn't with my family. My wardrobe options for my infamous red white and blue outfit were limited and I didn't get to light a sparkler... But Israel gave me the best 4th of July I could have asked for! 

During the day went out into the city! We went to 2 museums and increased our Jewish knowledge at the Temple Institue which teaches you about the 2 temples and also shows you the things they are making for the third temple here in Jerusalem. Seems like a touchy subject right? We made the day more patriotic by eating our watermelon popsicles. We worked on converting our favorite Colombian to the patriotic ways all day. She refused to wear red, white and blue though.

Later that night we had a legitimate 4th of July BBQ! The kitchen staff was so nice to us and went all out. It made me so happy. We had burgers, potatoes, corn, ice cream and apple pie. It was so good. We even sat on the grass like a picnic! 

Watermelon popsicles. 

Anticipating the first bite of the burger. 

Proof of the excellent meal. 

First bite of my first summer corn on the cob. 

Bestest friends. 

We were so happy! 

We tried to make a flag with our bodies. 

Can you see the blue stars? The red and white stripes?

What more American than bows? 

Cake! 

All in all if I couldn't be in America for this beautiful day I think I would pick Israel as a close second. It was such a fun day! We topped it off with a fun FHE activity of "Minute-to-win-it" games. We ate the most magnificent cake that Sister Ludlow made for us that had a blue berries for the stars, strawberries and whipping creme for the stripes. It made it like home. It also wouldn't be complete without a patriotic dance party. Our playlist included songs such as Firework and Party in the USA. I am so proud to be an American. Being away from the country that I love truly made me appreciate it. I will be so excited to be on American soil once again. Israel gave me the greatest day I could have asked for. 

God Bless the USA. 

Love, 

Mary 

Step Into Christmas

Dear Someone, 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! My favorite field trip thus far has been Bethlehem. Just being in the town that Christ as born in was amazing! I have to admit I was listening to all of my Christmas music for a week before hand (I just need an excuse to listen to it and I will. I love it). We went to some ancient sites, amazing churches, including the Church of the Nativity, an awesome lunch in a tent complete with lots of humus, and then to Shepherd's field. 

This is the Church of the Nativity caves.
The birth of Christ most likely happened in something similar. 

The 'Poor Box'. Just like Robin Hood. 

This is the traditional site of Christ's birth! 

Shepherd and a lambie. 

Oh Little Town of Bethlehem

It was such an amazing experience to go to Bethlehem. It has such a spirit to it. My Savior came as a little baby to this world to die for me. Walking through the events of New Testament is so cool! Love from Bethlehem!

Love,
Mary

Looking for Rainbows

Dear Someone, 

I have finally made it to the last day of our Jordan Trip. Although we spent half of our day in Jordan and half of our day in Israel, it has been one of my favorite days of this whole experience! We first went to a great big Roman theater. We are lucky to have such amazing singers in our group and some of them performed for us: Brother Huntsman, Annamarie, and Rachelle. They were all amazing! It was also by complete coincidence that me and Heather matched! It is was an honor to match with this girl because she always looks gorgeous! 

Twinners. Even down to the red shoes.

We got KFC on the go! This may be the cause of much illness around the center..

The BEST part of the day and of the trip, in my opinion, was going to the Jordan river. We stepped off the bus and I have never felt such intense heat in my life. It was literally like walking into a sauna while wearing a complete snow suit. You could almost cut the air with a knife it was so thick. The Jordan River is the border in between Israel and Jordan so there are armed soldiers all around who look pretty ready to shoot you if you sneeze too loud. However, it is amazing how the heat and the surrounding people all melt (good word considering the temperature) away as we began to talk about Christ's baptism. There is something so surreal about finally seeing the place that you have sung about and learned about all your life. 

We talked about the power of baptism and how we are truly able to be clean again. It reminded me of all the wonderful things I felt the day of my very own baptism, 12 years ago on a black sand beach. I am so grateful for my Savior's example to be baptized. (Mark 1:9-11)

Jordan was truly such an amazing trip. Most importantly I hope I will never forget all the strong spiritual experiences I had! Every day I love this gospel more and more! 

I like to look for rainbows whenever there is rain 

and ponder on the beauty of an earth made clean again.

I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain. 

I want to be the best I can and live with God again.

I know when I am baptized my wrongs are washed away, 

and I can be forgiven and improve myself each day. 

I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain. 

I want to be the best I can and live with God again. 

Love, 

Mary 

I Have a Jordanian Night Life

Highlights of the evening: 

Squishing 4 people into 3 seats of a taxi going to Mecca Mall

Bowling at Mecca Mall.  

Beating our record and squishing 7 people into 3 seats 

coming home from Mecca Mall. 

All to celebrate Juanito's birthday! Happy Birthday Juan! 

Zero to Hero

Dear someone, 

The third day of Jordan couldn't have been better! We saw such cool things! Our first stop was an ancient citadel back in Amman. We have seen a lot of ancient temples and columns. Not to turn my nose up at any of them. The ones at the citadel were cool because it was a temple to Hercules. "Honey you mean 'HUNK-U-LES". It is fun to hear a familiar name in the history lesson. We are doing our Hercules pose with what is left of his hand at his temple! 

AMMAN!! 

Who put the glad in gladiator? 

Next we went to the Jabbok river. I will give you ten dummy points if you know what happened there! 

Okay I will tell you anyway. In the Bible this is where Jacob saw God. It is amazing to visit places where God shows his face. He chooses the most beautiful places. This place has such a spirit to it. I was skeptical when it looked we were climbing down into a ditch off the freeway but I felt the spirit so strong by this river side. (Genesis 32:22) 

After the spiritual river and lunch we headed to Jerash. It was another one of those places that took my breath away. It is a really large Roman city. It is very similar to Ephesus but in the middle of the desert.

More columns.

You could see these pillars sway. I'm just glad they didn't fall on top of me. 

I got sleepy on them. 

"We are the Muses. Goddess of the arts and proclaimers of heros" 

Our next stop was the Royal Automobile Museum. Yeah... Ask me why we went there. I don't know but it was cool to see cool cars I guess. 

I want this one!! I like the red seats. It reminded me of Grandpa Bill. He would have loved it. 

Amman was great! I saw quite the variety of things don't you think? Got a mix of spiritual, historical and mechanical. Makes for a great day. I don't even have room to write about what I did this night though. Get excited my friends. It is coming soon to blogs near you! 

Love, 

The Jordanian Mary Jane