an ordinary JC week

I thought this would be fun - a run-down of a typical JC week in photographs! 

(Most of the week is here, at least. I don't have pictures for Tuesday and Wednesday because I tried to be a normal college student and stayed home to work on my Islam midterm - 16 pages of religious and political goodness, baby). 

Saturday (Sabbath): spent the afternoon at in the Garden of Gethsemane after our 10:00 meetings. Actually, this part of Gethsemane is a private part of the Garden that they let the BYU students study in because we are "sincere," they say, about being there.

Thanks again to my friend Spence for snapping these pics! He is the best.

Sunday: walked through the streets of the Old city, like this one, to get to...

...this place: the supposed Upper Room. This isn't the exact building that the Last Supper was held in, but it is definitely the same air space. The building there today is a beautiful and simple Christian Church. We usually spend at least part of Sunday, our free day, bashing around the city, exploring exploring exploring

Monday: field trip day! Journeyed through the "hills and valleys" (Deut. 11:11) of Jerusalem to the Neot Kedumim - a nature reserve for Biblical animals and plants. It was our funnest field trip yet. Serious. We ground our own hissop (the leafy plant that the Hebrews to spread the lamb's blood across their door frames) to make zata - an herby powder used here for salad sprinkling and pita bread dipping

Just herded a flock of sheep and goats. No big. 

Happy Valentines Day! Clever Kelsey, far right, took this little message on the FT for her family's valentine. But meet some of my besties, please: La, me, Denise, and Kels

Since we made the zata, we had to make our own pita! It was like Girl's Camp Biblical-Israeli style. We even smelt like camp fire after baking the dough. Loved it.

Tuesday, Wednesday: like I said, I tried to be responsible and study a little...good thing I do that with my friends, too. Good thing we do fun things like this when we're together, whether we're in or out of the Center.

Thursday: stopped by St. Mary's Basilica. Absolutely beautiful, this one is! There are a lot of Russians in Jerusalem, which is really fun. I love the conglomerate of culture and people here; it was definitely an unexpected Jerusalem perk. 

And Thursday night we had the talent show! I am the Talent Show Committee head over here, so I was excited to put on the show and am grateful for my great committee's help.This is my program from the evening, autographed with love by Spence the piano man, and Mark, the self-designated fan/stage hand.  

Friday: I am grateful to not have pics from Friday, because I spent it the evening at a Jewish Synagogue, and then in a Jewish home for Shabbat Dinner. Two young girls came and sat by my friend Jenny and me during the service, and within our first few words they asked if we wanted to attend Shabbat Dinner at their mom's house. "Of course!" we replied.

Being in an actual home here in Jerusalem was awesome, and the sweet family that invited me and my friends Brock and Jenny for dinner were awesome. We were the first students in our program to do this, so I consider myself super fortunate. I learned a lot from spending the evening with them, leaving with the feeling again that Heavenly Father loves all of His children deeply. 

This girl is lucky, eh? She's lucky, blessed, happy - all of it. This week will be just as great, too. Hope that yours is the same!