on the Red Sea shores

(Taking a quick break from the Galilee posting for our adventure from this last Sunday...Galilee part 2 is still in the works and definitely on its way) 

Just a few pics from Eilat, the small resort town on the coast of the Red Sea.

What was our purpose in going there this last fine Sunday? Well...

1) There is some Book of Mormon history involved: that shoreline across the way once marked the path for Lehi & Co. as they left for the promised land (so we still got our religious studies in for the day)

2) Whenever will we get to snorkel in the Red Sea again

3) We love to have fun over here in IL

 Look at that beauty! It was even prettier under the surface. I jumped into "Finding Nemo" when I plunged for that water. The coral underneath was huge and exotic fish had no fear of our presence. This was my first snorkeling experience, and it most definitely will not  be my last.

The whole JC crew just beachin'...no big deal

Denise, me, dear Taylor, and sweet Meg looking a little crabby at the end of the day.

These friends are my family and we're not splitting up after this trip! Meg, D, and me are to be Spring/Summer roommates back in Provoland, and Tay will be just across the street. Watch out, Condo Row.

 At the infamous dairy Kibbutz en route to Jerusalem. We stopped here for dinner back in January on our way back from Egypt. It's a thrift store, ice cream parlor, restaurant, and grocery store all in one. Priceless.

The adventures are just picking up over here! Our New Testament midterm was today, our journey to Jordan is next week, and then our tours of Jerusalem begin with the Savior's last week as our focus.

Why have I been so blessed with this experience? I have learned so much from people, the scriptures, classes, adventures, all of it. Expect good stories when I return, folks, "for of him unto whom much is given much is required" (D&C 82:3)

Shallom!

galilee: part 1

My first view of the Galilee. 

Isn't it beautiful? The sight was so welcoming, as it bespoke spring, warmth, light, and life. The following pictures are just a few, relating just bit of the Galilee experience. Bear with the sporadic nature of this post - more pics will come, but I had to share something of my sweet Galilee with you; it is too good to keep to myself over here.

Bet' Shean - a Roman city included in the Decapolis. The Savior could have very well walked the streets of this now deserted city.

This little mount, Gilboa, is the sad setting for Jonathan's death, the son of Saul. 2 Samuel conveys how distraught David was at Jonathan's death, an account that means more to me now after having studied the Old Testament. Putting sites and stories together from history is  the best. Serious.

See that poky hilltop out there? Gamla once rested atop it. Christ referenced this city when He gave us the Beatitudes across the way. I loved this place. It was simple, quiet, and almost undisturbed by man. Hiking down to the city provided good time to think about the same steps our Savior took to reach the people of Galilee. I could not be stopped from just talking aloud with my Father, as I thought about the praying and pondering He must have done as He traversed the same trail. 

 This synagogue at Gamla has not been destroyed by anything but Mother Nature, so when Christ came to preach to these Galileans in the synagogue - this was it!

One fine afternoon we hiked along the mountain passes of the Golan to somewhat of a hidden waterfall. The polar plunge into the crisp, winter water was more than worth it. P.S. - I love hiking, and I miss my mountains! Galilee's peaks and valleys reminded me of my liking of them. 

Tel Dan and its reconstructed altar (that iron frame is how big it was - woo!). Jeroboam, an OT guy, built altars for Jehovah idol worship to appease some of his less-conservative/semi-inactive subjects. He brought back the golden calf for worship, so naturally we reenacted the scripture story casting our best manly man, Neal, as the star (please see below)

Tada! The Golden Calf

This is an excavated gate into Tel Dan from Abraham's time, so when Father Abe once ventured to Dan to rescue Lot this was more than likely his place of entry. Sweet, eh? 

Synthia, me, the incredible Dr. Jackson (love this man more than words), and Linds. Field trips are topped off with the humor and genius of our professors, particularly Bro. Jacks'. This pic comes from our journey to Sephoris, another city of the Roman Decapolis.

Mosaic carpets covered the floors of the excavated homes here...soo detailed, soo impressive.

Bro. Muhlestein challenging us to a duel at the Crusader Castle of Akko, a coastal city on the Mediterranean. This crazy man is in his element here (our professors are so much fun. I have loved getting to know them and their families personally).

Mt. Carmel - a cold, windy place that staged the standoff between Elijah and the priests of Baal. Elijah is in the background there, all stony and statued, calling us all to not "halt between two opinions" - choose Jehovah, he advised. The good word here helps us finish the story...

(say "no" to ambivalence!)

Back on the beach at Ein Gev, the Kibbutz we called home while in Galilee. Beach bonfires were almost every night's activity. S'mores, singing, silliness and smoky clothes highlighted these nights.

More pics, more details, more goods to come. Galilee bought a lot in my heart that will never  be owned by any other place or any other person. Stay tuned!

a tiny trip to Tel Aviv

Hello Israel's newest, bustling city. I loved spending time with you last Sunday.

Background: Sundays are free days, so eight of us maximized the day by busing to Tel Aviv to beach. I mean, please, when can you skip to the Mediterranean and swim in the sea for a day?

Mom and Dad told me "No regrets!" at the airport drop off two-ish months ago...

be proud, sweet parentals; of this little day trip I happily proclaim, "no regrets."

{these were just a few of the people that watched us so busily engaged in our public works project: the building of Jenny C. as the 'Great Sphinx.' Please note the people standing around in the pic above}

Thank you, trip to Tel Aviv. I had quite an enjoyable time upon your shores, in your waves, and at one of your restaurants. As the Israelis say, "Lahetra'ot" - until we meet again.

ode to Old Testament

Our studies of the Old Testament have come and gone (bless our hearts, finals are over).

I loved meeting so many new people from reading the Old Testament, such Huldah the prophetess (2 Kings 22;14-16), and then venturing to their hometowns or battle sites or burial places. The reading of texts and the visiting of sites are a most effective teaching team. Preparing to be taught, coupled with going and doing, are vital ingredients when really experiencing lessons of life.

The Neot Kedumim Nature Reserve, where we experienced the plants and animals of the Bible: hissop, sheep, ancient water wells, the goods. 

A gethsemane - literally meaning "olive press" - an enlightening experience as to what 'gethsemane' really means and how the Savior's Atonement is perfectly symbolized in the smallest and grandest of scenes.

Dearest Egypt (Egypt was one ginormous field trip, technically)...this place has a tender spot for me now, considering the pain that is currently being felt there. Here we experienced the dusty deserts and saw for ourselves the same pyramids that Abraham did upon his arrival in Egypt (Abraham 2:21), along with Joseph, Jacob his aged father, the remaining eleven sons. We saw the land that Israel slaved over and prayed to God from. We followed the path of their exodus. 

The man-made Bell Caves at Maresha, one of the five main cities of the Philistines. Our experience here included singing singing singing and amazing acoustics. Maresha, specifically, was a defense-city for the nation of Judah against the Egyptians. This Middle East land has been a warring land for forever...

Classic Philistine city number two: Gath, hometown of Goliath. The Gath experience was deadly for us, just like it was for Big G in real life. Flinging large rocks wildly using an old sling - that's danger at its best.

The Sphelah - beautiful, rolling hills of the Holy Land. It's this type of terrain, folks, that all of our ancestors hail from. I experienced gratitude in this place - gratitude for my ancestors, both Israeli and European - all those that have given their lives for God and His gospel.

The modern City of David. This area of Jerusalem was the Jerusalem the Savior knew. Aside from it being a residential area, clearly, Israel has worked hard to make the City of David a tourist attraction, so here we experienced...

...this: a full-length, 3D feature on the carving of Hezekiah's Tunnel, 

...a family photo opp before embarking on the ride - 

- the expedition through the tunnel.

We were not let down, City of David. All of our field trip adventures have been so "Indiana Jones." I have stopped wondering as to when one of these experiences will let me down - pretty sure they won't. 
The Old Testament is incredible. Its take-home messages for me personally are: 
1) never ever think that Jehovah gives up on His children when mortal weakness is made manifest 
2) trust in Him from the beginning  
3) exact obedience = bliss
For now it's out with the Old and in with the New regarding our biblical studies, but I will be returning to the Old Testament, ever fascinated by its tenets and tales. 

the shook and the artist-friend

Meet the Shook.

It is Jerusalem's crazy outdoor Costco-like market. We often venture to the Shook Friday afternoons right after lunch to pick up Shabbat Bread and any other treat we may want for Sabbath (we are only served breakfast and dinner on Sabbath; a little fruit is definitely needed to tide the stomach over between the meals). I love the Shook for its people, its variety, its busyness, its life. 

Cool little place, huh? Cool little pics. My friend Lani took them. 

Meet Lani.

she is
almost a former undergraduate student

lawyer-to-be

photographer by day

comedian by the minute

artist at heart (clearly)

one dear, dear friend

Lani designed the new blog header for me. Sweet of her, eh? I thought you all might want to get to know her a little better. Here's a smidgen of an interview, conducted so professionally on the fourth-floor landing this very Sabbath day:

Jeni: So you read a lot. You read on the stationary bike in the sixth floor gym; your books almost always have bent corners and battered covers. What’s is your current read, what is your favorite read of all time?

Lani: K. current read is “everything is illuminated” by Jonathon Foer.

My favorite book of all time?...probably…let me think. I think it would “like water for chocolate” by Lora Esquivel. It’s dreamy – it’s like reading someone’s fantasy.

Jeni: Cool. Let’s say you’re leaving the JC in seven days on another international adventure. Where are you going? For how long will you be there? You can have any meal en route to your destination – what is it?

Lani: I’m going to Thailand. I’ll probably stay for three weeks for some rest and rejuvenation – ride a couple elephants, do a lot of yoga, and definitely eat a veggie burrito from Chronic Taco en route.

Jeni: Okay, your list of favorite child names?

Lani: [laughter] it’s pretty long…

Regan Knox Carter Romney Avery Jackson Bailey (girl) Chase Fin Dylan Collins (girl) Cannon Price (boy) Charlie Sutter Georgie Kennedy Rex Mason Gradey Benson Zoey Charlotte.

Jeni: Wow, that definitely beats all lists that I have thus far seen in my life, and baby-name convos are not uncommon at the JC. Impressive, Lan.

Next quest, final quest (this has to be somewhat of a secret) – what is something that nobody knows about you?

Lani: Provo > Paolo Alto

I got into Stanford, and came to BYU instead.

No regrets. Secret revealed. 

And that's my wonderful friend, Lani.