JRu 6: Saturday is Sunday?

Saturday, September 3rd

It's our first sunday, and by that I mean sabbath. Yep, because the state of Israel is a Jewish state, the sabbath begins on Friday night at sundown until Saturday night at sundown. That means that we have church on Saturday.

Our little branch has very few members. The BYU students make up the majority but there are American families as well as some local members who joined the church elsewhere. We have this beautiful auditorium with the stage at the end of the room toward the old city. Behind the stage there are huge glass windows, so all during sacrament meeting we are looking out over the old city. I can't think of a better place to take the sacrament.

Before church we had choir practice. It was really fun to sing again but it was way to early for me and my voice was not warmed up yet. The choir was pretty big considering all 80 of us weren't here yet. I can't imagine how big it will be when we are all here.

The rest of the day we realaxed. My sister was sick and so we took it easy. I did some school stuff and blogged and emailed. Our big group went to the garden of gethsemane. We decided not to go since it was fast sunday and I was afraid I would pass out.

The last thing we did was have a musical exploration. We all got together and shared with our branch president/music director our musical talents. People played their instraments and sang. It was amazing how talented everyone was.

Sunday, September 4th

Yeah, so it is kind of weird that Sunday is our saturday. Which means today was a free day! My sister was still feeling sick so I mostly just did my homework all day. It was super boring but it was nice down time. I know, I am in the most historical city in the world and the holiest city in the world and I stayed in my room and read for class. BORING. But hey, I will be here for 4 months. It is better to take it easy and not lose people with our rush to see everything.

JRu 5: Wandering the Old City

Okay, I'm way (a week) behind. I will try to do some extra updating in this post. I am supposed to be writing a paper but blogging is way more fun. My last update was for Thursday of last week. On to Friday.

Friday, September 2nd (Happy Birthday, Mom!)

Because half of our group had not yet arrived, they cancelled classes and created a mini-field trip for us. We went to the Israel Museum in the morning. We had about two and a half hours to wander the museum. They have a huge archaeological wing and we have an assignment to complete a museum checklist. We had to find a bunch of items in the museum and then we have to pick four items that we want to write a paper about. We just barely made it through the checklist before we had to leave. Here are some of the highlights we saw:

• Really old churn
• A cartouche on a sea shell (In the Egyptian section)
• hanging loom
• Canaanite and Israelite artifacts
• "Sword of Laban" (the type of sword he would have had)
• The dead sea scrolls (there is actually quite a controversy about that.)

We had a little picnic with our sack lunches out in front of the museum before we headed off to the garden tomb. The garden tomb is owned and run by a christian group based out of London. A few of the council members have some issues in the church, so we comply with their rule to not bring any restoration scripture (BOM, D&C or Pearl of Great Price) into the garden, which means I can't bring my scriptures at all since I have a quad.

We got to the garden tomb a little early, so we waited outside for them to open the gates. They close between noon and two to eat and pray. While we waited, we sang a few hymns. When they opened the gates, one of the gentlemen came out and said, "You must be mormons!" We will be singing a lot on this journey.

We went in and had a tour, spent some time at the tomb and then we all met again in a little canopied area. We had a short biblical devotional and then we sang "I Believe in Christ" and "I know that my Redeemer lives." Considering we have never practiced or sang together, we did really well. We even had some other people who were in the garden come and listen to us. The spirit felt so strong as we sang and it was so nice to be in a place where there was peace and we could feel close to the Lord.

They gave us the option to explore the city or go back to the center. We decided to explore the city. My sister, our new friend Elyse, and I wandered through the city. We went in Damascus gate and then wandered over to the Church of the Holy Seplecher. Then we decided to try to find the Jewish Quarter and the western wall. We were really lucky because we ended up there before leaving out the Dung gate and wandering back to the center. It was super fun and super exhausting.

{Okay, this took me a really long time to write, so I am going to post it and then work on a new post.}

JRu 4: I am the Beibs (part 2)

Our flights were thankfully not eventful, well besides the cute little jewish family that sat in font of us on the way from JFK to Tel Aviv. They were a little crazy. Oh, and we had some crazy medical emergency on our flight from Atlanta to JFK. Yeah, they had to ask for medical specialists and everything. Luckily, everything was okay and we made it here in one piece, luggage and all.

That was the good news for the 30 of us flying Delta. The sad news was that the rest of the group was flying US Airways and they were stranded in Phoenix. Yeah. It sucks. Their flight to Philly got canceled, so they missed their flight to Tel Aviv. We hate US Airways. My family and I flew US Airways this summer and 4 of our 5 flights were delayed and one was canceled. My sister and I were so glad we were flying Delta and we had good reason to be glad.

We arrived at the center and that evening and the following day were orientation. We had our pictures taken, learned the rules, talked about the new schedule they were changing because of the late arrivals. Originally they thought that the other students wouldn't be getting her for a week. But things keep changing.

The reason I bring up the Beibs is that we feel famous. First, I took a class from one of my professors. Now he is my professor again. Plus, we are getting a lot of attention because we are sisters. We have been nicknamed the sisters Quist. Also, we were in Israel for two days about a month ago and our tour guide, Gio, is best friends with one of the directors here at the center.

When we went to go take pictures for our security cards, the security guard heard my sister's name and asked if she had been here for a month. She said no. I then explained that we had been here about a month ago. He said, "yeah, with Gio, right?" We confirmed that, but we felt so famous.

It has just been a lot of famous this week.

JRu 3: Urban Camping

The rest of the weekend was not quite as eventful. We stayed with some family friends our second night. Our third night we stayed with a good friend of mine. She and her two roommates just moved into a house that is HUGE. It is only zoned to have three single people live there, so they have tons of extra space. So, they were letting friend stay there. My sister and I were staying there so we got to participate in "Urban Camping."

"What is Urban Camping?" you ask. Well, they had 5 extra girls staying with them, so they didn't have exactly enough beds. So, my sister and I made beds on the floor using couch cushions, pillows and blankets. I actually slept well considering the random conglomeration that I was sleeping on.

We had orientation in Provo for the program. The point of the orientation is to scare us into submission. I was going in prepared and it still scared me enough to keep me from sleeping that night. They talked about getting assaulted and getting pick pocketed. I was just in Jerusalem and it wasn't a problem.

We spent the night in Salt Lake. It wasn't much of a night because we had to get up at 3:30 to be at the airport at 4:30. Yes, AM, 4:30 AM. And I didn't sleep, so our cross continent travel started off with a bang.

JRu 2: Marry a Football Player?

To continue my saga. My last weekend in the US was a crazy whirlwind of adventure. After Temple Square we headed down to Orem to stay at my Aunt's house. My cousin, B, returned from her mission a few weeks ago and we wanted to see each other before I left the country, again.

The crazy part was that B was going to start school on Monday at Utah State University. Therefore we were going with her up to Logan on Saturday. We had a really good time catching up before we took the perilous journey north. Okay, it wasn't so perilous but it was adventurous. We stopped at two Best Buys to find a computer for B and we stopped at Hires Big H to have a family lunch. It was preshically awkward. I don't really know how I am related to all these people sometimes. It was good though to be reunied after so long.

Now the most hilarious part of this whole story happened in Logan. After dropping B's stuff off in her new appartment, we all went and got ice cream at the USU creamery. As we are getting ice cream, I notice that one of the girls working there looks really familiar. I am pretty sure she served her mission with me, but I couldn't remember her name. I looked at her nametag and it said, ", English." I knew that I didn't serve with a Sister English, so I brushed it off. Especially since I thought she had seen me, so she didn't act like she recognized me.

Just as I was about to order, she looks at me and says, "I know you." I then asked if she served in my mission, she said yes. Then I told her my name and she told me her last name, Irish. I explained that I had seen her nametag. She laughed. The second part is not the last name, but the major of the student working there. No wonder it wasn't familiar. Man, I'm back to being the Beibs again...

We ate our ice cream outside on a bench. My sister, my aunt, my younger cousin, my grandma, B, and I were sitting in a row and my grandpa stood in front of us. This college boy walked behind our row looking at all of us and then stopped right in front of me. Then he looked down. Yeah, I'm pretty sure it was a ring check. I looked up at him and he said "Hi." The following conversation is what really happened.

Me: Hi.

Him: (with reference to my BYU-Idaho shirt) Oh, you go to BYU-Idaho and are just down here hanging out?

Me: Actually, my cousin goes here and we are helping her move in. (gesturing to B)

Him: But you go to BYU-Idaho? (as he sits down next to me)

Me: No, I got to BYU.

Him: Provo? (Sidenote: I HATE it when the call it BYU-Provo, it's just BYU. If you have to distinguish, it would be BYU-Utah)

Me: Yep.

Him: So, are you really good friends with some football players?

Me: Actually, I just got back from a mission, so I don't really know anyone there anymore.

Him: But you want to be friends with football players like ?

Me: Actually, I am not really into football.

Him: But you want to marry a football player?

Me: um....

My Grandpa: Was that a proposal?

Him: I'm not a football player. (runs away)

No joke.

What is my life coming to?

Although, he did present a good question; do I want to marry a football player?

JRu 1: I feel like the Beibs

As I promised here starts my log of my time in Jerusalem. We got on our flight the morning of Tuesday, August 30, 2011, however, my journey was prefaced by a short jaunt in Utah. My sister and I left California the friday before (August 26^th). Upon arrival, we took a shuttle to Temple Square. Right now at Temple Square, it is about 50/50 of sisters that I know vs. sisters I don't know, which if you do the math, is about one sister in each companionship.

Of course, that mean that I was stopped by almost every companionship to talk to them before I could walk another few yards. The problem with this was that I was trying to meet two of my companions for lunch, so the constant stopping was not really helping. However, there were a lot of sisters I wanted to see and it was great that I got to see them.

I finally met up with my two companions and we headed off to lunch. We went to a nearby food court to eat. Almost as soon as I walked in I was greeted by a missionary I was with in the MTC. She served in a different mission, but we were really close in the MTC and we wrote to each other. I was so excited to see her but rather surprised by the miracle of running into her.

Later, as I was leaving the food court, I ran into another missionary I served with. We chatted for a few minutes before I headed back to Temple Square. I was a little overwhelmed by all the people I was seeing. I am not used to getting so much attention.

As we walked around the Square, I found more sisters I knew. The best reaction came from one of my favorite sisters. I lived with her my last transfer of my mission and she was in her second transfer. As I walked into the south visitor's center, she looked at me like I had returned from the dead. She gave me a hug and touched my hair. She acted so shocked.

It was then that my sister and her friend decided that I was the Biebs (aka celebrity status like Justin Beiber). This continued as we walked around the square. I felt a little bad that they were my little possy. Sometimes it is really hard to be the Beibs.

Emails...

As I was cleaning out my inbox of emails, I found this and thought this was funny. I don't have children. I'm not even married. But I always joke with my friends that I will have all sons because I don't know what to do with little boys. After reading this, I don't want sons. And after reading 25, I'm not sure I want a husband either....

Enjoy!

And you also find out interesting things when you have sons, like...

1. A king size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2000 sq. Ft. House 4 inches deep.
2. If you spray hair spray on dust bunnies and run over them with Roller blades, they can ignite.
3. A 3-year old Boy's voice is louder than 200 adults in a Crowded restaurant.
4. If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not Strong enough to rotate a 42 pound Boy wearing Batman underwear and A Superman cape. It is strong enough, however, if tied to a paint Can, to spread paint on all four walls of a 20x20 ft. room.
5. You should not throw baseballs up when the ceiling fan is on. When using a ceiling fan as a bat, you have to throw the ball up a Few times before you get a hit. A ceiling fan can hit a baseball a Long way.
6. The glass in windows (even double-pane) doesn't stop a Baseball hit by a ceiling fan.
7. When you hear the toilet flush and the words "uh oh", it's Already too late.
8. Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke, and lots of it.
9. A six-year old Boy can start a fire with a flint rock even Though a 36-year old Man says they can only do it in the movies.
10. Certain Lego's will pass through the digestive tract of a 4-Year old Boy.
11. Play dough and microwave should not be used in the same Sentence.
12. Super glue is forever.
13. No matter how much Jell-O you put in a swimming pool you Still can't walk on water.
14. Pool filters do not like Jell-O.
15. VCR's do not eject "PB &J" sandwiches even though TV Commercials show they do.
16. Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.
17. Marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise when driving.
18. You probably DO NOT want to know what that odor is.
19. Always look in the oven before you turn it on; plastic toys Do not like ovens.
20. The fire department in Austin, TX has a 5-minute response Time.
21. The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make Earthworms dizzy.
22. It will, however, make cats dizzy.
23. Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.
24. 80% of Women will pass this on to almost all of their Friends, with or without kids.
25. 80% of Men who read this will try mixing the Clorox and brake fluid.