From Beginning to End

O Jerusalem, if I forget thee

These past 4 months have been a complete whirlwind.  And I guess this is my last post from this Holy Land.  It has given me so many fun times, amazing memories, and the greatest friends I could have ever asked for.  As I prepare to leave for home today, my heart is sooooo full of love for this amazing place, but it isn't just the place that made this experience so special.  If it weren't for all of the people living within the city, especially at the Jerusalem Center with me, I don't think that I would have grown nearly as much as i did both mentally and spiritually.  Each of these brilliant and radiant beings have blessed and touched my life so much, and there is no way that I will forget this life-changing experience.

And that's the thing isn't it.  This experience has changed my life, and with these changes, I hope to sustain them so that I might grow even further and never look back.  Jerusalem has changed me for good.

Where it all began: one of my first weeks at the JC (aka Mormon University)

our weekly humanitarian projects in the garage!

fond memories like being at the Jordan River with Raquel and AJ

being silly with my partner in crime Raquel...we were pretty much the best refs ever!

yes...those are lamb heads...plus my head :(

tender moments with Martin in the Christian Quarter of the Old City

outside the beautiful building we got to call home for the last 4 months with Skyler

o the glorious headsets! yes...we wanted to chuck them off tels...."ALL POW!"

Palm Sunday walk with Abby Chaimb!

One of the greatest things that we were blessed with this past week..well this whole trip, was when Elder Jeffrey R. Holland came to stay with us here at the center.  We were fortunate enough to have a fireside with him and talk to him one on one.  He truly is an apostle called of God, inspired by the Holy Ghost.  Everything that he spoke to us about was an answer to my prayers and all my questions.  Basically, BEST week ever!

outside the lovely Oaysis, where we eat our yummy JC meals...this week with Elder Holland!

And where better to end than at one of my favorite places here: the Dome of the Rock, the same location where the temple of Herod once stood, the temple where Christ our Lord and Savior once stood and taught.

Jerusalem, if I forget you...