picture dump

here are some random pictures of stuff we've been up to!

these first ones actually aren't too recent, but i just found them. they are from when we went to jericho a while ago!

this is shaban. i probably go to his shop 9 out of 10 times i go into the city, just to say hi. he always feeds us juice and  invited us over for hummus a couple weeks ago. my mouth is watering right now just thinking about it. 

another shop owner here invited us over for falafels. his name is jimmy and he sells the most beautiful hand-carved olive wood nativity sets. you would not believe where he is right now. in rexburg. speaking at a fireside about islam and mormonism. are you kidding? he has probably spent more time in rexburg than i have! he goes every year to teach seminars. he was telling me all about how him and president clark are buddies and i couldn't believe i was having this conversation with an olive wood carver from jerusalem. this world is so strange and small. 

walking on the herodian high street in the old city where christ would have walked. there are not many preserved spots here that we are positive he would have been, but this is one of them. 

taking a field trip underneath the western wall in the kotel tunnels. so fun! 

...and after, we got to spend a few minutes at the western wall. which never happens since we are usually not allowed to go there at night. this is melissa, and i love her! she is so cute and i'm so happy she's at byu-i too!

just dancing at the talent show. we're missing josh, natalie, and brooke in this picture.

so i'm leaving for galilee tomorrow for two weeks and i am so excited! or at least i think i would be if i wasn't pulling an all-nighter right now. it's going to be a blast. i probably won't have internet, so don't look for blog posts, mom! i just finished two big papers that are due tomorrow before we leave and now I have to write another small paper. it's 1 AM and i'm just waiting for that second burst of energy to kick in...any minute now...

on another note, guess who stayed in the jerusalem center this week? elder holland. yeah, i was dying when they told us he was coming. it was the first time in 40 years that he came as a tourist instead of on business. he came with his wife and kids and it was so exciting. i had never met an apostle before! notice that i said had. meaning that i now have. the encounter went like this: 

i was walking down the hall when him and his wife happened to be coming home from the old city. so i went up to say hi and shake his hand. after that, he grabbed my hair and said (and i quote), "where did this hair come from? i love it!" and then i died. because if an apostle compliments your hair, that means it's concrete doctrine. 

he left after church on saturday, but he definitely spoke and it was an amazing sacrament meeting. he was supposed to give some closing remarks at the end of the meeting, and he got up at five minutes till the end, but he spoke all the way though sunday school....and i was so happy he did! i looked at my watch when he finished and thought it had been maybe 15 minutes, but it had been 45. he spoke mainly to the students and the things he said were so cool. it gave me a better appreciation of him, this incredible place, and this experience that very few people get to have. hie is so powerful when he speaks. there is no way to not believe what he says. i love everything about him. it wasn't great just because an apostle was speaking; it was really cool because he loves israel so much and i loved hearing his testimony of it.