I've been feeling better since my last post and thank you for your thoughts and prayers. :) I think it's just a matter of getting used to such completely new surroundings and everything. But my roommates are awesome and are making me feel more at home... I wake up to the three of them being ridiculous and laughing every morning (somehow I always sleep longer than them.... that's weird..... ;)). But we have such a good time, I really am so pleased with who I was put with! They make me laugh and some days that's just all I need. Love it. Love them.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Jerusalem is so cool.
Today was a happy day. Because we finally took that dang QUIZ (yes, not even worth the stress) that we've been freakishly studying for since three weeks before even COMING HERE! AHHH!!! All those hours of studying for only 30 multiple choice questions. sdfjlsjfsijfskdfjsd. But IT IS FINISHED. And right after it practically all of us ran away to the city!!! It was my first time going out without it being a field trip... and it was awesome!! I seriously love the Old City so much. It's just so COOL. And I want to buy everything haha. Today I only brought $20, but I spent most of it on food (we didn't really realize til the bill came that we ate somewhere kind of expensive haha) and a beautiful little turqoise ring! Sadie, I keep seeing things that I immediately want to buy and then realize that you own some of them haha. Basically just little things like earrings and key chains. It's funny and so "of course." :)
It's sooo funny walking through the Old City and hearing the shop keepers yell, "Are you the Mormons?!" "Mormons!!" "Mormons... for you everything is half price!" Hahaha. It's just so funny.. I don't know why! And even random passers by will just yell "Hey Mormons!" and we're all like "Hey!!!!" It's great. Especially because in order to get the permission to build the Jerusalem Center, we had to agree to never proselyte or speak about our religion at all. So we actually can't talk about it ever... like if someone asks us something, we have to tell them that we're not allowed to talk about our religion. The only thing we're allowed to say is that we are Christian. It's crazy though because I feel like I'm sharing the gospel just by walking around! Haha. Kind of hard to explain, but this is exactly where that "But what are you going to do about the light in their eyes?" story comes from that a lot of us have heard (click here to read it... 3rd paragraph down). I've heard that story tons of times before but forgot until coming here that it was about the Jerusalem Center students!!! And now I just totally get it and love it even more because it's so true. We don't formally proselyte AT ALL but totally and completely are doing it all the time anyway just through our countenances. CRAZY AWESOMENESS.
On Monday we went on a field trip where we visited 5 different high points that overlook Jerusalem from all different sides, plus a couple of other places. One of those places was BETHLEHEM. Yeah, I just sat on top of a hill overlooking Bethlehem for half an hour, writing in my journal and pondering the awesomeness of what was in front of me. You could say it was pretty cool. :))
I love that this is going to change my life just because it's going to change the way I read the Bible FOREVER. I will have mental images of these places now... because I've BEEN TO THEM! BAHHH!! It's just so cool and crazy and awesome. And I keep remembering how lucky I am because sooooooo many people don't get this opportunity. And it's just awesome.
I promise so many pictures are coming... so many!! Some of my friends have been able to upload some here at the center... perhaps I will try. But I want to upload like a bajillion so I'll have to wait til I have time to go to Hebrew U to do the bulk of it.
Danny, I love my watch so much. I wear it every single day and love its beautiousness so much and just smile when I look at it and remember that you picked it out all by yourself. ;) LOVE YOU!!!
Mom... I'm starting to wonder if you died. Please e-mail me or comment on this!! Actually, I need you to comment so I can make sure it works. I changed the settings so it's easier. Do not be afraid. Move forward with faith.... and comment. :)
I normally don't beg for comments... but if you know me well enough to look forward to my posts, please leave a little note from time to time... because hearing from you makes my life!!! I feel like a missionary begging for letters haha.
Shallow regret #217: Not getting highlights before I left. I'm already cringing at my roots in every single picture. I'm considering looking for a box of hair color in West Jerusalem (the Jewish/more modern side of town), but am anticipating the directions being in a different language. Or the colors only coming in shades of brown. Haha.
Every time I write the date on my papers, I'm so thrown off. It feels like March here! I ain't complainin'. ;)
I'm pretty sure Taylor Swift's Red is going to be the soundtrack of my Jerusalem experience. I normally can't study with music but have trained myself to be able to study to "State of Grace" here.
Well, I think that is all for now. I love you guys!! Hope you're all having a great semester. You are in my prayers... which I think can be heard even better from here. ;)
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7 comments:
I love reading your posts Jennie! I love how you manage to stay optimistic and love people even when life is hard; I want to be more like that :) I get excited to see when you write, and living semi-vicariously through your experience is wonderful (I wanted to go to the Jerusalem Center, once upon two or three years ago). Thanks for being a light to everybody. -Katie Boyd
I've been anxiously awaiting your next post! Keep 'em coming. :o) So excited for this new adventure of yours - I hope to be able to go there someday...but until then, you are my virtual tour guide. <3
I seriously check your blog like 5 times a day WAITING, DYING for updates and pictures, so uh, thanks for saving my life. ;) I'm so happy that you're loving it and having an amazing experience already. I've been praying for you so, you're welcome. ;) Love you and hope you continue to love and it are safe. Mwah! :)
So so happy you made it there in one piece!! So Jealous!!!! :D So excited you get to have this journey(:
So, dearest Jennie. When they do the thing where they start to crush the olives and the oil is red, please, please, please take a picture of that for me. I've read about it and it's got to be awesome. Thank you very much. :o)
I'm just dying. I am dying. Don't worry Jennie, we are praying for you. My first time out I bought ice cream and like a week later I realized I had managed to find THE MOST expensive ice cream in Jerusalem. Of course. I love the fact that the church in Jerusalem is 100% represented by college students. The true church, in Jerusalem, the place where Jesus lived, is known by 19-25 year olds. How amazing.
"Give Meg my box with the green doves on it. And Jo must have my turquoise ring."
(One of my favorite lines from Little Women. When Amy thinks she's dying.)
If you knew how many books I have read that are set in the Middle East and how many times I've imagined myself in the souks and marketplaces... I am dying with jealousy.
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