I Finally Have a Moment to Breathe.

Thank goodness for the Sabbath.

So much has been happening in the past couple of days, it's crazy. I don't even know where to begin.

Yesterday, we had our walk around Jerusalem. I LOVE THE CITY SO MUCH. I'M IN LOVE WITH THE CITY. I SERIOUSLY CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF IT. I want to be there all of the time. Well, not all of the time. But a lot. Israel is a phenomenal country because not only is it in the Middle East, but it's a first-world country, so you get all of the joys of the Middle East in a well-developed country, yet it's culturally and historically rich. The different cultures and smells in the city are phenomenal. The Old City doesn't feel like just one city - it really is essentially four. There's the Muslim Quarter of the City, the Jewish Quarter, the Christian Quarter, and the Armenian Quarter, which is essentially Christian as well. It's jam packed full of people doing their various business deals, carrying things around, trying to transport things from one place to another, or, in one example, I saw a Jewish boy carrying a plate of bread bigger than he was on his head. People are speaking in various languages, engaging in business deals, and there are even some that don't speak English. When I tried to buy Falafel, for instance, the gentlemen who sold it to me spoke no English and I spoke no Hebrew. HA! It was a good moment. He just put in it what he thought I'd like. And, believe it or not, it was so tasty. I could eat it all summer long (and I believe I will!).

We saw so many sites yesterday, and I couldn't believe we were seeing them so soon. I felt like I hadn't had time to spiritually prepare! We saw The Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which is, according to the Catholic Church, where Christ was crucified, anointed, and resurrected. (of course, it is on a hill, but they built a church where they believe it happened). There was a place at the top of the church where you can reach through and touch the hill, so you can touch the hill where Christ was apparently crucified. We didn't have time to do that, though, so I plan on going back again when I feel spiritually prepared.

However, there are three(?) different churches, that try to lay claim to the land, and they all fight about who cleans what part of the church, who controls what part of the church, etc. When we walked outside the church, there was a ladder up on a ledge, leading up to the window sill. Apparently the ladder had been there 150 years because everyone claimed that it was not their responsibility to clean it up. So now one ever did! Haha. I thought Roger would get a kick out of that. Ha.

We saw so many sights, and I had a pen and paper but I can't find my notebook right now. I'll find it later. I wish I had been allowed to take my camera, though. They told us no cameras, because it would slow us down.

Brother Judd was my tour guide around the city (there was a group of six of us), and it was phenomenal! He is so brilliant and knows everything about everything. I love him. And it was so kind of him to answer all of my questions. Haha. I had a ton of them. I just want to learn everything.

Last night, we had more orientations, and played a get to know you activity. Finally, the group of 16 from New York flew in! When they arrived we all greeted them at the gate and cheered and clapped and everything. It was nice to have all of the members of our Jerusalem Family finally here. I love them all. I know the names of the 65 who have been here a few days, but I'm still getting to know the New York people. I'm here with such a phenomenal group of people.

Today, Saturday, was the Sabbath. It's kind of weird to get used to having church on Saturday, but with time, it'll be normal. I was actually asked to give a talk in Church today. It was so stressful. I was only asked about a day and a half ago, and it was on "Following the Spirit." I spent any free time I've had over the past preparing for it. Giving it in Church was so intimidating. All of the members of the Branch are so intelligent and have awesome positions in the church and amazing careers, whether it's teaching at the Hebrew University or working for the United Nations. The Relief Society President is actually a Palestinian woman who was converted in the United States, she now lives in Bethlehem, and works for the United Nations, I believe. It's just unbelievable what a bright ward we have, so it was very intimidating. Daniel Rona, someone who is essentially a famous LDS Tour Guide in the Holy Land, was there as well (my roommate was excited about that, and he even made some amazing comments in my roommate's Elder's Quorum class). Even Professor Kearl, my Economics Teacher from last semester, was in the audience. So everyone in the audience was extremely bright and brilliant.

But I feel like my talk went fairly well. Since my talk was "Following the Spirit," I tried to follow the influence of the Spirit in giving it. I had so many scribbles and notes all over my pages, trying to decide what I was going to say. But I feel like it went well. I felt the Spirit influence me to switch things around in my talk, and add some things, and cut some things out, and I felt like it was better than I had even prepared it. Someone told me I presented my talk very well. I felt good anytime I'd say something and see a bunch of people in the audience take their notebooks out to write something down. It was very encouraging. And afterwards, I got a lot of really good comments about it. I feel like I really was inspired in my writing of it, so I feel grateful that the Lord was with me in the delivery of it. I feel like it was a really good way to throw me into relying on the Lord while I'm here in Jerusalem. The topic was something I needed to learn about, and overall I am grateful for the experience.

The rest of church was good. There were some really amazing comments in Sabbath School. Everybody here is so intelligent, I can hardly believe it. I feel unworthy. But I am grateful to be among such intelligent people.

Today, some students were going to go to the Garden Tomb or the Orson Hyde Gardens, but we're going to the Garden Tomb next week, which I am grateful for because I want time to spiritually prepare for it. Also, the women in the group all have Relief Society things in the afternoon, so we're going to the Orson Hyde Gardens after dinner. Which means, for the first time, I was left with nothing to do this afternoon. Thank goodness.

When I finish this, I'll probably write a bit in my journal, read my scriptures, get ahead in my reading for my Old Testament class, and do some other things I need to do. But for now, it's nice to just have a moment to just breathe.

Even though I really would prefer to be out in the City. Maybe I'll see if I can go get some people to come with me.

I miss you all! I love you all. I hope you're having as amazing of a summer as I am. I hope people's finals are going well, I hope people are excited for their summer. I start classes this week, which I am really excited about. Wish me luck!