Soakin' It Up

My time here is short...we get two weeks after Galilee and then we leave on the 9th. Time flies is definitely an understatement!

So this is what I've been doing to soak up my last few days here...

Watch the sunrise

Explored an abandoned orphanage we happened upon...eerie...

played the bells at the YMCA...

Monastery of the Cross (where they believe the tree came from that made the cross)...

...the man at the entrance to the monastery had a few exotic pet birds that we played with for a good half-hour

Visited the West Jerusalem Shuk market for the first and probably last time...

Ate the BEST burger in the world at Zuni's!!

Explored the Greek village south of Old City and found some rockin' graffiti...

We so so gangsta! (minus happy David Cramer)

...and then we turn into Olympic junkies every night in between studying for finals...

USA USA USA!!

Ah I wish I could make every moment last forever!!

Galilee

We just spent the last few weeks in Galilee staying on a kibbutz called Ein Gev.

We swam and field tripped galore! Here are some of the places we visited:

Nazareth

Mary's church is on the left - the courtyard was lined with murals of Mary from every country! 

Gamla (aka "A City Set On a Hill")

...did I mention it was in the Golan Heights?...

Mt. of Transfiguration

Boat ride across the 'sea'...

"master the tempest is raging..."

Church at Nain where Elisha raised the widow's son from the dead - here we had a beautiful devotional by Brother Huntsman about miracles and losing loved ones...def a highlight of the trip!

Hike to the falls

...us fearless hikers us!

Megiddo

...otherwise known as the place where Armageddon is going down!

Mt. Carmel

Bahai Gardens in Haifa

Tel Dan

(Shout out to Papa Dan Ellertson!)

Nimrod Castle

The coast city of Akko

The ancient port city of Ceserea

This is where the apostle Paul was tried in Herod's court and essentially the kick off point for the spread of Christianity to the Western world.

Meeting house for the Tiberias Branch with a beautiful overlook of the water. We put together a little musical number last minute for sacrament meeting "Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd" - this branch had an extra special feeling...Elder Holland refers to it as "Jesus' home ward"

So far away from home...

The End

America Rocks!

America Rocks!! (Hope of America anyone?)

This is long over due but I thought some might still be interested to see how the JC celebrates the 4th!

Saw this in some car in East Jerusalem! Wahoo!

The kitchen staff prepared the most American meal possible: fried chicken, corn on the cob, baked potatoes and apple pie (which I missed out on unfortunately)

These cute Ludlow brothers are such a help to Marissa and her poor broken ankle!

Happy late 4th Everyone!

Bethlehem

How far is it to Bethlehem?

....not very far!

Church of the Nativity

Where the manger "was"

A replica of THE manger!!...wait...

Tomb of the Shepherds

The hillside overlooking Bethlehem where we sang Christmas hymns

This is the new fence they put up that adds to the wall between Jerusalem and Bethlehem/West Bank. A very sad thing - Brother Huntsman told us they just put it up a few months ago and before that, shepherds would still walk with their sheep to the village on the other side to do business.

Bethlehem on our left

How far is it to Bethlehem?
Not very far
Shall we find the stable room lit by a star?
Will we find the little child? Is He within?
If we lift the wooden latch may we go in?

May we stroke the creatures there oxen and sheep?
May we peep like them and see Jesus asleep?
If we touch His tiny hand, will He awake?
Will He know we've come so far just for His sake?

Great kings have precious gifts and we have naught.
Little smiles and little tears are all we've brought.
For all weary children Mary must weep.
Here on this bed of straw, sleep children sleep.