turkey

Yo, what up family. Things are going great, just got back from turkey. It was an awesome experience that I think has been one of the highlights of the whole trip. the Hagia Sophia is the freakin' bomb. It was huge. It was interesting how much ignorance I had about the whole country. Istanbul had been the capital of the world for like 1000 years, Hagia Sophia the largest building the the world for the longest time, and more culture and history than any other place I have been . I am just so grateful to have the experience to be educated about other people and how they have lived. I think that it has enriched my life especially when I go live back in the US of A. There's my two cents about turkey. There you go. thought I have made some better friends, happy times, and we totally had a dance party on the beach I liked it. Hope you all have a great time watching general conference!  

in front of the Blue Mosque

Theater that paul spoke in

Another view

inside the Hagia sophia

This was the largest building in the world for a thousand years.

Drop Box

Drop Box

Sabbath

              This week was amazing. I think the best thing of the whole lot was this Sabbath. I think Jerusalem has an interesting point that everyone tries to make. Jesus lived here. It is interesting because the whole sacrament, Sunday school, and priesthood (even though it was on the law of chastity mind you) was centered on Christ. I don't know how other to explain than refreshing. Church of Jesus Christ. Kinda has a nice ring to it. 

           It also has been interesting to feel the difference in each of the different religious places I have been. I have probably seen the most devout in each religion, but it is amazing that each person has the same drive, the same devotion, and resoluteness about them that makes me wonder, is it all made up? If someone could devote their lives to something but only one be right, how does that work? I think so many times it comes back to something like this. A Sabbath that is just wonderful that I could reflect on what Christ did for us.
list of things done in random order.
1. made friends with a monk in the holy seplcure. His name was hose.
2. walked on the walls of Jerusalem
3. went to the coolest photo shop, he was Armenian, told me a story of the Armenian Genicide
4. bought a coke shirt and gummies
5. I went to Jericho, lowest place in the world.
6. I went to the garden tomb, sang songs.
7. I ate shwerma, google it haha.
8. talked to a guy that said he stood on top of the dome of the rock. (google that)
9. bought a nativity set
10. Went to west Jerusalem at night on the Sabbath.

Drop Box

Drop Box

enterance to holy seplecure

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Drop Box

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Drop Box

This morning I woke up and went to a jewish synagogue. I had absolutely no idea what to expect other than that I had to wear something that would cover my head. I went inside and they were singing just as I would imagine they would sing back in the times of Christ with an “ohm” type of singing. They then brought out the torah that had a silver crown on top and opened it to read from the bound scrolls. I have had a couple of moments like that in life. I was just in awe, I didn’t quite know what to say other than just look around and try to take it all in. There were times on my mission for example that I was like that ie. The taj mahal, but not very often.
list of random things done in no sequential order:
1. Danced with a rabbi in west jerusalem
2. Sang in the branch choir
3. went to the tomb of Christ and golgatha. 
4. Ate a fulaful
5. Ate Shwerma
6. wnet to the church of the holy spelcure( tradtionial site of christ's crucification, death and burial)
7. Pools of bethesda and adjacent st. Ana's church.
8. Met an awesome shop keeper that is a photographer and is going to take me to get all the shots.
9. had a two hour discussion with my islam teacher on orientalism in the lunch room. 
10. Was assigned and completed over 100 pages of reading in one day. 


ps. I think this is the easiest way to tell everyone what is going on quickly so wish me luck.

Jerusalem.

I caved. I finally started a blog. I just succombed to peer pressure. I just went to the western wall, danced with Israel soliders bringing in the Jewish sabbath. It was awesome, just imagine thousands of people in the tradditional clothes all praying and  The sabbath is our sabbath as well here in jerusalem. Words can't describe the feeling of religion in the air.