1. I've been a little slow with updating the blog but well here it is. Last week, a group of my friends and I helped our Judaism teacher build a sukka. A sukka is a structure which Jews build before week of Sukkot (Feast of the Tabernacles). They eat every meal during this week under the sukka. Now you may wonder why this has to do with looking at Jerusalem from the top of a tree. Well there can't be anything over the table they eat in the sukka, and there was a nice branch hovering over the sukka. I felt adventurous and decided to remember the good old days of climbing a tree and headed up. Mom, I'm still writing so I made it back down, but I did get a nice view of my teacher's house and the street. Two days later, we were olive picking to make olive oil, and I guess I didn't fill my need to climb trees. I found a lovely tree which had many branches to climb up. That was the tree where I had a great view of Jerusalem. This place is so beautiful. I wish my pictures did it justice.
2. October 9-15
SUNDAY: Field Trip to Shephelah which included Gath, Beth Shemesh, Azekah, Valley of Elah (where David beat Goliath), Bet Guvrin, and Lachish
MONDAY: Went out to the city then headed our way to build the sukka; even though it's not April we had a Passover meal that night which is called the Sedar meal
TUESDAY: Classes and donated blood (hardest time I've ever had to give blood, all the forms were in Hebrew and the needle was quite bigger than in the States...)
WEDNESDAY: (Sukkot Eve) Classes and olive picking
THURSDAY: (Start of Sukkot) Church of Saint Mary Magdalene (Russian Orthodox Church), Jewish cemetary (largest in the world), and a sketchy Tomb of the Prophets (supposedly Haggai and Zechariah were buried there)
FRIDAY: Humanitarian activity and an Informal talent show!!!
SATURDAY: Garden Tomb and church
3. On Wednesday night/Thursday morning, I bought a calling card and talked to my parents and some of my best friends. It was such a tender mercy for me! I've been missing home a bit...ok a alot...and one of the first things my parents mentioned was that the phone wasn't fuzzy at all. It sounded the same as if I was calling from Provo. It's amazing how technology has improved even in the past few years.
4. On Friday, we had the informal talent show which was sooo much fun!! This reminded me of the variety shows at EFY because ANYTHING could happen during this time. Any talent whatsoever could be shown. I participated in an improv game and two of my roommates and I lip synced to "Send Me to Glory in a Glad Bag" but as Chinheads. I'm sure you could You Tube it and guess how I looked. It's sooo funny!!!
5. During this week, I had the opportunity to pick olives and climb trees, but it's not just the experience of picking the trees that changed me, it was the pondering afterwards that changed me. Before we started picking the olives, our academic director gave us a forum on the symbolism of olives. Olives taste sooo bitter (don't ask me how I know), but after they get pressed, the sediment goes to the bottom, and the pure oil comes to the top, the taste is sweet. Watching the olives get crushed, pressed, then tasting the end reminded me of how my life could be. Life stinks sometimes and tastes so bitter, but after the difficult times, life is so sweet. I could write down and reflect on those times for you, but only I would be grateful and feel my Heavenly Father's love for me. Remember those times so you can share this blessing with me for Heavenly Father does love you. He will always be there and see you through. Believe. Hope. Endure.
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