A few of my favorite things

View from my window of the Old City!

Western (Wailing) Wall

I have already been here twice and I immediately fell in love with this place! After putting my prayer in the wall and walking back without turning my back on the wall there were no words to describe how I felt. Watching all these different groups of people worship has made me so grateful for faith and religion in general. It doesn't matter what people believe because it gives you a reason and we all need on in life. I can't think of any better reason than having hope and faith in something. It doesn't matter to me what the Muslims or Jews believe because we all have something in common. We are all here because we know something special happened here and want to experience all the history here.

South of the Temple Mount/Haram
viewing the Al-Aqsa Mosque

Orson Hyde Garden on a beautiful Sabbath day!

City of David is on the Left 

Garden of Gethsemane

Kidron Valley viewing the Mount of Olives

The cutest boys we play soccer with when leaving the center !

A very windy field trip! (The hat didn't last too long)

SaraBeth and I

I don't think it gets much better  than this.
When we first got here we when had a little orientation  in an auditorium that overlooks Jerusalem(granted this wasn't the view) but and as the sun was setting we sang Israel, Israel God is Calling.  I don't know if I was just so exhausted or so overwhelmed by actually getting to Jerusalem and having the opportunity of being here, but I almost started crying. The lyrics to this song were just so amazing at that time it just became my favorite song.

Israel, Israel, God is calling,

Calling thee from lands of woe.

Babylon the great is falling;

God shall all her tow'rs o'erthrow.

Come to Zion, come to Zion

Ere his floods of anger flow.

Come to Zion, come to Zion

Ere his floods of anger flow.

Israel, Israel, God is speaking.

Hear your great Deliv'rer's voice!

Now a glorious morn is breaking

For the people of his choice.

Come to Zion, come to Zion,

And within her walls rejoice.

Come to Zion, come to Zion,

And within her walls rejoice.

Israel, angels are descending

From celestial worlds on high,

And to man their pow'r extending,

That the Saints may homeward fly.

Come to Zion, come to Zion,

For your coming Lord is nigh.

Come to Zion, come to Zion,

For your coming Lord is nigh.

Israel! Israel! Canst thou linger

Still in error's gloomy ways?

Mark how judgment's pointing finger

Justifies no vain delays.

Come to Zion, come to Zion!

Zion's walls shall ring with praise.

Come to Zion, come to Zion!

Zion's walls shall ring with praise.

View of Jerusalem from Hebrew University

At the one of the burial places for Samuel
 at Nebi Samwil.

I FOUND IT! This almost brought me to tears thinking
 that Brooke was here and by some miracle I am too now!
(I found her name in underneath the center the next day!) 

The streets of the old city are the best! We have gone through Herod's gate a few times just because it's not so crowded and we get a chance to actually look around instead of being preoccupied about where my group is and making sure my purse is nice and close!