The End.

So, this is the end. Crazy to think that tomorrow, I will be headed back to the states. My three and half month adventure in the Middle East is over-108 days of pure bliss. Oh my word, I used to think I was ready to go, but it's suddenly hitting me how hard this is going to be. BUT before I address the good bye, I have some things to catch you all up on. I don't have it in me to be super detailed, but here's some fun info on my world. 

Please embrace my insane level of nostalgia. I can't do anything about it. 

Field Trip #1342852:

I love field trips. I love long bus rides, hot sunshine, long lectures, earbud buddies, disgusting sack lunches...all of it is suddenly so wonderful. This field trip in particular was oh so lovely. Not only did I have a site report on Masada, but it actually is an incredible site with an even better story. It stands today as a symbol for Israeli Independence...seriously, go wikipedia it. 

Along with our adventures in Qumran, Masada, and En Gedi, we swam in the Dead Sea. Yep, the Dead Sea. It is possibly going to be on of my future favorite fun facts about my life. Aghhh I love it. As for some fun statistics, the Dead Sea is 33% salinity. The ocean is 3.5% salinity. In other words, it was SOOOOOOO salty. It's not a rumor that you can just float around. There really is no other way to move. Swimming is practically impossible because if you get water in your mouth/eyes you may very well die (Well, it feels like death). Oh and of course, the rumors regarding the Dead Sea Mud being good for your skin....that's true too. My skin is still soft from a week ago. 

FIINISHED FINALS:

Guess what? I'm done with finals!!! Yes, completely finished. School is over for the semester. School is over for the next 20 months for that matter. Winter Semester 2015 baby! Mission field here I come!

We may have had a party that night after, and let me tell you...it was quite the party. Long story short, every boy came in costume. A few of the girls did just for fun, but every boy had specific assignments. We may have had the best runway show I have ever seen. Sometime it hits me how incredible the people are around me. I love them all so much. 

Mission Joy:

Say hello to the missionaries of the Jerusalem Center. Though this was taken a few days ago, it's actually out-dated! We have a new missionary...Miss Erika Larsen!!! Reporting to Tempe, Arizona. LOVE IT. Anyway, we officially have 20 missionaries out of the 81 students here. I loved the General Conference stat that there are 20,000 missionaries with their calls ready and waiting to enter the mission field. Words cannot express my excitement for going on a mission! Jacksonville Florida here I come.

President Uchtdorf:

Yes, President Uchtdorf came today. It was possibly one of the most incredible ways to end this experience. Not only did he speak in the Jerusalem District Conference, but he spoke at our study abroad's Last Supper reenactment. Hearing his testimony of our Savior, Jesus Christ, twice in one day was beyond incredible. 

Free Day #234981487:

This lovely day involved the following: graves at bottom of Kidron Valley Scavenger Hunt, Oskar Schindler's Grave,  a yummy pasta lunch, and three hours in the Holy Sepluchre with the darling Hannah. Love it. Oh so much. 

Garden Tomb:

After two days of field trips traveling around Jerusalem reliving Christ's last days, we ended up at the Garden Tomb, right where we started. We all bore our testimonies of our Savior and Redeemer and sang hymns. I wish I had the words to express all that I have learned from the past four months. I learned more than I could have ever expected. Once you go to Jerusalem, you are never the same. That I can swear. 

Tomorrow:

We are headed to the Dome of the Rock/the Western Wall one last time. We are going to adventure to the Terre Sancte church I missed, buy a few last minute purchases, and then spend the afternoon eating pastries and people watching in the Jewish quarter (Word to the wise: Jewish pastries are the BEST!). And then we are headed to the airport...

Goodbye shout out to these four darling girls. They have seriously changed my life. Hannah, Jessica, Lindee, and Swag are all sorts of darling and I love them with all my heart. Thanks for being my besties here in the Middle East. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.

OH BABY. I GET TO HUG MY FAMILY SOON. I CANNOT WAIT. I LOVE MY FAMILY. 

Goodbye blog. Love you all. Thanks for reading =)

My Galilee Photo Album

Galilee was with a doubt the best ten days of my entire Jerusalem Study Abroad experience. I wish I could bring all of you with me back to Galilee right this very second. Maybe if you scroll through the pictures really fast...it will feel like real life (or a really disjointed flip book). 

I came to Galilee with my top priority being spiritual growth, and let me tell you-I couldn't have imagined it any better. I sailed on the Sea of Galilee and had my own "Peace, Be Still" moment. I sat on the Mount of Beatitudes and read the Sermon on the Mount. I took more than 20 "selfie" photos with my best friends. I taught a Plan of Salvation missionary discussion with my "companion" along the Sea of Galilee and felt guided by the Spirit as I asked if the investigators I was teaching would be baptized (Yes, I was denied...but just you wait.) I learned how to cartwheel-shout out to Lindee Loo and Hanny. I wrote in my journal sitting on the beach about all the blessings in my life, only to look up an see a rainbow over the Sea of Galilee. I huddled in a crowded room praying that the internet would work well enough for us to watch a session of conference...and our prayers were answered. I fell so in love with President Eyrings talk. I talked for hours day after day to my favorite people swinging in hammocks. I bore my testimony in the Tiberias branch about the most simple and pure truth in my life: the existence of my Savior. I giggled like a 7th grader with my earbud-buddies during field trips as more and more receivers died and we were all forced to share. I fasted and received the extremely humbling answers to "What lack I yet?" like the man in Matthew chapter 19. I sat around a bonfire with 80 of my closest friends singing to Jason Mraz's "I Won't Give Up," eating smores, and taking polaroid photos. I studied my scriptures for four hours straight for the first time in my life. I watched more than enough Gilmore Girls with Swag by my side. I woke up early and ran along the edge of the Sea of Galilee and still had time to read my scriptures and eat breakfast (So excited for productive mornings on my mission). I stayed awake for every minute of my three hour New Testament classes because I made it such a priority to go to sleep early. I swam in the rocky Sea of Galilee and loved every minute of it. I read my mission call alongside the Sea of Galilee after reading the calling of the apostles from Christ (and luckily the rain helped me remember that I was going to be late for breakfast). When it gets down to it...I love Galilee more than any other place on earth.

Ready for my favorite photos?

Great...here are 43 haha. I don't have it in me to explain what each place is...but I'll throw in random comments along the way (maybe more than a few).

I am so eternally grateful that Swag caught this photo. I'm obsessed with touching water as the world knows and touching the Sea of Galilee was oh so divine.

Okay, these incredible people deserve a shout out. Erika broke her ankle in Eilat a few weeks ago, and these darling people were there every second helping her get to each of our field trip destinations. It was such a wonderful thing to witness. 

I'm eternally grateful for Hunter. He has taught me more about being a good missionary than anyone else. World's best fake investigator. 

Mount of Beatitudes

SHOUT OUT: I LOVE JESSICA. SO SO SO MUCH.

Harsh reality: This is what field trips really look like. 

Traditional site of the devils being cast into the swine. Quality re-enactment, don't ya think?

Bible photo shots for the win!

There were fish in this natural spring that ate your feet. Weirdest feeling of my entire life. Never again. 

Love story: Lizzie is in love with her boyfriend Dan. We were in the city of Dan. So naturally, she brought her pillowcase and made it her flag. Oh yes, she is the funniest/cutest girl in the world. 

Now, we didn't go to those countries...but we are CRAZY close to the border here. I had a mild panic attack of excitement. People shook their head initially when they saw what I was doing...and then suddenly everyone wanted the same photo. I'm not proud or anything. 

Seriously, I love selfies with Lindee Loo.

1948 War Bunkers on the border of Syria and Israel.

Traditional photo....yep, we are classy.

Moses' Seat of wickedness in Chorazin.

Mustard seed in Israel!!! I ate one!

Shout out to my darling old friend Juliet Anisa Norris. We made it to the Baha'i Temple and Gardens! They were exquisite. 

Waves came and NONE of us were expecting it. Especially Hanny.

Piggy-back races in a Hippodrome? We tied for first. Oh baby.

Goodbye beautiful Galilee. Oh how I love you.

Thanks for reading this whole thing. Love you all. But wait...guess what? I'M HOME IN 10 DAYS!!! Woot woot. So ready to squeeze the people I love oh so much.