Adventures in the Bible Land

Day 1 & 2 - June 21-22, 2008

2008-07-24T15:51:00.001-07:00

Today we started off our travels toward Egypt. It wasn't an easy venture though as we traveled for two days straight. We left Saturday morning and flew from Long Beach to JFK. When we got there we met up with some of the people in our group. We grabbed some food and then checked in with Air Paris, which wasn't easy either. Finally we got to our gate and then listened to music and stretched out our legs. Also we worked it so we could sit by each other.

We both took Nyquil to knock us out and it pretty much worked. The next morning we were in Paris and didn't have any time to enjoy anything and basically just boarded our next plane to Cairo. It took forever as we waited for everyones luggage...Monica's was the last one. We were a little nervous it didn't make it since we didn't see it, but it all worked out. We went to our hotel, had dinner, and went straight to bed. It wasn't the best two days of our lives, but we are glad to be here!

Day 3 - June 23, 2008

2008-07-24T15:21:00.000-07:00

We are in EGYPT! I can't believe that we are here. After two long days of flying we are here. We woke up and met up with Charlie and went to breakfast. We then had a short sacrament meeting and did introductions. Brother Gunnerson also talked to us about the Egyptian temples and how they are so similar to our temples today, but that they didn't have the proper authority. It was really intriguing to see how similar. Then we got on the bus and saw the city of Cairo. It wasn't as colorful as what Monica and I are used to seeing, but it looked pretty plain and impoverished. Then every so often you'd see this beautiful building.

Our first stop was the Mohammud Ali Mosque (no not the boxer). It's a place where the muslims worship. We had to take off our shoes to show respect and also Monica was too scandalous with her wardrobe and had to wear this awesome cape.

The Mosque itself was huge and very pretty with stain-glassed windows and mosaic ceilings.

There was also a really nice view of Cairo from the Mosque. This is only a small part of the city.

Then we went to the Cairo Museum where there were tons of ancient artifacts and the treasures of King Tut. It was awesome to see all the artifacts that were found in just his tomb. The way they found King Tut's tomb was pretty crazy. Some photographer guy was taking pictures and his tripod got stuck in a hole. When he pulled some rocks out he could see that below were stairs. Those stairs led to the tomb of King Tut. We couldn't take any photos inside so sorry nothing to show.

We then had lunch on the Nile River. We were kind of grossed out that we were eating by a bacteria infested river. We made othe best of it and enjoyed being in the shade with a breeze.

We then went to a jewelry shop where Monica got a cartouch necklace. Charlie and I settled for cool Egyptian display plates.

Then that night we flew to Luxor and the best part was Monica and I were in 1st class! When we got on Gabriel, our guide was sitting in the first seat and so we gave him a hard time about being in 1st class and then Monica told me we were sitting right behind him. We were stoked! Too bad it was only an hour flight, but we were served a meal with unlimited drinks and had big, comfy seats with awesome remotes and games to play. Our group pretty much hates us since we got hooked up. Apparently all the coach seats were filled so we got bumped. It was awesome. Charlie was pretty bitter and said that not only did they not eat that they threw water at him. We even got hot towels! We were living the dream!

We got to our hotel and after dinner went for a walk at a nearby marketplace. Since Charlie still didn't have his luggage we went shopping for a shirt. As we walked down this aisle of markets, we soon realized it didn't take much to excite the Egyptian men. They thought Monica and I were both the wives of Charlie, who of course was loving it. They even said they would give him two Egyptian women for one of us. He almost made the trade! This one guy even yelled "I'm double 0 7." We weren't quite sure why he said that, but it was quite entertaining for us. Then we went back to our hotel and tried to sleep on our really hard beds.

Day 4 - June 24, 2008

2008-07-24T14:44:00.001-07:00

We woke up pretty early this morning because our beds were as hard as a rock. I honestly don't think I moved the entire night. At least our room has a view of the Nile River. We got ready for the longest day of our lives.

This morning we headed to the Valley of the Kings, where many kings and nobles were buried. It was HOT, HOT, HOT! However we enjoyed looking at the tombs, which were very similar with hieroglyphics on the walls that were so detailed and beautiful. Charlie and Monica got some illegal pictures! The most exciting was to see King Tut's tomb and we actually saw his mummified body. He was only like 18 or 19 when he died, but he was a short man. It was cool to see his inner case that he was buried in since we already saw all his treasures yesterday.

We also were able to go visit Pit Tomb 33, which is where the papyrus scrolls of Abraham are believed to have come from. It was pretty sweet to see all this history and feel apart of it. Then we went to an alabaster store. They showed us how to make it and it definitely takes a lot of work. We went inside and had a demonstration. Charlie, Monica and I got hooked up on a pretty sweet deal since Gabriel set it up.

We then took a little boat ride over the Nile River and had lunch. The boat ride was pretty fast because the Nile really isn't that wide. It is cool that is runs from south to north.

Then we visited the Temples of Karnak and Luxor. Again the architecture and detail just blew us away. The sad part is the cities today look pretty ghetto and if their ancestors built so many amazing structures, what's up with them?

The fact that the people built these detailed statues and temples in the heat without shade or clean water is just remarkable. Here's a statue of Ramses and his son and of course Monica and me.

We then went to a Papyrus factory and they taught us how to make the paper. Then they showed us the complicated craftiness and artwork that goes into making it gorgeous. We had fun purchasing gifts and also the Facsimile from the Book of Abraham.

After a long day of heat and sweat, we took a not so comfortable buggy ride throughout the city. It would have been comfy except for they shoved four of us in a spot for two or three. Anyway it was still fun and we enjoyed seeing the sights. We ended at our favorite marketplace we had found the night before. Then we went back to our hotel and packed up our stuff.

Just when we thought the night was almost over, it wasn't. We had to fly back to Cairo tonight! Our flight wasn't until 11pm so we spent a lot of time at the airport. Charlie almost died!

We finally got back to our hotel and went straight to bed. It was needed since it was like 1am.

Day 5 - June 25, 2008

2008-07-24T13:56:00.000-07:00

Today was the best day ever! It was Monica's birthday so that was part of why it was so fabulous.

The morning bus ride even included a lap dance and a little song for Monica in different languages. And she just thought she was giving a spiritual thought...but she got much more!

The morning started off with going to the Giza Pyramids, one of the seven wonders of the world. Normally only the first 200 people that come to the pyramid get to actually go inside, but thanks to our amazing guide Gabriel, we were able to go inside. Now we were a little nervous because right before we went in, Brother Gunnerson decides to tell us that we will be grabbed by other people and to be careful with our purses. Also if you get claustrophobic to be careful because it's really small and you even crawl on your hands and knees at one point! Monica and I were nervous because we're both claustrophobic and don't enjoy being grabbed. However once we got in we were the only ones in there and it wasn't that confined of a space. It reminded me a little of Matterhorn at Disneyland. We walked into a cave and then went up this steep incline that seemed like forever. Then we walked through some more and at points had to bend down to fit, but it wasn't bad at all. The best part, which was a Monica's request, we sang "I Am a Child of God." It was beautiful and we sounded amazing because of the acoustics. Watch out Mormon Tabernacle Choir! Then we went and took pictures sitting on camels with the pyramids in the background. It was pretty awesome!

Then we went down the hill a little bit to visit the Sphinx. It was so cool. It's the largest monolith in the world, meaning that it was made out of a single massive stone or rock. It was just amazing to look at it and know that someone made that thousands of years ago. When we got closer to it, we took more pictures and some guy named Mohammud tried to be friends with Charlie and wanted him to try on some hat, so he did and then Mohammud tried to take off with my camera, but our hot GQ bodyguard protected us and there was no problem at all!

Something important to learn is that in Egypt nothing is free even if they tell you it's free! Good thing we had a hot bodyguard, who by the way is the only attractive man in Egypt, since those men are not blessed with good looks! The only flaw our man had was a nasty long pinky fingernail (druggy) and yellow teeth. Monica and I figured those things could be changed. When we took this picture I guess we kind of touched his gun and he was like "No gun." But I told him "Don't worry baby we're not after your gun."

The rest of the day was spent in Memphis, the capital city; the Step Pyramids; and Saqquara. We checked out some cool statues and one of Ramses that had different cartouches on it. Then we headed off to eat lunch, which for once was amazing. As we got off the bus they started playing music and so Monica and I danced with them. Gabriel tried to have the men dance with Monica since it was her birthday, but they didn't understand, but did get closer! Lunch was chicken kabobs with fries and fresh pita bread and different types of humus. It was delicious! It was by far the best food in Egypt!

When we got back to Cairo, Gabriel took us on a fast tour of the city streets that are filled with vendors of all kinds. It was so fun to see and feel apart of the culture. The men of course were hilarious with their pick up lines. One yelled out Spice Girls, which I'm sure was for Monica. Some guy walked in front of me and said "You dropped something. It was my heart!" They sure know how to talk to a lady! It was pretty entertaining. It was fun to walk the city streets. Then we said goodbye to our wonderful guide Gabriel who really did hook us up. He paid off a lot of people to get us in and out of places; he worked deals on souvenirs; and he loved us by calling us Holy Family and Mormons. We sang "God Be With You Til We Meet Again." We will miss him and his awesome Egyptian ringtone!

Day 6 - June 26, 2008

2008-07-24T10:11:00.000-07:00

This morning was hilarious. We were both asleep and I was freezing from the air conditioning. It felt like really early in the morning and all the sudden we hear our door open and some guy saying hello. Well I rolled over to look, but didn't see anything. After he left, Monica got up and looked out the door. Then she got back in bed and told me it was like 5am! So then we were like what the heck, why is someone coming in our room? We layed there for like another hour and then we got our wakeup call. The funny thing was our wakeup call was at 10am so we thought it was way early, but it wasn't it was 10am and we slept the entire time. It was crazy. Then Charlie tried to convince us that he called our room as well as came and knocked on our door. We didn't believe him!

Today was a travel day. Our destination was St. Catherines Monastery, which is at the foot of Mount Sinai. The bus ride was pretty much torture since it was like six hours. We killed time by talking, sleeping, eating snacks, and listening to music. Our favorite stop of the day was to get a Magnum ice cream bar, which are the most amazing ever!

It wasn't until the end of the bus ride that Brother Gunnerson mentioned how they normally fly to our destination to make it faster, but he thought a six hour bus ride of nothing but desert would enlighten us and give us a visual picture of what Moses went through. We seriously almost kicked him off the bus. Then later we could tell that the trip was taking a toll on him as well when he started getting really excited about one tree. He pointed out that it was the only tree around and then we started seeing more and he was pretty bummed out. But they were very pretty acacia trees.

Finally we got to our hotel...well if that's what you want to call it. Monica and I felt very watched as we walked the runway to our room. This place is in the middle of nowhere, but it was creepy as all the Egyptian men were lined up watching us. Anyway we were a little scared we might be taken advantage of during the night since our door didn't lock. We ate a disgusting dinner and then sat by the beautiful pool and talked to our guide Amad. He told us about his courtship and customs of his religion. It was really interesting.

Then we headed off to bed. I wasn't feeling very good as we walked to the room and shortly after realized I had vertigo. It's not a fun thing to have ever, but especially since we were going to hike Mount Sinai the next day. I asked for a blessing and it was an awesome experience as Charlie and Brother Gunnerson blessed me. Monica and I said a prayer together and then tried to sleep since tomorrow is going to be a long day.

Day 7 - June 27, 2008

2008-07-21T21:48:00.000-07:00

Today we had a wake up call at 1am. Monica and I were just grateful we had slept for three hours and weren't molested by the Egyptian men that worked there. They were creepy and our door didn't lock. It barely shut. Anyway I was still struggling with vertigo, but wasn't going to miss this hike. We were offered hot cocoa for breakfast, but we passed. We really had no idea what we were about to do. Our bus drove us to a place where we could get the camels. Even then we walked for awhile in the dark. As we squinted our eyes we could see camels all over. As we stood in line, an Egyptian man would grab us by the hand and lead us to our camel. As soon as I got on the camel I was no longer dizzy. It was definitely a test of faith. It was so dark I couldn't see anyone from the group and talked to random people along the way. Finally I ran into Charlie, but then we passed him. I saw Monica at one point too. After passing them it was me and some older gentleman from South Africa and our guide. My camel's name was Whiskey. I thought he might be drunk at times because he liked to walk right on the edge on the mountain path. This too was a test of faith. Eventually I learned to trust that camel and I loved him for getting me up that mountain safely. Monica made a new BFF named Sala who was her camel guide. She was in good hands up the mountain as well. As for Charlie, he got stuck with a loser camel guide. Eventually we all made it up and then waited for the rest of our group. Then we climbed the rest of the way up 750 steps. It was almost straight up and those weren't exactly what I'd call steps, but thanks to Sala (Monica's camel guide) he helped us up. He carried my backpack and held our hands and pulled us up that mountain. Don't feel bad for him, he got a thrill holding our hands! Finally at the top we rested and watched the most amazing sunrise. Now we understand why Moses stayed up there for forty days. It is beautiful!

We were glad that we took the camel ride and enjoyed the view and the vastness of the mountain range. We did feel sick by the people smoking weed and got tired of hearing the word "Columbia" yelled in the darkness of the hike, but we survived all things.

After appreciating God's creations, it was time to go down the mountain. Monica and I quickly got down the steps and from there pretty much ran down the rest of the mountain. We were the first ones back and even beat the bus. We then waited for the rest of our group and waited as several sick people made it down. We were so grateful we weren't one of those. The good Lord blessed us. After everyone made it down we headed back to our hotel, excited to eat since we were starving. However, we were disgusted at the food that had been sitting out for hours. We forced some food down and then packed to leave. I won't go into the luggage sitting outside the bus story, but let's say some people don't have common sense. Then we drove to the border. It wasn't bad leaving Egypt, but it wasn't heaven entering Israel. We sat in the hot sun and sweated for over two hours. We were tired and hungry and some were cranky. The girls that worked there were so rude and harassed us until Brother Gunnerson yelled at them and asked why we were being treated this way. Finally after getting through a gruesome experience we had the chance to go snorkeling in the Red Sea. Only a handful of us went since we'd had a long day, but it was worth it. The water was cool and refreshing. We were able to swim around the reef and see all sorts of colorful and big fish. The coolest part was when a white eel and a stingray swam directly underneath Monica and me! It was sweet.

Then we went back to our hotel, which was the sweetest hotel we stayed at. It's called the Neptune and it's very modern. We were stoked about it and quickly showered and ate the best food we had tasted in days. We ate a lot that night and were ready to party like rock stars, but we made the mistake of trying out the beds. By 9pm we were out! But mind you we'd been up for 20 hours, hiked a mountain, and snorkeled in the Red Sea. It was a busy day!

Most of you are probably very jealous of what we've done so far, but the best is yet to come!

Day 8 - June 28, 2008

2008-07-18T10:59:00.001-07:00

We woke up feeling somewhat rested, but a little sore from all the hiking yesterday. Our morning adventure took us to Petra, which is a city that was built into the rock. It was so awesome to see the amazing architecture and complexity of each building. Of course this is also famous because of Indiana Jones. In fact our guide even played the music as we turned the corner to see the Treasury, which is the building below.

We walked through quite a bit of the city and were continually amazed at the beautiful city. The color of the rock was even gorgeous, which Monica and I show you with our Vanna White skills down below.

It was another hot, long day and I honestly thought we would die walking back to the bus. Fortunately we made it and went to our hotel, which was really nice and authentic looking. Our room was pretty sweet too.

We decided to go swimming since we were sweating to the oldies. As we were getting ready the bellhop brought our luggage and kept wanting to take me to the Turkish Bath. I wasn't even sure what it was, but I wasn't going to find out alone. On our way down to the pool we saw him again and he even remembered our room number. Kinda creepy! Again he was all about the Turkish Bath so we let him show us quickly and all we saw were two old, sweaty, creepy men smoking. If that was who was gonna rub us down, we were not for it. So we went swimming and it was kind of cold...then again I'm a sucker for the cold. Monica and Charlie jumped right in. Basically it wasn't too bad once you got in, but you had to keep moving otherwise you were freezing. It ended up being a cool missionary moment as we talked to a school teacher from Santa Barbara. She asked all sorts of questions and even told us that her computer assistant was LDS and that from his example several kids joined the church! It was really cool. Then we had dinner, which was pretty good and emailed our families. Then we played cards with some people in our group. It was a good day.

Day 9 - June 29, 2008

2008-07-18T10:27:00.000-07:00

Well today is the Sabbath, even though it doesn't feel like it. After breakfast we took off and headed for Mount Nebo to see the view of the promise land that Moses had. It was pretty hazy so we couldn't see much, but apparently we were supposed to see the Dead Sea, the Jordan River and Jericho.

Today is a travel day and so Monica and I rocked out to some music on her mom's IPOD shuffle. So big shout out to Mama! We enjoyed interpretive dance and karoke throughout today's bus ride. We had to go through another border station, but it only took us an hour and a half. After the border check, our guide told us that our bus driver was having problems with the gears but we were still moving...uphill without him doing anything. Then randomly it was fine. Not soon after as we turned a corner I saw a car overturned and gasped. I quickly pointed out what I saw. The bus stopped and we saw a man on the driver side crawl out. The wheels on the car were still turning so we knew that it had just happened. Our guide quickly ran out to help them. They were able to pull the other gentleman out and then flipped the car over. It ended up being policemen that took the curve in the road too fast. It was crazy, but then made us think maybe that's why our bus shut down for a little bit. The craziest thing was nobody was hurt except the car. God works miracles people.

After that we came into Israel and met our new guide Roli, who is super cute. She is from India but has lived in Jerusalem for twenty years and is very knowledgable on everything! Our first stop was Bet Shean which is an ancient Roman city. It was really interesting.

Then we went to our hotel and ate dinner. We are staying at a kibbutz so it's more like dorm rooms than a hotel, but it's nice. Charlie, Monica and I took a nice walk out to the Sea of Galilee and man is it humid here. We walked to the end of the pier and then were attacked by thousands of bugs so we left and called it a night.

Day 10 - June 30, 2008

2008-07-18T09:36:00.000-07:00

Today was our first full day in Galilee and we woke up early to have our sacrament meeting on the lawn area. Monica and I were the only faithful ones who came on time and helped Brother Gunnerson set up. Dave shared Elder McConkies last talk with the group, which is always uplifting. Then we left for Mount Tabor, which is the Mount of Transfiguration where Moses and Elias appeared to Jesus, Peter, James and John and where they beheld the full glory of our Savior and became Special Witnesses of Him. There was a Catholic church to commemorate that experience.

Then we traveled to Nazareth, which we were really excited about. Obviously it has changed since the time of our Savior, but they try to give you an idea of what it was like with people dressed up and doing things they would have done back then. A man was using his donkey to separate the wheat from the chaff; they had a wine press; shepards looking after their flock; and a synagogue similar to the one where Jesus would have read the famous Isaiah scripture and then stated "This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." (Isaiah 61:1-2) At the end of the tour we got an oil lamp to remind us to be prepared when the Lord comes again.

Then we ate lunch, which was falafel (a pita bread filled with fried garbanzo balls). This was our first experience eating it and it wasn't too bad. You had different salads and sauces to choose from to add to your falafel. Then we continued onto Tel Megiddo aka Armageddon. We didn't spend much time there, but it was neat to see the place.

Then we headed off to Caesarea where we looked at the ruins. It was huge and very beautiful. In fact this is where the chariot race from Ben Hur was shot. I knew my dad would like that. There was also a stone with Pontius Pilates name to prove that he existed. We also stopped to look at an ancient aquaduct that carried water to Caesarea.

Our next stop was Haifa, which we visited so we could swim in the Mediterranean Sea. We were so excited and quickly changed and walked out to the water, which was so warm. We had only been in for about 5-10mins when we all discovered that our legs were stinging. I didn't really think about it until my thumb starting hurting too. Then our friend Lyndee came running past us screaming "JELLYFISH!" Monica and I got out and started comparing the wounds. It wasn't too bad but we did have several on our legs and I had two on my thumb. I mean really who stings a thumb! Then there's Charlie who out frolicking in the waves. Apparently he didn't hear whoever told him about the jellyfish. So he played for about twenty more minutes. Needless to say he was stung all over. We were bummed that our swimming experience was so short and painful, but it sure makes for a great story. We probably should have been more observant since nobody else was in the water and the lifeguard yelled at us in Hebrew.

Our last stop of the day was visiting a cementary where some of the first members and missionaries of the church are buried. Then it was back to our hotel for dinner, relaxation, and of course some VH-1 Countdowns.

Day 11 - July 1, 2008

2008-07-15T10:18:00.000-07:00

We started off our beautiful, humid morning by learning about the Jesus boat. It is a boat that was discovered in the mud in the Sea of Galilee and dates back to the time of Jesus (hence the name Jesus boat). It was quite the task to preserve the boat and actually get it out of the mud without destroying it. The boat had to be wet at all times otherwise the wood would dry out and crack. Before they could move it they had to cover the boat with polyurethane foam so it didn't fall apart. It was a cool story. The boat was on display and looked amazing.

Then we took a fun filled boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. It was mostly to help us learn the geography better so we knew where the Savior spent his time while in Galilee, but we also had fun since they played music. Once again our friend Lyndee stole the show with an exotic dance filled with clogging, riverdance, and russian folk dance moves. The video is down below. Of course there was a spiritual part with the reading of Jesus walking on water and also when he calmed the seas. We also sang some hymns.

We then took a trip to the Mount of Beatitudes. This was an amazing experience as we read the Sermon on the Mount from the scriptures and discussed in detail the beatitudes. Then there was time for testimonies and we were blessed to hear from Monica and Lyndee. The Mount was beautiful with gardens and a Catholic church on the grounds.

We continued on by visiting Capernaum, which is also where Peter and his mother-in-law lived. There was also a synagogue on the ruins that is believed to be a place where the Savior taught the people. We stopped for lunch and got schnitzel, which I enjoyed the most because it's like fried chicken. However, Monica and I were both over fried food. We enjoyed a Magnum bar since they were cheaper and savored every bite.

Then we visited the Banias waterfall, which is the biggest in all of Israel. Apparently this is the Jordan River in motion.

We went back to our hotel where we avoided the watermelon bust since Charlie and Monica hate it and I've had my fill since we've been here. However we got stuck into going and I had to eat some. Then Monica and I went for a swim in the pool, which was like a warm bath. After that we went and changed and prepared for dinner. We spent the rest of the night playing card games with Lyndee and some others and you know it watching our favorite countdowns on VH-1.

Day 12 - July 2, 2008

2008-07-15T09:49:00.000-07:00

The morning started off with a quick tour of the kibbutz that was next to our hotel. It was interesting to learn that a kibbutz is several families that live together and share everything. They don't own anything because it belongs to everyone. There are elected officials that make the decisions on behalf of everyone. It was educational to learn about their lifestyles. Then we headed off excited for a day of....driving. :(

It was hard to leave the Sea of Galilee behind, but with Jerusalem on our minds we were willing to go. Our first rest stop also had a marker to show that this was the lowest place on earth even though on the marker it looks like birth instead of earth.

Then we continued onto Masada, which was such an intriguing story. The short version is that this was once the palace of Herod the Great. In later years the zealots, a group of Jews, hid here to escape from the Romans. However, the Romans didn't give up and surrounded the mountain and for three years built a ramp up to the mountain. When the Romans arrived at the top they found that the people had committed suicide, which is completely against the Jewish beliefs. It was pretty insane to walk the grounds and learn about the story. We ate lunch and bought some Dead Sea skin products.

After Masada, we visited the place where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Then we headed over to the Dead Sea to float around. It was quite the experience. First we had to change into our swimsuits, which was an adventure. The bathrooms were small and hard to move around in. Did I mention it was hot? Monica and I were sweating to the oldies just in the changing room! Finally we went down to the water and struggled trying to get in as the mud sucks you in like quicksand. We quickly realized the way to get it was just lay down since you'll float and then move your way to deeper waters. We had fun floating around, running in water and trying not to get the water in our eyes. Then we covered ourselves in mud...what else would you do? As we waited for the mud to dry, Monica grabbed a handful of mud from a bucket that didn't belong to her and she got busted, but it was worth it. We rinsed off and went back to our sweaty changing rooms.

After all the fun we drove to Jerusalem. As we approached excitement filled the bus with our first look at the city. As we came out of a tunnel the first thing that stood out was the Dome of the Rock. It is a beautiful city and we can't wait to see more of it. We made a quick stop at Jimmy's Bazaar, who sells olive wood figurines and nativities. Then we went to our hotel the Olive Tree Hotel. We ate dinner, which was fabulous. Then settled in for the night.

Day 13 - July 3, 2008

2008-07-15T09:17:00.000-07:00

Today was a day of walking...lots of walking. We walked the entire city of Jerusalem...well the old city that is. It was worth it to see all the amazing sights in just a few hours. We started off at a Muslim mosque, the western or wailing wall, and the Dome of the Rock (the building with a golden dome). Before we took a group picture, our friend Lyndee spiced things up. There was a group of policemen sitting in the shade and she asked if she could take a picture with them. So she goes to sit down and squeezes in between two of the men. They liked that and even let her wear one of their hats. It was hilarious. Then of course everyone else wanted to do it so we waited until everyone had their turn. Monica and I didn't have the desire to join in since the men were not good looking!

We continued on to Via Dolorosa (where the Savior carried his cross), Lion’s Gate (where the apostle Stephen was stoned), the Pool of Bethesda, St. Anne’s church (where Sara sang a beautiful solo and we sang some hymns), and just outside the Old City, the upper room (one of three possibilities) at Mt. Zion. The city is wonderful with the mazes of streets where vendors are everywhere you go.

After a long, hot day of walking what else would you do but walk in Hezekiah's tunnel. It's a tunnel that was built back in 8th century BC. As you can tell you walk in cold, refreshing water. We needed flashlights to help us walk through the dark tunnel, but it was so much fun. When we first got in that was the deep part and the water went up just a little past our knees. Everyone really enjoyed our journey through the tunnel and we sang silly songs. Overall we didn't have much room, but the mystery of what was next was fun.

Again the rest of the day ended with dinner, shopping and you guessed it VH-1 countdowns!

Day 14 - July 4, 2008

2008-07-15T08:32:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July! Not that it felt like it, but it did make us appreciate our free country much more. This morning we had the chance to go to the BYU Jerusalem Center for a tour. The tour started off with watching a movie that is shown to all visitors. Basically it's a quick overview of the center without mentioning the church too much since it's a sensitive subject. Afterwards we went into the chapel area and listened to various pieces on their super expensive organ. It was pretty sweet to listen to the music while looking out on Jerusalem. Then we walked around the gardens that consisted of vegetation that existed in biblical times. The students even get to do the wine press when the grapes are ripe.

We ventured off to our next destination, the Israel Museum. They had a huge model of the city of Jerusalem so you could understand where the walled city was compared to everything else. Our main reason for going to the museum was to see the Isaiah scrolls that hadn't been on display for over twenty years. It was pretty awesome to see them and know that they were over 2,000 years old. After the museum we continued on to another one, the Holocaust Museum. We only had an hour to walk through it, which was fine for Monica and I since we spent five hours at the one in Washington D.C. It definitely touched the heart of everyone that walked through it. It gave us deeper understanding and stronger appreciation for the Lord in our lives.

Our next stop was Bethlehem was our dear Savior was born. However once we got there, it felt like the battle of the churches and not a sacred place. All the churches want to claim that they know where the Savior was born. So we visited a couple of churches and one had an ornate altar with a star that people were kissing. To me it didn't feel sacred. I personally felt sad that this is what people had done to celebrate the birth of the Savior. Monica reminded me that this is the only way they know. Then we thought it'd be fun to go to McDonalds to celebrate the 4th, but because it was Friday everything in the Jewish quarter shuts down for the Sabbath and that's where the McDonalds was. So guess what we ate...falafel or shawerma. Not gonna lie, it was disgusting.

After visiting another store to shop in, we went on an interesting hike that led us to a rocky area on the top of a hill. It overlooked a valley that is a sheppards field. We read about the birth of our Lord in Matthew and Luke and sang Christmas songs. It was a neat moment.

We added one last stop of the day, which was at the wailing wall. This was our second time to see it, but today was different as the Jewish people were welcoming in the Sabbath. There was lots of singing and dancing. People also write notes on paper and put them in the cracks of the wall and pray that God will grant them their wish. It reminded us of the prayer roll at the temple. As people put in their notes they back away from the wall without turning their back on the wall to symbolize they won't turn their backs on the Lord. I found it very interesting and cool. I made Charlie wear his yamaka to fit it and they invited him to join their dancing, but he politely refused.

The rest of our evening included dinner at our hotel, shopping, watching VH-1 Countdowns and going to bed.

Day 15 - July 5, 2008

2008-07-14T09:48:00.000-07:00

Well we've almost reached the end of the trip, but today by far was the best. Today we started off the morning by going to an outlook point to take a picture overlooking the Holy City of Jerusalem. Then we headed over to the Garden of Gethsemane, which was a small grove of olive trees. It was very peaceful and reverant despite a busy street and a Catholic church next to it. There was a beautiful spirit there and we had time to reflect on the sacrifice of our beloved Savior. We continued our spiritual journey by going to the Orson Hyde Memorial Gardens, where Brother Gunnerson shared a few thought with us. There was also time for testimonies. Charlie and Kari took this opportunity to share their feelings about the Savior and the people of Jerusalem. Then we had the chance to stroll through the gardens at our own pace. Monica and I took the opportunity to sing hymns to reflect on our Savior and our testimonies of Him.

Then we quickly rushed up to the BYU Jerusalem Center for church (yes they have it on Saturday morning). We were late, but Monica and I said a prayer in our hearts that we wouldn't miss the sacrament. Fortunately, we were able to partake and felt very blessed. It was so exciting to have sacrament meeting there because you can see the city of Jerusalem as you listen to the testimonies of faithful saints. I also saw Rusty, Cora's brother which was really nice to see a familiar face in a foreign land. As usual we were in a rush to leave and headed off to Bethany to check out Lazarus' tomb. This was pretty cool to walk down steep steps and almost crawl into the tomb. After this we headed off to lunch which was falafel. I was over it so decided to not eat, but Monica was brave and went in for it. We had fun talking with friends and then continued on to the best part of the entire trip, the Garden Tomb.

As soon as we came to the Garden Tomb there was something different about the place. It wasn't noisy, overly decorated, made into a Catholic church, and wasn't a tourist trap. It was like a garden with beautiful flowers and trees and most importantly it was peaceful and you could feel the Spirit. One of the reasons why it's like that is because the British own it and want it to be a spiritual experience. A sweet British man talked to us about the Savior and bore a strong testimony of Him and his sacrifice for each one of us. He gave us pretty strong evidence of why this could be the place. We know it was in a garden next to Golgotha or the place of the Skull outside a city gate. This was an ancient garden, right outside Damascus gate, and next to the small mound that looks like a skull. Crucifixions always took place along a major road and here the main road leading to Jericho runs parallel to the garden. We know Joseph of Arimathea was a rich man whose tomb would have been large and spacious. This is the only tomb of it’s grandeur our guide has seen. Also, when Mary entered the tomb, Mark writes that she entered and looked to the right. This tomb has the mourner’s room right as you walk in and the place to lay the bodies is unusually to the right instead of straight ahead. There are two places to lay bodies. One has an extra alcove carved at the base of the bed to make more room for someone’s feet. The other bed has never been used or completed, showing that this is a new tomb. Many facts point to this tomb. The spirit was overwhelming and testified that this was the place. My favorite part was when the guide said that whether this is the place or not it doesn't matter, but what does is that He isn't here for He has risen and He lives. We took time to go inside the tomb and reflect on our Redeemer. We then had another testimony meeting and sang hymns. This by far was the best site of the trip.

Afterwards a group of us headed to the old city to shop. We were adventurous because we had no guide! It was fun going through the maze of streets. Lyndee, our only friend on the trip, came with us and it was a memorable experience. We headed back to the hotel for dinner, an awards ceremony, and packing parties while watching VH-1 Countdowns of course.

We've enjoyed every bit of this journey especially the spiritual sites. We look forward to coming home and sharing more of our testimonies with you about this amazing experience.

Day 16 - July 6, 2008

2008-07-11T13:30:00.000-07:00

It's just not natural to wake up at 3am. We quickly packed and ate breakfast, which was juice and a roll. Let's face it we both felt nauseous and forced it down. Honestly I don't remember much of the bus ride except I was freezing from Eddie the bus driver who had the air going like crazy. However, we love Eddie too much to complain. We arrived at the airport in record time with Eddie driving. As usual a guard came on the bus with his enormous gun slung over his back. It still freaks us out just because they are so casual with it. Monica and I just hoped that they didn't accidentally shoot our foots off.

We went through security checks and fortunately I didn't have my luggage checked. Monica wasn't as fortunate. We quickly went through the other fifty checks...well it felt like it. Then we headed for one place we thought we'd never crave...McDonalds. I had to be a little dramatic to get some breakfast at 6:30am since the menu was nothing but hamburgers! We ate a disgusting egg bagel and went to our gate. We flew from Tel Aviv to Paris and the flight wasn't too bad from what I remember.

We had a four hour layover in Paris so Monica and I spent our time walking to get some exercise. We found these awesome recliners to sleep in at the end of the terminal. So we stretched out and talked, ate some nasty, expensive food and finally returned to the group. This flight seemed neverending. Monica and I were on aisles next to each other so I didn't feel comfortable sleeping without her by my side...if you knew our tour group you'd feel the same. So I was tortured by being exhausted but forced myself to stay awake. I killed time by playing Who Wants to be a Millionaire, which is addicting by the way. Monica preferred Solitaire. Finally we arrived in New York and prepared for our last flight. We quickly said goodbyes to our group, which wasn't hard since we only had a few friends.

By the time we took our last flight we were so out of it. We had been up since 3am and with the time changes were going back in time. It was a weird experience. Our flight was late taking off and with Monica by my side I fell asleep before takeoff. This was the most brutal of all the flights since we had been up for like thirty hours or something ridiculous. We pretty much slept during this flight, but were able to look out and see the beautiful stars in the sky before we approached LAX. A big shout out to Mikey and Amber for picking us up at midnight! We are home and safe. We loved every experience during the trip especially that it brought us closer to the Savior!