Jerusalem Misses Molly...

Interviews: done and done

2010-03-29T17:49:00.000-07:00

Yay! My papers have been submitted! With General Conference going on this weekend it may be a little longer than usual, so I expect a call within two or three weeks!

Papers

2010-02-13T01:02:00.000-08:00

I know that this blog has technically drawn to a close since my Middle Eastern adventures are over...if you don't count the occasional dreams about the Holy Land from which I awake, teary-eyed and down-hearted. BUT the other adventures that life has to bring in this little tiny town in South-Eastern Idaho may still be worth blogging about, specifically the ones relating to my MISSION! That's right folks, I'm going.

My papers are 86.3% complete (give or take an immunization or two) and I will tell you as soon as they are officially submitted. In the mean time, Mom gave the kitchen bulletin board a make-over and it is now serving as a "Guess Where Molly Will Be Serving" prediction map. The only continents left empty are Africa and Antarctica. If you have a prediction feel free to chime in and I'll put a pin up with your name on it. I have my own inklings and of course I must emphasize that this sort of game is all in good spirits of excitement and anticipation but I know too well that the Lord has a specific place in mind and he has been preparing me for that place my whole life. I cannot wait!

Besides the mission developments, school is both fanatical and fantastical. I am very busy as both full time student and a part-time employee. I love music more than ever and have found it deeply fulfilling this semester after having discovered my song in the Holy Land. How sweet it is to sing once it is found! I continue to love the Lord and am astounded at His blessings which seem to perpetuate in my life at almost an alarming rate. As I feel His love for me more deeply I begin to see also how much He loves others. It is through this small, daily epiphanies that I am blanketed with confidence that a mission is the right direction for my life right now.

Hurrah for Israel!

Home again...sort of

2009-12-20T17:34:00.000-08:00

Well I'm safely on the American continent! I arrived in Salt Lake City after 32 hours of travelling to get one night's sleep and drive off to Mexico!! It's gorgeous here.

My family and I are staying in Guaymas for a week to do humanitarian work over Christmas! So far it has been lovely. We went to church today and felt an abundance of the Spirit despite the language barrier. Sweet people.

I miss Jerusalem terribly and mostly my peeps. Good to be distracted but sad to have no phone service!! I tell you what. You live with the same 80 people for four months and suddenly don't see them EVER. I'm having withdrawals. The only way to solve that will be to really get to work tomorrow!

Onwards and upwards!

Over and out.

starting line

2009-12-15T22:30:00.000-08:00

I am so full of emotion. Today is my last in Jerusalem and I feel like a rose that is being picked as a bud. I've grown so much here and I know that I have used every minute the best I could but goodness: four months is just not long enough! My mind is flooded with memories of the friends I've made and the lessons I have learned. They are innumerous. One of my dear friends, Taufik, runs a shewarma shop. As we visited him to bid him goodbye he spoke to us of the power of the human mind. He promised us that we will be able to recall every detail of our experiences here if we meditate upon them carefully. I hope to do exactly that and maybe my mind will blossom into maturity and real understanding of the things I experienced.

Everyone around the center has referred to this week as the last leg of the race but on the contrary I feel like I am standing on the starting line of a 5K for high school cross country. I have a pit in my stomach and every particle of my will is directed against the urge to run and hide in the bus. But there is also an excitement. I've been training here for almost four months and though I am nervous I will throw my entire being into the longest race of all: real life.

As I feel so weak I am reminded of the parable of the mustard seed given by Jesus Christ:

"Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof." Matt 13:31-32

We are so small and insignificant by ourselves but Christ is the light and the life. He has a nice plot of dirt, lots of water and plenty of sunshine. It a beautiful sybiotic relationship because we are nothing without him but he cannot grow a tree without us! He is waiting to plant us and nourish us and if we trust in him we will become something better than our wildest dreams.

There is a short video of my Grandpa Madsen's life and it starts out with his voice,"What you are is so much greater than anything you have yet done; it is incredible. And most of your problems arise not from overemphasizing that but from underestimating it. If you have not yet absorbed a sense of mission you had better open up your pores." Everytime I hear these words, which is many times while I have been here, I feel in my heart that it is true. Heavenly Father has BIG plans for his children. Each one has the potential to be great and if we look to Christ he will enable us to reach that potential.

I know God loves his children with an overwhelming, cosmic-blasting love. I get little tastes of it each day through my experiences. I know that though I am leaving is beautiful, sacred land behind, this love will remain in my heart. I know that my Redeemer lives and even know he speaks peace to my soul and I have the conviction to carry on in joy and faith!

Runners on your mark. Get set. Bang!

Two days as Princess Basma's

2009-12-11T04:29:00.000-08:00

I've spent time the last two days at Princess Basma's Hospital for Disabled Children. Brooklyn, Teren, LeAnna and Tara are painting a mural on one of the walls and I went along to play violin for the children. They loved it! Arab children simply are not exposed to Western music or instruments in general and every one that I have played for is hungry for it! They all want to touch my violin after and hear different sounds that I can make. It fascinates them. The class I played for on Wednesday is full of kids with impaired hearing. None of them are completely deaf and they teach them how to function in the world without sign language. I tried to play really loud. I think I got through to them : )

Brooklyn and Teren painting the mural.

This is Fatima. She loved looking at the music notes. I don't think any of them have seen music notated before.

This is doing Hot Canary. The laughed so hard at my bird chirps! Who knew that Jr. Miss would come in so handy here?

Adorable children.

When I went on Friday I was able to meet up with Betty Majaj, the director. She and Nanny have been friends for over twenty years and she is one of the women in "Making Their Own Peace." A very strong woman. She uses all of her resources and strength for betterment of the community and these disabled children. I admire her passion and selflessness!

If you look closely on the bulletin board you might be able to see a portrait of my grandparents and the Madsen family Christmas card from 2007. So surreal to see a picture of myself up on a board half a world away from home!

Betty wrote me a note by her chapter in the book.

Day two: I brought Kathleen with me and we did Christmas duets!

Victoria was sweet enough to take these shots while we were interacting.

Visitors!

2009-11-30T02:53:00.000-08:00

Playing for Olweia Husseini.
Nanny captured this shot. You can see my shadow on the wall behind her.

Last week Mom and Nanny came to visit! They arrived while I was in Galilee and spent a couple of days in Jerusalem catching up with friends. They met me on Saturday at church in Tiberius and I almost cried when I saw them I was so happy! It was such a joy to share all my new friends with them. It was just like a big reunion of people that I really, really love!

They spent several days in Galilee with us soaking in the soothing atmosphere there. One night Nanny spoke for us at a fireside and the students followed her with a testimony meeting. Everyone was so inspired. Definitely one of the culminating events of Galilee. My fellow students still mention her words often as they comment in class! She is truly and elect lady and I feel so fortunate to be part of my incredible family. One evening we went out to eat with the Goldblatt family. I remember celebrating Hanukah with them when I was eight years old and here with all of my cousins. It was a pleasure to reacquaint! Their son, Elad, is twenty-two and an officer in the army and I had a lot of questions for him about that, so it was a great evening.

I had three more days with Mom and Nanny back in Jerusalem which we spent visiting their friends and reminiscing about the years and years that Nanny and Bapa spent here. One of my favorites was Olwiea Husseini, an incredibly strong Arab woman that Nanny wrote about in her book, "Making Their Own Peace." She made us delicious anise tea and biscuit cookies and I played "Sabrina" for her. She is very articulate and very loving. The visit was short but fulfilling and I left feeling strengthened by being with her. I am planning on returning to visit her again very soon.

Galilee

2009-11-26T01:55:00.000-08:00

Jonny and the Sea.

Playing at the Sea of Galilee (courtesy of Sister Dicus who I didn't see there! She just sent this to me)

I have so much to tell from the last post!

When I last wrote I was packing up to spend two weeks North of Jerusalem in Galilee and Tiberius. There was no internet available at the kibbutz there, which is my excuse for the tardiness of this post.

My heart is so full of love for that place! We took the days to bus around to sites such as the Mount of Beatitudes as a class. I spent mornings on the beach, walking and contemplating my Savior. Watching the sunrise and reading the teachings of Jesus Christ. The peace and love I felt from Him on that shore was tangible. It was like a blanket that stayed with me for the rest of the day. My heart was soft and sticky, like honey. At sunset I would pull my violin out and sit on the rocks, playing simple hymns of praise to Heavenly Father. Music was the only way I knew how to express the gratitude I felt: gratitude for the beautiful earth and gratitude for the healing gospel of Jesus Christ. I felt distinctly as I was walking on that beach that I was walking into a future in which I am a new woman: a better disciple of Christ. Late at night we had bonfires on the beach. We read accounts of Jesus calling to the apostles to drop their nets and follow Him. I am surrounded by astoundingly deep individuals here. At those firesides I gleaned greater understanding of the teachings of Christ and the conviction to live by them burned inside of me. We also brought guitars and sang the nights away. I will always remember the laughter, the crackling fire, the big beautiful moon and the lap of the water on that smooth shore.

The time in Galilee was simply glorious.

It pays to be brazen

2009-11-13T12:26:00.000-08:00

I just had the most AMAZING evening.

I don't know where to start.

It all started in Kathryn's beautiful mind. She found out about a concert being given by the Israeli Philharmonic: Kurt Meiser conducting with Nicolaj Zneider soloing the Mendelsohn violin concerto. HELLO. We put our two heads together and made it happen! I've been looking forward to it for two weeks and when this evening finally arrived I had the perfect outfit: little black dress (compiments of Lizzie), blacks flats and my new earrings. We were accompanied by the sweet Whipples as well as Naomi and Gill Weinstein, who are Jewish locals. The Weinsteins know many of the musicians in the Phil and they took us back stage to meet some of them while they were warming up (amazing thing #1). It turned out that Kathryn and my seats were in the back row (do not distress) so we marched up to the front and waited till the lights dimmed. Lo and behold there were two GREAT seats in the fifth row, right in front of the soloist (amazing thing #2). The first piece was phenominal. Then a Greek god walked onto the stage...oh wait, it was Nicolaj Zneider! And would you beleive it, he was almost more enjoyable to hear as to watch. No, in all seriousness it was a beautiful interpretation. When he was clapped back for an encore (he must have bowed a hundred times) and quieted the audience and dove into Bach's Unaccompanied Violin Sonata no. 2, Sarabanda. That's when the real magic started. Doing an unaccompanied piece was his only option since the orchestra didn't prepare an extra piece. It is so challenging to hold an audience with solo Bach but he was captivating. It was so masterfully executed and extrememly inpirational. I once heard Robert McDuffie say, "Playing Bach is like stepping into a cool shower on a hot day." I couldn't say it better myself. The audience went wild once again and he was so gracious as he inched off stage.

The lights came on for intermission and Kathryn and I concluded that we might as well live up to our stereotype: brazen American. We marched back stage and found him. He was chatting amiably with another admiring fan and we just stood and stared. It was unreal. He was much taller in person. He graciously signed our programs, posed for a picture and wished us well in our own musical endeavors sending both of us off with a kiss on the cheek. But the fun did not end! We snuck up to the balcony where there were seats behind the orchestra which offered the perfect view of the brilliant Kurt Meiser conducting the Scottish Symphony without a score. As if that wasn't enough of a learning experience I learned a great lesson from my new friend, Mr. Znaider. While we were chatting with him backstage his assistant had been frantically searching for an extra violin part. He combed down his wild, sweaty hair (concerto playing really is a workout) tossed on a pair of reading glasses and inconspicuously set himself up a stand in the back of the first violin section. (P.S. soloists never do this.) It was so inspiring to see him play that symphony in the back of the section with the same passion and finesse that he played his solo, even though he knew that no one noticed he was there. That is truly the mark of a great musician and a person with integrity. He played, not for recognition, but for personal satisfaction and fulfilment. What a lesson to learn!

When the concert concluded, Naomi took us to the back once more to meet Maestro Meiser. Wow. Just...wow. Again, a gracious man. He is eighty-two years old and just underwent a kidney transplant. Even though he was so tired, he took the time to nourish us "seedlings". What a dear, sweet man. That is the sort of gracious attitude that I wish to engender in my career and through my life.

AMAZING Sunset

2009-11-04T03:41:00.000-08:00

Proof that God exists and loves His children:

And yes this was all the same night. It just kept changing and getting better and better!

Aya and Aseel

2009-11-02T03:50:00.000-08:00

Marni posted a bunch of my pics of this day on her blog if you want to check it out!

This is our new friend, Aseel. She is six and we are trying to teach her English. She knows "flower" now.

Marni and me with Aseel's family.

Best Day

2009-11-01T03:37:00.000-08:00

I took the day to be blown by the wind in the Old City and here’s what I got:

Best feeling: First stop, handing a plate of peanut-butter cookies to our new friend, Frater Pietrush (Brother Peter) a Franciscan monk at St. Savior’s. His face lit up and he was so happy to try “sweets American way.” Picture the friar in Disney’s Robin Hood and then give him a German accent. Too cute.

Best buy: Merimecko apron for $1.75

Best laugh: Louie (Palestinian-Irish man born in Ogden, Utah and now owns a little restaurant) said God must look at us and say, “Those funky creatures!” Maybe you had to be there....

Best Acquaintance made: David ben Kitty, the kitten who snuggled up to me while I was studying in the Austrian Hospice Gardens. I am waiting to see if he had any fleas that I made friends with as well. So far so good.

Best future outing: Omar at the falafel place close to Damascus Gate. He works at Hebrew University and gave us his number so he can set up a tour for us as well as introduce us to some of the Palestinian students there.

Best idea: taking my raincoat with me. It is suddenly Winter and we were rained on several times!

Best Photo: on its way!

Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T19:29:00.000-07:00

It's fall here and memories of costume-making and trick-or-treating have tenderly swirled in my mind all day. What I wouldn't give for some hot wassail and chocolate chip pumpkin bread! I hope everyone has had a great Halloween!

This afternoon I finally met some of our neighbors on Mount Scopus. Aya and her family live a short walk from the center and she invited Marni, Adri and me to come visit. Sher is thirteen and baby-sits all of her siblings and cousins which ends up being about eight little children. Her parents were out shopping so Aya entertained us herself by sitting us down and serving us green apple soda pop. Her sixteen-year old cousin, Sherin, showed up a little while later and went gaga over us. She wanted to know everything about American movies and music but it turns out she already knows lots more than we do! None of them can say “Molly” and so they just call me “Miley” which is great since they love Miley Cyrus and therefore think my name is amazing. I really hit it off with the six-year-old, Aseel, who got her hands on my Arabic phrase book and doodled “Aseel (heart) Molly” all over it. Nice little souvenir. Aya’s mom, Nuha, was delighted to find us in her home and invited us to come shopping with her in the Old City tomorrow. On our way back to the center Marni expressed how grateful she is for the past students in the program who acted in a way that paved our way to having these friendships. It is because of those students that they really trust us in that neighborhood. Let’s hear it for them!

Now I'm off to see what sort of costume I can devise out of construction paper and my limited wardrobe for the JC Halloween Party tonight! I'll let you know what I come up with.

A Rainy Day

2009-10-30T03:28:00.000-07:00

It was raining today but nothing could keep us out of the city on our free afternoon! There is a big food market in West Jerusalem and on Fridays it is bursting at the seams with people stocking up for the Sabbath. What is it that is so charming about being on a busy street with people shouting on every side in a language that you can’t understand? I shouldn’t love it as much as I do. I did pick up on a few things. My favorite was, “Shalom la” which would be a literal version of “hello there.” Cute.

I stopped by a baker’s stand and placed a few pastries in a bag. I had just picked up money so all I had was big bills. When I finally shoved my bag in his face before the people around me (that’s the name of the game, no lines, just the squeaky wheel gets the grease) he declared, “Two shekels!” I will never forget the look on his face when I handed him my fifty-shekel bill. It was like, “Seriously lady?” After I offered an apologetic shrug and smile he unfurrowed his brows and shooed me off with my change, but he was smiling too.

Next we ran into Shimon, a young Hasidic Jew from New York studying in a Yeshiva here. He wouldn’t shake my hand because he refrains from touching any women outside of his immediate family. It was raining so hard so we stayed with him under the little fruit stand umbrella where he had set up a little box. He was yelling to the crowd reminding them to observe the Sabbath and wear their phylacteries. He told us too, but upon learning that we were not Jewish took it back. “Non-Jews aren’t going to be held accountable for not performing the mitzvot,” he assured us. It was great to ask him questions because he is our age, speaks great English, understands American culture and was really cool and articulate. When we asked him if there was one thing he would change about Israel he said a stronger state. As we bid him farewell two other Hasidic Jews came walking up the streets blowing a little horn to remind the shop-owners of the setting of the sun. I swear that place went from Times Square to ghost town in two seconds flat. It was incredible. We walked home in the dead quiet and I was reminded of Rexburg for my first time here. Idaho and Jerusalem: the only two places in the world where you can’t find a shop open on the Sabbath.

Organ Outing

2009-10-29T03:27:00.000-07:00

I had the special chance tonight to accompany Brother Whipple to an organ concert in the St. Savior’s Church with three other kids (his car only seats five). His Russian friend Katyana played a work by Messiaen. It was so thought provoking. She is Jewish but played of Christ so tenderly and convincingly to a bunch of Mormons in a Franciscan monastery. Most of the small audience was made up of Franciscan monks and since Brother Whipple performs and practices there regularly he knows most of them by name. Frater Pietra (Brother Peter) took the five of us up on the roof afterwards to see the city at night. It had rained during the concert and the crisp fall air mingled with a dewy freshness as I drank in the sight of electric Jerusalem. The window of a nearby Greek apartment was open and the simple tune of a recorder floated over the roofs. If I’d had my violin I’m fairly confident that I would not have been able to resist jumping down to the roofs and spilling Hasidic improvisations into the night air! Alas: some other time.

We came home to the Whipples’ apartment and discussed music and olive wood over thick chocolate milk. Does life get better than this?

Jerash

2009-10-28T21:11:00.000-07:00

This reputed to be the largest and most well-preserved Roman ruins outside of Europe but I've been to Europe and I never saw anything this cool! These columns are huge!

We were sitting in the South amphitheater when we were greeted by, get this, Jordanian bagpipers! Talk about culture clash! Arabs in Roman ruins playing Scottish bagpipes. It was so entertaining. Apparently the Jordanian army picked up the bagpipe idea and have assimilated them into their culture and the plaid against their headdresses was so fabulous!

There is a hippodrome were we watched a little reenactment of Roman fighting tactics by actors that were all dressed up in Roman armor. The formations were cool and the gladiators were hilarious (I don't know, is pec-flexing considered hard core in the Middle East? Cause we just thought it was hysterical) but my favorite was the chariot racing! I think the chariots just might have been antiques! I literally thought the wheels were going to fly off at every turn! So cheesy, but fun.

Pictures on the way!

Petra

2009-10-27T22:24:00.000-07:00

I grew up watching Indiana Jones and the Holy Grail in awe of this city built out of a mountain. I was sure that they used tricky angles to make it look bigger and cooler than it was in real life but was I ever wrong! Indiana Jones does not do it justice. Seriously. Petra left me completely speechless. I can't explain how I felt as the narrow ravine began to open and I caught my first glimpses of the treasury. It was epic.

The treasury. My mind had already exploded by this point.

What most people don't realize is that Petra is not just that one facade (which is actually a tomb, mistakenly called the Treasury by grave-robbers) but a whole city! I could have spend a week there exploring. If you are willing to hike up a couple of miles you find the religious center of the city, the Monastery. It is a lot bigger than the Treasury but lesser known because it is a considerable hike to reach it and the details of the building are not as well-preserved.

Hugging the column so you can see just how massive the monastery is!

There are beduins selling goods all over the city and we stopped to get to know some of the friendlier ones. One woman named Gamala talked to Lizzie and I for a while. When we left she insisted on giving us each a little gift to remember her. She gave Lizzie a bracelet and me a necklace. I am so touched by the love and generosity of these people.

Marni gave this little three-year-old boy her water when she found out he had been sitting in the sun all day long.

The bedouin children are so friendly and happy. It was our goal to make each of them laugh.

The other amazing thing about Petra was the beautiful colors of the stone! Every building was a work of art because of the coloring alone. I had one of those moments where I wished I knew everything because then I could truly appreciate it. Oh wait, I always feel that way! I knew it was incredible from a geological standpoint but I didn't know why. But there may still be hope for me: music and geology are not completely incompatible. Dr. Howard Banister studied the tonal properties of igneous rock formations...although I'm not as interested in that as I am in the metamorphic or sedimentary rock categories. I mean, you can take your igneous rocks or leave them. I relate primarily to micas, quartz, felspar. (Big shout out to the Madsen clan.)

Molly's school of geological understanding:

1) this is sandstone, 2) it is beautiful, 3) the color provides perfect lighting for portraits!

Ana Boheb al Rokossa

2009-10-21T21:51:00.000-07:00

Tonight we participated in a Ramadan feast put on by Ayman, our Arabic teacher! The food was so incredible! There was a lot of thyme, mint, parsley and garlic. My favorite was the steamed carrots hollowed out and stuffed with seasoned rice. Mm mm good. Of course we had amazing hummus and pita to polish it all off.

Ayman invited a father and son who do the call to prayer in one of the Jerusalem mosques. Call to prayer usually lasts about ten minutes and it is just a solo singer amplified to the whole neighborhood that it is time to pray. There are five prayers a day and each call to prayer has different words. The one at four in the morning (who needs a rooster?) says, "Prayer is better than sleep." How dedicated are they to stinking get up in the middle of the night to pray! Yet another thing to admire about the people here.

The duty to sing the call to prayer is passed down through the family and it has been the privilege of this family for more than five-hundred and fifty years! The sons start learning when they are so young: six or seven. The son that came (now in his twenties) had the whole qu'uran memorized by the age of nine! They don't take lessons. They believe that singing is a gift from God and it comes naturally to those who have it. These men definitely have a gift: it was beautiful!

The call to prayer is sung from minarets, like this one.

Every mosque has one.

After dinner was dancing! Four young Palestinians came in traditional garb and demonstrated to us after which we learned the dance. It was outrageously fun! Most of the dances were circle and line dances but at the end we all just broke out in spontaneous joyful movement (shout out to Mom...).

Left to right: Fatima, Ashley, Naima, Muhammad, Me, Faisar and Lizzie

What is it about music and dancing that brings people together? It's fascinating and so wonderful. Ana boheb al rokossa! I love to dance!

I'm usually not this idealistic...

2009-10-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege of experiencing the Holocaust Museum at Yad Vashem today. I was deeply affected mostly by the stories. We all know the hard facts, but to take time to get to know the victims from what they left behind. There were a couple of stories that really moved me, but I don't think this is the time to relate them. I emerged with a renewed determination to live with wide open eyes and never passively stand by persecution. One element that I found very disturbing is the chain of responsible persons on a display. There was an interview from the conductor of the train station at the Polish town closest Auschwitz. He was just a citizen working at the train station and he knew where they were headed but sent the train through every time anyways. When someone asked him how it felt to be involved in the murders he insisted he had no part in it. The system was such that either everyone was guilty or no one was to blame. I want to be the type of citizen that always steps up and takes the initiative no matter the cost.

Toil and Oil

2009-10-18T21:01:00.000-07:00

You start out with olives. Any olive will do. In our case they weren't even ripe but they fulfilled their purpose, which is? OIL!

We dump buckets full of the olives (which we picked last week, in case you were wondering if they grow in big blue bins...) into the press.

Sorry the internet just dropped and I can't do any more pictures...the rest of the adventure is on its way asap!

Love of God

2009-10-17T22:55:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful day!

The Sabbath truly is magnificent.

I delivered a talk in sacrament meeting and I was so blessed with clarity of mind and the spirit as I spoke. The topic was "Leading Others to Christ Through Our Good Works," mostly centering around the life of Jesus Christ and exploring how we can emulate his actions. I used a lot of quotations from Elder Uchtdorf in his address "The Love of God."

I feel God's love for me today as I reflect on all of my blessings. All of you fit into that category! Thank you, each one, for your sweet friendship. I challenge you to see if you can help someone else to feel your love for them, and God's love for them, today.

2009-10-16T22:55:00.000-07:00

[under construction]

2009-10-15T22:54:00.000-07:00

[under construction]

PHOTOS POSTED

2009-10-14T06:30:00.001-07:00

I've got photos from Egypt up! No descriptions yet...give me some time for that one : ) I need to go study for a mid-term.

Love and Blessings!

Sick Day

2009-10-11T10:10:00.000-07:00

Still sick today. Everyone went into to Tel Aviv to spend his or her free day on the beach but I opted to stay behind. I don’t want to be caught nauseated in the middle of a city. So today will just be a chill-ax day. Maybe I’ll finally get this blog updated!

Everything I eat seems to make me sicker but Sister Emmett dropped by some Gatorade and Tums and Sister Allen brought by an electric heating pad, both of which seem to be helping a bit. Thank goodness for surrogate mothers! Also, Brother Whipple stopped by with some world music for me to listen to. All these Middle Eastern modes and quarter-tones are fascinating! I’ll tell which bands end up being my favorite tomorrow.

A Grandmother's Intuition

2009-10-10T22:09:00.000-07:00

It was a wonderful Sabbath! We watched the rest of conference (sessions three and four) that were recorded from last week. Being half-way across the world makes it so much more meaningful when the Bretheren talk of their gratitude for the modern technology that makes a global conference possible. I feel blessed to be so far away and still receive words from the Prophet!

Nanny called me tonight! I’ve been feeling under the weather, some sort of stomach flu, and wouldn’t you know my grandma would call right away! She lived here with my grandpa in the late ‘80s and it was fun to exchange stories and update her on all of her friends that I have met. I have not met one person in the center that does not know Bapa’s name and doesn’t have a story of a time that his words or actions touched them! Nanny and Mom are coming to visit in November (when they have Thanksgiving Break) and they will be well cared for here, where so many love them!

I’m turning in early to try to get on top of this bug.

Smiler

2009-10-09T22:07:00.000-07:00

Classes ended early today and we are still banned from the city, so Kathleen and I went exploring in the library. We found a whole closet of music! We were like kids in a candy shop! I didn’t realize how much I’ve missed sight-reading and jamming. We just took up residence in the LRC and played music for four hours. My friend, Bassam, the head security guard, popped his head in to see what was going on. We played him a rendition of “Love at Home” and I showed him the picture in my violin case of Nanny and Bapa. He was here as a young man when Bapa was the Director and he had lots of stories to tell. It was such a touching afternoon. In Arabic “Bassam” means “Smiler” and so that is what we are going to call him now. He is a wise man. He reminded me of a truth that I have forgotten, and that is that the older we get the faster the hours, days and months seem to go, only because we grow accustomed to everything around us. As a child, time seems to be drawn out because every second, every breath and glance, are filled with newness and discovery. The key to a long, successful life does not hinge on the number of years we are walking on this earth but rather to the state of curiosity and constant learning in which we walk day to day. This is the explanation I will offer to my roommates next time they ask why half of the Jerusalem Center Library is sitting on our bookshelves!

Mountain to Muhammad

2009-10-08T22:06:00.000-07:00

Today I ran into Brother Whipple and he asked me if I would be willing to play Sabrina again for the Christmas Concert we are putting on for the community in December. I wondered if it wouldn’t be a little bit odd since it is not a Christmas song but he said, “Oh Molly, beautiful music is appropriate on any program.” Sweet man. He wants to tie families into the program and he thinks it would sweet if I would dedicate it to Bapa again, especially since so many community members knew him. “A nice tribute to the man who so many admire and love.”

I spent most of the morning helping the Okiishis with JC tours. In order to satiate public curiosity about what “those Mormons do up at that University,” we conduct tours almost daily. The service couples direct them and most of the time they run during our classes, but the Okiishis asked for help on Tuesdays. I get to welcome guests in and show them a movie of the center, after which we escort them into the gorgeous Auditorium for a little organ recital by Brother Whipple. Sister Whipple or the Okiishis then take them around the building offering little interesting facts and explaining the facility. Then, like an assembly line, I get to entertain the arriving group. I met some really interesting people! One couple, Lilia and Ruvi, live in a kibbuts outside of Netanya. I told them I’ve been interested in doing some sort of an exchange program with a kibbuts and they said that I would definitely have the opportunity to use my music, whether to perform regularly or teach classes for the children. Wouldn’t that be too much fun? They gave me their contact info in case I ever had questions. Though we are all bummed about being kept from the Old City, I’m learning plenty about the culture just from conducting tours. If you can’t bring the students to the city, bring the city to the students!

Dear Brother Whipple.

Talent Show

2009-10-07T22:04:00.000-07:00

We had such a wonderful talent show this evening! I only wish that members of the branch or community had been there to share in the spirit of music. I was completely blown away by the amount of talent we have in this center! There were pianists, guitarists, vocalists, duets, quartets. It was inspiring. I played the theme from Sabrina and dedicated it to Nanny and Bapa. The entire Madsen clan loves that movie so it only seemed appropriate for the first time I played it. My friend, Kathleen Finnlison, is a piano performance major at BYU and she was sweet enough to accompany me. We have been playing a lot of music together in our free time and it so nice to have an amazing musician to work with! We seem to be totally on the same page with our interpretations and then there is the fact that she plays flawlessly. She is definitely one of my blessings here!

Sukkot Parade

2009-10-06T22:09:00.000-07:00

Today I was able to get out of the center and experience some of the Sukkot activities! There was a carnival in Liberty Park where people from all different countries were gathering to eat, listen to bands, get hair braids and stock up on al their hippie accessories. It was also the starting place of the Jerusalem Parade, celebrating the Israeli occupation. There was a flag for every country and people from each country were marching under their flags in support of a “united state.” The Americans invited us to march with them, but we had to refuse, for obvious reasons. If the center discourages us from wearing clothing with so much as a flag or the name of a city in the United States printed on it, I can’t imagine what sort of trouble we would get in marching in such a controversial parade under the United States' flag!

Auntie Sam: all decked out and ready to rep-re-sent!

I felt like I was back home at the Freedom Festival!

If you look really closely you can see their black kipahs...

Taylor chats it up with the group from Mexico.

A mother playing with her cute little boy.

This little girl was really happy to get her cotton candy!

A yummy juice stand! If oranges don't tickle your fancy, try carrots!

We walked along the parade route to check out all the different groups marching and ended up on Ben Yehuda street. I got my third cone of Aldo gelato (Ferera Rocher and Maplenut) and we had fun roaming around, trying to find a cord for Morgan's electric guitar (he's going to play in the talent show tomorrow). It was the first time my Hebrew really came in handy as we navigated between music shops, which was, of course, satisfying.

October 5

2009-10-05T23:01:00.000-07:00

Ali Baba the Albino gecko!

Time Travel

2009-10-04T00:45:00.000-07:00

There continues to be some tension in the Old City with the Jewish holiday, Sukkot, going on, so we spent the day in West Jerusalem again. I don’t believe that I have described the contrast between East and West Jerusalem yet.

Whoever says time travel is impossible has not stepped through one of the gates leading inside the walls of the Old City. You are pulled back a century with each step forward. The musty smells and dim light add to the atmosphere of antiquity. It seems that each shop has been handed down the family for hundreds of years and every brick and stone has a story. Most people, especially women, are dressed in the same style their ancestors were, excepting the squeaky new tennis shoes.

In contrast, West Jerusalem is like a modern European city. The visage of Ben Yehuda street speaks only of street performers and shopping trips with the cobblestones and Cathedrals serving as the only indicator of any history. They have all of the same clothing lines we do in America: Adidas, Puma, Gap, American Apparel, Hollister, and the list goes on. The demographic in West Jerusalem is overwhelmingly Jewish and many of these Jews have emigrated from European cities which just adds to the modern undercurrent.

You can find interesting people to talk to all over the city but I find myself rather missing East Jerusalem and the Old City. I hope we are allowed to go back, soon!

Some little girls were playing with their
puppy on Ben Yehuda Street.

We went exploring in the Ethiopian section of the city, above Ben Yehuda, and found this little

gem of a church. We were the only visitors and we sat in there for an hour or so, pondering. The

way the sun was streaming in at that time of day was magnificent! The incense burned there had the most unique smell! The church was circular with icons and colorful prayer rugs in the middle. The dome was painted beautifully and most of the middle portion was pepto bismol pink!

This priest didn't speak a word of English
but he welcomed us in so warmly.
Such a sweet old man.

The beautiful sunshine.

Me! taken by Lizzie.

This was a little building off the courtyard of the church. There was
another priest doing bookwork in that room but I thought the
lounging cat was picturesque.

General Conference

2009-10-03T22:44:00.000-07:00

We got watch conference tonight!! There was this buzz in the air all day in the center. I have never been that excited for conference, or been around people who were so excited! President Monson just said, “We welcome all those who are watching from all over the world, “ and I thought, like Jerusalem?! It was one of those “who would have ever thought I would be here” moments. I haven’t had any homesickness but I did miss my family today. I hope you guys ate a banana split for me, with an extra maraschino cherry! Because of the time difference they are recording the Sunday sessions and showing them after church next Saturday, so I get to draw this spiritual feast out for a whole week. How truly thankful I am that God’s Prophet is on the Earth today and that I can hear his counsel, even when I am on the other side of the world!

Fireworks

2009-10-02T22:41:00.000-07:00

Cute old man...smoking hookah. He told
me how just in case I ever want to.

Squeezing pomegranate juice. This vendor

was bartering prices while juicing.

That's first-rate multi-tasking!

Spices!

Today is Friday and all morning the Muslims are praying in the mosques. Although I do not understand exactly what danger that incurs, we have always been forbidden from entering East Jerusalem on Fridays until 3 p.m. President Brown said that they prefer to ere on the side of paranoia, which would be one explanation. Classes ran all morning but a group of us went to West Jerusalem in the early afternoon. We just explored the area around Ben Yehuda Street. West Jerusalem is well outside the walls of the Old City and it is considered to be the hip modern place to hang out. It’s mostly made up of clothing stores, art galleries, restaurants and ice cream shops. There are a few touristy shops but they are pricier than the merchants in the Old City and stingy on bartering. There were sukkot erected every block or so for the Jewish “celebration of the tabernacles” and the streets were full of young Jewish men carrying palm fronds, citron, and other ceremonial vegetation for the feast.

We spent the later afternoon walking along the Via Dolorosa reading the correlating scriptures with each station. Although most of the Stations of the Cross have been proven incorrect by archaeologists and historians it was nice to partake in that tradition to some degree, and reading the scriptures to remind us of Christ’s life is always an enlightening experience. The Chapel of the Flagellation and the Armenian Church are two little gems that we found along the way; beautiful stained glass. I will definitely be returning to them in the future when I need to reflect and meditate, which seems to happen often here.

There were fireworks in the neighborhood outside the center tonight! I heard them in my room and thought they were gunshots but when I went out on my porch to investigate I saw the lights of the fireworks. I looked with the assumption of finding violence but found instead laughing and hooting. What a remarkable contrast! It’s those moments that have the most profound effects on my mind. I just sat and watched the fireworks, feeling completely at home in this place where humans find peace in their own worlds; in those special little moments with their families and friends.

August 1

2009-10-01T02:40:00.000-07:00

[under construction]

Conquest Fieldtrip

2009-09-30T00:48:00.000-07:00

Hush-Hush

2009-09-29T02:48:00.000-07:00

I was forced to be academically responsible today, as there was some hush-hush police operation going on in the city and we were strictly prohibited from leaving the center. I feel frustrated sometimes to be in the city but not of the city, if you catch my drift. We are right here and they still feel it's necessary to keep all the details from us. We will know what it was all about soon enough. Between irritated musings on why I couldn't go into the Old City I learned about Hasidism and read thirty chapters of the Bible.

I have nothing particularly exciting to say

and I once heard that if you want to appear to be profound

all you must do is put spaces between each thought and write

very

short

lines.

Wuzzup

2009-09-28T23:02:00.000-07:00

Happy Yom Kippur! We were allowed into the city today so after morning classes I went in with four friends. They celebrate by worshiping privately so the streets were pretty empty. We were going to stop by some of the historical sites but they were all closed! I really should have put two and two together since most of the sites are run by the government and all the government worker are Israeli, but it was fun to just explore. There were soldiers all over the city, just being on hand, I’m sure, in case of any disturbance. They always say funny things to us girls and as we passed by yesterday we got a “Wuzzup.” That was a fun little taste of home! We made friends with a few of the shop owners we had not met yet, like Bilal who runs a candy stand just inside Damascus Gate. The hottest item on the candy market right now is gummies by the kilo. He has every flavor, shape and size! My personal favorites are the sour pineapple strips with the little bananas coming in a close second. Bilal has an old-fashioned scale where he puts the candy on one side and little weights and measures on the other, adding and taking away until it levels off. I can't really tell you why, but I got really excited when I saw that! I took a picture that I'll post as soon as I can make it up to Hebrew U.

I’ll have to get a picture of the cobblestones of the Old City sometime. Since it built on a hill all the streets are slopping or down. They have steps for pedestrians but they also have a ramp up every level, usually right in the middle of the road. City code for those citizens in wheelchairs? I think not. It’s for the shopkeepers who are hauling in items everyday! They load these wheelbarrow-like carts up with wares and I swear to you I saw two guys pushing one today that was stacked over seven-feet high with boxes! Often it’s little boys who push them and you really have to watch out because they can’t see a thing over their load and they will just run with them through the narrow streets, right in the middle where those ramps are. You learn to hug the walls!

Yom Kippur Eve

2009-09-27T13:23:00.001-07:00

Today was Yom Kippur Eve and it was a lock down day at the center since there was a riot on the temple mount. I had no idea that a holiday like this could cause so much commotion! From what I have gathered, some Jews were admitted onto the temple mount and they began to pray there which spurred violence from the Muslims. How bad it got or how many were injured I haven’t a clue. We were actually on our way into the city when policemen stopped us at Lion’s Gate and told us it wasn’t safe for us today. We got a call from the Center simultaneously requesting our immediate return. Later, safe in the JC, when I was hungrily surfing the internet for any update, all I could find was this glowing review: This week Centenarian Rabbi Shalom Yosef Elyashiv ruled that Crocs sandals cannot be worn on Yom Kippur because they are too comfortable. It was a little frustrating.

My grandpa used to say, “Studying philosophy doesn’t give you any answers but it sure sharpens the questions.” I correctly anticipated that my understanding of the conflict here would be the same. Studying the history of the conflict and feeling the hatred between the people so closely heavily saturates the color but I find that the image is not any clearer. Bapa also said that life’s answers are found only in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Yesterday, our Relief Society President, Zahar, gave a fireside about how the gospel has helped her resolve the conflict in her heart, growing up as a Palestinian in Bethlehem. She joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in her twenties while going to school in the United States and after returning home she found that she had to pass the border and Israeli soldiers every Sabbath to go to church. As she worked week after week after week to feel the love that the Savior has for those soldiers she said that she was slowly able to let go of her hatred for the people who have caused death and pain in her family. There is just as much pain being felt on the Israeli side of the conflict. Each time I really look at someone in the city now I find myself praying that they can find true peace and the power to forgive in their faith. Zahar is a living example that with God it is not impossible.

Come What May

2009-09-26T22:19:00.000-07:00

Once more it’s here, the Sabbath Day

The bread and water pass my way

and I’m compelled to humbly pray

“You’ve given me

all that I hath,

I’ll serve all those

who cross my path

No matter what, Lord, Come What May.”

Home Again

2009-09-25T13:18:00.000-07:00

[under construction]

Sinai

2009-09-24T13:17:00.000-07:00

If you look closely you can see Venus! It just looks like a bright star.

The sun began to rise above the horizon right when we reached the peak.

Upon reaching the peak.

With Lindsay, my roommate and dear friend.

[under consruction]

Cairo3

2009-09-23T13:16:00.000-07:00

We learned all about mosques and Muslim traditions.

My favorite is that they remove their shoes

before entering mosques.

Beautiful stained-glass window.

This mosque has characteristically green tones in the ceiling.

[under construction]

Luxor 3

2009-09-22T13:16:00.000-07:00

At Hard Rock Cafe with Jessica and Marni, my two favorite people!

The carriage driver's son who was sitting on my lap. Cutest boy e-ver.

[under construction]

Luxor 2

2009-09-21T13:15:00.000-07:00

[under construction]

Luxor

2009-09-20T13:14:00.000-07:00

Statue of Aminhotep.

These Guys were so cool to let me play with them.

They were surprised when I could actually follow along!

My violin skills really came in handy.

Our sailboat ride across the Nile.

The view from on top of the camel.

This one could have used a stick of Trident.

Jon and Adam playing with little boys. Two five-star dads in the making.

Lauren showing the girls their pictures.

[under construction]

Cairo 2

2009-09-19T13:14:00.000-07:00

This doesn't really need an explanation...but, uh...the pyramids!

Jessica and me walking like Egyptians.

Money!

[under construction]

Cairo

2009-09-18T13:14:00.000-07:00

[still under construction...]

Egypt = Wow.

Did you know the pyramids are HUGE? And astonishingly close to the city? It was so odd, and impressive, to see them looming behind the cityscape. The skyscrapers were puny in comparison! I can’t imagine how big they would have been those thousands of years ago. It is no wonder that the Pharaohs succeeded in convincing the people they were gods: I would have thought so!

The kibbuts we stayed in last night was nice and clean. They were laid out similarly to most hostels I experienced in Europe except that someone forgot to stock our room with blankets (top sheet only) and the air conditioning was controlled by a remote control we couldn’t find! Brrr….

Traveling to Eqypt

2009-09-17T13:12:00.000-07:00

I dream of Jeanie Jessica!

We are the muses...

Adri models her hard hat like nobody's business.

You haven’t been on a road trip until you’ve been on a Jerusalem Center road trip. These folks pack in the fun! What could have been a six-hour drive was actually all day because we stopped at every site along the way. First was Beersheba, where Abraham dug the well, Isaac and Rachel first met and Jacob spoke with God. Then, a lookout overlooking the Wilderness of Zin, one of the deserts that the Israelites wandered through after the Exodus. In Exodus 16 the Israelites complain against Moses for taking them to the wilderness…now I know why. That desert is the most desolate thing I have ever seen.

My favorite thing today was the tour we had of a modern-day quibbuts. A quibbuts is a self-sustaining community, where each member is assigned work according to their skills and talents and the money is pooled, therefore providing for everyone’s living expenses and an allowance. It is basically the law of consecration meets full democracy. So fascinating! The woman giving us the tour was so fabulously granola and spiritual. There are a little over three hundred adult members of the quibbuts with a couple hundred children and over four hundred Darfur refugees that they have taken in for a few months. Their major resource is the food that they grow to eat and to sell. The dates they let us try are delicious. The dairy there is amazing as well! They are actually raising cows in the middle of the desert! They hose them down five times a day to keep them cool. It pays off though. The ice cream they fed to us was divine! Literally rivaled gelato…I know, I know. Impossible, right? No. This was a seriously heavenly frozen treat. They have a school, community center, concert hall, gym, and many other facilities. They have cars so that if you want to take a day trip off the Quibbuts you just sign up for one and take it. I could go on for hours; it was so intriguing to me. It is a very rigorous process to apply and be accepted as a member, but they do like internship programs for young adults who want to experience it for a limited time, which I am definitely interested in. Who knows if something like that would ever pan out for me, but I think there is so much to learn about humanity by living in that kind of environment. It has definitely planted a seed in my mind.

PHOTOS POSTED

2009-09-17T00:19:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed I've posted photos finally! We went to Hebrew University to do it. That is one cool campus and they are so nice to let us hop on like they do. Very cool.

I uploaded them with their correlating post, so happy hunting! I hope they enhance the experiences I have described to you.

Love and Blessings to all!

See you when I get back from Egypt.

Running Errands

2009-09-16T23:55:00.000-07:00

We are leaving for Egypt tomorrow in the wee hours of the morning. I'll be there for nine days ('till September 25) and we will have no internet access, so don't be expecting any updates until then when you will get Egypt in one giant flood!

Today after classes we went into the Old City to run some errands...literally. We had hardly any time so after exchanging money, picking up a pair of hiking jeans (speed-bartering: I got him down to $12...I kept laughing thinking of Max quoting that Monte Python where the merchant wants to Haggle...my rotten luck, he didn't throw in a gourd for ten) and enough granola bars to feed a third-world country (and by that I mean feed me while visiting a third-world country...apparently the food there makes most people very sick so unless I get it steaming hot, and I mean they've incinerated the boogers out of that food, I will be sticking to my granola bars, thank you) we RAN from Damascus Gate to the JC. It's about a mile and a half uphill and we ran it in ten minutes carrying backpacks and groceries! We stubbled breathlessly into Arabic and thank goodness Ayman was in a good mood today and just teased us for being hot and very sweaty with no lasting reprimands for coming in two minutes late. He is pretty strict about tardiness so we were very blessed.

Now I'm headed downstairs to pack. The advantage to a sparse wardrobe? Packing is a cinch.

Camera Suggestions?

2009-09-15T22:02:00.000-07:00

Today was full of class, laundry and studying.

I cleaned out my Nikon D70 which has been giving me a little bit of grief. Is it possible for a camera to overheat? For the last week my camera will shoot for an hour or two and then it just gives up. Everything beeps and focuses but the shutter just won't snap. There was actually one time that the shutter shut half-way and stuck! It was so scary. I took another shot and it released but then went back to the no-can-take business. I thought maybe there was dust or sand causing the malfunction but when I dusted it out the body was pretty clean. It worked again today, but I'm worried Egypt will be too much for it. Any suggestions?

I ate the most amazing pomegranate this evening while studying. It was so juicy and so easy to peal! There was hardly any white stuff. Jewish tradition teaches that the pomegranate is a symbol for righteousness because it is said to have 613 seeds, like the 613 commandments in the Mishna. The Muslims see the fruit as a good omen as the Qur'an mentions pomegranates twice as examples of good things. It can be found in Christian art, broken or bursting open, in this case as a symbol of the fullness of Jesus' suffering and resurrection. I have found that there are many symbols that overlap into each religion. It makes it important to understand the sect you are dealing with before you try to interpret the art! The better news, though slightly less interesting, is that they are delicious!

Walking through the Bible

2009-09-14T23:14:00.000-07:00

That was the best fieldtrip I have ever been on in my life!

Our teachers took us west of Jerusalem, towards the Mediterranean, to see some very unique Bible sites. Among others we stepped foot in Sorek Valley, where the Philistines returned the Ark of the Covenant to Israel and where Samson grew up. We also spent time in the Valley of Elah, where David killed Goliath with one shot from a sling. Not as easy as it may sound! Those sling things are tricky! I was overwhelmed with the sheer quantity of history that that ground had seen. I tried to see passed the bell pepper farm that now takes up residence in part of the valley and imagine how the camps would have looked and the buzz of anticipation that would have been in the air. It was pretty epic. If you could have read my mind, you would have been like, “Wha..?” (That one’s for you, Gabe). I collected five smooth stones from the creek bed to bring home and show to my primary class someday.

We also saw some incredible geographical sites. The bell caves were magnificent! They are these gigantic caverns carved out of limestone and besides being breathtaking they are entirely indescribable, but I’ll try. Dissimilar to the typical picture of a cave they are spacious and well lit through small openings in the ceiling, the streaming sunlight enhancing the yellow of the limestone. Occasionally a pigeon alights from her perch, disrupting the placid rays of sunshine, the sound of her fluttering wings reverberating off every stony surface only to fade to tranquil silence once more. The high ceilings make for beautiful echoes, which we took full advantage of when we sang “For the Beauty of the Earth” as a group. It was glorious!

We saw olive presses and cisterns that were built two-hundred years before Christ and visited a city, Lachish , where the Babylonians built a siege ramp up to the wall and defeated the Israelites. There was a room there that had clay tablets on which the Israelites wrote messages that were being run back to Jerusalem. They’ve taken the actual tablets to a museum but we read the translation and it made it so real. The Babylonians were attacking a neighboring stronghold, Azekah, and when the signal fires went out, the people in Lachish knew they were next. A defeat meant death for the men and slavery and abuse for women and children. We could almost taste the terrible anticipation as the people waited for an attack. The city was built on a tel that the Israeli government has not yet allowed to be excavated, but there are years of history under there! I just stood there overwhelmed with all of the history that I was standing on top of.

They used to raise pigeons in these underground caverns. Each pigeon

would nest in one of those holes in the rock.

Jesse studying at Beth Shemesh.

Megan flashes me a smile while Bro. Mancill lectures about the olive press.

One shot of the Bell Caves.

Universal Language

2009-09-13T21:18:00.000-07:00

Today was rich! We spent the morning hitting Biblical sites for Old Testament. Among others we stopped at the Garden of Gethsemane, Mount of Olives, Absalom’s Tomb and Dormition Abby (where they claim to have found the Upper Room of the Last Supper). We read the correlating scriptures in each place and it was powerful! We headed home in the afternoon when it really started heating up. There is a little fruit market at the foot of Mount Scopus (the hill we live on) and we stopped today. The man running it was so nice and I got a pomegranate, two pears and a mango for four shekels (almost a dollar). Delicious and nutritious…and cheap! When we got home the plan was to study but I fell asleep (note to self: NEVER study in your room) and slept right through dinner! Luckily I woke up in time to scurry to the concert upstairs.

I love music! Have I ever said that? The concert tonight was a piano trio first half adding a viola the second half making it a piano quartet. The program was Mendelssohn Piano Trio No.1 in D minor, Op. 49 and Schumann Piano Quartet in E flat major, Op. 47. The musicians were all from this area originally and three of them studied here at the Jerusalem Academy of Music. The violinist was, get this, my age. He is twenty years old and getting paid to give concerts! Inspiring and totally depressing.

I talked to them all afterward and they were so nice! The cellist (twenty-two) told me all about music schools here. She and the others got to do special army service for music. It basically means that they only train part-time and the other half of the time they play for soldiers and study at the Conservatory. Her little sister, a violinist, came to the concert and said that although it was nice to be able to pursue a music degree while all the other kids are doing army exclusively, it made the other half of the day in the army really hard. She isn’t used to compartmentalizing her life yet and she said that it is very tiring switching back and forth.

Bernice (the cellist) took my e-mail and said that she will write me out a little list of good violin teachers in Jerusalem that might be willing to give me a lesson! I told her that I will be starting Bloch’s Baal Shem Suite as soon as the music arrives and she said that I could really benefit from getting different points of view from the Jewish violinists here. I am so excited!

I also talked to the violist, Itamar Ringel, who studied at New England Conservatory. He said that growing up here he took the history for granted. His family raised him holding tightly to the Jewish tradition and that, combined with the political climate, prevented him from learning about the other cultures here. After studying in Germany and America he discovered the richness of learning about others’ beliefs, traditions and cultures and now that he’s back in Jerusalem for a while he spends all the time in can in the Old City. He said, “There is history in every corner of that place, if you have the eyes to see it.” I asked him if it is safe for him in all parts of the city, as a Jew. He said his best security is to wear a fanny pack and speak English. I guess looking like a tourist does have benefits!

We also talked about using music to speak to people. We agreed that every musician’s goal should be to change at least one audience member and that each player needs to find his/her voice in order to do so. Yo Yo Ma is incredible with that. I will always remember seeing him at Brevard last summer and his words, “Although I love music, people are my real passion. I play music to touch people of all races, cultures and generations. That is my quest.” I hope that my time here in Jerusalem will increase my understanding and ability to speak to people in this part of the world. I think the first step to understanding them is to love them and I already feel that happening.

They take the kids in the army on historical

field trips occasionally. I still shocks me everytime

I see girls younger than me carrying those big guns.

Friendship as a Hobby

2009-09-12T21:16:00.000-07:00

Shabbat Shalom! Church today was wonderful. There are five violists here in the program. We all collaborated to give a musical number and it really was glorious. Those girls are so kind and unassuming and, with our combined efforts, the Lord really touched the congregation.

In Relief Society we were discussing the importance of fellowshipping and extending our hearts in friendship to those around us. There is one woman in the branch here who works in some peace organizations and she said several years ago she was eating at a dinner next to a woman from Germany. They were discussing hobbies and after this sister presented the typical answers (traveling, photography, reading, crafts, etc.) the German woman replied, “My hobby is friendship.” I found that so powerful. I want to spend enough time and effort befriending and loving people that I can call it a hobby.

Western Wall

2009-09-11T10:36:00.000-07:00

Tonight was the only night that we will ever be allowed in East Jerusalem after dark. We went on a fieldtrip as a group to the Western Wall to see the welcoming of the Sabbath. All the boys wore slacks, white shirts and kipahs and the women wore long sleeves and long, dark skirts as well as scarves over our heads. The women and men are separated but it was such an amazing thing to hear all of the songs being sung and the joyful dances. I was able to join in on “Shabbat Shalom” (thanks, Brother Baron!) but the rest of the time I just drank the scene in. There is so much power in the strong tradition of this people. The Wall has been hallowed from all of the profound pleading and praising to Heavenly Father. I could really feel it. It is easy to feel the love the Lord has for all of His children who so humbly lay their lives before him.

I wonder sometimes how they feel to have tourists witnessing all those things that are sacred to them. I’m sure they are used to it, but it must be frustrating at times. I am so grateful that I have the chance to worship in peace and privacy and I admire them for their diligence.

There was a shooting in David's City while we were at the Western Wall. None of us heard it or anything and we are totally safe, but when we passed through that area on the way home there were armed guards everywhere and the air was buzzing. It reminded me that I am so grateful for the men and women in the United States military who have kept me safe. I hope we were all able to ponder on our love for our country, and the freedom it grants us, on this significant anniversary. May God bless America.

Much is Required

2009-09-10T22:16:00.000-07:00

Kipahs, for sale in the Old City.

King David's Citadel.

We got to spend some time in the Old City today, in between classes, and we decided to finish an assignment we had to visit David’s Citadel. It used to be David’s Palace and now it is a little museum of the history of Jerusalem. Very fun and informative, The best part was this little cartoon in Hebrew that went really fast though the chronology and it was crazy…all these little bible people scurrying on and off the screen and little crusaders and stuff.

After the citadel I had my first falafel in twelve years! It was delicious, of course. Another cool thing I ate today were the eggs from breakfast: they cooked them with fresh dill weed chopped up in them! Odd combination, right? I totally loved it! Definitely incorporating that one when I get home. There are spices everywhere, not only being sold in the city but just growing around town. At the citadel they had bushels of lavender growing like weeds. It smelled so divine!

In Arabic I learned that “Habibi” means “my love,” when spoken to a man. Good to know. Put that on the “never say in public” list. I also learned that, like Hebrew, they have a special suffix for duality and there are no vowels in the written language. We visited Shaban (one of the merchants) again today and his little boy, Mohammed, was there. Today was a holiday from school and the seven-year-old was “helping” is father around the shop. Mostly he just laughed and played around with us. He was adorable! He is already practicing salesmanship and he tried to sell me some jewelry. Instead I convinced him to get a picture with me. He is only seven and he doesn’t speak very good English but he did tell me that he is fasting for Ramadan even though he doesn’t have to at his age. That’s one tough little kid.

I was also introduced more fully to the life of the Mohammed in Near Eastern Civ. today. I know that God works through righteous men all over the world and in all eras. I am grateful to be able to study about him and glean what I can from his experience.

The best part of the day had to have been the concert tonight. While I was ushering I met an older Jewish couple, originally from New York, who had been living in Jerusalem for the past ten years. They were really interested in what I, as a student, had to say about the JC. They have been coming to concerts here for years but never once talked to a student, so I was glad to give them that opportunity. The community is very curious about us because they see that something is different. A tour guide in the citadel had us pegged as soon as she saw us. She said, “I know the Mormon girls because there are so modest and wholesome.” As we walk through the Christian quarter we are always hearing comments like, “There go the beautiful Mormon women!” Of course, those kinds are not directed to us in such a respectful way, and we never respond, but the amazing thing is that they really do recognize us. It brings to mind the scripture D&C 82:3 “For unto him whom much is given much is required”. I recognize that I have a legacy to uphold and I feel honored to be given the opportunity to do so.

The concert tonight was Brazilian Jazz! So flippin’ fun because I played violin in a jazz combo last semester and we did some Basso Nova. I stayed afterwards to talk to the musicians and we chatted about the different Brazilian beats and styles. They were so cool and encouraging…they even gave me a free CD before I left! I feel so blessed to be making such wonderful associations. It was a great day and a better night! Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.

Aaron sneaked this one. I didn't even notice him taking it.

Jessica, me and Laura on our way up to a Greek Orthodox Abbey.

Laura and Jessica try to get get their bearings outside of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

Aaron, always the photographer.

The cats are everywhere, this one just happened to pose for me.

A Haiku

2009-09-09T22:58:00.000-07:00

Studying into the night

Merits a reward:

Aromatherapy mmmm.

(this pretty much sums up my day...'til tomorrow!)

Love for Dinner

2009-09-08T22:21:00.000-07:00

Today was a good day to recover from the sunburns we got on the fieldtrip yesterday. Six hours of class and eight hours of reading! In the words of Sharon Creech, “My brain feels like a squashed pea.” (Heather, are you reading this?) We met two more of our teachers today: the Jewish, Ophir Yarden and Palestinian-Christian, Adnan Musseni. They teach Modern Near Eastern Studies in Judaism and Islam respectively. Free time just dropped to nil but that being said, I am a true believer that the more we learn about the history, culture, geography, politics and theology of the area the more rich our experiences will be. We’re going for quality sightseeing, not quantity. I just wish they would apply that concept to the work load but it looks like we will be expected to read an average of 200+ pages a day with our combined classes. My creative, hands-on, music major mind has some whiplash but I’m sure I’ll adjust soon enough.

The most cultural experience I had today was dinner where I ate the best taboule on this side of the planet! It had pomegranate seeds in it! Pomegranates harvested, by the way, from trees here at the center. No big deal, just meander outside; pick a pomegranate; eat and study in a slight breeze while overlooking the city. Did I say I was sick of studying? I forgot. I’m in Jerusalem! They also had stuffed artichoke hearts. The sweetest part (besides dessert) is that most of the kitchen staff is Muslim and they are fasting for Ramadan everyday while making our meals. Again I am struck by the fierce dedication. We are fed out of pure love!

Field Trip

2009-09-07T22:07:00.000-07:00

Today we went on a field trip designed by our professors to familiarize us with the geography of the area. We bused around to five significant lookouts in order to see Jerusalem and the surrounding areas from every direction. Again I was struck by the vast amount of history that made the Holy Land sacred even before Christ’s time. We discussed some of the Bible stories that occurred in each area we saw: Ruth and Boaz, Abraham coming from Hebron, Zacharias in the temple, Elijah running from Carmel. How the scriptures come to life! Seeing these notable locations and realizing that they look and feel just like normal places reminds me that the prophets of old were just normal people; normal people that trusted in God and through the enabling power of the Atonement were made exceptional.

Most of the lookouts were bell towers in Lutheran churches and it was a bit of a flashback to Europe. We went over the Christian saints, symbols and icons and I am embarrassed at how much I had forgotten since last summer! While we were in the tower of St. Victoria Augusta we had a view of the West Bank, and probably the only view we’ll have of it since we are not allowed there or in Gaza. The Church just deems the political unrest too tumultuous in those areas. Although I have understood these conflicts in concept for some time, I am still shocked at the sharp reality of the tension. This isn’t Kansas anymore…and feeling it in person has convinced me of the complexity of the situation.

It was a long day in the sun, but rich to an anxiously expanding palette.

One of the beautiful stained glass windows in Augusta Victoria

Church of the Ascension.

On the Mount of Olives.

Lizzie and I at the Seven Arches Overlook with Jerusalem behind us.

The Good Samaritan

2009-09-06T22:11:00.000-07:00

Free Day! I spent the morning doing homework (I have 173 more pages to read before Wednesday) and then a bunch of us went into the city at eleven. We can't leave the JC without our lanyard which has our keys, phone and most importantly ID card. We swipe our card on the way out so they know we're gone and on the way in so they know we're home! The security crew here is extraordinary! They are really patient with us loosing stuff and getting lost...and they keep us so safe! The head security man comes to the center every night in the middle of the night and sneaks over the wall to see if his people will catch him, that way they arealwayslooking for somebody! Genius, huh?

The city was a lot less crowded today and we explored the Christian Quarter for the first time. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher was so fascinating! I won't bore you with a history quiz, but look it up if you're interested. It is like a microcosm for the religious fervor and tension that resounds in the city. We took a photo excursion through East Jerusalem for the rest of the afternoon and happened upon a heavily-trafficked street where a car had stalled, blocking traffic. Everyone was honking adamantly but not one person was offering assistance. Aaron jumped right out there to give him a hand and then other guys started following him until ten of them pushed him up and over the hill where he could get out of the way. I thought it was great to see an American, usually viewed overseas as selfish and disruptive, lend the first hand. One more point for BYU!

We met some very nice merchants that we will be visiting again. I've learned a few more conversational words the only trouble is knowing when to greet them in Hebrew and when in Arabic! It is a very sensitive situation.

Tonight I ushered at a concert in the JC. I was chatting with guests before and met eight people from Paris! It was so fun to brush up on my French with them. The recall rate has slowed down a bit but it really comes back as you use it! The concert was a small, Jewish, a cappella choir and the title was, "Negro Spirituals." Need I say more? It was so fun!

To bed.

Aaron took this. He has some sort of little kid

charm...every time I try to photograph them

they wave their hands and say, "No, no."

A bunch of us girls in the Old City.

Aaron the photographer, always on the hunt for a good shot.

Aaron helps push the car uphill.

Sabbath

2009-09-05T22:13:00.000-07:00

Sabbath is observed on Saturday for most of the people in Jerusalem and when the JC was instituted they received special permission from the church to do the same. Sacrament meeting is held in the most beautiful glass room overlooking the city! We are also blessed with a gorgeous organ and Brother Whipple who plays gorgeous prelude music with it. Speaking of music, it turns out we are one talented group of students. Three-fourths of the eighty kids here came to choir and we sounded great! We are going to have the opportunity to present a Christmas concert to the community before we leave in December! I am so excited! I might get to play the violin for it, too, which would be the icing on the cake! There are four other girls who brought violins and a couple of us played hymns today. What a blessing music is and how keenly I am missing it here! I need to find a balance of filling my thirst but not practicing too much…I must take advantage of all the opportunities that present themselves to me!

About twenty of us frequented the Orson Hyde Monument Park today. It is the site where Orson Hyde dedication the land in 1841 for the gathering of Israel at the request of Joseph Smith. The government owns the land but it is kept up by the church. We had a great view of the city and many of us took time there to ponder and write in out journals. All of the students are amazing! I couldn’t ask for a better group of kids to associate and learn with!

Lizzie writing in her journal at Orson Hyde Park.

Aladdin

2009-09-04T10:54:00.001-07:00

What an eventful day! I started off early when I was woken by the call to prayer at 3:00 a.m. I still think it is beautiful (see my post "Joy in the Journey"), but I'll keep you updated on that. Ramadan still has a ways to go and 3:00 is pretty early...

After class we had a free afternoon. I met Malek, the Center secretary, who is very good friends with Nanny. She was so sweet to me and aksed me to come up to the seventh floor and visit her often. Friday is an interesting day to go into the Old City because everyone is getting ready for Sabbath which they hold on Saturday. The center doesn't allow us to enter the city until 3:00 in the afternoon those days because there are lots of preachers in the streets that sometimes cause rioting. The energy is very high. At three o'clock I hiked into the West Wall with friends. Previously called the "Wailing Wall", this is a very sacred place for the Jews since it is the last standing remains of the Jerusalem temple. Jews try to make the pilgrimage to the West Wall at least once in their lives. There is gender separation with the women on one side and the men on the other. The cracks in the stone are all filled with little slips of paper, upon which are written the names of sick loved ones and petitions to the Lord. It was too crowded to get up the front ourselves, so we just watched respectively. I know we will be going back soon and I have plans to slip some prayers in then. The Jewish women covered their heads and read out of prayer books under their breath. They would bow over and over into the wall, or their prayer books, in a mesmerizing, rocking motion. The devotion I witnessed there was truly touching and I did indeed feel the peace of the Spirit in that place where so many have plead with the Lord and sacrificed to obey His words. We retreated from the Wall backwards as to not show disrespect by turning our backs on it.

As we returned North, across the city, we ran into some major crowds. It was not uncomfortable until many of the women began to push past us in a flustered manner, almost frantically scurrying out from the city center. The atmosphere changed and it felt like there was trouble in the air. My first thought was to follow the women and the children: if anything was amiss, they would know it and they would be the first ones to get away from it. We linked arms and followed the crowd of women at a clippy pace. It was a relief when we broke out of the city at Damascus Gate safe and sound! We must have looked turned-about because a kind looking, older man asked us if we were Mormon. We of course affirmed his suspicion and he asked if he could help us find our way. We were planning on visiting Aladdin, the money changer who works with BYU students. The old man began to laugh and exclaimed, "I am he!" We pulled out the cheesy business card that were we had his address, etc. and sure enough, it was his picture on the card. He has a warm composure and light in his eyes. He guided us out to his little store during which he said things like, "You can't help being watched by these bad men. You are all beauties and you are light, " and "I love the Mormons and they love me! You will see." He told us that it was stupid for us to be in East Jerusalem on Sabbath Eve, but he was glad that we went. "You have to have the Spirit of Adventure to gain the good experiences!" He was very excited that I will be learning Arabic and said I could come practice on him anytime. His sons, both of them grown and married, were equally nice. I didn't have my checkbook with me, so I will have to go back, but that is a visit that I am looking forward to!

I am safe and sound back at the center.

A woman walking in the Muslim Quarter.

Notice: two more women reflected in the mirror

in the lower left-hand corner.

Jet Lag

2009-09-03T20:00:00.000-07:00

Today I was so tired! This jet lag thing is a beast.

Our director, bless his heart, has the most soothing voice and we were all asleep half of orientation. We were divided up into groups of ten yesterday and taken for a tour of the city. It reminds me a lot of Athens last summer. There is a city-code that requires everything that is built to be covered with white limestone. East Jerusalem is seething with ancient history and merchants of every sort. Lots of foreign smells, lots of Arabic being spoken, quite a few slimy guys, you know, the works. The trippy thing was walking along and our teacher pointing out, “There is the road to ge to the Garden of Gethsemene and here is the Garden Tomb that you can come back and visit. We are walking down the Via Dolorosa..” Excuse me?? It’s unreal. They have these juice stands on the corners where they fresh-squeeze oranges, apples, bananas, plumbs and especially pomegranates. I tried some pomegranite juice and found my new obsession! We also ate bread from off the street. They sell spices by the kilo and you just go get a loaf of bread and a little bag of Thyme (it’s called Zahar, here) and sprinkle it in the bread. It’s is an interesting taste…very raw. It was great to be in East Jerusalem during Ramadan because most of the Muslims are inside fasting and the streets were much less crowded than usual.

Mostly what stuck out to me yesterday is that Jerusalem was a major religious and political hub even before Christ and when He came, healing the people and preaching the Word, I see how he would have met a lot of resistance. It's pretty amazing how the city is divided up! You can feel the atmosphere change as you walk through the different quarters (Arab, Jewish, Christian and Armenian). Even more abrupt was the change from East Jerusalem to West Jerusalem! More on that, later.

I have to go to an internet cafe if I'm going to post pictures because the large files clog up the internet here at the JC, but I do have that on the agenda, so you can expect some soon!

Over and Out.

This is the outdoor wing where are rooms are located.

Joy in the Journey

2009-09-02T22:44:00.000-07:00

I'm here in the Holy City! I have met some amazing people on these flights. From D.C. to Vienna I sat next to Leon Ianosh who was on his way to Romania on a mission for the Pentacostal church. Leon is first-generation American and grew up speaking Romanian in his home and I just wished that Jeff had been there to chat with him! That nine hours passed surprisingly quickly but once we landed the jet lag hit me like a semi! Vienna International has practically no sitting area so I ended up sleeping on the floor for the next two hours...it's amazing what seems justifiable when I'm sleep deprived. I'm officially a contributor to the European view of pig-headed Americans. I met Mosha from Warsaw, Poland on the flight from Vienna to Tel Aviv and then I wished that BJ was there to talk to her! How cool is it that no matter where I am in the world I have at least one friend that can speak that language because they have served the Lord for two years in that country?

Tel Aviv was so hot when we landed! I am literally in a desert (Mom: wink, wink) but it is still beautiful. There are laws in Jerusalem that require each building to be convered in white limestone and it really makes the city sprakle! We had a wonderful meal in the Center Cafeteria (briased beef, fresh pita, lima beans and rice) and then took an orientation tour of the Center. It is gorgeous! I couldn't have asked for a more asthetically pleasing place to live. After dinner we went out on the terrace and listened to the Call to Prayer. It is especially loud and long lately because Muslims are in the middle of Ramadan and the evening call is permission to eat after the entire day of fasting. The call was blasted over the city through speakers and sung in arabic by one man following a mesmerizing line. The rich, lilting melody was just right to snap me back to reality: I'm in Jerusalem!

Sunset over Jerusalem on our first night here.

Ma Hamazar, Aki?

2009-09-01T12:26:00.000-07:00

I’m sitting in the Washington Dulles Airport at gate B45 amongst a bunch of strangers that I already love! This is an interesting phenomenon, where we are all wearing name tags and part of the same organization but none of us know eachother! When I was passing through security in Salt Lake City there was a girl behind me. I struck up conversation thinking that she was one of us only to find out that her name is MorAnne and she is from Tel Aviv! She was so friendly though, and said she was jealous that we are going to her city. She is on her way to school in Vancouver, Canada. I asked her what I should know about Jerusalem and she said, “Dress conservatively.” Good to hear that from a local source. She also taught me the above phrase which means, "What's up, dude?" We exchanged info and I hope we keep in touch. The tender mercies have begun!

Playing cards on one of our long layovers.

Good to be a Musician

2009-08-31T23:17:00.000-07:00

Airports may be the last place where the arts are appreciated: I found out today that I am allowed a carry-on and a purse because my violin is a freebie! This means that my Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia and Hebrew Lexicon can come afterall!! Brother Baron may be the only one who truly understands the gravity of this.

Now I just need to keep myself awake for three hours until I leave for the airport. We have 4:00 (yes...a.m.) check-ins and the flight departs at 6:00. The trippy thing is that I will arrive in Tel Aviv at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday. One must only calculate in the time difference to add that up to 27 hours of traveling. Woot woot! The plan is to keep myself awake until the international flight. I can totally crash on that one and then I will wake up all chipper as we are landing in Vienna (the layover right before Israel).

Mmmm won't Austria be the perfect way to start the day?

P.S. the first friend who picks out the three puns masterfully woven into this post gets a shekel!

Mission Accomplised

2009-08-30T00:49:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness I played tetrus growing up, because this packing job was a trick! I have all my toiletries, shoes and clothing in my suitcase to check and it is exactly fifty pounds. My computer, camera, scriptures, Collected Works of Oscar Wilde (Annie fit that one in, bless her heart!) and various other school supplies are in a carry-on bag and all the music I am taking will slip in the pocket of my violin case. Whew! It's late, but I figure it's just acclimating me to the time difference (ac-tim-ating?). And besides, everyone knows a good packing job never wraps up before 2 a.m.

Sweet Dreams!

P.S. My violin is my official carry-on...do think that they will consider my duffel (which the size of a small country) to be a purse? Cross your fingers...

School Supplies

2009-08-28T22:36:00.000-07:00

Today was the school supply stock-up day. Apparently it is very hard to find three-ring binders and lined paper in the Middle East (and I'm thinking, if they get through school without them so can we, am I right?) so they strongly suggest that we bring our own as well as a mini-stapler, tape, scissors, post-its, pens, pencils and flash cards: check, check, check, check, check, check, check. But now how to pack this little travel office...

Camera

2009-08-26T08:27:00.000-07:00

Last month my Sony Cybershot went on an untimely fritz; the warranty had expired three days previously. Lacking the funds to repair it I pulled out Dad's old Nikon D70. It has been gathering dust in a box for four years since, after he died, the charger was nowhere to be found. I figured $10 for battery charger from eBay beat $100+ to repair my point-and-shoot. Well, I finally got the battery juiced up and I'm testing the waters. There are drawbacks: 6 megapixels. Tiny LCD. Just plain heavy, even for an SLR. The thing is a beast but I stumbled across an awesome website that is saving my life! I'm getting the hang of all the gadgets and already I like it better than my Cybershot. Thanks, Dad!

Camera: check

photo: playing around in my room

p.s. Yes. I know there are smudges all over my mirror...

Packing

2009-08-25T17:34:00.000-07:00

Agent: Me

Mission: Four months of luggage in fifty pounds or less.

Status: Accomplished!