2014: A Grace Odyssey: QUITE POSSIBLY THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE

As the title declares, I think today may have been the best day of my entire life. I knew it was going to be a good day when a few of the comments made in my Old Testament class with President Woods were a direct answer to some questions I had been really thinking about in my scripture study and journal time as I've been preparing for the mission field. I won't get specific, but folks let me be preachy for a second: following through in the commitments you make in your prayers yields direct blessings. Anyway. Back to the best day ever.

Right after Old Testament, a group of us decided to head to the Old City to explore some more. We started with the Temple Institute where I think I learned more about the Judaism than 10 years of living in Potomac, Maryland. Which, considering how many Bar/Bat Mitzvahs and Synagogue services and Shabat dinners I've been to over the years, was a welcome surprise. The Temple Institute is a place where they have prepared many of the instruments, garments, and vessels that the Jews hope to use in the prospective rebuilt temple on Mount Moriah (the current location of the Dome of the Rock...). I learned so much about the symbolism in and outside of the temple.

Then we headed to Michael's Restaurant for the best and cheapest falafels in the Old City. Mom, look at the pictures and weep. Next, we hunted down the Church of St. Mark which ended up being really hard to find. We got inside the courtyard and found ourselves in the middle of a ton of people crying and following this bishop/priest. Then a cute, toothless old lady ushered us inside and talked to us for 45 minutes about all of the visions that have come to people in this particular chapel. The church was incredibly ornate and had lots of amazing paintings including one of the Virgin Mary and Christ painted on leather supposedly by St. Luke. She actually had some great lines in her recounting of these spiritual experiences: "Don't seek the places, seek the Master of the places" and "Jesus wants the world to 'be humble like I was when I lived between the people". The first one is my favorite. So much of what we, and all tourists who come to the Holy Land, do is sightseeing. But remembering the reason that these places (Christ) are famous is so much more important. Developing a testimony of Christ and appreciating his ministry, sacrifice, and active role in our lives is of far more value and importance than checking a "Station 4 of Christ's Crucifixion" off a tour list. Perspective.

Then we found a rare treat! On our way to our next stop, we found a Ben&Jerry's Chocolate Brownie Fudge ice cream that the four of us split. I don't think that I've ever appreciated the cold treat so much. Our last stop in the Old City was the Cathedral of St. James. It is my favorite religious building that I have been to here in the Holy Land. It was so cool that I had to put my camera in my backpack because I was so tempted to take pictures. The walls are covered with aged, dark paintings. Tons of laterns hang from the ceilings. The doors are made of wood and inlaid mother of pearl. The ceilings are falling apart. The only sources of light are windows in the top levels - very symbolic. There was a group of priests and deacons reciting scripture and singing. I can't really describe it further than that. But it was beautiful and so so so strange.

We skedaddled back to the Center for our first Arabic class. My teacher is HILARIOUS. And he loves me. Some highlights from class...
(To a sweaty girl) "You can go water your face - its gross"
"You need to believe only 20% of what I say."
"Many years ago. Many years. Many. Not so many... I was 20."
"Look at his face. A baby face."
"Grace, you have a beautiful name and you like Arabic. That's why I am going to adopt you. That means vacations to London and Paris. Cars. Nice hotels. Good food. Shopping trips. Its a good thing to be my daughter."
(After making everyone in the class try to say a word) "Grace, don't say "Halid". Its not good for you. You are still fresh."
(At the very end of class to a girl who couldn't properly utilize her phlegm to make the "sough" sound) "I have to end the class because of your *sough*."
I don't know. Maybe it isn't as funny without context. But I assure you we were laughing the entire class.
Next, I had to deliver a message to Sister Seely (the wife of my Ancient Near Eastern Studies teacher) and was directed to their apartment to try to find her. When I knocked at their door, she wasn't home but her husband, my teacher, answered and we talked for about 30 minutes about our lives and what my plan after Israel was. He gave me some really great advice and reading material regarding preparing for a mission. It meant a lot to me.

Anyway. This was an amazing day. And it was made better by the people I was with. I'm really starting to appreciate and get to know different people in the program and its making me love my time here even more.

PS: I don't have pictures from inside the places we visited because cameras weren't allowed. But there are hyperlinks on all of the location names that will take you to the websites.