Jordan...the Country ;)

Jordan is a really nice country.  I was impressed with the cleanliness of Amman, the capital.  Amman is the modern city of Ammon in the Bible.  We went to the place were Bathsheba's husband Urriah was slain in battle (after King David sent him to die.)  The shop keepers & little kids there were so kind and always wanted to practice English with us.  A few of them asked to take pictures with me and would said, 'You are so beautiful."  They were so beautiful...dark hair and skin and big brown eyes. 
We saw several school groups on their field trips and it was so fun because at one place we had a big dance party with them.  We were in an ancient outdoor Roman theater with a bunch of different school groups who were being loud.  Our tour guide wanted us to sing a hymn & so we sang , "The Spirit of God" in the middle of the theater.  The 15 year old girls (students) all came around and started filming us with their cell phones.  Then some bagpipers came started playing, "Amazing Grace" and "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and then other fun songs.  We all started dancing and some of the young veiled Arab girls started dancing with us.  They were sooo precious and laughing with us.  I won't ever get bored of dance parties in ancient ruins with people from around the world. 
We stayed in such beautiful hotels and Danielle, Tessa and I felt like princesses.  I've been braiding and styling all of the girls hair here and loving it.  I did Tessa & Danielle's hair, Danielle did our makeup and we got all dressed up and went out.  It was really fun! 
Only two weeks until I come home.  I'm loving my experiences here.  I also think I'll be ready to start my life again in Centerville when I return.  I'll be working for my Dad for the next year and finishing up my degree in Communications.  We have the rest of our finals this next week and then we'll learn all about the last week of the Savior's life. 
I've felt such a sweet spirit at these places and in my personal scripture study.  I know that Christ was a person that walked these places and performed these miracles.  The people were astonished at His boldness and power and changed by His love.  I love Him so much and know He can heal our hearts as we follow His commandment. 

What a day... :0)- Happy Birthday Samuel!

So we just had such a great day.  We just walked in from spending the evening in West Jerusalem.  We went to dinner and got frozen yogurt after.  Our taxi van guy pumped up the music and blue lights for a dance party all the way home.  It was such nice weather and we had a fun new group with Emily, Cori and Abby.  They are so funny!  We ran over to the Russian Orthodox Church this morning after class and then came back and had Falafuls at the Oasis.  Yummy!  We then realized that there weren't any museum cards left and so we stayed and studied, did laundry and chatted with Sarah G. in her room as I made a map of Israel.  It was fun to get to know her better.  She asked me all about the mission and it was way relaxing.  Then we headed out to the city, got popsicles and gummies (from the open market –extra hygienic- stands) and enjoyed our beautiful Jerusalem.  We stopped at Shaban’s store, one of the main salesmen that caters to Mormons.  He always has warm pitas and fruit juice waiting for us.  There was a fun festival going on and we got lots of samples…(I’m starting to notice a pattern: Synthia’s fun= food. ;)  Then we wandered around an artist colony, passed an ancient windmill and found ourselves with a lot of other friends on Emek Refaime Street for dinner.  I rarely ever go out to dinner here and so it felt like it was such a special occasion.  J 

Only three weeks left and I'll be home.  Happy Birthday Sam! I love you!

Galilee...

To be filled in soon....

The Wilkinson's Blog

My cousin and her family are really special to me. Their adorable 2-year old just passed away and here is an beautiful, inspirational blog about it. Please feel free to pass it along.
http://www.sunshinepromises.blogspot.com/

Church of the Holy Sepulcher

We had such a neat day today.  It was really rainy and windy when we went out.  We did some fun shopping and then ended up at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.  It is one of the most holy sites in the entire world for Catholics.  The Greek, Roman and Armenian Churches have their own sections.  Andrea Hale advised me to make friends with the Armenian priests.  That made all the difference. We got to know this young priest who was in the seminary right now who grew up in Vancouver.  He was a DJ before becoming a priest.  He’s in the process of deciding if he would be celibate or not.  If he chooses to be celibate then he can continue up the latter of priests in the church but if he wants to have a family then he can only be a priest at a local church.  He took us around to all the secret areas and even took us in front of all the lines.  It was so neat to hear him talk about his faith but also the quirks within his religion.  He said that there is a lot of enmity between the priests in the three religions.  He explained that the cultures divide them.  It was a very happy day. I love these girls that I've become close with.

Our two religion teachers have their families here.  They have 11 children between the two families. Tonight they put on a talent show that was so fun!  They were doing skits, gymnastic shows, poems, piano performances and dances.  I loved it and totally want to do that with my kids some day. 

It feels so good to be done with our Judaism and Islam classes.  I loved them but am excited to have a little bit more time to explore the city. I feel so privileged to be here and having this experience.

Finals & Exploring the Old City

This week we have been and will take more finals.  During our last month and a half we are going to Galilee and Jordan and so most of our classes are ending now.  There

Tomb of the Kings: We went to what looked like a construction sight in someone's backyard and were able to see an ancient tomb. It is in the middle of the city and was really cool.

Swarmas: We got them.  They're delicious meat wrapped in a big tortilla. 

Running in the mornings: The other morning I was heading to the gym and some girls invited me to go out running with them.  I've not been running outside of the center boundaries yet.  We did a 3.5 mile loop, saw some beautiful overlooks and it felt so good.

The Waffle Bar: A big group of us went out at night and stopped at the infamous "Waffle Bar" where we got a Banana Boom waffle dessert.  Wow.  It was chocolate fudge sauce, ice cream and banana goodness.  :) Definitely going to make these at home.

We also visited a variety of churches and met people that spoke a bunch of our mission languages

I have some great friends here who are soooo good to listen to me and chat whenever I need their help.

Wandering the city with Victoria and Neal: I was feeling really stir crazy because I haven't done anything but eat, workout, study and sleep for DAYS!  So, we ordered a van and we went to a big crazy market and just walked around and then wandered the streets of Jerusalem for house.  I got to hear all about some of my friends' families and it was really nice.  Then we watched this new movie, the "Nativity Story" and I loved it.  As we were reading Luke 2 the other day, the realness of Jesus' birth hit me hard.  It makes me happy because I want to feel and see things differently.  Everyone talked about "how Jerusalem changes them" today in church and I really want to have a change in me.

The Holocaust Museum: Today we went to the Holocaust Museum.  It was really graphic.  I've been to several similar ones before and so it didn't jolt me like it did others but it definitely got me thinking.  

Disclaimer: On the blog I only say the good stuff that happens here.  Life is wonderful but not perfect.  :)

Israeli Dancing

Tonight was really nice....we did a bit of Israeli dancing.  A man came and led us in several dances and then ended with some Macarena.  I think I'm gonna have to do a bit of this at my wedding one day.  ha ha.  It was sooo fun.  I'm kinda sick right now and so I was a bit off, but I just couldn't stop.  We did a big circle...then we'd come running into the center and do a little shimmying out....ha ha.  Dancing does me a lot of good.  It helps me to relax and get a bit of spunk out of my system. 
Last night we had a Seder dinner, a traditional Easter dinner and it was really neat.  I was in one of the singing groups.  We all had a little story book of the Exodus that we read throughout the night.  They had us do a ceremonial silent hand-washing and also eat flat bread and bitter herbs.
We have a few finals next week and we'll be starting New Testament.  Last night our assignment was to read 23 chapters in the Old Testament... oh wow.
Today was also Lisa, a faculty member's daughter's birthday.  They asked us to help paint nails and do hair.  I loved looking around at these cute 10 year-olds who were glowing as a college girl was curling their hair. 
We're going to go to the Holocaust Museum this week and so we've been studying all about it. We also learned about the dedicatory prayer that Orson Hyde did when he came here back 1841.  He dedicated Jerusalem to be built up again as gather place for the tribe of Judah and for a temple to be built here.  The Orson Hyde Gardens (that's the official name that it is recognized as) are just a few blocks from the Jerusalem Center.  It was a really incredible class.  It makes me want to dive into church history.

Hope all is well.  Feel free to write me.  -Synth

Adventures in Jerusalem

Primary Hide & Seek-- Our closing activity.  (I hide in the cupboard and they all wanted to join me.)

Katie & I...She's adorable and I visit teach her

Pomegranate/Orange Juice shop...lovin' it

Cute kids from the Galilee Primary--they're the entire primary

The deck of the chapel in Galilee...the Sea of Galilee behind me

Sweet sisters in Galilee

In front of the Chapel in Galilee- with Kels and Brock

Armenian Cathedral

Getting ready with the roommates....Kels is gonna kill me for this...love the clip in her hair

Definitely herded these goats and sheep

As I was posing for the picture, this lamb walked between my legs

The Shephalah

David's Citadel

Cute Palestinian friends

Visiting a sweet woman who has lived in the Old City her entire life (She said I look like her husband...ha ha)

Feb 4^th, 2011  (I forgot to post this)

This week has been a lot of catching up with homework.  Last night we were assigned to read 23 chapters in the Old Testament for one of our classes.  It’s been a really demanding workload but I really enjoy the things we study. 

So tonight I helped to host a jazz concert here.  I got to welcome
everyone and take their tickets and I FELT LIKE A SISTER MISSIONARY AGAIN and it was soooooo fun!

We also had a “Girls’ Night” and like 40 of us crammed into a room full of bean bags and way too much estrogen.  It’s really fun to have a million spunky girls talk about crazy dates and guys.  Ha ha….I’m back in the college dorms again!

Tonight is Arab night and I signed up to cook with the chefs for a
few hours. I felt really good today.  I got some
exercise and got up early after getting some good sleep.

Feb. 19th, 2011I also taught Sunbeams today.  I set up the room as a maze with all the chairs and then put my headlamp on Jacob and he had to lead the rest of them through the maze.  It was a lesson about how God created Night and Day.  Then I acted out what I do before bed and when I wake up...they were entralled by my miming talents.  :) 

I just got back from a neat tour of some houses in the Old City and we met with some elderly people.  It was really neat and I want to go back and visit them.  It was like the mission, they loved us.  One old lady that singled me out of the group and said that there was something about my eyes that perfectly reminded her of her belated husband and she sweetly said that she hoped that I would live up to that because her husband was a wonderful man.  I'm just gonna take that as a compliment... ;)