Last day in Jeru

Hey all! I am sorry it has been a while but life has been busy busy lately with preparing to leave Israel. Last night we had our closing fireside and slideshow; they were both wonderful. I spent almost all day with Synth yesterday; she left last night and I miss her so much. Yesterday we went to the Temple Mount where the Dome of the Rock is. I sat down and just stared up at the Dome, imagining the ancient temple that once stood there and the future temple that would stand there. It was so much more meaningful to me this time around then back a few months ago when I hadn't had a lecture on the ancient temple mount yet. I love how all the sites have changed from just being words on my calendar that I had no idea what meant to places I cherish, love, and understand. I remember back in the fall when I got my tentative schedule for the semester, I stared at all the places on the calendar and felt a little overwhelmed. I asked myself, What is the tree of Zacheus? where is the Herodian? etc. I can't wait to go home and explain to my family every place on my calendar and show them pictures too! So this last weekend we had a visitor at the center. Elder Holland came to Jerusalem to round out a 2 week, 10 country tour of this area. He stayed in the center for 4 days; giving us a fireside one night and eating breakfast and dinner with us the next. It was spectacular! After the fireside we got to shake his hand but hearing his words was so much more powerful than the handshake. At breakfast we all crowded around his table and listened to him talk to us for about an hour! At dinner I actually got to sit at his table and after we ate for a bit everyone crowded around again; asking him questions and just loving hearing him. He is so funny! He emphasized how much going on a mission affected his life and how much marrying his wife affected him as well. Synthia remarked afterward that we got to sit at the feet of an apostle in Israel; a land where Christ and his apostles taught so many people. Last night at our closing fireside our teacher remarked how we all just flocked to Elder Holland when he was here and how he thought that we would be just like Peter and flock to our Savior if He were here with us. I really liked this thought because when Elder Holland was here we really did just want to be with him, we hung on his every word and loved to be in his presence. I hope this is indictive of what me reaction would be if my Savior were in the room. Elder Holland told us that after this experience we could "never go back to what we were." He also said "welcome to your future." I am slowly realizing that Jerusalem has been my reality for so long, I don't know what is the norm anymore. I like that the old norm is not ok, it can't be my norm now. I can continue living in my Jerusalem reality, I can continue feeling the way I feel here and doing the things I do here and having the commitments I have had while being here. In fact, I am obligated to make this my new reality, I have a responsibility to go forth and serve as a new person. This might be my last blog post ever in Israel, this makes me sad! I hope I can keep up with my blog in the states and that it will still be interesting! Thank you to everyone who has ever read my blog and to those who read it daily; I have loved knowing there are people who are interested in my experiences here. Oh ya, I will definitely do a long picture post or two or three or ten when I get home. Much love from the Holy Land. Oh ya, don't be annoyed if I call Israel the Holy Land. There are a few reasons why it is the most fitting name. One- it really is holy, Christ walked here and he will return to this land once again. Two- if I call it Israel I am being biased towards the Jews, if I call it Palestine I am being biased toward Palestinians, if I call it the Holy Land then I am biased towards no one! So bear with me if you think I sound sort of funny calling this place the Holy Land; it truly is holy to me and will ever be remembered that way in my eyes. I leave on a plane today at 11:35 pm; perhaps I will update in the airport? :)