Jerusalem vs. Utah

With less than one day left until we leave this Holy Land and return back to the land of 'Holy Cow', it is easy for one to reminisce on times past. There are things that will be deeply missed, but there are also things that one looks forward to upon embarking. The following list encompasses a smattering of such thoughts.

Things to Miss:

1) 1 shekel popsicles after walking up the Kidron valley in uber hot weather
2) "Hello, Mormons! Buy one get me free!"
3) Magnum bars
4) Periodic whiffs of unique smells including (but not limited to) exhaust, burning garbage, urine, and olives
5) Buying filafels and shwarma's
6) Visiting power religion spots of Christians/Muslims/Jews
7) Fireworks going off every day, day or night
8) Spending time with friends walking/shopping in the Old City
9) Walking to Gethsemane and the Garden Tomb after church on Sabbath
10) Sabbath on Saturday
11) Hours of fun and games on the bus, visiting every site mentioned in the Bible
12) Having spiritual experiences as a group and individually
13) Jumping pictures!
14) Sweating profusely---all of the time
15) Being best buds with the professors
16) 80 best friends
17) Walking up 3000+ stairs each day, uphill, in the snow, sweating.


Things to look forward to:

1) Super-size me food (hamburgers, cheap meals, shakes, desserts, fry-sauce)
2) Driving in a car
3) Being able to go anywhere without two other people
4) Not spending money
5) Cereal and cold milk
6) Bacon/French Toast, BLT's, ham sandwhiches
7) Seeing my family!
8) Sleeping in my own bed
9) Sitting on a couch
10) Surround sound movies
11) Starting the Advertising program
12) Sleeping in
13) Bacon

That's just a few of them, but you get idea. What an amazing priviledge to live in that great city of Jerusalem for 3.5 months. No doubt, I will remember the experiences that I've had, the feelings that I've felt, and the friends that I've gained far into the future. I would venture to say that everyone, from every walk of life should visit Jerusalem at least once in their life. The land enriches one's spirit in a way that cannot be duplicated anywhere in the world. This is because it was forever changed when one Jesus of Nazareth was born in Bethlehem, preached in Galilee, and died and rose again on Calvary.

Praise be to the one that makes this land holy, the very Holy One of Israel, Jesus Christ---our Savior and Redeemer.