Song of the Week: Re: stacks by Bon Iver (one of my all time favorites)
Istanbul
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Turkey Trip
Gunaydin!
Gear up for a nice long read about my week in Turkey! I love this country and I definitely want to go back some day. This wonderful place happens to lie halfway in Europe and halfway in Asia. So yes, of course I went to both sides. Even though I didn't necessarily experience Asian culture, you can bet that I'm checking it off as a continent I've stood on. No big deal. While in Turkey, we visited a lot of other places. We went to 18 different sites in 6 days... so we were busy busy busy. But we had fun fun fun.
I have hundreds of pictures to show for this fun week. So I'm going to have to do a lot of weeding... Here we go.
From there we went on a ferry ride to the Asian side of Turkey. That's where Troy and a lot of other sites were.
We were all really excited to go to Troy so we could take pictures in front of the giant replica horse from the movie Troy. But wouldn't you know it, when we pulled up the first thing we saw was a giant black tarp covering the horse that was currently being repaired. We still got to look at the ruins. Which was cool. I guess.
Then we went to our hotel.
We watched the sunset, ate dinner, and then headed out to the dock to watch the stars (there were millions.) It was a perfect night. After star gazing, I stumbled upon a room full of girls.
While we were all in there talking and laughing, one of the girls randomly stopped and said, "You guys, I don't think I've ever had this many close friends." We all just kind of nodded in agreement and then continued talking. I love these girls.
The next morning we went to Assos, which is a place where Paul taught. This place was absolutely beautiful. It overlooked the Sea and we could see the Greek Islands in the distance. It was very peaceful to be up there.
Next we hopped on a little gondolas and rode up to Pergamum...aka the windiest place I've ever been to. Once again, very pretty. Lots of ruins. A really big theater (biggest in the world at the time).
Amazing View. Lots of wind. Purchased a ring.
The next day we went to Ephesus. This place dates back to 1400 BC and lots of cool significant things happened there. Lots. So much that I can't remember even one of them. Whoops. It's fine, I'm just tired.
After that we drove to Priene and Miletus and looked at more pretty rocks and sat in chairs that made us feel like kings and queens.
The next day it was cold and rainy and we went to Sardis. It was admittedly a little chilly, but I loved the rain! It made everything so much prettier. It was all green with the ruins so clear in the distance. Amazing.
We also spent some time in the Bursa Mosque and then got to go shopping for a while. We were quite disappointed and couldn't find anything that we loved to buy. So instead, we bought all natural toothbrushes (a packaged stick) and some henna. Just call us a bunch of hippies.
The next day we went to Nicea, the place of the Council of Nicea and the Nicean Creed. It was freezing cold. Like 39 degrees or something ridiculous like that.
Then we went on another ferry ride and ventured to the Hagia Sophia back in Istanbul. It's now a museum so we walked around for a minute and then booked it to a mini bazaar close by. There were lots of awesome rugs and vases and stuff. My favorite thing of the whole night, however, were these little tiny cutest ever baby shoes. I was all geared up to by some for my nieces and nephews when the man told me the price and I dropped them like a hot potato. A picture will have to suffice. Just know that they are ten times cuter in real life.
It was a whirlwind of a week. Full of lentil soup, gorgeous bus rides, lots of cool history, beautiful ruins, good conversations, funny moments, and life long memories.
Whooo-eee.
Love you all.
Gear up for a nice long read about my week in Turkey! I love this country and I definitely want to go back some day. This wonderful place happens to lie halfway in Europe and halfway in Asia. So yes, of course I went to both sides. Even though I didn't necessarily experience Asian culture, you can bet that I'm checking it off as a continent I've stood on. No big deal. While in Turkey, we visited a lot of other places. We went to 18 different sites in 6 days... so we were busy busy busy. But we had fun fun fun.
We're in the big city now
The view out my window at our first hotel in Istanbul.
------------------------------------------
We started off in Istanbul. This was my favorite place. It was colorful and busy and beautiful and the people were so nice. We went to the Blue Mosque, a cistern, and the Grand Bazaar and then ended the day with a mini cruise along the coast line and a nice dinner. It was a great, beautiful, exhausting day.
Blue Mosque
Me and Tess spent a lot of time together on this day
Okay. All you Bachelorette watchers. Remember that time when the chosen bachelorette (I think it was Ashley's season) had dinner with her date in the cistern?? We reenacted it! Cracked ourselves up. 
CASTLE
Ferry ride
The next day we went to Gallipoli and Troy. Gallipoli is the place of a World War I battle between the Austrailians and the New Zelanders, and the Turks, and it is a beautiful place. It was sad to think about the events that took place there and kind of nice to study a World War I battle from the perspective of different countries. There was an older Turkish couple there that was so touched to see American students paying tribute to the Australians, New Zelanders, and Turks that were killed in the battle.
We were all really excited to go to Troy so we could take pictures in front of the giant replica horse from the movie Troy. But wouldn't you know it, when we pulled up the first thing we saw was a giant black tarp covering the horse that was currently being repaired. We still got to look at the ruins. Which was cool. I guess.
Then we went to our hotel.
While we were all in there talking and laughing, one of the girls randomly stopped and said, "You guys, I don't think I've ever had this many close friends." We all just kind of nodded in agreement and then continued talking. I love these girls.
The next morning we went to Assos, which is a place where Paul taught. This place was absolutely beautiful. It overlooked the Sea and we could see the Greek Islands in the distance. It was very peaceful to be up there.
It is very likely that Paul walked through these pillars
Amazing View. Lots of wind. Purchased a ring.
The next day we went to Ephesus. This place dates back to 1400 BC and lots of cool significant things happened there. Lots. So much that I can't remember even one of them. Whoops. It's fine, I'm just tired.
The next day it was cold and rainy and we went to Sardis. It was admittedly a little chilly, but I loved the rain! It made everything so much prettier. It was all green with the ruins so clear in the distance. Amazing.
I felt like I was in Scotland
The next day we went to Nicea, the place of the Council of Nicea and the Nicean Creed. It was freezing cold. Like 39 degrees or something ridiculous like that.
Then we went on another ferry ride and ventured to the Hagia Sophia back in Istanbul. It's now a museum so we walked around for a minute and then booked it to a mini bazaar close by. There were lots of awesome rugs and vases and stuff. My favorite thing of the whole night, however, were these little tiny cutest ever baby shoes. I was all geared up to by some for my nieces and nephews when the man told me the price and I dropped them like a hot potato. A picture will have to suffice. Just know that they are ten times cuter in real life.
Ferry ride
Hagia Sophia
After the baby shoe disappointment we were freezing our body parts off, so we ran to a little narrow street in search of a Cafe and we found one. It was little and quaint and we got yummy hot chocolate and baclava right before sprinting to the bus which whisked us away to a fish dinner and then the airport to head back to Jerusalem.
It was a whirlwind of a week. Full of lentil soup, gorgeous bus rides, lots of cool history, beautiful ruins, good conversations, funny moments, and life long memories.
Whooo-eee.
Love you all.
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Savior, Redeemer of my Soul
Marhaba, everyone!
I'm about to board a plane to Istanbul, Turkey, but I wanted to do a quick post before we take off.
I have felt flooded by the spirit for the past few days and I wanted to share some of my feelings. I am not a good speaker. But I can write.
Jerusalem will always occupy a special space in my heart for so many reasons. One of those reasons being that this is the place of so many special spiritual experiences. My testimony and love for the Savior have grown so much as I have had several small experiences that are evidence to me that he lives and loves me. I have had countless moments of immense peace and happiness as I learn more about His life.
I had the best Sabbath yesterday. I had the opportunity to be part of a musical number in church. I accompanied a singer and violinist, and we played the song, "Savior, Redeemer of my Soul." You may recognize it from the movie 17 Miracles. I practiced and practiced and prayed that I wouldn't mess up. And I didn't. It was amazing and I'm so glad I had the opportunity to bear my testimony through music.
In primary we talked about the Atonement, and as part of the lesson, all the kids walked outside to overlook the Garden of Gethsemane. How cool for these kids to get to grow up in a place where pictures aren't necessary, because the real thing is right out the back window.
After playing Savior, Redeemer of my Soul and having a lesson on the Atonement in primary, I decided that it would be appropriate to visit the Garden of Gethsemane for the first time. It was an excellent Sabbath to say the least. I am so thankful for Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrifice. He truly is the redeemer of my soul.
We ended the first half of the semester on Friday, which means that now we start New Testament. I have been so excited to study the life of Jesus Christ, but the reality of it didn't hit me until our first day of class when my teacher showed us a video that helped me remember His life and love for me. (Click on "video" to watch it.) As I watched it, I got emotional thinking about the effect these few months in Jerusalem will have on my life. The experiences I am having here will change me forever.
It's an amazing video of scenes from the Savior's life as President Hinckley bears his testimony about his love for the Savior. As I sat in my desk, surrounded by so many new friends, I looked out the big classroom windows that overlook the old city, and it hit me for the first real time. I am in the land of the Savior. I have learned about his miracles, and seen first hand where they were performed. I have visited the place of his birth, the place of the his atoning sacrifice, and the places of his death and resurrection. As I thought about these events, I was completely overcome by the spirit as it testified to me that these things really happened. I know they did. In that moment, I felt His love so strongly. The words of "I feel my Savior's Love" were running through my head all day.
In his testimony, President Hinckley said everything I have always felt, but never known how to say. Ironically (and yet, not so much) the simplest statement in his testimony was the one that hit me the hardest: Jesus is my friend. None other has given me so much. None other can take his place. And none other ever will.
As for my own simple statements--
I know Jesus loves me.
I love him.
He is my friend.
He is my Redeemer.
He is my strength and my happiness.
I never want to forget that.
I'm about to board a plane to Istanbul, Turkey, but I wanted to do a quick post before we take off.
I have felt flooded by the spirit for the past few days and I wanted to share some of my feelings. I am not a good speaker. But I can write.
Jerusalem will always occupy a special space in my heart for so many reasons. One of those reasons being that this is the place of so many special spiritual experiences. My testimony and love for the Savior have grown so much as I have had several small experiences that are evidence to me that he lives and loves me. I have had countless moments of immense peace and happiness as I learn more about His life.
I had the best Sabbath yesterday. I had the opportunity to be part of a musical number in church. I accompanied a singer and violinist, and we played the song, "Savior, Redeemer of my Soul." You may recognize it from the movie 17 Miracles. I practiced and practiced and prayed that I wouldn't mess up. And I didn't. It was amazing and I'm so glad I had the opportunity to bear my testimony through music.
In primary we talked about the Atonement, and as part of the lesson, all the kids walked outside to overlook the Garden of Gethsemane. How cool for these kids to get to grow up in a place where pictures aren't necessary, because the real thing is right out the back window.
After playing Savior, Redeemer of my Soul and having a lesson on the Atonement in primary, I decided that it would be appropriate to visit the Garden of Gethsemane for the first time. It was an excellent Sabbath to say the least. I am so thankful for Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrifice. He truly is the redeemer of my soul.
We ended the first half of the semester on Friday, which means that now we start New Testament. I have been so excited to study the life of Jesus Christ, but the reality of it didn't hit me until our first day of class when my teacher showed us a video that helped me remember His life and love for me. (Click on "video" to watch it.) As I watched it, I got emotional thinking about the effect these few months in Jerusalem will have on my life. The experiences I am having here will change me forever.
It's an amazing video of scenes from the Savior's life as President Hinckley bears his testimony about his love for the Savior. As I sat in my desk, surrounded by so many new friends, I looked out the big classroom windows that overlook the old city, and it hit me for the first real time. I am in the land of the Savior. I have learned about his miracles, and seen first hand where they were performed. I have visited the place of his birth, the place of the his atoning sacrifice, and the places of his death and resurrection. As I thought about these events, I was completely overcome by the spirit as it testified to me that these things really happened. I know they did. In that moment, I felt His love so strongly. The words of "I feel my Savior's Love" were running through my head all day.
In his testimony, President Hinckley said everything I have always felt, but never known how to say. Ironically (and yet, not so much) the simplest statement in his testimony was the one that hit me the hardest: Jesus is my friend. None other has given me so much. None other can take his place. And none other ever will.
As for my own simple statements--
I know Jesus loves me.
I love him.
He is my friend.
He is my Redeemer.
He is my strength and my happiness.
I never want to forget that.
This is what my Sabbaths look like. J-rew Sunbeam Crew all the way baby!
Love.
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