The LAST Week

Here is the LAST post! It is on the last week of my time in Jerusalem which fortuitously corresponded with the last week of Jesus' life. It was a perfect way to end the program.

Here is the probable set-up for how Christ's Last Supper would be- Triclinium style! You would eat laying down, propped up on your left elbow so you could eat with your right hand. So Jesus and His 12 disciples would be angled slightly left to perpendicular of the table all in a row. This makes it more plausible to imagine John being able to lay his head in Jesus' breast and ask, "Lord, is it I?" 

We started our "Last Week of Christ's life Field Trip" in Bethany on the other side of the Mt. of Olives. Here I am coming out of Lazarus' tomb! It was really, really small, even for me.

This was the coldest/windiest/rainiest day EVER! Actually, that is a lie. I have felt way colder and wetter, but oh my, those winds were torrential! Plus, what made it worse was that none of us were prepared for it...had to resort to layers and layers of tank tops, shirts, and thin jackets. We couldn't really complain about the rain though; we had prayed and fasted for it for months because not only was the drought/heat ruining the olive trees and other crops, but there was a huge forest fire taking the mountains of upper Galilee (including Mt. Carmel, where we were only a few days before!). Luckily they were able to get in under control within a few days, but I'm sure the pouring rain was a relief to everyone. It wasn't very pleasant to be outside all day in it combined with the crazy wind, but that's what made that day very unforgettable. :)

The second day of the last field trip was so beautiful! Sunny with cool and crisp fall temperatures (my FAVORITE weather). It was really nice to come full circle, to the Garden of Gethsemane on our second-to-last day in Jerusalem. This was the first place I went to once I arrived in the beginning of September and it gave me a unique and wonderful sense of closure. 

The last site of our field trip was the Garden Tomb. I have also been here many times before, but this time was special because they let our group in about 15 minutes before closing time, so there was no one else there! We had the whole park to ourselves, meaning I could get pictures with no crowds of people in them!! It was so great.

Our 'last supper' at the Jerusalem Center! Tarah, Me, and Natalie

2 car rides, 4 planes, 3 layovers, and 20 hours of flying all added up to 32 and 1/2 hours of smelly traveling....yay! Ha it was joyous...not really. But let me tell you, I would do it 4 times over to have this experience again. In a nutshell, this past semester was the best 4 months of my life! The academic experience was so unique and eye-opening, the social experience (with the students and professors as well as the locals) was fresh and SO much fun, and the spiritual experience was the most testimony-strengthening I have ever had. I loved it and will forever look back on what I've learned here and the relationships I've made for the rest of my life.

P.S. I recommend anyone and everyone to go! If you can, make it happen. I promise you won't regret it.

BYU Jerusalem Center Fall 2010....best semester ever. Enough said.