A week of LEARNING!

What are these pictures? Well... one is the Hebrew Alphabet... which I now know ALL of! I can read Hebrew fluently and it makes me super excited. I have really loved learning the language and about the Jewish culture through the course here with Mrs. Judy Goldman... she is a fantastic teacher! I have spent a lot of mindless moments in class when I'd write a love note to one of my girls... it's been a party. I'm so happy about what I've learned. =D

The other picture is of the Saint Savior's Church in the Christian Quarter of the Old City. Last night, a group of the other students and myself had the great privilege to go listen to our own Brother Whipple play a crazy-amazing 6-piece Mendelssohn Sonata Organ recital!! Each Sonata had multiple movements and was long, but super impressive. The cathedral reminds me of the Sistine Chapel because of the gorgeous vaulted-arch ceiling. What a blast.

We head off to Jordan on MONDAY! I can't wait. We'll all miss the Jerusalem Center for the few days we're gone, but this is going to be amazing. I am particularly excited for for Petra! This is going to be mind-blowing... not that I have any mind left to be blown after all the wonderful experiences I've had so far! ha ha Well, I love life. I hope all is well with you all. Shabbot Shalom!

A Wonderful Shabbot Shalom!

Hello! It feels like a long time since I've been in contact with the people I love, so here I am... letting you know that I'm alive. =D Life is wonderful here.

Yesterday was an AWESOME day. Here's the run-down: woke up, shower and beautified, breakfast in the Oasis, choir practice (we sound better than the mormon tabernacle choir- don't tell Kathleen), sacrament meeting (i'll never get sick of that view- i'll remember it for my whole life), watched the re-run of sunday morning conference (all the talks are awesome- I thought of our adorable family and reminised about how much I love those pj-mom's cookin-sunday mornings!), light lunch provided by the branch (yummy pizza-tasting rolls, kinda like a mature bagel bite like Sam's =P), then the re-run of the last session of conference aired in the forum (Holland's talk was the best, but I really loved a few others a lot- But Holland will be here in a month! yay), dinner (with the best fish that I've had here... and the chocolate moooooooouse! My favorite here- get's that chocolate fix right on the nose! Yum), then I went over to the Brother and Sister Allen's apartment to help them on their mac (which was a complete mess- Ben would be sick =P) and ended up staying there for FOUR hours just teaching them things about their computer/freeing up space/itunes and genius applications/deleting duplicate files... etc., and we talked boys (the Allens seem to like me because they're trying their darndest to hook me up with people) while snacking on cookies/popcorn/Jerusalem juice, after that I went back to my apartment and named all the pictures in my "Jerusalem Pics" and backed them and all my music up on my exterior hard drive (that my loving dad got me before I left =D) while talking to some roomies, got ready for bed, and then just as I was about to close my eyes... Angie came in and we started talking life (once I started analyzing her situation- It was probably hard to get my deep analizations to stop flowin'!)... once we'd solved the world, THEN I could fall asleep to my "Sleepy Playlist"!!! Now THAT was the biggest run-on sentance ever! But it was my day... and I loved it!

I'm off to Tel Aviv in an hour for a relaxing day at the beach! We'll see how much of my planned studying I actually get done =D I love you all!
XOXO- Kathryn

Genie pants...

Who ever knew that my life could feel so complete with the new addition of Genie pants to my small wardrobe here in the Holy Land? There is a man named Shabon who has a store near Jaffa Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem, and he is LEGEND among "the Mormons". It was my first time visiting his shop when we went to see him yesterday and it was so fun. The girls and I browsed at our leisure (rare in this country), and then he had his son go and get us Falaffels. And so, we had lunch with the darling Shabon, with yummy drinks thrown in for free.

We danced to a techno-ified ABBA song that a group of Jews had blasting outside of Jaffa Gate while little Jewish boys sang on stage... it was adorable! So fun. Randy-gram, Alison Nielson, Angie Clark, Lauren LaRose, and I had a wonderful day out in the city yesterday.

The past week has been one of A LOT of New Testament classes. This is because some of our other teachers are detained because of the Jewish Holiday celebrations (therefore, crazy security and all that jazz!)

Well, perhaps I should go do homework? Or perhaps not! In any case, I'm off! Till a later time when we meet, I love you people! Shalom

-Jessica Saliby and I at the lowest point in the world! 800 ft. plus below sea level in Jericho!
-This is the "Judean Desert". It is the land that Abraham and his family had to go through when they left Jerusalem. Desert here= unable to produce anything.
-Jessie McLean, Ali Beifuss, and I looking over Jericho from the monastery of Chrits' Temptation hewn into the cliffs.
-This picture is of me in Gethsemane. Do you believe that? There were knotted trees everywhere. We went early on Saturday (our sabbath) with a group of great kids. It was a spiritual day =D

Can you hear the Bells?

Today was a blast! A highlight was going to the YMCA in West Jerusalem today at noon to ring the bells! Brother Whipple met a group of us there and we played music for all of Jerusalem to hear. I didn't realize that in order to play this 35-bell system, you had to be a pianist... so thank you BYU School of Music for forcing me to take that piano proficiency class lass year! I managed to play "God Speed the Right" all by my little self... even throwing in some harmonies in there. I was so proud! We all were laughing and taking pictures of each other. What a wonderful experience. Hooray for the Carillong bell tower of the YMCA!
Also, another highlight of this weekend has been General Conference. Though I miss just rolling out of bed and watching the T.V. with my brothers and parents... while eating a delicious breakfast... I didn't think anything could compare. My experience here is so wonderful. Perhaps I appreciate Conference even more when it isn't happening in my town. Well, I just love this experience so far.
XOXO

Okay! It's make-up time! This is my first Blog post ever. Hold your horses... or camels perhaps!

I've officially been a resident of the Jerusalem Center (locals call it the "Mormon University") on Mount Scopus in Israel for a whole month... as of October 2nd...today! This is truly an amazing study abroad. Emotions here are a funny thing though here. Every day is like an emotional rollercoaster... oh buddy it is fun! From walking where the Savior walked, to getting to know the locals, to realizing how stinkin' YOUNG America is, to just loving the people I'm here with, to studying till my brains feel like they evaporated from the heat of such heavy use! Ha ha And so much more too! I love being stretched... every day I'm a new person, it feels like. It makes me laugh to look back on who I was the day before and see such drastic changes to today's Kathryn.

The first photo I put up, is of Megan Richards and I on my balcony with the Old City of Jerusalem hiding behind my own personal pomegranate tree. I love this girl! We're both Salt-Lakers and her pop is my Orthodontist, but it took a study abroad half-way across the planet to get us chickas together! Well, as my theme seemes to be as of late, better sooner than later.

I love all my awesome friends and family back home in America. I wish I had time to write and call you all personally. But alas, they keep us out of trouble... that's for sure! Just know that you all have a part of my heart... And now, Jerusalem is already staking a claim on another part. =D

I'll probably keep messing with this new Blog-Beast over the next few days... so don't judge my skills to harshly yet!

I love life! May yours treat you fantasticlly today.
SHABBOT SHALOM!
❤/Kathryn