Saying goodbye is hard. Especially with something like Jerusalem. A city you've come to love. A group of people that have become your second family. An experience you know you will never be able to re-create.

My last week in Jerusalem was stunning. I can't really explain all of my feelings about it. So I'll just unload with pictures like I usually do. But I just want to say how infinitely grateful I am for my 3 1/2 months in that Holy City. It's an experience I wouldn't trade for the world.

En Gedi

 Dead Sea Floatin'

 One of the weirdest feelings...ever

 Ali, Carl, Dan, Jason, Josh, Alex

 Ali @ Separation Wall

 Shabon!

 The Crew

 Sarah, Carl, Ali, Charlotte

 I love them to the mooon

 Final Babes of Bethlehem Pic

 The Seely's and Brian

 "Swiss Days with Dan!"

 Class Picture

 My best friend who got me to the Holy City

 405: the best Jerusa- running partners/roommates ever.

 Brian

 It's not a secret who their favorite student was

The Nickels. I already miss them.

 A "JG" sandwich. My favorite kind.

 Dr. and Sister Witchurch

galilee.

Where do I begin? Galilee was beautiful. In a lot of ways. Galilee was good to us. A perfect change of pace. A perfect place to walk where the Savior walked. A perfect place to contemplate. A perfect place to better friendships. A perfect place.

Galilee full of good moments. I always knew I would love it. I'll keep it brief, and let pictures speak for themselves. I was silly, so I don't have a lot of pictures of my favorite moments. Moments like running early in the morning, the air still hot and heavy, the sea to my side, with some of my favorite people. Moments like playing in the warm sea, trying to accomplish the most difficult human-stacking feats while the waves washed in on us. Moments like observing the faithful members of the Tiberias branch, the opening prayer said in Spanish, the Sacrament blessed in Hebrew, and hymns sung in Arabic. Moments like playing slender man on the beach, and having Eliza literally chuck Jason's computer out of fright. Moments like sneaking out at 1 am to go swim in the sea under the starry sky with my favorite people. Moments like thinking about my Savior, and coming to know him just a little bit better.

Galilee was full of good moments. And I feel really lucky to have experienced every single one.

Church of the Annunciation

 Cole @ our first glimpse of Galilee

 Joshua

 One of 100 reasons some girl will be lucky to marry Dan Stirland

Another one of those 100 reasons. Look at him.

 Capernaum

 Jesus Boat Rideee

 Church in Tiberias

 Tiberias Class Picture

 Jr. Witchurches

 Cliff Divers @ Akko

 Akko. Me, Jason, Jessica, Josh, Jenny, Liza.

 Daaan!

 Ang!

 Jenna, Alex, Ali, Jason, Carl, Josh

thin places.

"The Celts believed that heaven and earth were only three feet apart; they also had a belief in "Thin Places", places where the distance was even closer. Places which were awash with the presence of God. Places which intensified and overwhelmed with the awareness of the glory and presence of God." 
Professor Seely described "thin places" to us the other day. I love the idea of it. It is something that I have always thought about, but to have such an accurate and descriptive term for those moments make them that much more real to me. Thin places are little gifts from God. They can't be planned for or expected. The only thing we can do is hope that our eyes can see, our ears can hear, and our hearts can feel when we encounter a thin place.  Just thinking about thin places makes my heart happy. The other night I couldn't stop thinking about them. Thin places come in so many forms, at so many times, in so many places. For me, they are moments when you are perfectly present. Moments when time seems to stretch from one infinity to the next. Moments when you wouldn't want to be in any other place in the world than where you are at that exact moment. Moments when your heart feels a little tight because you are perfectly content. I think these thin places are little peeks into what Heaven will be like.  When I think of thin places that I've encountered...I think of a lot of instances. In Jerusalem I've had a lot of "thin place" experiences. Although there are a lot of long days here, days of sitting in class or studying on a beanbag, with lunch and dinner being your only respite; there are little peeks of thin places in between it all that make this place unforgettable. Golden moments that couldn't be re-created anywhere else. Moments like singing a hymn together in a magnificent church tucked away in the Old City. Moments like talking late into the night with a friend, never wanting your conversation to end, and loving every part of them so completely that in that second you wouldn't change a single thing. Moments like sitting out on the terrace, and looking at the Holy City all it up. Moments like laying out under the starry sky in Bethlehem thinking about the birth of the Savior. Moments like watching a Jewish woman fervently praying at the Western wall. Moments like watching Jack Belnap reciting "Harry Potter in 99 seconds" and remembering everything that is good about being a kid. Moments like laughing so hard at the talent show that your abs are tired the next day.  I know it's a random list. But that's kind of the point. Thin places come in all shapes and sizes. Spiritual moments, happy moments, funny moments. I could go on. But I just wanted to acknowledge a few of them. I believe the more we acknowledge thin places, the more we won't miss them. I hope we can all see the thin places that we are blessed with. I hope we can appreciate them. And most importantly I hope they can all bring us the joy that they are intended to.  Additionally. A few photos from the last week. 

Western Wall. (ww)

 ww.

 ww. Liza, Jenny, Ali. 

 ww plaza.

 ww.

 ww Women's Section.

 Church of St. Francis.

 Blurry. But this guy was cool.

 Old City. 

 Holy Sepulchre. 

 Chacos on Chacos.

 Pretty Dani.

 Oooold Graffiti.

 Me and Ang.

 Rampart's Walk.

 Josh and his blurry ear.

 Our pretty house on a hill.

 Scaring people from the wall.

 Snoozin.

 Babes of Bethlehem.

 Ali.

 Brad, Josh, Jason.