HaPpy BiRthDay BiG siSter!!

I would like to throw a shout out to thee most wonderful, beautiful, intelligent, talented, caring, and only sister I have! Today is her special day and she knows how horrible I am with birthday's. I always appreciate the love and thought she puts into everyone else's special day, so I thought I would send her something a little different! If you know me very well, I am not much of a blogger... unless it is something I feel is important. That means you are very special Kolbi!!!

As you know, I am going to school right now-meaning I am broke- AND, I am in Idaho. Nothing exciting comes from either of those. So, I put my creative cap on and made a very unique birthday present for mi Sista!!

I hope you have an incredible birthday Kolbi, you deserve it!! As you can see I went and got a diet coke and cookies from McDonald's in celebration of your birth!! I love you so much, you are an amazing example to me and I couldn't have asked for a better sister as a role model!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

The past 2 weeks in my eyes!

Oh Jerusalem...

There has been so many fun and exciting escapades these past few weeks. Starting off with the Holocaust museum we went to just last week, and that was an amazing experience in its self. What a moving and touching opportunity it was to re-live what the Jewish people went through here in this part of the world. It was incredible to go throughout the museum with our Judaism teacher who brought forth his insight on the entire devastation towards his religion. Altogether it was a very humbling experience and I loved every minute of it. It was definitely a different feeling but it also gave me a better appreciation for the things I have been blessed with.
On another note, I had the chance to meet and listen to Elder Holland last night at a fireside here in the center. Elder and sister Porter as well as Elder and sister Holland arrived here yesterday afternoon while we were at church. We were able to have dinner with them followed by an amazing fireside. I was able to sit on the second row front and center… holy cow it was a very powerful experience. It’s amazing how strong the spirit can be with such a small congregation. I took complete advantage of that opportunity while writing down as much as possible. Good news is he’s still here in the building… This is definitely not the time to be walking around in you P.J’s and fuzzy slippers, you just don’t know when he’ll be around the corner. Let alone slip a lil’ cuss word… how horrible would that be. But it has been fun having them here besides the fact the students are a little obsessed, I must admit.
Another recent outing that has happened this last week was our Dead Sea mud mask girls night. We completed the night with pedicures, manicures and haircuts. You may notice in one of the pictures the girl trimming my hair is wearing a head light! Hahaha. The lighting was minimum, and I wasn’t about to get a complete crooked hair cut.
We leave for Jordan this next week so I will have to give the updates sometime when we get back!

Recent Pics...

EGYPTIAN RUUUUUUUUNS!!

So the past two weeks I have had the opportunity to go and visit Egypt, one of the greatest wonders of the world! I had an amazing time there and wish our trip could have been just a little longer. Our group was able to tour all throughout Egypt itself while visiting some of the most incredible sites in this world. Just a brief detailed list of only a few adventures we were able to explore: The great pyramids-in which we were able to climb inside to the burial tomb. It was really hot and claustrophobic but I did make it- The burial tombs of some of the greatest Pharaohs in Valley of the Kings, camel rides, sailing the Nile river at sunset, horse carriage rides in Luxor, the Mummy museum where we got to see King Tut and Ramses as well as other past Pharaohs, SHOPPING (Yes, I have come to master the bargaining system:) And the last but not least, we were able to climb Mt. Sinai at 2am! That was such an incredible experience and I would do it again in a heart beat. It's a 4.5 mile hike up-and I mean up- and once we got to the top we were able to watch the sun rise above the clouds...BEAUTIFUL! I must admit, that was the happiest I have ever been at 3 in the morning, while dangling my legs over the cliff of the most amazing peak in the world!

On the other hand there were a few downfalls about Egypt, surprising I know. You can't eat any fresh veggies or fruit, you can't drink the water, and you feel like you are on a carb diet the entire time. Unfortunately there were a few lucky souls who faced the famous stomach cramping... low and behold I was one of them! We call it the Egyptian runs, and Im sure you can figure out why we have named it the way we have. It feels as if you are Dorthy from the Wizard of Oz and the tornado is about to strike home... It's a rough life. If only I could click my heels so it will all go away... "There's no place like home"

Overall I am having the time of my life, despite the tornados. It seems as if I am always saying that, but it is so true! I have truely been blessed to have been given such great opportunities to travel and learn in different parts of the world. I am so grateful for what I have been given as well as all the great people I have met on the way. Nothing would be as good as it is without the awesome individuals that have inspired me to become a better person!