Monday, July 30, 2012

Galilee Recap

Well, I have obviously been MIA for a while. I have been soaking in my last few weeks here.
(Only 9 more days... I'm obviously very sentimental lately.)

In that time, we were in Galilee for 11 days.
It was pure heaven.

We saw some beautiful churches...
  

Had Sacrament meeting in the church with the second best view (behind the JC of course)...

Saw another possible baptismal site...

Found friends from home...
(At Mt. Carmel of all places!)

Also found Joe Jr.'s twin at a waterfall...
(from While You Were Sleeping)

Ate delicious ice cream...

Which promptly began to melt...

Took lots of fun pictures and videos...
(Partially to stay entertained on long field trips)






Enjoyed lots of time on the beach or coast...




And watched the most beautiful sunsets...





...All with some of the best people.

You could call me the luckiest girl in the world right now.

Galilee 2012.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Jordan

We had a blast in Jordan for a few days!!

Day 1
Crossing the border
Becca, Sarah, Michael

Our first stop was Mount Nebo
Sara Beth, this picture is for you. We love Nebo School District

Moses' first view of the promised land

Nate, Stehly, Becca

Robin and Anna Marie

Sweet Moses statue with Rachel, Lane, and Steph

Next we saw the Madaba Map, the first map of Jerusalem

They were selling these Barbies on the street... I should have gotten one for my future children so they can be cultured

Machaerus
Emily and I. With a pillar.

Meg and Rachel

Classic Burbidge

We stopped the bus to watch this beautiful sunset

They had drinks and appetizers waiting for us at the hotel

Laura and I felt like we were on a honeymoon cruise with these towel designs

Day 2
We headed off to Petra at 7 AM to beat the crowds! Spent all day hiking around in the heat! Luckily, we got to wear shorts.

The Siq

Our first view of the treasury peeking through the rocks

The Treasury (if it looks awfully familiar, it's because Indiana Jones was filmed here)

Robin and Angela

The Monastery after our long hike up

Jumping with Anna Marie, AJ, and Becca

Anna Marie

Family picture with Rachel and Wishbone

Target ad

Chantel, Rachael, Karen, Alvin, Alyssa, (me), Rachel

Hannah, Jamie, Natalie

Spidey Robert??

Going to the end of the world...

The end of the world

Donkey

This is mine and Rachel's doggie. We saved him from Wishbone and the dog that were being mean to him. He walked all the way back to the restaurant from the monastery with us. Such a faithful dog. We're obsessed with him.
Rufus, Rufee for short, Rufio for fun. 
Rufus Petra Jordan Monson (a combination of our last names—Miner and Johnson) is his full name. 

Just trying to keep Petra from falling over with Rachel

The High Place or Place of the Sacrifice

High Place with Rachel x2

Lots of animals

It was a great day in Petra!!
We owned it.
Rachel and Robin

It was blazin' hot (surprise, surprise), so Anna Marie and I got popsicles afterwards

Just dancin' at the Shoubak Castle later that day

Day 3
We went to the Amman Citadel and Museum first.

Creepy (but cool) baby buried in a jar at the museum

What remains of the giant Hercules (I mean HUNK-ules) statue

Temple of Hercules with Rachel


Jamie and Rachel

The Jabbok River, where we talked about Jacob's wrestle with an angel for blessings

Then we went to Jerash. This site was monstrous.
Races in the hippodrome

We danced with these guys in the theater for a while

The Cardo

We're the cutest fountain you've ever seen
Meg (front), Heather (back), Lane

Models
Meg, Priscilla, Robin, Sara

Then we went to the Royal Automobile Museum. I wasn't so much into it like the boys. But I would drive a few of them.
Anna Marie and Stephanie

Day 4
We started our day at the Amman Theater and Odeon. 
Don't worry, I made Anna Marie and Robin sing "What Dreams Are Made Of" from the 
Lizzie McGuire Movie with me in the Roman theater.
In the Odeon we sang some Restoration hymns and a rousing rendition of the Cougar Fight Song!!
GOOO COUGARS!

Odeon with AJ, Robin, and Anna Marie

On our way back to Jerusalem, we went to the Bethany beyond Jordan baptismal site of Jesus Christ

In the Jordan River

Laura, my fantastic roommate in Jordan, and I in the Jordan

It was a super fun trip! 
But then again, it's hard NOT to have fun when you're in the Holy Land with all of us.
How did I get so lucky to be here with all these amazing people for the summer?