I'm Really Going!

I can honestly say this has been a desire in the making for a very long time. It started out when Dad surprised Mom for their 20th Anniversary on a trip to the Middle East. Mom was ecstatic. Okay, maybe MORE than ecstatic. Wait, she was WAY more than ecstatic (You get the point). I was young and I just remember she didn't stop talking about it for MONTHS to come. She was most excited to be where Christ has walked, learn about his ministry and actually experience it. She came home and kept crying and crying about how wonderful the experience was. I didn't understand it, but if anyone knows me well enough, they know I'm almost the twin of my mom that came about 36 years after she did. It all started then. Next, I got my patriarchal blessing. My desire grew immensely. Then, I was enrolled in Brother Little's seminary class my senior year of high school. At different times during the semester he'd mention Jerusalem, how the sabbath is on a Saturday, not Sunday, some of his experiences etc. He was heaven sent. I don't know why Heavenly Father is so good to me. One day I asked him if we could take some time and talk about it in depth and he loved the idea. One lunch he brought out this massive chest that his wife had made him that was covered in pictures from his stay in Jerusalem. He told me as many experiences as he could fit in within those 50 short minutes. The whole time I was sobbing over the idea to be where my Savior had lived. I was thirsting for more. I came up to BYU-I and wanted to go as soon as I could! I looked into it and I had to be enrolled for 2 semesters before I could apply. I was heartbroken. I wanted it sooo badly. Heavenly Father prepared me during the wait. I'm going to BYU Jerusalem August 31-December 18. I couldn't be happier. This was only done by Heavenly Father. Whoever reads this, I want you to know Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us. He watches our every move, and blesses our every days. Look for it. I promise he's there.