Hello everyone!

not much has happened today. today was our first day of class so that was kinda neat. i am actually very excited to learn here. Its so different learning about the bible when you are living in the place that the bible talks about. classes are different here in that they are not on the same days or the same times like regualar college classes. one of the classes that i had today i am not having again until next friday. just a little more about where i am. the jerusalem center is owned by the church but the land that it is on is not. it is owned by israel and is leased to us. They only let us build it here on the agreement that we would not prosylite. there is a group here that there sole purpose is to make sure that nobody preaches to the jews. they sometimes will go up and ask you questions to see if you will start teaching them. they aren't mean at all and they wouldn't do anything to us but if one of us were to start teaching them then they could make it so we could no longer come to the jerusalem center. we are told if someone asks just to say that we can't talk about that and just leave it to that. it is the same with political issues. the people here like the mormons and they know who we are. hard to beleive huh? :) we are white and dress way different than they do. :) the other day when we took our tour through the old city of jerusalem this guy saw us and was like " BYU! from the east to the west byu is the best!" then he walked off and said Lehi Liahoni. It was pretty funny! so one thing that i will prbably miss when i go home is that five times a day they have a call to pray. it sounds like someone is singing in isreali and its being put on a loud speaker so the entire city can hear. when ever this goes off the muslims are supposed to pray. its pretty neat! the first prayer is at 5 in the morning. they are really good at keeping us save here. there isn't anything going on in Jerusalem but they are very precautious. i feel very safe in this building. its weird but cool. the director and assisant director and the people that run the center here are not LDS. they are muslim,jewish, palestinian and i think there is a christian here to. they are all really nice and its neat that they are here and we can get to know them. well gotta go! until next time! love ya!!! Christine