The Western Wall

September 2nd, Sunday was our day off and a day I will never forget. I woke up early to do laundry before our 7:30am breakfast and was hindered in my plans due to the machines not having power yet, though they should have been on since 6am. So my roommate Andrew Wilcox and I played some Table Tennis (they have a table in the laundry room) while we waited for the guy to come fix them. Andrew is a really good table tennis player, this was something I really enjoyed, I love a good game of table tennis, his skills far surpass me, but it is fun to have a good challenge. Andrew is from Portland, OR he is a large person, he is probably 6'4" and 240. His face looks like that of a really excited child. He is a sweet guy who finds joy in simple things, a simple person, which is refreshing. He is just a good kid who is a little naive to the world, which sometimes I envy being a critical and cynical person. My first contact with him was at orientation, his first question was, "Do you play any sports?" This makes me laugh now that I know him more, that question has the same context and intention as a 10 year old boy asking the new kid in the neighborhood after their mothers introduce them then go in the kitchen to talk. He just wanted to play. So I went to breakfast, finished my laundry then met up with Emily (tapanga) and her roommate to go into the old city. We left about 10am and walked down the Kidron Valley then back up it to the city. I now know the meaning behind the expression "up hill both ways". We went to Aladin's money exchange and I paid from the advancement he gave me on Friday. We then entered the city at Herod's Gate. We cruised around the Muslim Quarter then I wanted to go to the Dome of the Rock, but it was closed for a few hours, so we went to the Western Wall. This was my first experience in the Jewish Quarter of the City. We had to go through security very similar to an airport. We walked down a covered street, like a tunnel, we came out into the big courtyard where the Western Wall is. There was quite a bit of people walking around in the presence of the Israeli Military boys carrying machine guns. There were a lot of military "men" (they are all still in their late teens) on this day and I later learned they were having some kind of military graduation. I looked over to the left and there it was, the Western Wall! It is the only remaining part of Herod's Temple, It was actually an outer wall and not part of the Temple structure per se. Nevertheless, I was very impressed. We walked to a gate that separated those who are going up to the wall to worship and pray from those who are just wandering around the large courtyard. I was very impressed and humbled to see the Jewish men at the wall praying some with their hands on the wall and others holding prayer books. Emily and her roommate were not planning on going up to the wall, they said we go there twice with the whole group later on, I said, "oh, OK" but then I just kept getting this feeling and prompting to just go to the wall. So I told them that I have to go to it now. I walked to the entrance, put on a kippah that they give out to those who do not have one on. I placed it on my head and walked up to the wall, literally with each step I took towards the wall the spirit got stronger and stronger. I know that it is just a stack of old rocks, but man was it powerful! I found a spot between two orthodox Jews who were uttering Hebrew prayers. I places my right hand on the wall, whose cracks were overflowing with rolled up papers filled with people's hopes, concerns, gratitude, love, and desires that they so tenderly share with God. Its overwhelming to think of how many people have made the long pilgrimage to this very spot to place their hand written prayer on this wall. I did not have paper to place my prayer in the wall of God, but I knew I was coming back to the wall so I didn't stress about this and I just focused on the spirit and the prayer I was offering in my heart and mind. I said a long prayer, nothing compared to the Jews around me who would spend a long amount of time at the wall. The Director of the BYUJ Center is not a member and he spoke to us our first day about being a listener and observer here in this land. I am forever grateful for his advice. I feel that I have learned so much about dedication, sacrifice, faith, and love for God just in this one experience. Just typing this experience out almost brings me to tears, that is how profound this was for me. I hope I do not sound pretentious or that you may gather some kind of theatrical elaboration just because I am here and I must let people know that I am having this marvelous experience, this for me is real. Getting tossed into a different culture that is, in my opinion, much more dedicated to God than 90% of those in my own religion has been poignant and life-changing. It causes me to reflect on my own dedication and faith in God, how can I improve to be more like this Jewish man next to me at the wall? how can I improve my relationship to God like the African lady brought to tears at the sight of the supposed empty tomb of the Savior? How can I be more dedicated like the Muslim who prays toward Mecca 5 times a day everyday? I came back to the center after some more exploring through the city. My mind could not get off of the Western Wall experience I had earlier. The hike up the mount of Olives to the Center almost killed me in pants in the heat of the day. I studied and socialized with other students. One girl, Hollie Crosby, in particular studied with me out on the terrace then inside. She is a really cool girl. Very outgoing, flirty, and confident. Hollie comes in with guns blazing. I enjoyed her company as we studied till midnight.