Two weeks down. It feels like I've been here forever! Today in church I was reminded of how amazing the Jerusalem Center is as I observed and overheard a group of visitors talk about how coming to the JC was the highlight of their trip.
The architecture of the building is stunning. I love the arches that frame the Old City throughout the whole Center. 
This is where I have church every Saturday!
Outdoor walkway from the eighth to the seventh floor.
The structure is also extremely practical. If you haven't already looked at the BYU Jerusalem Center website you should!
ce.byu.edu/jc/
This past week we went on an underground tour of the building...
...and at the end we got to sign our names on the cement :)
It was a good thing I was wearing that hard hat! I hit my head like 15 times during the tour...
Tonight, I was sitting on the grass outside watching the sunset and wishing I could share this experience with all of my family and friends. I realize how blessed I am to be part of this wonderful legacy. Last week, David Whitchurch, the program director, spoke at our first weekly forum about how the Jerusalem Center came to be. He said, quoting Elder Holland, "It's nothing short of a miracle. It is a miracle." There are a few miraculous anecdotes he shared related to the center that I remember most.
One was how President Kimball, the prophet at the time, was presented with several potential sites for the center. From the site closest to where the center is currently located, President Kimball walked and walked until he could see a complete view of the Old City. On that spot he wanted the center to be built. The problem was that the indicated site wasn't for sale. By law it couldn't be sold because it had been designated as part of the "Green Belt," a national park area where construction had been prohibited. What more, two different Israeli families claimed to own that particular plot of land. After over a year of negotiations, relationship building, and inspired problem solving, the church was finally able to purchase the land and get a building permit.
The opposition continued when construction began. Many of the local residents, predominantly from the Jewish community, actively campaigned against the construction of the building. They had demonstrations, stamped local currency with anti-Mormon propaganda, and published articles about the threat this "missionary center" made to their community. The JC opposition was even featured as international news.
I can't blame them for feeling threatened when one of the most aggressive proselytizing churches in the world was undertaking a substantial construction project on the literal Mount of Olives. The church promised that it wasn't a missionary center and even promised local authorities and that no proselytizing would occur at all. As soon as the center was livable, though not yet completed, the church had students move in, which made it clear that the land and building were theirs. After so much hassle and opposition, the students were finally in their very own center!
Now this building is a prized possession of Jerusalem. Concerts every Sunday night are hosted here, the majority in attendance being Jewish. I can't wait to host our Christmas concert here in December!!
That us such a cool story of pres kimball walking until he found the exact spot the center would be with the complete view of the old city. And a miracle of the church finally being able to purchase the land. Makes me want to go and take part of that miracle and that incredibly beautiful place.
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