This picture was taken the day we found out that we were for sure going to go study nursing in Jerusalem. Reagan, Cali, and I are standing next to pictures of Jerusalem advertising the opportunity next to the nursing department office.

Let's start at the beginning. During the Spring 2012 semester at BYU-Idaho I received the amazing news that I had been accepted into the BYU-I nursing program to start that fall. I can still remember the anxiety that I felt as I struggled taking a chemistry test while letter that held some kind of important news simply sat in my backpack under my chair. I rushed through the test (definitely not my best score) and drove to the temple parking lot because I was too afraid to go home and cry in front of my roommates if I was rejected. Instead, I call my mother sobbing and after she asked if someone had died I was able to catch my breath and deliver the exciting news. I had no clue that this wonderful opportunity was about to turn into an even more incredible experience. A few weeks later I was sitting in the McKay library on campus reading through the packet I had received from the nursing department of the many things I had to do before I was able to start the program. Towards the end of the packet, one of the pages informed the future nursing students that they were being given the opportunity to study in the Holy Land at the BYU Jerusalem center for their last semester in Fall 2013. Immediately my eyes became watery (I think you'll learn I cry a lot) and I called my mom to tell her that I just had to go. She was in complete support (not knowing the cost). As school started, I put Jerusalem in the back of my mind and told myself that it wasn't going to happen. At one of the meetings for those who were interested in going, Sister Dicus (department head at the time) told about some of the amazing experiences she had while living in Jerusalem. The spirit was strong and I couldn't keep my eyes from leaking a little. I decided then that I was going to do whatever I needed to do to make this trip possible. The whole story is kind of long and I've already dragged the story out, but I will say there were a lot of ups and downs. But it doesn't matter because I a few short days on September third I will  be boarding a plane to JFK and then off to Tel Aviv. I know it is going to be an amazing and life changing experience. I only hope that I will work hard enough to learn everything I can and come home a better nurse and overall person.