The Dead Sea Scrolls & President Hinckley

I was at a fireside last night on the Dead Sea Scrolls. There was a professor from BYU teaching about the different DSS they have found and the treasures of knowledge they have revealed. It is fascinating to me how much there is that has been lost through translation of the Bible into English. The Jews were so careful in how they transmitted the Bible and copied it onto the scrolls. I have a feeling we need to study more about the Middle East and the Old Testament.

At the end of the fireside, the Stake President announced that President Hinckley had died surrounded by his family. I just think what a wonderful reunion that would be between he and his wife. He was truly a great man and prophet. My friend was telling me about BYU's graduation last April. When Vice President Dick Cheney entered the Marriott Center, the crowd warmly welcomed him, but when President Hinckley entered, there was such love for him and the Spirit was awesome there. One of the first times I saw President Hinckley at BYU was at a fund-raiser meeting. It wasn't even a religious meeting, and I could totally feel the Spirit testifying to me that he was the prophet. I am so grateful for the sacrifices he made to lead the Church, especially after he lost his wife.

BYU has the coolest slide show tribute to Pres. Hinckley
(Click to view the slide show)

Glenn Beck also had a touching tribute to Pres. Hinckley

Christmas and New Year's

This Christmas was a lot of fun. I got to go home for a week and spend time with my family. We went up north to my sister, Lindsey's for Christmas. I got the best Christmas present, I got a piano keyboard from my parents. I had been thinking just the day before I opened it how much I wanted a piano, but didn't know how I would afford it. I luff it! Then I went to Washington, D.C. to visit my college roommate, Amy. We rode the China Town Bus from DC to New York's China Town. Needless to say it was very interesting! As we were driving down the street in NY, the bus driver hit a parked car, ripping off the side view mirror. We thought he was just going to drive off without leaving his information, I was ready to report it (wink, wink), but luckily the driver was honest. We got lost on the Subway when we couldn't figure out which train to get on to make it up to Broadway. When we finally got to Broadway, we only had time to get a hot dog from one of the street vendors, one of the things on my list to do there. We saw "Wicked" and it was wicked awesome! I loved it! We then visited Times Square, The Rockefeller Center, and Radio City Music Hall. I even bought those goofy 2008 glasses off the street. We rode the bus back and had a great time in DC. We visited the DC Temple, it is so gorgeous. It looks like it floats in the trees from the freeway. I saw a missionary from my ward who is serving there. They also have a model of the Nauvoo Temple made entirely of LEGOS with Joseph Smith and Gordon B. Hinckley. It was so cool. Amy and I went to the Library of Congress. That has got to be one of the neatest buildings, all the mosaics on the floor and the artwork all over the place, the details of the place. AMAZING! On the way back I got stuck in Chicago, of course. All in all, it was a wonderful Christmas and New Year's. I have posted some pictures to give you a flavor! If you double click on the slide show, you can see the pictures bigger!