Sacred Valley

It's no wonder they call the valley sacred.  With it's majestic mountains and it's ancient ruins, it truly is a place of wonder.  The mountains stand taller than any I've ever seen and act as protectors of the valleys and their inhabitants.  the valleys are filled with farmers who work tirelessly to harvest the plethora of crops around and peddlers who spend their days in their tiendas at the markets waiting for the tourists to come crawling through.  The Urubamba River weaves its way through, bringing life and refreshment to the beautiful sacred valley.  It is considered sacred not only for its stunning beauty but also because it is saturated with the history of the people of this country.  here in this valley are many ancient ruins of the once powerful empire of the Incas.  The Incas spent years constructing their dwellings out of rocks and the structures thereof are something of a spectacular feat., well beyond their time.  Thanks to time and the Spanish Conquistadors, sadly all that is left of these marvelous wonders is ruins.  But as one walks through these ruins it is not difficult to see the elegance that was once there and see the fruits of their hard labor.  being in these ruins was the closest to time travel I´ve ever been.  Touching those perfectly chiseled rocks that have stood immovable for hundreds of years, each one with a story to tell, felt almost as if we'd gone back in time.  People may wonder where it gets its name, but if you visit yourself you'll understand that it truly is a sacred valley.

Knights in Peru

As knights in Peru we've been blessed with many amazing experiences.  At 11,000 feet high, in an ancient imperial city, it often feels as though we're on top of the world.  From the culture to the scenery our minds and our eyes are never left for want.  There is so much history, from which we are learning and with cultural differences our eyes are being opened to a whole new world.   Majestic mountains with thousands of years worth of secrets, surround the city and watch over its inhabitants.  Each day I see them my heart grows fuller and prays that the image will stay fresh in my mind forever.  They say traveling is the only thing you buy that can make you richer, and I truly believe it.  For although my bank account is now empty, my heart and my mind are full.  

Although many lessons have been learned the most important of them all has nothing to do with history, culture or natural beauty.  The most important lesson learned was in the most unlikely state.  Over the past few days many of us have fallen ill and being sick in foreign country can open up a whole new level of discomfort.  It was during this discomfort that I was reminded that the gospel is true on no matter which continent.   During my weak and fallen state I was brought back to comfort with the power of the priesthood.  Oh how blessed I am to have been reminded that no matter what continent I am on, or what language is being spoken around me, Christ's love and gospel is steadfast and immovable.  The same yesterday, today and forever... no matter where you are!  My heart is full of gratitude for my worthy knights in Peru.

My Mountain

From the bottom to the top, from the canyon to the face, my mountain is mine, and in my heart has a place.   My Mountain stands tall, just the way I like, up there so high, I can’t wait to hike. My mountain is jagged, and has weathered many storms, though some are rough, I love all its forms.  My mountain has been burned but it never crumbles, instead it cleanses, and remains so humble.  My mountain is home to many animals around, and a plethora of plants, to it are bound.  My mountain is laced with many rivers and streams, replenishing the earth and everyone it seems.  My mountain is peppered and dotted with lakes, some are big, some are small, but none of them fake.  My mountain is capped with pure, white snow, feeding the rivers and lakes down below.  My mountain is strong and this valley protects, from multiple storms standing high, so elect.  My mountain can be cold, but with the right gear, warmth can be found with no reason to fear.  My mountain has secrets, some I have found, others not yet, but surely I’m bound.  My mountain lets me trod all over its tracks, and never complains only smiles right back.  My mountain waits for me to get to the top, and when I am there, I sit and I stop.  My mountain shares with me a spectacular view, a view I wish I could share with you.  My mountain is not perfect, but I have discovered, its beauty and grace with much more to uncover.  From the bottom to the top, my mountain I have climbed, my mountain is mine because I’ve given it my time.  

From the bottom to the top, from the heart to the face, we are all mountains, in our own special case.  I am not very tall and that’s quite okay, I’m just the right size in my own special way.  I am quite jagged, and I’ve seen many storms, but they’ve made me who I am, in all ways, shapes and forms.  I have sadly been burned but I try not to crumble, I learn from the bad and try to stay humble.  I keep inside a home for those I love, and pray for them always to God above.  I have tears that turn to rivers, though sometimes just streams, but I let them flow and I eventually beam. I’ve been blessed with lakes of experiences and skills, to help those around me and bring them some thrills.  I have been capped with a hardworking mind, to feed the desires that my heart may find.  I am not always strong but I put forth effort, to protect those I love from ever getting hurt.    I am sometimes cold, of which I’m not proud, but with the right smile, my snow can be plowed.  I hold others up, let them walk all around, and never complain, for to Christ I am bound.  I wait for someone to get to the top, but most of the time people just stop.  I have access to a beautiful view, through my eyes only, but I can share with you.  I am nowhere near perfect but deep down inside, I am a good person with nothing to hide.  From the bottom to the top, this mountain you can climb, I’ll surely be yours if you’ll give me some time.  

The Imperial City

Cusco, Peru was the capital city of the Incan Empire hundreds and hundreds of years ago.  And now, although the city has changed, it is not difficult to see why. The city is cradled in a beautiful valley that rests 11,000 feet high in the midst of majestic mountains.  Not far from the city, the Urubamba River rushes through keeping the lands fertile.  Literally thousands of crops are grown here and every one that I´ve tasted has been delectable.  There is never a shortage of crops for food and this area has been overflowing with natural resources such as silver and gold.  The temperature is never too extreme in either direction and the scenery never leaves your eyes unsatisfied.  Every day in Cusco I see the friendly faces of the locals, smell the delicious food, soak in the gorgeous background and walk through ancient ruins of the Incas as well as more recent Spanish architecture and I think to myself, "This truly is an Imperial City".

Traditional

One of the best parts of visiting the islands was getting to fully experience traditions of their culture.  We started off with a very traditional lunch of quinoa soup, fried cheese, various sweet potatoes and beans.  I can honestly say it was one of the best, most authentic meals I've ever had the pleasure of putting into my mouth.  Shortly after the meal we were taken on a hike to some of the ruins at the top.  There at the top we soaked in the beauty as well as participated in the tradition of walking around the temple 3 times, each time making a wish.  Later that evening we were treated to another traditional meal which remains unidentifiable, but still good and then we were taken to the town hall.  When I say 'town hall' keep in mind that that doesn't mean it was big... we were crowded with maybe 100 people in there.  There we were treated to a fiesta with a live band and lots of traditional dancing.  The dancing mostly consisted of holding hands and moving around in a circle.  But with our American spirit we improvised and added some of our own moves, much to the shock and awe of the sheltered locals. The most traditional part of the evening however, was definitely the clothing.  Our housemothers dressed us each in the traditional clothing that they wear every day.  I wish I could accurately describe the clothing but all I can say is that it was heavy and constricting... but still fun to wear for a short time!  Hopefully pictures can help me in describing this part...

Heaven on Earth

I have been blessed with opportunities to travel to many places around this world.  Throughout my travels to over 12 countries, over 20 foreign cities and regions, and a good portion of the United States, I have never found a place that surpasses the true beauty of my home valley.  Until now.  This past weekend we took an excursion by boat through Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world, to some of the best kept secrets in the world.  Our excursion took us through many floating islands and past normal islands and landed us on the island of Amantani. Amantani rests in the Peruvian side of the lake with just a few thousand inhabitants.  I fell in love with the beauty of this island the second our boat pulled into the dock.  The island is flourishing with beautiful flowers and trees and the slopes of the hills are covered in cascading terraces where they plant their vast variety of crops, off of which they live.  The homes are perfectly and simply constructed out of cement with tin or grass roofs.  Each one resting on various levels of the side of the hill, possessing its own unique and breathtaking view of the lake with smaller islands and jutting mountains off in the distance.  Standing at the ruins at the highest point of the island can easily make one feel as if they are on top of the world.  I've never felt closer to heaven than when I stood there taking in the view of the water reflecting the orange and red clouds as the sun set behind them.  Waking up in the morning and looking outside my door directly to this spectacular view, I thought to myself, this truly must be a heaven on earth.

If only the picture could do it justice

view out to the lake from my room

ruling the island ;)

Legend of the Uros

The Uros are a group of people who live on floating islands in Lake Titicaca, Peru.  the floating islands are quite literally just that... floating islands.  The people who live on them, the Uros, make the islands out of totora reeds that grow in the lake.  There are many layers of reeds, criss-crossing, to make the foundation that they live on.  Even the huts that they dwell in and the boats that they travel in are well constructed with tightly  wound reeds.  The legend of these strange people that float around on a lake their whole lives is simple and goes like this:  They believe that their ancestors existed before the sun and the moon.  They were immune to drowning and being struck by lightning.  They only lost their superior status when they disobeyed universal order and mixed with human beings.  Since then they have been scattered but remain on their various floating islands as the Uro tribes.  As we visited these people and their minuscule islands that were maybe 100 feet wide, it felt as if we'd gone back in time.  Each family lives in a tiny hut with one bed.  There is little to no electricity throughout these islands and they make nearly all of their own clothes as well as many beautiful handicrafts.   The lives of these people revolve simply around surviving.  Throughout their lives, their islands must be constantly added onto with more reeds as the bottom layers slowly disintegrate.  Although I don´t believe in the legend of their ancestors, I believe that if you can live in the middle of a massive lake on nothing but reeds for your entire life, you truly can be considered legend.

Night Bus

Chair on a bus is your bed for the night,

What a dreadful thought, oh what a great fright.

An eight hour drive, with no end in sight,

In this chair on a bus, your bed for the night.

The seats lay down so it is not so bad,

But when we get there, I will be so glad.

Eight hours of this and I could be so mad,

But the seats lay down, so its not so bad.

He lies beside me and keeps me so warm,

From the cold that surrounds me in a swarm.

An eight hour drive, with hopes of no storm,

And he lies beside me, and keeps me warm.

It’s with great effort that I fall asleep,

But once I fall, I fall so very deep.

Eight hours of this, and I try to count sheep,

Only with effort will I fall asleep.

The morning has come but we see no sun,

The day has begun and soon will be fun.

An eight hour drive and we’re finally done,

The morning is here, without the bright sun. 

Universal Laughter

"Everybody laughs the same in every language because laughter is a universal connection." - Yakov Smirnoff

Often during our nights in Cusco, Peru we find ourselves wandering the streets through plazas and markets, thoroughly enjoying the beauty and the culture.  As we do so I am frequently overwhelmed by the language being spoken around me.  While there are many words that I recognize and a few phrases I can say, my brain gets scared and exhausted from the constant failed translations.  People are talking in various speeds and tones all around me and I struggle to understand.  It is all I can do to decipher a small portion of what they say.  But if nothing else, I've learned from my plethora of traveling experiences that the most important languages are not spoken with the mouth or deciphered by the mind.  The most important languages are felt.  Throughout this world there are billions of people who learn and speak various languages, but one thing every single one of us has in common is a human heart with which we can communicate through feelings.  

My favorite part about our nights in Peru, and the days for that matter, is the connection we make with the people that we don't always understand.  Young girls often like to approach Brady, because he is tall, handsome and fun, and try to sell him whatever they have to offer that day.  Although he can communicate almost perfectly with them, I am usually confused.  But one thing that I understand perfectly is the laughter that is always exchanged.  The words that they speak don't always make sense... but when I hear their giggles I understand them perfectly; I know exactly how they feel.  The exchange of laughter with smiling eyes can be communicated across any language or culture perfectly with the hearts that we've all been blessed with.

One Hand

If we give ourselves unto Christ, he promises to never leave us alone.  My testimony of this promise has grown tremendously strong over the last few years, particularly through my international travels.  When I was 19 years old I moved to Austria by myself to live with a family I'd never met before.  Although physically I've never felt more alone, I knew that Christ was with me spiritually.  As an adventurous soul I found myself wandering around the European continent often.  I loved visiting other cities and taking in all the history, scenery, culture, and beauty!  Often my ventures would get me into a slightly troubled situation such as wandering down a dangerous alley, taking the wrong bus or train, and getting lost in a foreign country.  But never did I feel that I was in real danger because I felt Christ with me at all times.  If I was alone I could feel His presence at my right hand always.  He would often guide me through cities and help me out of the silly predicaments I wandered into.  Sometimes He would even bless me with a friend to stand by me and wander with me physically.  But no matter what, he was always there, someway, somehow guiding me with one hand.
Last year when my unquenchable thirst for traveling got the better of me again, and I wandered to India by myself, no doubt He was there.  He sat by me in the airport as I endured a 14-hour layover in Italy and guided me to safety and health when I became sick and stressed during another layover in New-Delhi.  When finances fell through, He blessed me with good Samaritans who took great care of me and when I thought I was going to be lonely for the whole trip, he led me towards new, very special friends.  He sat with me as I helped the suffering and He walked with me as I walked through a lifelong dream of seeing the Taj Mahal.  Again He was there, protecting me and guiding me with one hand.
 Now as I sit in my room in another foreign country on a totally new continent for me I can't help but see His influence and guidance in my life yet again.  I feel Christ with me as I wander through the streets of Cusco, Peru.  I feel his calming influence as I restlessly want to experience everything this city has to offer.  When I wander too far into the street I feel Him pull me back to safety.  This time He is with me in more than spirit form.  He is with me in the form of an old friend; one I already have a deep love and respect for.  He is still here, guiding me and protecting me, through my best friend, with one hand.

Tomorrow's Shower

The water laces through my hair and trickles down the back of my neck.  The icy drops send shivers all down my spine, chilling me to my very core.  My hair is lathered with shampoo so my chances of getting out now and looking presentable are long gone.  I must brave the cold long enough to eliminate all the bubbles.  I stand there shaking violently, and brace myself for another rush of freezing water.  Just before I plunge, the water begins to warm ever so slightly.  I slowly move directly under the water as it continues to get warmer and warmer.  Ahhh... the first warm water I've felt in days.  It almost seems too good to be true.  Immersing my head under water I begin to wash out the shampoo and then, just as quickly as it came, it is gone again.  The warmth has disappeared and the ice-water sends sheer prickles through every pore of my body.  Desperately I wash the soap out of my hair as quickly as my trembling hands can manage.  Then, as quick as a panicked cat, I jump out of the bathtub and scramble to get dry.  Perhaps I'll be brave enough to condition in tomorrow's shower.

Launching into the Deep

In a beautiful commencement speech given at Southern Virginia University on Saturday, Mitt Romney spoke to the graduates about launching into the deep.  ¨Launch into the deep and your nets shall be filled.¨  He then discussed all that that phrase may entail such as graduating from college, getting married, having children, joining the work force.  He explained that as we move on to new facets of life we must launch ourselves with our faith and ambition in order to truly be successful.  Sitting in the boat will only leave you starving.  But launching into the deep water with your net will enable you to find food.  I watched as many new graduates, some of them being close friends of mine, started a new journey into uncharted waters.  Each of them hungry for success, prosperity and new adventures.

Today that speech remains fresh on my mind as I begin a new journey of my own.  Just over 24 hours ago I boarded a plane that would take me to a new country, lead me to new experiences, and ultimately launch me into the deep.  I have launched into deep waters before but this is a new ocean with new fish to gather.  Fluency in German will not help me here and nor will my knowledge of European and Asian countries.  This is new territory.  I don´t understand the language; not even close.  And I certainly don´t understand various cultural and safety rules.  It is too late to swim back to shallow waters so here I am in the deep end.  With a net in my hand I will plunge deeper and deeper until I begin to satisfy the hunger that I have for this culture and language.