Sterling and Hayley

I wrote this in September 2006 after coming home from Ibiza, spain. You get really emotional after living in a bubble and then going to live somewhere completely different and weird. Plus I didn't always get the best sleep with the babies. I'm not much of a writer, but you'll get the point

First, a little background on Ibiza:
*It is part of the the Balearic islands in the Mediteranean sea.
*Almost half of the men on the island are gay
*one of the world's most popular tourist destinations. The world goes there to party
* People from all over the world go there to buy their clothes. It's the number one fashion island. *They still have pirate ships floating in the water
*The fortress castle we stayed inside of was built in the 16th century, for military purposes.

stray cats cover the streets, fighting for a way to survive. The stacked homes shoot up out of the ground, they only leave a small strip of blue sky. Dirty laundry hangs off of the balconies of cracked and broken down homes. I watch the people come in and out of their one room homes. No knowledge of the world outside of them. Covered in dirt and grime with no running water. A big brown eyed girl with so much enthusiasm sings and dances every moment we pass.

As night falls I walk through the gate of the fortress out into the city, hoping to find something familiar. It's a shock. I see a world of difference of what i saw a blink ago, yet it's still not familiar. Not the world i know. Men, seven feet tall with stilt like shoes walk by. makeup enough for a clown. Long hair and cones making them look like women. Bars at every corner. Music fills the dark sky and secret talk and trade fills the city of people that need substance to fullfill their physical desires. I walk on. I find the station to go to the place that i most desire. It's full and there are no other boats going out for another week. Disapointment and tears fill my eyes as i walk back up to the fortress to the place we stay at. It's been months since i've been able to get to the place i desire and it still hasn't happened. Where is that familiar place?

Several weeks pass and I try so hard to find a way to get to my destination just for a day. I finally find a boat going to my familiar place. The only way to get there was deep into the night and into the early morning. I took it the first chance i got for. 5 hours pass and we finally reach dry ground. Still dark outside i look for the short, round, curly haired angel that was going to aid me in my journey to my familiar place. She came! She took me to her cozy home and fed me the little food that she had. Her smile seemed so familiar, her eyes so bright and truly happy. On her wall were pictures of the same men in black suits that had called the woman to come to my rescue. As the day went on, we finally set out to the place that I had been yearning to go . As we reached the clean and beautiful building, I had to stop and stare. On the wall were words that read:

"LA IGLESIAJESUCRISTO
DE LOS SANTOSDE LOS ULTIMOS DIAS"

I'm back! As I walked into my familiar place, an overwhelming feeling passed through me. The people came up to us and welcomed us. What a familiar feeling I was having. As I sat in the building i had been longing to get to, i started to understand what i had been feeling for months. Tomorrow i will go back to the place i stay. I am in this new part of the world were poverty, evil and wordliness goes on, yet i am still me. I know who i am and I know that Jesus is my Savior. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. Nothing can change what's in my heart and i know that it will never leave me even among all that's around me. There is a peace and comfort in the Gospel and i realized it more than ever now.