Love

As my time here in the Holy Land wraps up the one word that rings in my mind is Love. The love i've found in both the people of the Holy Land, the people I live with and the one who I love most, my Savior Jesus Christ. The Palestinian people never cease to amaze me. They will forever serve as an example to me of caring and loving people with an incredible love for family. Last week on Easter Sunday, I met the most incredible women. When I met her outside the Garden Tomb I knew there was something special about her. She is an artist from Sweden and she showed us her book. She has had a very interesting life, one that will forever serve as an example to me. After being abandoned by her husband she lived a life always looking out for those around her. Giving aid to those in need that she didn't even know. She was once a Chrsitian, came to Israel and converted to Judaism and is now Christian again. She invited us to her home and I think I found the house I want to live in later in life. It is perfect, and also serves as a bread and breakfast. There is so much I could say about this incredible woman's life. I will never forget her and the light she shines through her self-less life and beautiful art. She will forever be an inspiration to me.

Tonight we participated in a program simulating the Triclinium Last Supper dinner. It was set out in front of us as we read through John's Gospel. After the program I was thinking as I looked out over the Old City at night and tried to picture Christ's journey from Galilee here to Jerusalem. Even in the midst of betrayal, he showed love. On my way to the Garden of Gethsemane one of the little girls i've gotten to know recognized me and came running toward me, I turned around and she ran right into my arms. I picture the children doing just that to the Savior.

My time here has most definitely been well spent. I've learned some of the most important lessons here in Jerusalem- political, social and religous. I will never forget the time I've spent here and the impression Jerusalem has made on me. I believe this program and Jerusalem itself has given me a foundation stronger than I ever though I could have on which I am so excited to build my future on. Thank you Mom and Dad for allowing me to have this unforgettable experience.

Jerusalem on Good Friday

I woke up Friday morning like any other day and it didn't really sink in that it was Good Friday until...I sat in New Testament class reading the end of Luke which talks about Jesus's trial before Pilate and the last days of his life. Tamarra raised her hand and said something like, "...wait, wasn't this happening right now." We all stopped and looked at the clock. It was almost 9:00am the time at which Jesus would have stood before Pilate. At 12:00pm he would have been put upon the cross and at 6:00pm taken down. We stopped our class and sang a few hymns in remembrance of Christ. As we sang I looked out the window imagining Christ carrying his cross through those streets, it became more real and even more heartbreaking.

After class we arrived at the gate of the Old City in hopes of seeing some of the processions taking place. We missed most of it, but as I was walking toward the main street in the Christian corridor I couldn't help but think these are the streets he walked carrying his cross around this time many years ago. It is unbelievable to think about...as we stopped at the main road the Women's Procession was taking place and a small group of women were carrying a big wooden cross that must have been heavy as it seemed to weigh them down. That has so much meaning alone...sometimes our crosses are too heavy to carry but because the Savior carried his cross and suffered we have him to count on when our crosses become too heavy. We made our way to the Holy Seplechure and that was where the masses of people were. People of many different faiths all gathering to commemerate the saddest moments in the history of the world.

Never before have I learned and focused so much on the crucifixion as I have always been taught to focus on the fact that he is RISEN. And I do believe that is incredibly important. However, never has all that he suffered been so real to me before. I think the understanding of what he went through has helped me to have even more love for my Savior. I did not know this before but Christ did not only suffer for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane but again on the cross. He reached the lowest of lows as the Father withdrew from him and he experienced what it was truly like to be alone. He did that for us so he would know what it felt like to be completely alone, to not only suffer physical death but spiritual as well. This makes me even more grateful for the Savior of the world and all that he did for me and for everyone. Tomorrow is Easter sunday and I am so grateful to be able to attend sunrise service and services throughout the Holy Land commemorating the fact that He is Risen and He Lives.

Along the Shores of Galilee

The 10 days I spent on the shores of Galilee, I will remember forever. I have never learned so much about myself and about the Savior of the world before. We had New Testament class while we were there and many of our classes were held on the beach. Let me tell you, it doesn't get much better school wise than having class on the beach, let alone the beaches of Galilee. Every other day we would go on a field trip. We went to Capernaum where Matthew is from and where the Savior performed many of the his miracles. We stood in the Synagogue where Christ raised Jairus's daughter from the dead and also in front of the house they believe was once Peter's. In Nazareth we also visited a synagogue and read about the Savior's life there. Mt. Tibor was inredibly beautiful. President Kimball believed that Mt. Tibor is the place where the Mt. of Transfiguration took place but Mt. Hermon is where teh Bible Dicionary says it happened. We went to a fish restaurant where they serve you a whole fish with the eyes and bones...everything. I thought it was pretty good fish not the best i've had but i've never eaten a fish whole like that before.

We went to church at the branch in Tiberias. They have a small little house overlooking the sea that is beautiful, words don't quite describe the view. We held our church serivce there and I think that might be one of my favorite Sacrament meetings I have ever had. When you have church with about 40 people who you are so close to it is a really amazing. I think i've had Sacramet meeting in two of the most beautiful and important places in the world--Overlooking Galilee where the Savior grew up and overlooking Jerusalem where he finished his ministry and suffered and died for each one of us.

I visited many significant places throughout the Old and New Testament but the highlight of my Galilee experience was the time I spent on the beach by myself with my scriptures and my Journal. This was the first time in my life when I allowed myself the time to put aside everything that busies my life and read/write. I learned so much about the Savior as well as myself. I have never felt so much love for the Savior. His life is full of lessons I need to learn from and continue to apply to my life. His compassion, his selflessness his unwavering love. I think the most incredible thing I realized and have a hard time wrapping my mind around is the fact that the Savior gave everything and was given very little in return. He is the son of the creator of the world yet there was no room for him in the Inn-there is so much Irony in the Savior's life. This makes me want to serve him in every way that I can knowing that I am forever in debt. I hope to remember these crucial attributes throughout my life when I become immersed in normal life again. It is hard to keep this perspective when you are not constantly reminded of what is most important and that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I hope that I will be able to reflect on these experiences and things I've learned as I live my life. I know Christ lives and he knows me better than anyone in the world; and he is the reason I am here and can live my life in such a way as to return to him someday.

An observation I had while I was in Galilee was the sense of peace that is there. It is a different feeling than here in Jerusalem. Jerusalem is a land in the center of so much conflict and for that reason there is more stress and tension here. Galilee is incredibly peaceful. I believe Jesus's heart was tied to Galilee, the land in which he grew up and after spending time there, I see why. The beauty and peace that is there is unlike anywhere I've every been before. I will be forever grateful for the time I spent at the Sea of Galilee, Jesus's home. I hope that I can return there someday.

This is at the Church on top of Mount Tibor.

Me on top of Mt. Tibor

Lauren, Chelsea and I at Capernaum a town where Jesus spent much of his ministry and performed miracles.

This was the view off the balcony of the church in Tiberias...Tamarra and Lauren, I love them so much:)

We went to a fish restaurant that serves you the entire fish--eyeballs included. I thought it was pretty good though!