.: 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.