WHERE CHRIST WALKED

These are the steps leading to what used to be the double gate before the crusaders decided to build a wall there. These steps are from the time of Herod and the gate would have been the gate that the Jews would have gone through to get to the temple. Because the city has been destroyed and re-built so much over the last 2,000 years, there really aren't that many spots where you can say that you are sure Christ would have walked but this is one of them. It is absolutely certain that as Christ went in and out of the temple, this is where he would have entered. After a tour of the Holy Land in 1988, Neil Armstrong asked to be taken to a place that they could guarantee him Christ had walked. The tour guide took him here to this spot. While standing here, Armstrong the first man to walk on the MOON said, "It means more to me to stand on these steps then to stand on the moon"

It is also plausible also that this is where the blind man that Christ healed would have been situated. If you will recall, Christ spat in the dirt and put the clay on the eyes of the man commanding him to wash his eyes in the pool of Siloam. These steps lead directly from the temple to the pool of Siloam. Can you imagine a man blind walking down these steps?

More Field Trips

Aby and I sporting our field trip fashions. Notice the hip fanny packs the program provided for hands free touring and easy accessibility to the tool of the tourist: the camera.

Akko/Acre a Mediterranean sea coast city from the Crusader times.

Awe. The Beautiful Mediterranean Sea.
Here we walked along the ramparts of the old Crusader city wall.

Qazrin - a house from the Talmudic period (5th Century a.d.) House of Uzi. Although this was not the exact site, our teacher utilized this house as a visual for when the man with Palsy was let down through the roof to be healed by Christ.

Rusty and I were in charge of explaining the items in the shed. I have a plow and he has the Wheat Sifter. Many of these household items were used as examples in Christ's teaching.

Mount Tabor.
One of two sites that they believe to be the Mount of Transfiguration where Moses and Elijah appeared to Christ, Peter, James and John and the voice of God was heard.

Gamla "camel"
On the point of this hill was once a city. Following the first Jewish revolt, the people here faced Roman attack. Rather than fall to the Romans, the people chose to take their lives by jumping from the cliff. The "Masada" of the Galilee.
We hiked this. In the heat of mid-day.
It was hot.
I sweat.
a lot.

NIMROD'S FORTRESS
A fortress built up on the top of the mountain which contained secret passageways (that were not-so-secret seeing how they were labeled with giant signs and arrows for the tourists).

The top of the mountain was very windy and some said sexy as the girl's hair blew with the wind.

Most eventful was the discovery of bats in one of the lower rooms. It was my first encounter with the species. I don't know if it was their squealing, the fact they dangled by one leg upside down or the society connotations that accompany these creatures but they freaked me out.
I got chills and didn't stay long.

GEORG GRAU
Templer Cemetery in Haifa. Jacob Spory (buiding for him in BYU-I) was called on a mission to the Holy Land. He had a vision that instructed him to begin his mission in Haifa. In addition to the location he was also shown a blacksmith. As he entered the city he indeed encountered a blacksmith by the name of Georg Grau who also had seen a vision instructing him to receive the missionary. He and his wife were one of the first members of the Church in the Holy Land.









JOHN A. CLARK
Templer Cemetery in Haifa. Gravesite of John A. Clark - a missionary in Palestine. He died as a missionary of small pox and was buried here. The half finished column is representative of his unfinished life and mission. When the church sought to build the Jerusalem Center the state required proof that the church had a presence in the Holy Land before 1948. John Clark's grave gave the evidence that was needed to build our center.

Church in Tiberias

We had a special “Feast” and testimony meeting at the only LDS chapel in the Middle east: Tiberias. It is a small but beautiful house that has been converted into a chapel and overlooks the Sea of Galilee. It was a beautiful view to look at as people bore their testimony of Christ and his ministry. One of the things shared in the testimonies that really stuck with me was a simple statement that someone said stating that they felt that their character has been strengthened just as much as their testimony as they have learned about Christ and his ministry. Brother Ostler added that this is probably because your testimony is now a part of your character. I really do feel like I am a better person through the course of these last few weeks. Preach My Gospel says, "Just as vital as what you do is who you are" Anyone could take a trip like this and do all of the sites, but whatt is most important is that you leave a better person - more like the Savior.

Capernaum

It was here that Peter and Matthew lived and after being rejected by the people of his home, Nazareth, Christ came here. It is often called Christ’s “own city” More miracles happened here than any other location during the ministry of the Savior including casting out an evil spirit, healing Peter’s mother-in-law, raising or Jairus’ daughter, healing the woman who had the issue of blood and healing the paralytic man who was lowered through the roof.

BREAD OF LIFE
John 6: 41-66
This synagogue was were Christ gave his sermon about being the “bread of life” Our teacher told us about a group of student they had here who were stranded in a city while the bus was being repaired. As they waited, some bought round bread shaped in disks and began to through them around like frisbees. A man came out and asked them to stop. He said, “bread is sacred here” He further explained that for the people bread is more than food it is a symbol of a community effort and it is life for them. To make bread, they are dependent on God for the water and the soil. The men are those that provide physical labor to sow the wheat and finally the women are those that knead the dough and bake the bread. Through everyone’s efforts and the goodness of God from the start, bread for the people is a symbol of dependence on a goodness of God. As you walk through the city of Jerusalem you will see that there is never a crumb of bread thrown on the ground. If it is given to birds they place it on a bench or a platform, but never on the ground.



THE WOMAN WITH THE ISSUE OF BLOOD
While in Capernaum my friend Hayley and I were in charge of sharing some of the miracles that Christ performed while in this city. One that particulary touched me as I looked at the story in greater light was that of the woman with the issue of blood.
This woman was sick for 12 years. According to my roommate Julia who is a representative for a group that deals with blood related illnesses, this type of sickness is typically discovered at the age of a young girls first menstruation (age 12 or 13) That would put her at about my age: 24 or 25. She has been to numerous doctors and has spent all the money that she has. Not only has she tried everything, lost everything, but in the end she was made worse than when she began. Can you imagine the frustrations? The despair? Had she given up? In addition to this, consider the consequences of her sickness. As a Jew, she was considered unclean because of her condition. This means that for 12 years she has had no physical touch from any man. No hugs, no arm to hold her up as she is too weak to get up, no pat of comfort – nothing. She has no hope for marriage or for children. Now, in this state, she hears of Christ and desires that he heal her of this sickness. Brother Draper has reason to believe that this woman was one which is recorded as living in Caesasrea Phillipi, a city some 25 miles away. For her to come to Christ, that means a walk in the immense heat (that we have experienced here and complain about when we have air-conditioned buses) and she must get there in an extremely anemic condition. Julia, my roomate recounted her worst moments of weakness when she dealt with a similar illness. She would literally have to take a great effort to roll over onto her side and then crawl hands and knees resting every few feet. Would it have been the same for this woman? What would her journey have been like? Now, as she see the Savior she thinks, “If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole” As a woman who is considered unclean, her touching the actual Savior and he knowing it would result in his uncleanliness as well
So with all the energy that she can muster, she reaches out for the hem of the garment – the mantle that all Jewish men wore (and still wear today) which has tassels and a thin sky blue ribbon representative of the Abrahamic Covenant. She reaches for it, touches it and immediately feels herself healed. 12 YEARS of being shunned and rejected from her community, 12 years of a hopeless future, 12 years of doctor visits without progress and suddenly – cured. But her joy changes quickly to fear and trembling as she sees that he has realized that she has touched him. Remember the implications and consequences of him realizing she had touched him while she was unclean. She falls to her feet and tells the Savior her story. He listens and replies to her, “daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague” (34)

Mount of Beatitudes

Here is the place in which the Savior taught his followers on the hillside overlooking the Sea of Galilee. A church is built here with 8 sides – one for each of the Beatitudes. And it was here that Christ stated the fulfillment of the Law of Moses and a newer, higher, law. As we talked about the transition from the Law of Moses to a higher law our teacher pointed out remnants still today of the Law of Moses attitude that is practiced even today by some Jews. Since we have been here there have been two terrorist attacks by men on bulldozers who have gone on a rampage and knocked over buses and people have died. After these events, Certain rabbis in Jerusalem have taught in their synagogues and made public declarations that in retribution for their actions, their families should be killed and their homes destroyed. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. As Tevya from Fiddler on the Roof says, “then the whole world will wind up blind and toothless”

While on the Mount, we took individual time to read from the Sermon on the Mount.

Around the Galilee - Field Trips

CALMING THE SEAS
We took a boat ride from one end of the Sea of Galilee to the other. We stopped in the middle and read about Christ calming the storm (Mark 4:37-41) Although the Sea has looked fairly calm since we got here, it lies in a canyon between two mountains and the winds can get so great that they easily reach seven feet or more in height. For a small fisher boat it would be a frightening experience. We learned about the tactics of a small fishing boat in such a situation. If they hit the waves from the side they will be flipped, or it this timing wasn’t right it could snap in two. They absolutely have to hit the wave straight on (You can get your own object lesson out of that one). I thought about the times in my life where the waves have tossed me and I felt without direction. It appeared that the Lord was “sleeping” and I doubted. Christ’s rebuke to his apostles “why are ye so fearful?” is a call to us all. Don’t fear. The Master DOES care when we “perish” and has power to calm the storm.

FEEDING THE FIVE THOUSAND
John 6:5-14 Here is the tradition site where Christ fed the five thousand (which technically would have been many more because that number only included the men and not the women and children who were also present). The greatest thing about this miracle is not the fact that all were fed with 5 loaves and 2 fishes but the fact that there was more left over. As the apostles brought to Christ the lad’s small lunch, they said, “but what are they among so many?” I think there are times in our lives where we feel like what we have to give is so little in comparison to what is needed of us. We feel inadequate or incapable of the task at hand. But as this young boy brought forth all that he had, as meager as it was, Christ multiplied it and in the end they had 12 baskets left over. As much as a sacrifice as it may have been for that boy to share his lunch as President Hinckley said, “It is never a sacrifice when you get back more than you give” That day, he gave all he had and he got back more in return.

ST. PETER'S FISH

On a more entertaining note – we went to a restaurant where Peter, Andrew, James and John would have been fishermen. There, they served what they call Peter’s fish: a fried fish with the head, eyes, everything right on your plate! I had pizza.

The Sea of Galilee

It is no wonder why Christ choose to spend most of his ministry right here
on the shores of Galilee.
It is beautiful! We are housed in little bungalow houses in a Jewish Kibbutz located right on the beach. We have a great view of the Sea and I made sure to be on the shore every evening for sunset.
One of my favorite memories is sitting on the beach, at sunset, reading from the New Testament. My first evening while reading, I read that at the beginning of Christ’s ministry he was surrounding by throngs of people who sought his teachings and his healing. I am sure that he was kept busy all day long and probably exhausted as I have felt recently. Despite this, Mark records, “and in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out and departed into a solitary place and there prayed” Mark 1:35 I really loved this and thought: I need to do this. As busy as I get and no matter what is going on I want to always take time out to find a solitary place to pray. No matter what. I found many moments for quiet meditation on the shores of galilee - moments I will always remember.

The Dead Sea

I have always been fairly buoyant but this was crazy! With no effort at all we floated along the surface of the Sea doing all in our power not to get any in our eyes and mouth!









Here are some fun dead sea facts for you:

*It is the LOWEST point in the world (1300 feet below Sea Level)

*Six million tons of water evaporate off the Dead Sea daily.

Ein Gedi

Ein Gedi
Was the refuge for David from King Saul. While Saul slept, David cut off a corner of his robe to prove to Saul his intentions. Although he could have easily destroyed the man seeking to kill him, David showed his loyalty and honor of King Saul. (1 Samuel 23-24).


















It was a beautiful hike but VERY hot. I went for the turban style to keep it up off my neck and back. The styles amongst the Jerusalem center girls is a skirt and Teevas :)

Qumran

Here, the Dead Sea scrolls were found. In 1947 a Bedouin discovered the cave while looking for his lost goat. He threw rocks into the hole thinking the goat might have gone inside. Instead, he heard the breaking of pottery. The man broke the scrolls into fragments and sold them in pieces. Archaeologists have sought to find these pieces (some were on ebay- no joke) and later discovered 13 additional caves with scrolls. The scrolls included most books of the Hebrew Bible plus writings writings from the Essene community (an all male monastery-like community that set themselves apart from the “corrupt” Jewish community of the time). It is believed that these men hid their manuscripts in these caves shortly before they were destroyed by the Romans in 70 ad. These scrolls provided manuscripts from the Old Testament that date more that 1,000 years older than any others we have. The scroll of Isaiah, in particular, is almost exactly as it is today.
*Most interesting – my teacher David Seeley was one of the scholars chosen to handle and to translate these scrolls for publication.

Masada

Masada - King Herod and other Jewish zealots dwelt in an extensive fortress in retaliation from the Romans. The Romans surrounded them, built an artillery ramp and laid siege to the people. Knowing their fate, they desired to die rather than fall to the Romans and killed each other in a massive suicide.

Bethelem & the Conflict

Crossing into Bethlehem today we entered the West Bank an area of particular violence in the past. In order to get there we had to cross into Palestinian territory which means that we had to pass through the wall that the Israeli government has built as a border between them and the Palestinian people. A thirty foot wall with towers, barbed wire, and guards. I had never seen anything like it. It seemed so unreal. On the inside of Palestinian territory the art work (or graffiti) on the wall depicted just how they felt about that wall. A dove being eaten by a lion, a puppet Pinocchio with an enormously long nose, the words “to exist is to resist” and particularly poignant for me: a dove (symbol of peace) in a bullet proof vest with a target on it. I didn’t know that this sort of thing happened today. Didn’t this end with the Berlin wall? Adnan, our Muslim teacher, is from Bethlehem. In order to teach us, he has special permission to pass through this wall but even then, there was a day that he just didn’t show up. They had a lock down of their own. The next day in class he explained what had happened. He pulled out the document that enabled him to leave. He held it up and said, “Is this freedom? I think not” I can’t imagine not being allowed to leave a city. I think also of Sharif our guide in Egypt whose greatest desire was to travel but he couldn’t not because he was Arab. Restrictions, boundaries, permission. On the other hand, since the wall has been placed there the daily terrorism problems in Israel have lessened dramatically. It is the only means that Israel has for their own protection against violent and unhappy neighbors. It is such a complicated situation that I still have yet to understand even the most basic elements.

Bethlehem

As small as this town is - so many things have happened in this city. It is here that Ruth, a Moabite, met Boaz and married him. It was here that King David was born and anointed king and of course the birth of the Savior.
We learned that the name Bethlehem means Beth -house and hem- bread
Isn’t that interesting when you remember Christ called himselfthe Bread of Life? (John 6)

Anyway, the church of the Nativity was our first stop here. The church is divided by three religious sects: Roman Catholic, Armenian Orthodox and Greek Orthodox. These three share the plot through complicated agreements in ridiculous animosity. Similar to the church of the holy sepulcher, the church is crammed with things from all religions and has no general flow or feeling. The place of Christ’s birth was actually a cave (not a stable as we market it in our Christmas decorations) Within the cave which is now underneath the church, a 14 pointed star marks the EXACT sport where Christ took his first breath in this mortal world. They have yet another spot marked where baby Christ slept. For a moment I was getting anxious with the crowded area and pushy tourists getting into my personal space and I thought about how Mary must have felt as she entered this city pregnant, hot, and tired and now - crowded because of the taxing and there was no room for her to stay.
When things finally calmed down and we were all gathered in a cave outside the location of Christ’s birth we sang hymns such as “Away in a Manger” and “Silent Night” and I felt at peace.
Later, we went to the field were the angel appeared to the shepherds at the birth of Christ and announced his arrival. It being the 24th, we celebrated Christmas in July. We had dinner in the sunset on the hill overlooking the city of Bethlehem and the fields. As night approached we sang more hymns and “heard” from Mary, Joseph, the Wise Men, the Angels and even the Star through different students called on to share their thoughts. These were intermixed with musical numbers reflecting on the birth of Christ. As the night went on and the sun went down there was one really bright star that came long before the right. It stood right above the city of Bethlehem. I got really emotional as we sat in the dark overlooking the city. I don’t know what made today stronger than others but I continuously feel completely overwhelmed with gratitude for, well, EVERYTHING! I see everything with true gratitude. I feel that I have been able to reflect on my life so far and opportunities ahead of me and I can SEE that the Lord has never abandoned me. He has given me and continues to give opportunities that not everyone gets. Blessed. Grateful, in awe of his mercy.

Jordan River

What would be a trip to Jordan without stopping by the Jordan river to the place of Christ's baptism. Of course, the ACTUAL location is a bit difficult to identify but they have recently discovered a first century church built near this area celebrating the baptism of the Savior. I will admit - the actually location was not impressive. The recent drought has left most of the banks dry.With it's close location to the Dead Sea most of the water has been irrigated before it even gets to this point. So - not much waterbut it is the right idea, right? We sat near here and read the account and discussed the event in some detail.

Jordan - Muslim Mosque

We got to go inside one of the most famous Muslim Mosques in Jordan. They required that we dress modestly in order to enter. Modest for them means long black robes (black is considered the most modest color) and your hair should never show. They provided us with these coverings and we were allowed to enter their place of worship.

Islam strictly forbids any depictions of persons in their mosques so they decorate with beautiful motifs and words from the Koran.



I have tried while I have been here to be open to the religions of those around me and to learn from them. I have learned that Islam literally means “submission to God’s will” Everything that they do is for one purpose: do the will of God. For one month a year the Muslim people have a daily fast called Ramadan in which from sunrise to sunset they abstain from food and water. They do this daily for a month. As I fasted and struggled in the heat with our various activities, I appreciated, even more, their example as a people who are dedicated and who recognize their dependence on God in all things. Their building, the Dome of the Rock, is built over the location where it is believed that Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac (they actually believe it was Ismael, not Isaac) but all the same, these people are a great example to me of what true devotion, humility and submission is.