09 August 2011

Our last field trip led us through the Atonement and the Resurrection of my Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. It was amazing to visit the sites of His atonement and of His resurrection and to feel His presence there. I know that my Savior lives. He did atone for the sins of all men. He took upon Him the infirmities, the pains, the sorrows of all men. He suffered so that all men could be saved. He died upon the cross for all men. And after three days, He was resurrected as a glorified body of flesh and blood. He provided the way for all men to be resurrected, to return to their Father in Heaven, to be with their families for eternity. I know my Savior, Jesus Christ, lives; and I know He loves me. He knows everything I am feelings, everything I am experiencing. And he will never leave me alone.

We began our morning by making another stop at Orson Hyde Park. However, this time we didn’t simply eat lunch. Brother Judd shared with us the history of the park and how it came to be. It was interesting to learn a little more about how the Holy Land was opened up to the LDS Church and how Orson Hyde led the way. Without Orson Hyde, the Jerusalem Center probably wouldn’t be in existence today. Orson Hyde created quite a legacy in Israel, in Jerusalem. As we left the park/garden, we took many pictures. While there are no flowers, the switchbacks provide beautiful scenery for group pictures overlooking the Old City. As we made our way down the Mount of Olives, we stopped in at the Garden of Gethsemane. Rather than going into the public garden near the Church of All Nations, we were allowed to go into the private garden across the street. It was nice to not have to worry about large tour groups interrupting our devotional and to have an opportunity to sit and reflect on Jesus Christ and the Atonement. Jesus worked many miracles throughout His lifetime; He healed the sick and raised Lazarus from the dead; He made the lame man walk and caused the blind to see. But His greatest miracle was taking the sins of the world upon Him. Jesus Christ suffered for all men so that we could return and be with Him. My fifteen minutes of contemplation were spent thinking about the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made and about my role in His sacrifice. I cannot simply rely on the atonement and do nothing. I have to be diligent in keeping the commandments of God and actively repent. I am so thankful for everything that my Savior did and for everything that was accomplished through Him.

As we left the Garden of Gethsemane, we made our way to Lion’s Gate (St. Stephen’s Gate) and to the Churches of the Flagellation/Condemnation. This church is located on the Antonia Fortress, the believed venue of Jesus’ Roman trial under Pilate. At that trial He was condemned and scourged, took up His cross and began the “Way of the Cross” (Via Dolorosa). Very little explanation was given at these two churches; rather, we were given free time to explore and take pictures. It was nice not to have to stay plugged into my headset for once! From the Churches of the Flagellation/Condemnation, we headed down the road to St. Anne’s Cathedral/Pool of Bethesda. St. Anne’s is one of the only Crusader churches in the Old City and has beautiful architecture. It also has some of the best acoustics ever. We spent a lot of time singing inside of the cathedral! Before leaving the site, we were given time to explore the Bethesda, the site where Jesus Christ healed the lame man. It was amazing to walk down to the ruins and be where Christ would have been, where He showed forth His power. As stated many times, I will never get over the fact that I am living where Christ lived, that I am walking where Christ walked. It is beyond amazing…near incomprehensible.

Our last stop of the day was at the Garden Tomb. Little Emily Judd, tired and hot, was carried by yours truly all the way from St. Anne’s to the Garden Tomb. It was nice to talk to her! She made me miss my niece like crazy!! Haha and my arm was dead by the time I got to the Garden Tomb! But it was worth it. In the Garden Tomb, we held separate class testimony meetings on the Savior, Jesus Christ. It was a wonderful experience and gave us the opportunity to get even closer. However, we were short on time… So we had to cut our testimony meeting short. At three o’clock in the afternoon, we boarded the vans to return to the J.C.

Throughout the afternoon, I mostly relaxed and continued to update my pictures and my blog/journal. After dinner, we gathered together for a sort of fireside where Brother and Sister Muhlestein and Brother and Sister Judd spoke and shared different experiences with us. It was the perfect way for us to say goodbye to them, the perfect way for us to remember them. I think that many students are worried that they will forget their time in Jerusalem and everything they have seen and everyone they have met. But I really don’t think this is something that can be forgotten. Even ten years from now, we will be remembering back to these experiences and sharing them with our families and friends. This is a summer that will never be forgotten.

The rest of the night was spent socializing with everyone. I actually went to bed early tonight, which was a first in a very long time! Haha…however, going to bed early isn’t that early at the J.C. That just means I went to bed before one o’clock in the morning!