30 April 2011

Saturday is a Holy Day for most of the religions in Jerusalem. We participate in this as well and hold church on Saturday. It is going to take some time to get used to it. The branch we attend is held in the Jerusalem Center and is made up mostly of BYU-Jerusalem students. The others are visitors to the country, faculty of the J.C. and their families, or Israeli members. It is basically a "glorified" student ward with a primary and a youth program. Prior to Sacrament Meeting, choir practice is held for all students of the J.C. We never sing in Sacrament Meeting - only before it begins. The director is an American living in Jerusalem with his family, Jay Williams. He has a passion for music and wants to teach us as well as direct us. It was a good experience and something I will continue to participate in during my stay here. Well...except when I take the occasion trip to the Garden Tomb on Sabbath morning. We have been told by countless individuals that it makes all the difference to your Sabbath day if you attend the Garden Tomb before church. I plan to make the 10 minute walk a few times, if possible.

Sacrament meeting stressed the importance of scripture study and the Holy Ghost. The spirit was very strong during the meeting and view looking out over the city during was perfect. Sabbath School was on the healing of the blind man and how we can be healed of our blindness by Christ. It was taught by a graduate student studying at Hebrew University. Relief Society was on the same lesson I had the past two weeks - Service by the Spirit. Being my third week with the same lesson, I was a bit disappointed! However, the lesson - given by our Relief Society President - had it's own special twist. It was great!! I am looking forward to the rest of the semester and what each Sabbath day will hold.

Sabbath afternoon was open for free-time. After some discussion, a few of us (a few being over half of the students) chose to visit one of the most spiritual places in all of Jerusalem: The Garden of Gethsemane. I wish I could describe the feeling, the beauty of the Garden. It was amazing. The Garden is located in a grotto near the Tomb of the Virgin Mary. You walk through a gated wall and are immediately inside of the Garden. There are eight olive trees that have withstood the test of time and haven't been cleared. It is among these eight olive trees where it is believed Christ's prayer of Atonement was offered to the Father. I was able to walk amongst the olive trees and ponder on Jesus Christ and His sacrifice and His love for me. It was an experience that I will treasure for the rest of my life. I look forward to going back as well. The Garden of Gethsemane is only a short walk (about twenty minutes) from the J.C. and many students like to go bi-weekly to study and ponder. I hope to do the same if possible. The ability to be where Christ was and be a witness of His spirit was the perfect edition to the Sabbath day.

The rest of the evening was spent appreciating the musical talents of each of the students. President Ohman, the music director and Branch President, wanted to see what each student could do on the piano, on the violin, and so on. Jefferson Campbell happily volunteered to play a piano piece, only the piece he had was an accompaniment piece. And who did he ask to sing? Me, of course. I sang "I Stand All Amazed" with butterflies and a pounding heart. I had never seen the music before. The reaction of everyone in the room was stunned silence and compliments in abundance. It was nice. But now I fear I may be asked to sing! Oh well, it's all about the experience, right? And I want to have every experience that I can while I am in this city. I plan on it.