28 May 2011

Shabbat Shalom, family and friends.

Sabbath in the Jerusalem Center is one of my days of the week. Although I don’t generally leave the center, the day is full of excitement, action, and most importantly, the Spirit. I can’t remember if I have described the chapel we meet in yet. It is located on the eighth floor of the Jerusalem Center and its wall is a window that overlooks the entire Old City. It is beautiful. Many of the visitors (and I’m sure students can be included here) have difficulty remembering the sacredness of the chapel and often sneak a few pictures before and after Sacrament. The view began as a distraction for me, but it now melds into the Spirit of the meeting. Sabbath School, today, was taught by the one and only Brother Jeffery Chadwick. I love having him as a gospel doctrine teacher. His perspectives into the Bible allow me to enhance my own learning and my own understanding of it. I am learning so much from him. The lesson was taken from Matthew 20-23 and John 12; however, Brother Chadwick often included pieces of Mark and Luke in order to complete the doctrines being taught. I learned that it’s important to study the gospels as a whole, rather than individually. I wonder if that principle applies to every book of scripture…

The Jerusalem Center does not provide lunch on Sabbath, so most of us purchase snacks the day before or we participate in activities that take our minds off of eating. I took a nap. It was delightful. I feel like I did something else as well, but my memory is failing me at this moment… Dinner was really fun. We had curry rice and roast (or at least that’s what I keep telling myself…I will never be the same after that cow tongue) and veggies and amazing corn tater tots. Dessert consisted of ice cream; it was delicious. I have been craving real ice cream for days! And it was passion fruit which made it even better. I ended up staying in the Oasis for an hour after dinner chatting and laughing with Megan, Morgan, Alise, Kymberly, and Joshua about old boyfriends, current boyfriends, psychotic ex-girlfriends, and other similar topics. What else would you expect from six single adults? It was fun to share stories. Many of them produced loads of laughter and many of Morgan’s infamous facial expressions. (I wish I could explain these. His eyes bug out of his head and his mouth drops and…it’s just hilarious. A picture will come soon; I’m sure.)

There was a branch fireside this evening where they showed the film Emma Smith: My Story. I wasn’t sure what to expect when the movie started, but I soon found that my attention was instantly grasped by the spirit of the movie. We always hear the Joseph Smith story from the eyes of Joseph Smith; I enjoyed hearing it from the eyes of his wife, Emma Smith. For those of you who have never seen it, I would recommend renting it or purchasing it and watching it for a Family Home Evening or on a Sabbath afternoon. Even if you have seen it, I would still make these recommendations. Emma Smith had great faith. I hope that I can someday aspire to have that much faith. She lost many children; she lost her husband. She was caught in the action of many trials and hardships. But she never turned away from the gospel. She stuck by the side of her husband until his death and supported him in the calling that the Lord extended to him. She trusted in her faith to get through tribulation…something I know that I need to work on.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true. It was restored on the earth by the hand of the Lord through the prophet Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith did, indeed, see Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in the Sacred Grove as an answer to his humble prayer. The Book of Mormon, translated through Joseph Smith, is true. I testify that if you ask in prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, the truth of it will be manifested unto you by the power of the Holy Ghost. Jesus Christ’s gospel is on the earth today. He lives. He loves us. He will come again. Watch and prepare for His coming.