O Jerusalem: August 2012

Well...it's official. In 5 short days I will be sitting on a plane heading towards the JFK International Airport in New York. I will be leaving Jerusalem and leaving what has become my home and my family for the past 3 1/2 months. It feels pretty strange. I feel like I haven't been here for very long at all, but at the same time it's kind of hard to picture what life was like before Jerusalem sometimes. As sad as I am to leave, I realize that I can't stay here forever, and am excited to move on with the rest of my life. Today is the last Sabbath that I will be here in Jerusalem. This morning before our church meetings I got up and went and sat on the balcony on the top level that overlooks the whole city. As I was sitting there, in great company I might add, I thought about when Christ sat on the Mount of Olives before he made his Triumphal Entry into the city of Jerusalem that would mark the start of the last week of his mortal life. He lamented over the wickedness of people of Jerusalem.

Matthew 23:37: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

The people of Jerusalem at that time were so wicked--enough so that they crucified our Savior. It breaks my heart to think that our world was the only world wicked enough to crucify the Son of God. He was the only perfect being that has ever walked this earth, yet they did not accept him. Being here, though, and learning all about the life of my Savior, as well as living in the area of his actual ministry, has helped me personally to learn to accept him into my life even more. With him, anything is possible. It is because of his Atonement that I am able to be cleansed of all my sins, to be comforted in all of my sorrows, to be renewed in my hope that I can one day return and live with my Father in Heaven. I am so grateful for my Savior and for all that he did and continues to do for me, and for this land that I have had the great opportunity to live in and as a result come closer to Christ. Today as I overlooked the city for one of the last times, I remembered that although Jerusalem might have been wicked once, there is still a lot of good in the world. I felt so at peace. Whatever the future may hold for me, I can face it head on with the help of my Savior.

Psalms 147:12: Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion.

Thank you Jerusalem for everything you taught me, and for giving me this opportunity of a lifetime. You will never be forgotten!

Last Thursday we got back from our 10 day trip to Galilee! It was so wonderful...probably my favorite part of the trip thus far. We stayed at a resort right on the Sea of Galilee and alternated between staying at the resort and having classes and going out on fieldtrips. It was hot and sweaty but so worth it. There is not much that could top laying in a hammock watching the sun set over the very same Sea that Jesus sailed so long ago.

Mark 4:39: "And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm."

Here are just a jumble of random pictures from the trip...