Day 11-14: Thursday-Sunday, June 14-17
By Richard Boyer
We're home now, so I'm going to combine the last four days of our trip together.
Thursday
We left Jerusalem on Thursday morning. It was a lovely trip to the airport. We got to see some of the countryside west and north of Jerusalem. We had an easy check in to Egypt Air and flew about one hour to Cairo. I learned later from Eliza that there was fighting in the Gaza Strip today and the border between Gaza and Egypt was closed. I’m glad that didn’t affect us.
We found Egypt quite different from Israel. It is a land of mosques, minarets, beautiful buildings and estates, poverty and antiquity. We met our guide, a lovely lady named Negla (sp?) who has guided for the Paces in the past. I would estimate she is about my age, is very bright, speaks quite good English, though I had a little trouble with her accent, and has a delightful sense of humor. We first visited the mosque of Mohammed Ali, who began a dynasty in the early 1800’s and is almost a modern-day pharaoh to the Egyptians. We had the chance to ask our guide a lot of questions about the Islam religion and about Moslems. It was fascinating! They are monotheistic, believing in Allah, pray five times a day, believe in modesty, thrift, families and living their religion. They seldom convert to another religion and would be “dead” to their families if they did so. Women kneel behind the men in the mosques for modesty sake. There are different levels of modesty among the women, some being completely covered in black except for a thin slit for their eyes. Most of the women wear black. Most of the men wear something that looks like a long night shirt and a small turban on their head. Mohammed’s mosque is huge!
We then visited the Cairo Museum. The most interesting exhibit (at least, to me) was the artifacts that were obtained from the tomb of Tutankhamen. Because of my involvement with interpretation of the x-rays of the mummy of “King Tut”, I was fascinated to see the caskets, jewelry and many other things obtained from his well-preserved tomb in the Valley of the Kings. But most magnificent of all was the gold face mask. As I stood face-to-face with my good friend, it was almost a reverent experience for me. I stood in front of the reinforced glass case containing the mask and studied it for some time. It was truly like seeing an old friend!
Jennie also met an “old friend” in the museum – some Egyptian man tried to pick up on her. She is so beautiful with her blonde hair, but also so naïve, that she needs to be careful. We tried to stay close to her the rest of the time in Egypt, but we noticed the men’s heads turning to follow her and some aggressive street vendors being especially forward with her. Of course, she is nice to everyone and assumes they are all just being friendly. One of the vendors had her by the arm and I came up and took the other arm and pulled her away.
We had a unique experience tonight – we took the night train to Luxor, about 400 miles up the Nile. We stopped first at an American-style grocery store and stocked up on water, toilet paper, crackers, etc. for the night (We actually got more than we needed.) then went to the train station in Giza. It was quite a zoo! At first the train platform was filled with local Egyptians. I thought we would be competing with them for seats, but they boarded an earlier train. There was a big hassle about whether we would have our suitcases in our compartments with us or not. First they were going to be left in Cairo, then in a luggage compartment on the train and then finally they would be in our small compartments with us, which is how it turned out. That made it a lot easier because we had all of our things for the night. We were assigned cabins for the night by twos. We had two seats which folded down and two bunk beds folded out of the wall. There was a small sink in the room and a shelf overhead where we could put our suitcases (Sammie had to lift ours up that high.) and two water closets at the end of the car. (It is an interesting experience to use the toilet while the train is moving and rocking back and forth! I found it a lot easier to sit down.) It appears when flushing the toilet that it empties onto the tracks underneath the moving train. How gross! No wonder they won’t let you use the toilet in the station. We had a marginal dinner and got ready for bed. I actually slept pretty well, but Lori didn’t sleep well at all.
Friday
Our day started early! The porter knocked on our door at 4 a.m. and brought by breakfast at 4:30 a.m. It was a tray of bread served 4 different ways! Someone in the group dubbed it “breadfest”. Bread is the staple of life in Egypt. The government subsidizes the purchase of wheat from the U.S. so, according to our guide, there are poor in Egypt, but none are starving. They live on bread. We were still trying to get our things together when the train pulled into the station at Luxor. I thought we’d have some time there to get organized, but the porters started shouting at us; one smacked Lori on the back and they started pushing us out of the train. The train started moving and we had to throw our things off the train and jump off. The train moved forward 10 or 20 yards and then stopped! It was just a hoax to get us off. It didn’t leave the platform while we were there. Thanks a lot!
Luxor is the former Thebes, the capital of the Egypt during the time of its prime when the pharaohs ruled Egypt. Today it is even more primitive than Cairo and Giza, but has a charm of its own. We saw men in the fields even though it was before 7 a.m. on the Moslem Sabbath using primitive tools pulled by donkeys. We saw donkeys pulling carts toward the bazaar with produce and other goods to sell and people riding donkeys and camels. We crossed a large bridge across the Nile to the West Bank area and drove to the Valley of the Kings. We visited two tombs there; the most interesting was the tomb of Tutankhamen. I have studied the tomb in pictures and drawings so it was amazing to actually be in it! The innermost coffin is still in place with the remains of Tut inside. The hieroglyphics on the walls are quite well preserved. It was awesome!
We also visited the Temple of Hatchepsut (sp?), an impressive three tiered temple of columns and porches in the reddish cliffs. Some walked to the opening of tomb #53 where the scrolls from which the Book of Abraham are said to have been found. It was awfully hot and all there was to see was a closed door, so I stayed in the bus.
We had some rest time at a nice hotel in Luxor including lunch. The kids went swimming. I tried to take a shower but the cold water didn’t work and the hot was too hot to shower, so I washed my hair in the sink. Back in the heat (it must have been 100 degrees) we visited the temples of Karnak, one of the largest temples in the world, and of Luxor. By that time, I’d seen enough old stones, columns, hieroglyphs, etc. and was ready to head home.
The train ride back to Giza was a lot easier tonight. We knew what to expect. We started a little later, so we didn’t have to get up so early the next morning. The Rices (Scott and Lesli) flew back to Cairo, but I’m glad we took the train. I dispensed some Ambien to several in the group. All seemed to have a good night, except that a few people have come down with a mild GI illness. We administered to one brother and gave out Imodium and Pepto-Bismol. I haven’t given out any Cipro yet. I don’t think anyone has the “Pharaoh’s revenge” yet!
Saturday
This was our last day of touring. Our group has bonded well. We are comfortable sitting with any member of the group on the bus or at meals. The family lines have blurred and it’s like we are all family.
We visited pyramids today, first some which were especially well preserved at Memphis, former capital of Ramses II and other great pharaohs. After lunch at KFC, we saw the famous pyramids at Giza, the ones seen in pictures. They are mammoth! Two of the pyramids are over 440 feet high. The third is about half that. There is a tunnel into the center chamber of the second one. We paid $5 each to go down the tunnel. I started in and realized this was not going to be good for my back to go over 400 feet each way bent over to my waist, so I turned around and went out. The rest of our family (except Melissa, who has done it before) and several from the group went in and said it wasn’t worth it. No writing or pictures on the walls, just a long, claustrophobic, hot, stuffy tunnel. I’m glad I missed it.
We also saw the Sphinx, but had to look from a distance because the site was closed even though it wasn’t yet 5 p.m. (They took our money at the entrance then wouldn’t let us through the locked gate. Typical Egypt!) We visited the “Solar Boat”, a huge wooden boat which was used to convey the remains of a deceased Pharaoh up the Nile from Memphis to this site to be buried in his pyramid. It was uncovered in the 1900s and restored by a professor who gave a good part of his life to the project.
The last event was to ride a camel. We paid $3.00 each to ride single or double. Jennie and I rode together. The most exciting part is as they get up and then get down – you have to really lean back to keep from falling forward in the saddle. Other than that, it wasn’t too exciting – a lot like riding a horse but more rhythmic and smoother. Lori opted out. You know how much she loves horses, so the affection was transferred to the camels. After the ride we tipped the owner and a young boy named Abdula who chose our camel for us, whose name was “Michael Jackson.”
Just a word about the street vendors in Egypt – they were really aggressive and obnoxious. I don’t mind people trying to sell a postcard or souvenir but these guys were really aggressive! One of them insisted I take a postcard as a gift because his brother lived in America for two years. He then handed me a head scarf and said it was a gift, so I put both into my pocket as I went in to see the Solar Boat. Sure enough, he was waiting for me when I came out and followed me. He insisted again that they were gifts and then started asking for money. The language is a barrier so it’s hard to say, “But a gift means no charge!” and have them understand. I tried to give it back to him, but he insisted I keep it. Finally, I set both the card and the scarf on the ground and walked away. I had to do the same thing the day before with a small statue that someone got into my hand. Some of them were really creepy with Jennie and Lori. While I was dealing with this guy, Lori had walked ahead and some guy was pretty aggressive with her and offended her. I felt bad I wasn’t there to protect her better.
We took a long bus ride through Giza, back across the Nile and through Cairo to a hotel near the airport. Cairo is a city of over 20 million people, so it is huge! We checked into a nice hotel for a few hours. We had time to have a good dinner and nearly 3 hours sleep.
Sunday
Our wakeup call was at 12:30 a.m. after going to bed at about 10:00 p.m. 2 ½ hours earlier. I slept a few more minutes and then was up to put our luggage out before 1 a.m. and have a shower. When we got down to the bus at 1:30 a.m., Joe and Hal were no where to be seen. I called them from the lobby without response so I went to their room and banged on the door. I thought I was going to wake up everyone in that hall, but I was fairly upset. They were out cold. Finally, Hal came to the door. Spencer, Melissa and Sammie were leaving three hours later, so they had good reason to be asleep, but Joe and Hal should have been up. They came sleepy-eyed and embarrassed to the bus.
We made it through the Cairo airport without any difficulty and caught a flight to Amsterdam. In the huge Schipol Airport in Amsterdam we had a 5 hour layover. Since it was Sunday, we gathered together on a few rows of chairs at the end of one of the concourses and had a church meeting for a little over an hour. It wasn’t a sacrament meeting, but we sang hymns, prayed and had some thoughts and testimonies. I was able give a “thanktimony” to the Paces and then to bear my testimony about the Savior and the atonement. One of the Pace’s daughters admitted that she really didn’t want us “outsiders” on the trip (It’s the same reaction I’d have if I learned that the whole Pace family was coming on one of our trips to Balboa.), but she felt that we added to the trip and, instead of being a burden on her parents, were helpful to them and each other. I hope that is true. They were certainly generous in including us.
We made it home without incident. We flew from Amsterdam to Minneapolis and then on to Salt Lake City, arriving about 7 p.m. Eliza and Ben met us and had dinner in the oven when we got home. As we drove down our street, I couldn’t believe how nice the houses and yards were, how green were the lawns. We live in such a lovely place. This seems so far from the slums of Egypt. It’s hard to believe we are in the same world. By time I got to bed after 10 p.m., I’d been up for over 30 hours on 3 hours sleep the night before and sleeping on trains the two nights before that. It felt so good to get into a real bed!
Summary
What a great trip! It was all that I hoped it would be. The best part was being together with so many of our family and with the others on the trip, including the Paces, the Rices and other good people. I’m so glad that Spencer was able to make it at the last minute, for the time with Sammie and Melissa, whom we don’t see very often, to get to know little Marian better and, of course, to see the places that were meaningful in the life of our Savior. If I’d been in charge, I would have done a little less shopping and a little more teaching, but that’s ok. It was great to have someone else in charge and just be along for the ride. I think it was meaningful for each one of our family. I think they each met the trip and the experiences at their own spiritual level and each found meaningful lessons, insights and impressions that have strengthened their testimonies and helped them to better understand the scriptures.
Here are some summary lists from my perspective. Others may have different lists.
Israel 2007 Top Ten:
1. The land of the Savior, the places He lived, taught, healed, walked, suffered, died and was resurrected.
2. The teachings of the scriptures which have come even more to life to strengthen our testimonies and enlighten our understandings.
3. Our family – Melissa, Sammie, Martha, Adam, Marian, Joe, Anna, Jennie, Spencer, Hal, and, of course, Lori – being together day and night for nearly two weeks. What a treat!
4. The great Pace family – Bud and his knowledge and testimony; Lorraine and her patience, organizational ability and Christlike heart; their kids Lawrence, Elese, Michelle, William, Andrew and Wendell and their spouses, kids and extended family.
5. The rest of the people on the trip, especially our neighbors the Rices; Scott, Lesli, Mike and Tyler; and all the other good people from 80+ year old Marcia to less-active Jim Morse to adopted Pace son, Marv Higbee. What great people!
6. The Holy City of Jerusalem, especially Gethsemane and the Garden Tomb, but many other remarkable places, including walking the wall at night.
7. Galilee – the land of the Savior’s youth, where He loved to be.
8. Our guides – Amos, Eli, Negla – and our drivers – Adel, and others.
9. Hotels and good food, especially the Olive Tree in Jerusalem and Holiday Village at Ein Gev.
10. Egypt, especially seeing Tutankhamen – his death mask, burial treasures and tomb – also the pyramids, temples, etc.
Highlights of places we visited in order of our trip:
Tuesday: Corrie Ten Boom’s home, Anne Frank’s home, Ryksmuseum
Wednesday: Joppa, Mt. Carmel, Nazareth (especially the Nazareth Village), Sea of Galilee
Thursday: Boat ride across Galilee, Mt. of Beatitudes, Capernaum, Mt. Hermon
Friday: Jordan River, Mt. Tabor, Beth Shean, Jericho, Mt. of Olives
Saturday: Jerusalem Center, Bethlehem, Shepherd’s Field
Sunday: Temple Mount, Western Wall, Old City, Arab bazaar, walking through Orthodox Jewish community
Monday: Masada, Qumron, Dead Sea, Bethany
Tuesday: Israel Museum, Holocaust Museum, David’s City and Hezekiah’s Tunnel, walking around the walls of the city at night
Wednesday: Room of the Last Supper, St. Peter’s in Gallicantu, Gethsemane, Orson Hyde Memorial Gardens, Garden Tomb/Golgotha, St. Anne’s cathedral
Thursday: Mohammed Ali’s mosque, Cairo Museum with Tutankhamen findings, Nile River
Friday: Valley of the Kings, Tut’s tomb, temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Temples at Karnak and Luxor
Saturday: Pyramids at Memphis and Giza, Solar Boat, Sphinx, riding a camel
Israel 2007 Bottom Six:
1. The street vendors in Egypt – aggressive, dishonest, and immoral!
2. The porters on the night train to Luxor, pushing us off the train with our luggage and then stopping the train a few feet farther with obviously no need to hurry.
3. The police states of Israel and Egypt with security checks everywhere, rifle carrying men and women all around and the constant threat of a terrorist act directed toward tourists or getting caught in the crossfire between two enemies.
4. The filth of Egypt – the slums, the canals, the flies, the smell, the bad water, et al.
5. The stress and fatigue of travel – sleep loss; hauling luggage on and off buses, trains and through airports; no shower for 2 ½ days in 100 degree heat in Luxor; risk of bad food or water, etc.
6. Shopping!
What a great trip! But I’m glad to be home!
Monday, June 18, 2007
Friday, June 15, 2007
Wednesday, June 13
Day 10: Wednesday, June 13, 2007
By Richard Boyer
This was the best day of all!
Today we walked in the footsteps of Jesus. In our early morning devotional, one of the members of the tour sang the lovely hymn I Walked Today Where Jesus Walked. In the closing verse of that song, there is the line, "I knelt today where Jesus knelt." When I heard that line, chills went through me and I knew what I needed to do before the day was over.
We first went to the traditional location of the Last Supper. It is in a nice church just south of the wall of Jerusalem. We climbed the steps into an upper room about the size of a small cultural hall in an LDS Church. We waited a few moments for another tour to leave and then had the room to ourselves. Brother Pace reviewed the scriptures that tell the story of the Last Supper of the Savior. He then reminded us that this was the location where the disciples were gathered when the resurrected Christ appeared to them on that first Easter Sunday and where He returned one week later to meet again with the disciples, including Thomas, who had been absent the first time. Finally, he read a single verse indicates that there are other important things that happened in that room which endowed the apostles with power for their subsequent ministry to the world. This was a wonderful place to visit! I felt the spirit of the Lord strongly here, as much as anywhere that we have visited.
We then drove a short distance to a church known as St. Peter in Gallicantu, the traditional location of the palace of Caiaphas where Christ was tried before the Sanhedrin and where Peter denied three times knowing the Christ. Ironically, a rooster crowed as we walked into the church. (I prefer to believe that Peter was following the instructions of his master when he denied the Savior three times. None of what I read about the Apostle Peter would suggest that he was a weak man. Just a few hours earlier, he nearly started a battle which would have taken his life when he cut off the ear of the high priest's servant. I tend to believe that the phrase of the Savior "thou shalt deny me thrice" was the future tense instructive voice telling Peter that, in order to save his life, he needed to deny knowing the Savior three times.) We also visited the dungeon of that church where the Savior was probably held for some hours during that terrible night. Again, the spirit seemed to whisper, "This is the right place."
We then drove to the east side of the old city will to visit in the Garden of Gethsemane. The garden has been well maintained, actually improved since I was last here. There are 8 or 10 ancient-appearing olive trees in the garden surrounded by nicely kept flowerbeds and a few tastefully organized flowers. Again, we reviewed the events of this sacred place. We were then given some time on our own to reflect. Recalling the line from the song in the devotional this morning, I knew that I had to somehow kneel in the Garden of Gethsemane but wanted to do it in the least conspicuous way. Jennie was sitting outside the fence that surrounds the olive trees writing in her journal. I walked to her side, put my journal on the ground and knelt down on it on one knee. I was able to stay there for several minutes pondering and praying to express my gratitude for what happened there.
The Garden of Gethsemane closes for a two-hour lunch at noon, so we had to leave. We went to a small street which descends from the top of the Mount of Olives and is probably the way by which the Savior made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the Sunday prior to his crucifixion, the day that has become known as Palm Sunday. Crossing the street and walking a little way up the Mount of olives, we entered the Orson Hyde Memorial Garden. When we were last here, this garden was just being planted in the spring of 1979 and was dedicated later that year by President Kimball. My grandfather, Legrand Richards, was president of the Orson Hyde Foundation, which raised $1 million (a lot of money in 1979) which was then donated to the city of Jerusalem to keep this property in perpetuity for 999 years. When our family came here last time, we were able to hold a family meeting in an amphitheater near the top of the garden. Unfortunately, time did not allow for us to climb to the top of the garden and see that spot. Our guides told us the story of the creation of this garden and Sister Pace told us a remarkable story when she exhibited Christlike patience and forgiveness for a foster daughter-in-law. She is a remarkable lady! We then also had time for a few members of the group to bear their testimony. Some of our family took the opportunity to do so.
After a quick lunch shortened because of waiting for our bus driver who was confused as to where we would be, we went to the Garden tomb. This was definitely a highlight for all of us. The contrast between the Garden Tomb and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher which we saw two days ago is rather striking. Upon walking into the Garden Tomb area, the noise of the street and busy bus station next door is quickly left behind and one only hears the many birds singing. We had a thoughtful Scottish man take us through the garden. He gave his reasons why his organization, which cares for this lovely spot, believes that this location is correct both for Golgotha and for the burial spot of Jesus Christ. Interestingly, he said that they now believe that Christ was not crucified on top of the hill, as I had previously been told and is often pictured, but was probably crucified at the bottom of the hill near the passing crossroads where he could be ridiculed, slapped, spit upon and in other ways humiliated. We each had the opportunity to enter the tomb and remember again that the tomb was empty on that wonderful Easter Sunday morning, as it still is. We then gathered as a group and sang some hymns, read some scriptures and had a few more testimonies.
Leaving the Garden Tomb, we entered the city via Lions Gate and walked some of the streets that Jesus may have walked while carrying His cross prior to His crucifixion. We visited the lovely church of St. Anne (mother of Mary) with its marvelous acoustics. Adam and Martha saying "Nearer My God to Thee". I knew that Martha had a lovely voice, but I never knew that Adam sang so well! It was really lovely! We also sang a number of hymns as a group to enjoy the remarkable acoustics.
After dinner, we had a family meeting in our room to reflect upon our experience in the Holy Land. Each of us was given the opportunity to share an experience, an impression, an insight or some feeling. But it was not done as formally as a regular testimony meeting. I wanted to keep it a little bit lighter than that and more spontaneous. It was a wonderful time for sharing. I wish that I had a recording of what everyone said, but that may have inhibited the free-flow of feeling and emotion. We closed with a family prayer and said goodbye to Martha, Adam and Marian who will leave early tomorrow morning for their flight back to the States. It's hard to see them go, but I don't think it would be smart to take Marian to Egypt. The rest of us went to our rooms to pack. We don't leave as early as they do, but we are going to be on the road in Egypt for the rest of our trip. What a wonderful day!
By Richard Boyer
This was the best day of all!
Today we walked in the footsteps of Jesus. In our early morning devotional, one of the members of the tour sang the lovely hymn I Walked Today Where Jesus Walked. In the closing verse of that song, there is the line, "I knelt today where Jesus knelt." When I heard that line, chills went through me and I knew what I needed to do before the day was over.
We first went to the traditional location of the Last Supper. It is in a nice church just south of the wall of Jerusalem. We climbed the steps into an upper room about the size of a small cultural hall in an LDS Church. We waited a few moments for another tour to leave and then had the room to ourselves. Brother Pace reviewed the scriptures that tell the story of the Last Supper of the Savior. He then reminded us that this was the location where the disciples were gathered when the resurrected Christ appeared to them on that first Easter Sunday and where He returned one week later to meet again with the disciples, including Thomas, who had been absent the first time. Finally, he read a single verse indicates that there are other important things that happened in that room which endowed the apostles with power for their subsequent ministry to the world. This was a wonderful place to visit! I felt the spirit of the Lord strongly here, as much as anywhere that we have visited.
We then drove a short distance to a church known as St. Peter in Gallicantu, the traditional location of the palace of Caiaphas where Christ was tried before the Sanhedrin and where Peter denied three times knowing the Christ. Ironically, a rooster crowed as we walked into the church. (I prefer to believe that Peter was following the instructions of his master when he denied the Savior three times. None of what I read about the Apostle Peter would suggest that he was a weak man. Just a few hours earlier, he nearly started a battle which would have taken his life when he cut off the ear of the high priest's servant. I tend to believe that the phrase of the Savior "thou shalt deny me thrice" was the future tense instructive voice telling Peter that, in order to save his life, he needed to deny knowing the Savior three times.) We also visited the dungeon of that church where the Savior was probably held for some hours during that terrible night. Again, the spirit seemed to whisper, "This is the right place."
We then drove to the east side of the old city will to visit in the Garden of Gethsemane. The garden has been well maintained, actually improved since I was last here. There are 8 or 10 ancient-appearing olive trees in the garden surrounded by nicely kept flowerbeds and a few tastefully organized flowers. Again, we reviewed the events of this sacred place. We were then given some time on our own to reflect. Recalling the line from the song in the devotional this morning, I knew that I had to somehow kneel in the Garden of Gethsemane but wanted to do it in the least conspicuous way. Jennie was sitting outside the fence that surrounds the olive trees writing in her journal. I walked to her side, put my journal on the ground and knelt down on it on one knee. I was able to stay there for several minutes pondering and praying to express my gratitude for what happened there.
The Garden of Gethsemane closes for a two-hour lunch at noon, so we had to leave. We went to a small street which descends from the top of the Mount of Olives and is probably the way by which the Savior made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the Sunday prior to his crucifixion, the day that has become known as Palm Sunday. Crossing the street and walking a little way up the Mount of olives, we entered the Orson Hyde Memorial Garden. When we were last here, this garden was just being planted in the spring of 1979 and was dedicated later that year by President Kimball. My grandfather, Legrand Richards, was president of the Orson Hyde Foundation, which raised $1 million (a lot of money in 1979) which was then donated to the city of Jerusalem to keep this property in perpetuity for 999 years. When our family came here last time, we were able to hold a family meeting in an amphitheater near the top of the garden. Unfortunately, time did not allow for us to climb to the top of the garden and see that spot. Our guides told us the story of the creation of this garden and Sister Pace told us a remarkable story when she exhibited Christlike patience and forgiveness for a foster daughter-in-law. She is a remarkable lady! We then also had time for a few members of the group to bear their testimony. Some of our family took the opportunity to do so.
After a quick lunch shortened because of waiting for our bus driver who was confused as to where we would be, we went to the Garden tomb. This was definitely a highlight for all of us. The contrast between the Garden Tomb and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher which we saw two days ago is rather striking. Upon walking into the Garden Tomb area, the noise of the street and busy bus station next door is quickly left behind and one only hears the many birds singing. We had a thoughtful Scottish man take us through the garden. He gave his reasons why his organization, which cares for this lovely spot, believes that this location is correct both for Golgotha and for the burial spot of Jesus Christ. Interestingly, he said that they now believe that Christ was not crucified on top of the hill, as I had previously been told and is often pictured, but was probably crucified at the bottom of the hill near the passing crossroads where he could be ridiculed, slapped, spit upon and in other ways humiliated. We each had the opportunity to enter the tomb and remember again that the tomb was empty on that wonderful Easter Sunday morning, as it still is. We then gathered as a group and sang some hymns, read some scriptures and had a few more testimonies.
Leaving the Garden Tomb, we entered the city via Lions Gate and walked some of the streets that Jesus may have walked while carrying His cross prior to His crucifixion. We visited the lovely church of St. Anne (mother of Mary) with its marvelous acoustics. Adam and Martha saying "Nearer My God to Thee". I knew that Martha had a lovely voice, but I never knew that Adam sang so well! It was really lovely! We also sang a number of hymns as a group to enjoy the remarkable acoustics.
After dinner, we had a family meeting in our room to reflect upon our experience in the Holy Land. Each of us was given the opportunity to share an experience, an impression, an insight or some feeling. But it was not done as formally as a regular testimony meeting. I wanted to keep it a little bit lighter than that and more spontaneous. It was a wonderful time for sharing. I wish that I had a recording of what everyone said, but that may have inhibited the free-flow of feeling and emotion. We closed with a family prayer and said goodbye to Martha, Adam and Marian who will leave early tomorrow morning for their flight back to the States. It's hard to see them go, but I don't think it would be smart to take Marian to Egypt. The rest of us went to our rooms to pack. We don't leave as early as they do, but we are going to be on the road in Egypt for the rest of our trip. What a wonderful day!
Tuesday, June 12
Day 9: Tuesday, June 12, 2007
By Richard Boyer
We spent much of today in the new city of Jerusalem, mainly to the west of the old city. We first visited the Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book, a building for displaying the Qumran scrolls. It was fascinating! The scrolls told of the battle between the Sons of Light and the Sons of Darkness and describe many of the features of the battle which will occur in the last days. The mistake that the people of Qumran made was that they confused the signs in the scriptures, especially in Isaiah, between the first and second coming of the Messiah. They were close to correct as to the timing of the first coming of the Messiah, living less than a century before the time of Christ, and so they moved to Qumran to live in seclusion while they waited for the end of the world. However, they were expecting the Messiah to be a conquering king, as He will be in His second coming. They, like the Jews, missed His first coming as the Suffering Servant rather than a conqueror. Anyhow, it was most interesting. I remember Brother Ludlow, when we were here before, indicating to us that the most accurate version of Isaiah is the chapters in the Book of Mormon. The Isaiah chapters from the Qumran Dead Sea Scrolls are intermediate in accuracy between those of Nephi and other Book of Mormon writers and those of the King James version, thus establishing the correctness of the Book of Mormon and the authenticity of the Qumran scrolls.
We then went outside the museum and saw the remarkable model of the city of Jerusalem. When we were here 28 years ago, this model was found at a hotel on a hill west of Jerusalem. Since that time, they have moved the model here to the Israeli Museum, which is a much better location for it. I think that tourists coming to Jerusalem for the first time should see this model on the first day they come because it is very helpful in putting together the geography and layout of this city. I think it was very helpful to our family and other members of our group to see the model. Our guides, the Paces, became a little impatient with our Israeli guide, Eli, because he took so long at this model. (We have joked among ourselves that Eli is one of those persons that when asked what time it is tells you how to build a watch! In his case, I believe that Eli tells you how to build Big Ben! At one point on the bus, one of the girls turned around to me and said, "Big Ben is getting taller!" But he is very knowledgeable.) I thought it was interesting and learned a lot from Eli.
We then went to the Holocaust Museum. This was a painful, but necessary part of our visit here to Jerusalem. When Lori and I visited here on our first trip to the Holy Land, the museum was small and took less than an hour to go through reading all of the exhibits. The museum is now on a large estate with several buildings surrounded by lovely trees, gardens and walkways. The main building is built in the shape of a triangle with a pathway coursing gently upward and with rooms off to each side which contained many displays, photos, video interviews, artifacts, etc. from the Holocaust. At first, it wasn't too difficult reading about Hitler and the rise of the Third Reich, but it only got worse. I believe I was most touched by the account of one lady who was a teenager in Holland when the German police came to the door and took her mother and father away. Her mother had hid her and her sister in a coat closet. She asked the police if she could return for her coat and was allowed to do so. When opening the closet, she told her daughters goodbye and was never seen by them again. About two thirds of the way through the museum, Jennie found me and was sobbing in tears almost uncontrollably. It was very difficult for her. We walked quickly together through the remainder of the museum and went outside to get some sunlight and for her to gain her composure. I stayed with her the remainder of the time on the grounds. We visited the children's museum which was interesting, all dark inside but illuminated by candles which were reflected around the outside in mirrors. It's not exactly what I would have designed to honor children, but it was impressive. We must've taken a wrong turn as we came out of the children's museum, because we found ourselves on a perimeter road around the entire property where there apparently was a VIP cavalcade with flag draped limousines, police and military guards. Eventually, we found our way back inside and met with our group. Jennie was very glad to see her mother, who felt bad that she had lost her inside the museum. As I said, it was a painful, but instructive and necessary part of our visit here.
After some lunch, we visited the City of David ruins and walked through Hezekiah's tunnel some 1700 meters through solid rock. It is a rather remarkable engineering feat which was constructed well before the time of Christ. They have changed the entrance to the tunnel with a much more elaborate set of stairs and rooms and displays before going into the water. I believe they must also be controlling the level of the water, as my recollection is that we walked through water up to our chest in height. The highest that the water got as we walked through was just above our knees. I hiked up my cargo shorts and didn't even get them wet. The water was pretty cold; I would estimate less than 60°. It was actually fairly enjoyable going through, as the temperature was pleasant. But I was glad for our flashlights!
Outside of the opening of Hezekiah's tunnel, we visited the Pool of Siloam which has been recently excavated. It is a large cistern catching the water coming from the tunnel which was used as a freshwater source for the City of David. This is also the pool to which Jesus sent the man born blind whom he encountered in the Temple to wash off the spittle-mud which the Savior had placed upon his eyes, thus restoring his site.
We then drove across the city back to where we began the day to the giant menorah which is just across the street from the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. We took a group photo in front of the seven arms of the large menora.
After dinner, we had an experience which was, for me, one of the highlights of our trip. We walked around the outer walls of the city of Jerusalem at night! It was remarkable! We thought it would take us only a couple of hours, but it took us over three hours to make the trip. We stopped at a number of places for Brother Pace to instruct us about the different gates and other features of the wall. After seeing the model of the city this morning and walking the walls this evening, I really felt quite comfortable with a general understanding of the layout of this remarkable city. Part of the time, the pavement was uneven, so I walked with Brother Pace holding his arm along with his daughter, Michelle. I know that on at least one occasion, he would have fallen if we hadn't been there. At the end of the walk, it was just Michelle and me bringing up the rear. She told me how her family met a year ago and talked about coming to Israel together. Her parents, people of modest means, told their children that, if they were willing to give up some of their inheritance, as parents they would use that money to help pay for each of their children and spouses and a few grandchildren to come to the holy land as a wonderful family reunion, because they have lived here twice before as a family. So they have scrimped and saved as a family to make this trip possible. I feel humbly grateful that we were able to be a part of this sentimental journey for their great family.
By Richard Boyer
We spent much of today in the new city of Jerusalem, mainly to the west of the old city. We first visited the Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book, a building for displaying the Qumran scrolls. It was fascinating! The scrolls told of the battle between the Sons of Light and the Sons of Darkness and describe many of the features of the battle which will occur in the last days. The mistake that the people of Qumran made was that they confused the signs in the scriptures, especially in Isaiah, between the first and second coming of the Messiah. They were close to correct as to the timing of the first coming of the Messiah, living less than a century before the time of Christ, and so they moved to Qumran to live in seclusion while they waited for the end of the world. However, they were expecting the Messiah to be a conquering king, as He will be in His second coming. They, like the Jews, missed His first coming as the Suffering Servant rather than a conqueror. Anyhow, it was most interesting. I remember Brother Ludlow, when we were here before, indicating to us that the most accurate version of Isaiah is the chapters in the Book of Mormon. The Isaiah chapters from the Qumran Dead Sea Scrolls are intermediate in accuracy between those of Nephi and other Book of Mormon writers and those of the King James version, thus establishing the correctness of the Book of Mormon and the authenticity of the Qumran scrolls.
We then went outside the museum and saw the remarkable model of the city of Jerusalem. When we were here 28 years ago, this model was found at a hotel on a hill west of Jerusalem. Since that time, they have moved the model here to the Israeli Museum, which is a much better location for it. I think that tourists coming to Jerusalem for the first time should see this model on the first day they come because it is very helpful in putting together the geography and layout of this city. I think it was very helpful to our family and other members of our group to see the model. Our guides, the Paces, became a little impatient with our Israeli guide, Eli, because he took so long at this model. (We have joked among ourselves that Eli is one of those persons that when asked what time it is tells you how to build a watch! In his case, I believe that Eli tells you how to build Big Ben! At one point on the bus, one of the girls turned around to me and said, "Big Ben is getting taller!" But he is very knowledgeable.) I thought it was interesting and learned a lot from Eli.
We then went to the Holocaust Museum. This was a painful, but necessary part of our visit here to Jerusalem. When Lori and I visited here on our first trip to the Holy Land, the museum was small and took less than an hour to go through reading all of the exhibits. The museum is now on a large estate with several buildings surrounded by lovely trees, gardens and walkways. The main building is built in the shape of a triangle with a pathway coursing gently upward and with rooms off to each side which contained many displays, photos, video interviews, artifacts, etc. from the Holocaust. At first, it wasn't too difficult reading about Hitler and the rise of the Third Reich, but it only got worse. I believe I was most touched by the account of one lady who was a teenager in Holland when the German police came to the door and took her mother and father away. Her mother had hid her and her sister in a coat closet. She asked the police if she could return for her coat and was allowed to do so. When opening the closet, she told her daughters goodbye and was never seen by them again. About two thirds of the way through the museum, Jennie found me and was sobbing in tears almost uncontrollably. It was very difficult for her. We walked quickly together through the remainder of the museum and went outside to get some sunlight and for her to gain her composure. I stayed with her the remainder of the time on the grounds. We visited the children's museum which was interesting, all dark inside but illuminated by candles which were reflected around the outside in mirrors. It's not exactly what I would have designed to honor children, but it was impressive. We must've taken a wrong turn as we came out of the children's museum, because we found ourselves on a perimeter road around the entire property where there apparently was a VIP cavalcade with flag draped limousines, police and military guards. Eventually, we found our way back inside and met with our group. Jennie was very glad to see her mother, who felt bad that she had lost her inside the museum. As I said, it was a painful, but instructive and necessary part of our visit here.
After some lunch, we visited the City of David ruins and walked through Hezekiah's tunnel some 1700 meters through solid rock. It is a rather remarkable engineering feat which was constructed well before the time of Christ. They have changed the entrance to the tunnel with a much more elaborate set of stairs and rooms and displays before going into the water. I believe they must also be controlling the level of the water, as my recollection is that we walked through water up to our chest in height. The highest that the water got as we walked through was just above our knees. I hiked up my cargo shorts and didn't even get them wet. The water was pretty cold; I would estimate less than 60°. It was actually fairly enjoyable going through, as the temperature was pleasant. But I was glad for our flashlights!
Outside of the opening of Hezekiah's tunnel, we visited the Pool of Siloam which has been recently excavated. It is a large cistern catching the water coming from the tunnel which was used as a freshwater source for the City of David. This is also the pool to which Jesus sent the man born blind whom he encountered in the Temple to wash off the spittle-mud which the Savior had placed upon his eyes, thus restoring his site.
We then drove across the city back to where we began the day to the giant menorah which is just across the street from the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. We took a group photo in front of the seven arms of the large menora.
After dinner, we had an experience which was, for me, one of the highlights of our trip. We walked around the outer walls of the city of Jerusalem at night! It was remarkable! We thought it would take us only a couple of hours, but it took us over three hours to make the trip. We stopped at a number of places for Brother Pace to instruct us about the different gates and other features of the wall. After seeing the model of the city this morning and walking the walls this evening, I really felt quite comfortable with a general understanding of the layout of this remarkable city. Part of the time, the pavement was uneven, so I walked with Brother Pace holding his arm along with his daughter, Michelle. I know that on at least one occasion, he would have fallen if we hadn't been there. At the end of the walk, it was just Michelle and me bringing up the rear. She told me how her family met a year ago and talked about coming to Israel together. Her parents, people of modest means, told their children that, if they were willing to give up some of their inheritance, as parents they would use that money to help pay for each of their children and spouses and a few grandchildren to come to the holy land as a wonderful family reunion, because they have lived here twice before as a family. So they have scrimped and saved as a family to make this trip possible. I feel humbly grateful that we were able to be a part of this sentimental journey for their great family.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Monday, June 11
Day 8: Monday, June 11, 2007
By Spencer Hansen
To learn the history of Masada, Qumran, and Ein Gedi was great! There is a strong tradition in the area that makes the word “dead” come alive. After touring through these areas we felt the liveliness of the word when we sat down on the Dead Sea buoyant like hot air balloons. “Dead” came alive again as we closed the day in Bethany by visiting the tomb of Lazarus. The tomb was deep, cut right down into the bedrock about twenty to twenty-five feet.
We started out on the bus going down to the Dead Sea. With ears popping, we learned about the Sea and its ever-present haze as the evaporating water shrinks the coastline constantly. Despite the fact the entire area seems dead; the receding waters revealed fresh water emanations that support oases in various spots. Ein Gedi was one such spot, a place supporting life and large communities. We learned that such places have a limit though as we pulled in for lunch at Ein Gedi with over ten tour buses already flooding the parking lot. We skipped lunch there and headed over to Qumran where we walked through a tour of the Essenes’ society. They seemed to be like the Amish, deeply religious with a living belief that, to keep yourself unspotted from the world, you remove yourself from other people. It has been interesting these past few days to see how faith causes people to act in different ways.
Of all the historical places, we spent the longest time at Masada. Half the group went up the two mile snake path and the other half rode up the cable car. (Spencer is too modest at this point to mention that he was the first one up the path in a little over 16 minutes, perhaps a record for the trail, and certainly a record for this group. Adam was second. RB) Up in the sun, we toured around Masada, an ancient fortress used by Romans and Jews alike as a stronghold or resort. David also used the fort, as mentioned in the Bible, but as a means of hiding. You definitely feel like “king of the hill,” up on Masada believing no Trojan horse could ever penetrate your borders.
The experience at the tomb of Lazarus was enhanced by Michelle’s beautiful voice. She signed and sang a song of the account, bringing deeper meaning to the life-saving power of Christ.
Many of us cooled down this evening on Ben Yehuda Street in Jerusalem. Some bought jewelry, others bought nativity sets, and of course, others bought ice cream. Each day has been fulfilling, physically and spiritually.
Imagine growing up in Holladay, Utah. You live in four seasons and have the green beauty of God’s creations all around you. After growing up there, imagine being told you’re going to live in a desert as dry as baby powder, like Arizona? The smartest thing to do would be to spend a day in Masada, Qumran, and Ein Gedi so that a place like Tucson would seem like the Amazon!
By Spencer Hansen
To learn the history of Masada, Qumran, and Ein Gedi was great! There is a strong tradition in the area that makes the word “dead” come alive. After touring through these areas we felt the liveliness of the word when we sat down on the Dead Sea buoyant like hot air balloons. “Dead” came alive again as we closed the day in Bethany by visiting the tomb of Lazarus. The tomb was deep, cut right down into the bedrock about twenty to twenty-five feet.
We started out on the bus going down to the Dead Sea. With ears popping, we learned about the Sea and its ever-present haze as the evaporating water shrinks the coastline constantly. Despite the fact the entire area seems dead; the receding waters revealed fresh water emanations that support oases in various spots. Ein Gedi was one such spot, a place supporting life and large communities. We learned that such places have a limit though as we pulled in for lunch at Ein Gedi with over ten tour buses already flooding the parking lot. We skipped lunch there and headed over to Qumran where we walked through a tour of the Essenes’ society. They seemed to be like the Amish, deeply religious with a living belief that, to keep yourself unspotted from the world, you remove yourself from other people. It has been interesting these past few days to see how faith causes people to act in different ways.
Of all the historical places, we spent the longest time at Masada. Half the group went up the two mile snake path and the other half rode up the cable car. (Spencer is too modest at this point to mention that he was the first one up the path in a little over 16 minutes, perhaps a record for the trail, and certainly a record for this group. Adam was second. RB) Up in the sun, we toured around Masada, an ancient fortress used by Romans and Jews alike as a stronghold or resort. David also used the fort, as mentioned in the Bible, but as a means of hiding. You definitely feel like “king of the hill,” up on Masada believing no Trojan horse could ever penetrate your borders.
The experience at the tomb of Lazarus was enhanced by Michelle’s beautiful voice. She signed and sang a song of the account, bringing deeper meaning to the life-saving power of Christ.
Many of us cooled down this evening on Ben Yehuda Street in Jerusalem. Some bought jewelry, others bought nativity sets, and of course, others bought ice cream. Each day has been fulfilling, physically and spiritually.
Imagine growing up in Holladay, Utah. You live in four seasons and have the green beauty of God’s creations all around you. After growing up there, imagine being told you’re going to live in a desert as dry as baby powder, like Arizona? The smartest thing to do would be to spend a day in Masada, Qumran, and Ein Gedi so that a place like Tucson would seem like the Amazon!
Monday, June 11, 2007
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Day 7: Sunday, June 11, 2007
Jerusalem
by Richard Boyer
It didn't seem much like Sunday today. It felt like some kind of a combination between Saturday and Monday -- Saturday because it was a day off work to do other things and Monday because it was the day after Sabbath. When in Israel, Sunday is like a Monday, the day after the Sabbath and the beginning of a new working week. So we took it as a weekday and did regular activities.
We were up early, as usual, and had devotional at 7 a.m. It was Sammie's turn to give the devotional message. He spoke about how, when we know the background of songs and hymns, they become more meaningful to sing. He told the story of I Often Go Walking, which he learned was written by a woman who came from a dysfunctional home because her mother was virtually psychotic. The only time that her mother related to her children and became emotionally/mentally normal was when out in the country, they would go walking through the forest and the flowers. This song was written in an attempt to capture those moments as memories of her mother. Sammie was quite emotional in the telling of the story, reflecting his deep feelings for this story as well as his deep feelings for the experience we are having in Israel.
We drove first to the Old City and entered the Temple Mount. Since we were last here, there has been a lot of excavation near the Western Wall. We walked up a constructed ramp which was not there before leading us to a security checkpoint to gain access to the Temple Mount. Fortunately, we were early in the morning, so the line to get through security was not very long. We walked past the El Aksa mosque, which appeared to me to be pretty tightly sealed up. We were not allowed to go into the mosque. Nor were we allowed to go into the Dome of the Rock mosque. We were informed that since the year 2000, tourists do not enter either of these places. However, we did have the opportunity to visit in a shady spot on the Temple Mount. Brother Pace talked about some of the important events in the life of the Savior which occurred there, including when He was presented at age eight for circumcision and His experience at that time with Simeon and Anna. He discussed the episode at age twelve when Christ was found there in the Temple teaching the scribes, teachers and Jewish leaders. He also described the Savior's cleansing of the Temple at the beginning of His ministry, when He referred to it as "my Father's House" and at the end of His ministry, when He referred to it as "My House". Finally, before He was crucified, when He referred to the Temple as "your house" indicating that it was no longer His house because the wicked, apostate Jewish leaders had rejected Him, their Messiah. Brother Pace did not mention, but it is important to note, that the 40 foot veil of the Temple separating the Holy of Holies from public view was rent from top to bottom at the time of the death of the Savior on the cross. This is significant because of the fact that the Temple was rejected by Him and was now profane. The Temple was destroyed in the year 70 A.D. by the Romans who thought that Jewish gold was buried in the Temple and destroyed it, not leaving one stone on top of the other. Lori and I marveled how they would ever be able to destroy the Temple, because it was so huge.
After visiting the Temple Mount, we then passed through another security checkpoint and were admitted to the plaza in front of the Western Wall. With the men covering their heads and separating from the women, we were able to approach the wall and see the Orthodox Jews in their black hats, black coats, white shirts, ringlets, fringes and phylacteries bobbing back and forth as they chanted their prayers in front of the Western Wall. We saw the small slips of paper on which were written the names of the people who need special prayers which were packed into the seams between the rocks of the wall. We recalled our discussion during devotional this morning in which the similarities between the Jews praying at the Western Wall and the prayers in our temples for those with special needs. Then we went inside to a covered area where scrolls are stored in their libraries. An area of the floor had been excavated and covered with plexiglass so we could look through it. The wall continued down another 30 or 40 feet, showing the entire height of the wall. The full depth represents the street level at the time of Christ. With successive civilizations and their destruction, piles upon piles of rubble of civilizations have been layered on top of each other through the centuries and until the street level at the time of Christ is much lower than the current street level.
We then visited an excavation site near the Western Wall. We viewed a movie which showed a computer depiction of what the old city of Jerusalem may have looked like at the time of Christ. Following the movie, we went back to the Southern Wall and saw remnants of Robinson's arch, the pinnacle of the Temple, the steps and gates in the Southern Wall. We stood on a rock which was at the base of the exiting stairs from the Temple Mount and were told that this is one of the most authentic places in Israel where Christ must have walked because it was the primary exit from the Temple Mount at the time of Christ.
We are having a bit of a heat wave in Jerusalem today. Boy, was it hot! We were glad to get back on the bus and drive a short distance to a local merchant store and for shopping and lunch. After some delay, Dominos delivered several cheese pizzas which were heartily consumed by the group for the cost of three dollars each. There was lots of buying going on. Lori found a lovely opal Star of David necklace. I splurged and bought a $10 T-shirt. Lesli Rice got a $1500 necklace, I’m told. She is quite the shopper!
Back on the bus, we drove into the old city and entered Jaffe’s Gate. The bus let us out and we walked through the bazaar and visited the Citadel of David Museum. It was fascinating to see this reconstruction of the palace where the wise men visited Herod the Great inquiring where the new King had been born, whose new star they saw in the east. This was the same place where Jesus was taken on the morning of His trials to be interrogated by Herod Antipus, the only man of whom we have record to whom Jesus would not speak. This was an historical/archaeological treasure trove, but we didn't have much time to linger. I could have spent the whole day here.
We then walked to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and spent some time there. This church was originally built at the time of the Holy Land visit of Constantine's mother, who identified many of the proposed locations of sacred sites in the land. The church was subsequently destroyed, prompting the Crusades and the rebuilding of the church approximately 800 years ago. We saw the place supposed to be the site of the cross as well as a slab of stone upon which Christ's body was supposed to have been laid after He died in preparation for His burial. We waited in line to go inside of the grotto-like enclosure supposed to be the site of the tomb of Christ. Unfortunately, Jennie and Anna were not able to go in because of the length of the sleeves of their shirts. I was touched by the sincerity of the people who came there believing that this was the real place for them. Our guide indicated that many scholars have suggested that this location may be correct. My feeling is that the Lord has veiled the minds of those who would try to locate the true location of Golgotha and the Tomb, which prophets have told us is outside the walls of the city at Gordon's Calvary and The Garden Tomb. I believe that the Lord has protected these locations from the knowledge of the religious leaders and archaeologists in order to preserve the serenity, peace and beauty of these locations. We had a discussion in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher about the atonement and the suffering of Christ. I hope it was useful to some of our children who were there.
We had some free time to walk through the bazaar. I was able to find an electronics shop where I replaced the cable to my digital voice recorder which I had borrowed from our guide. I had to follow a young boy through the streets from one electronics shop to another. I would have been totally lost, if he had left me, so I put my hand on his shoulder and said, “Don't leave me!” He got me back to his father's shop and I was able to find my way back to the plaza outside of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Lori was not as fortunate. She did get lost and finally had to have a merchant help her find her way back to the group.
Our last museum who was an underground museum of restored ruins from approximately A.D70. We were impressed by the beautiful homes and the restoration of a portion of the city near the Western Wall, above which now has been built new homes and buildings.
We returned to the hotel for a brief dinner. Then we had a special treat. Lesli Rice had arranged with our guide, Amos, for a special tour of the Orthodox Jewish section of Jerusalem. So Scott, Lesli with her two boys Mike and Tyler as well as Melissa and Sammie, Martha, Adam, Marian, Lori and I took a van to the nearby Orthodox area of Jerusalem and took a walking tour at dusk through an area that most tourists do not see. We were not welcome! There are slurs thrown at our women by the children and threats made to our guide. Signs above our heads told us not to enter their area with immodest clothing. Because some of our women's heads were not covered and their shirt sleeves did not reach to their wrists, they were considered immodestly dressed. I was actually fearful that we might receive some physical violence, but we made it through without difficulty. I have nearly an hour of recording of questions and answers for our guide, who is a secular-religious Jew, who told us much about Jewish life. It was definitely one of the highlights of the trip.
Back at the hotel, we sat in a lounge for a few minutes while I recalled for our small group the story of a conversation between Brother Dan Ludlow and my Grandfather Richards regarding the building of the temple here in Jerusalem. Lesli had asked me a question prompting the telling of the story. The bottom line is that Brother Ludlow believes that it is the Jews who will build the temple here in Jerusalem on the Holy Mount, not the Latter-Day Saints, and that it will be an important precursor to the return of the Savior.
Back in the room, Melissa posted three days worth of blogs and Sammie worked on the Internet and on downloading the pictures from this camera to my laptop for backup copies. I couldn't stay awake and fell asleep on the bed while Lori washed out clothes in the bathroom. After a brief nap, I woke up and have dictated my journal for today sitting in the bathroom so not to wake Lori. It was a great day! More tomorrow. . .
Jerusalem
by Richard Boyer
It didn't seem much like Sunday today. It felt like some kind of a combination between Saturday and Monday -- Saturday because it was a day off work to do other things and Monday because it was the day after Sabbath. When in Israel, Sunday is like a Monday, the day after the Sabbath and the beginning of a new working week. So we took it as a weekday and did regular activities.
We were up early, as usual, and had devotional at 7 a.m. It was Sammie's turn to give the devotional message. He spoke about how, when we know the background of songs and hymns, they become more meaningful to sing. He told the story of I Often Go Walking, which he learned was written by a woman who came from a dysfunctional home because her mother was virtually psychotic. The only time that her mother related to her children and became emotionally/mentally normal was when out in the country, they would go walking through the forest and the flowers. This song was written in an attempt to capture those moments as memories of her mother. Sammie was quite emotional in the telling of the story, reflecting his deep feelings for this story as well as his deep feelings for the experience we are having in Israel.
We drove first to the Old City and entered the Temple Mount. Since we were last here, there has been a lot of excavation near the Western Wall. We walked up a constructed ramp which was not there before leading us to a security checkpoint to gain access to the Temple Mount. Fortunately, we were early in the morning, so the line to get through security was not very long. We walked past the El Aksa mosque, which appeared to me to be pretty tightly sealed up. We were not allowed to go into the mosque. Nor were we allowed to go into the Dome of the Rock mosque. We were informed that since the year 2000, tourists do not enter either of these places. However, we did have the opportunity to visit in a shady spot on the Temple Mount. Brother Pace talked about some of the important events in the life of the Savior which occurred there, including when He was presented at age eight for circumcision and His experience at that time with Simeon and Anna. He discussed the episode at age twelve when Christ was found there in the Temple teaching the scribes, teachers and Jewish leaders. He also described the Savior's cleansing of the Temple at the beginning of His ministry, when He referred to it as "my Father's House" and at the end of His ministry, when He referred to it as "My House". Finally, before He was crucified, when He referred to the Temple as "your house" indicating that it was no longer His house because the wicked, apostate Jewish leaders had rejected Him, their Messiah. Brother Pace did not mention, but it is important to note, that the 40 foot veil of the Temple separating the Holy of Holies from public view was rent from top to bottom at the time of the death of the Savior on the cross. This is significant because of the fact that the Temple was rejected by Him and was now profane. The Temple was destroyed in the year 70 A.D. by the Romans who thought that Jewish gold was buried in the Temple and destroyed it, not leaving one stone on top of the other. Lori and I marveled how they would ever be able to destroy the Temple, because it was so huge.
After visiting the Temple Mount, we then passed through another security checkpoint and were admitted to the plaza in front of the Western Wall. With the men covering their heads and separating from the women, we were able to approach the wall and see the Orthodox Jews in their black hats, black coats, white shirts, ringlets, fringes and phylacteries bobbing back and forth as they chanted their prayers in front of the Western Wall. We saw the small slips of paper on which were written the names of the people who need special prayers which were packed into the seams between the rocks of the wall. We recalled our discussion during devotional this morning in which the similarities between the Jews praying at the Western Wall and the prayers in our temples for those with special needs. Then we went inside to a covered area where scrolls are stored in their libraries. An area of the floor had been excavated and covered with plexiglass so we could look through it. The wall continued down another 30 or 40 feet, showing the entire height of the wall. The full depth represents the street level at the time of Christ. With successive civilizations and their destruction, piles upon piles of rubble of civilizations have been layered on top of each other through the centuries and until the street level at the time of Christ is much lower than the current street level.
We then visited an excavation site near the Western Wall. We viewed a movie which showed a computer depiction of what the old city of Jerusalem may have looked like at the time of Christ. Following the movie, we went back to the Southern Wall and saw remnants of Robinson's arch, the pinnacle of the Temple, the steps and gates in the Southern Wall. We stood on a rock which was at the base of the exiting stairs from the Temple Mount and were told that this is one of the most authentic places in Israel where Christ must have walked because it was the primary exit from the Temple Mount at the time of Christ.
We are having a bit of a heat wave in Jerusalem today. Boy, was it hot! We were glad to get back on the bus and drive a short distance to a local merchant store and for shopping and lunch. After some delay, Dominos delivered several cheese pizzas which were heartily consumed by the group for the cost of three dollars each. There was lots of buying going on. Lori found a lovely opal Star of David necklace. I splurged and bought a $10 T-shirt. Lesli Rice got a $1500 necklace, I’m told. She is quite the shopper!
Back on the bus, we drove into the old city and entered Jaffe’s Gate. The bus let us out and we walked through the bazaar and visited the Citadel of David Museum. It was fascinating to see this reconstruction of the palace where the wise men visited Herod the Great inquiring where the new King had been born, whose new star they saw in the east. This was the same place where Jesus was taken on the morning of His trials to be interrogated by Herod Antipus, the only man of whom we have record to whom Jesus would not speak. This was an historical/archaeological treasure trove, but we didn't have much time to linger. I could have spent the whole day here.
We then walked to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and spent some time there. This church was originally built at the time of the Holy Land visit of Constantine's mother, who identified many of the proposed locations of sacred sites in the land. The church was subsequently destroyed, prompting the Crusades and the rebuilding of the church approximately 800 years ago. We saw the place supposed to be the site of the cross as well as a slab of stone upon which Christ's body was supposed to have been laid after He died in preparation for His burial. We waited in line to go inside of the grotto-like enclosure supposed to be the site of the tomb of Christ. Unfortunately, Jennie and Anna were not able to go in because of the length of the sleeves of their shirts. I was touched by the sincerity of the people who came there believing that this was the real place for them. Our guide indicated that many scholars have suggested that this location may be correct. My feeling is that the Lord has veiled the minds of those who would try to locate the true location of Golgotha and the Tomb, which prophets have told us is outside the walls of the city at Gordon's Calvary and The Garden Tomb. I believe that the Lord has protected these locations from the knowledge of the religious leaders and archaeologists in order to preserve the serenity, peace and beauty of these locations. We had a discussion in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher about the atonement and the suffering of Christ. I hope it was useful to some of our children who were there.
We had some free time to walk through the bazaar. I was able to find an electronics shop where I replaced the cable to my digital voice recorder which I had borrowed from our guide. I had to follow a young boy through the streets from one electronics shop to another. I would have been totally lost, if he had left me, so I put my hand on his shoulder and said, “Don't leave me!” He got me back to his father's shop and I was able to find my way back to the plaza outside of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Lori was not as fortunate. She did get lost and finally had to have a merchant help her find her way back to the group.
Our last museum who was an underground museum of restored ruins from approximately A.D70. We were impressed by the beautiful homes and the restoration of a portion of the city near the Western Wall, above which now has been built new homes and buildings.
We returned to the hotel for a brief dinner. Then we had a special treat. Lesli Rice had arranged with our guide, Amos, for a special tour of the Orthodox Jewish section of Jerusalem. So Scott, Lesli with her two boys Mike and Tyler as well as Melissa and Sammie, Martha, Adam, Marian, Lori and I took a van to the nearby Orthodox area of Jerusalem and took a walking tour at dusk through an area that most tourists do not see. We were not welcome! There are slurs thrown at our women by the children and threats made to our guide. Signs above our heads told us not to enter their area with immodest clothing. Because some of our women's heads were not covered and their shirt sleeves did not reach to their wrists, they were considered immodestly dressed. I was actually fearful that we might receive some physical violence, but we made it through without difficulty. I have nearly an hour of recording of questions and answers for our guide, who is a secular-religious Jew, who told us much about Jewish life. It was definitely one of the highlights of the trip.
Back at the hotel, we sat in a lounge for a few minutes while I recalled for our small group the story of a conversation between Brother Dan Ludlow and my Grandfather Richards regarding the building of the temple here in Jerusalem. Lesli had asked me a question prompting the telling of the story. The bottom line is that Brother Ludlow believes that it is the Jews who will build the temple here in Jerusalem on the Holy Mount, not the Latter-Day Saints, and that it will be an important precursor to the return of the Savior.
Back in the room, Melissa posted three days worth of blogs and Sammie worked on the Internet and on downloading the pictures from this camera to my laptop for backup copies. I couldn't stay awake and fell asleep on the bed while Lori washed out clothes in the bathroom. After a brief nap, I woke up and have dictated my journal for today sitting in the bathroom so not to wake Lori. It was a great day! More tomorrow. . .
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Saturday, June 9 2007
by Sammie Markham
Jerusalem, The Holy City
Shabbat Shalom. Sammie, here. I shall do my best to describe the day without being too non-spiritual. We went to the BYU Jerusalem Center this morning for a tour and for church. The Center itself is very beautiful. It sits right across from the old city and the chapel where we had sacrament meeting faces the Dome of the Rock. I should also say that the front of the chapel is just huge windows so the whole time you are staring out at the city. Out of the million times I have taken the sacrament, today was a truly unique experience because we could look right at Jerusalem as the bread and water were passed to the congregation. The first speaker got up and was really boring (sorry, Mr. first speaker, if you are reading this) and I hit a brick wall and fell asleep. All I really got from the first talk was that the seats in the Jerusalem Center aren’t very conducive to sleeping. The second speaker talked about – surprise, surprise – mawage. (imagine me saying that like the priest in the Princess Bride.) She said she was asked to give a talk about her favorite subject – and she chose her husband. I’ll spare you the details… Her husband then gave a talk (they had been here with the State Department and this was their last Sunday) and I remember it being good, but I don’t really remember what he spoke about. Melba made me take a nap on a couch during Sunday School. I was awake for Priesthood – the lesson was on work. At least we centered on work and having a good work ethic. Rich made a good comment about how many of the people he meets who enter the medical profession have very different priorities than when he entered the profession. Med students seem to be more interested in the lifestyle – how much money they can make, how much vacation they get, etc – as opposed to wanting to help people. I started to think about how while all of my siblings have very different personalities, we all have one thing in common – a good work ethic. I attribute that to my Dad. (Thanks, Homer.)
OK, enough about Church. Then we went outside to take some pictures and then we went to lunch. This was the first day that I didn’t eat a schnitzel for lunch (A schnitzel is a pita with chicken and other vegetables inside. Very good!). We had a real lunch – it was kinda expensive and not very good. Melba, Adam and Martha and I sat next to the Pace’s daughter, Michelle, and her husband Gordon and we had a really good time getting to know them. The Pace’s approached their kids last Memorial Day about taking them all to Jerusalem. Initially, they wanted to go just as a family and then they realized that it would be a lot more economically doable if they went as/with a tour group. Our group is the largest that LDS Travel Studies has ever sent – 54 total – but they also said we are the first group that hasn’t had any whiners (it’s too hot, or this food is weird, or whatever). We decided that one of the main items that is making the trip so great is that we are all families going together.
After lunch we went to Bethlehem. There is a big wall there (I couldn’t get a definitive answer as to who built it) because Bethlehem is owned by the Arabs and the Israelis need to keep them out. We went through the checkpoint with all of the armed guards (M-16’s strapped on shoulders is now becoming a common sight) and as soon as we crossed into the city we could see the difference. Lots of poverty, broken down buildings, beat up cars, etc. Plenty of graffiti on the wall – the most interesting (and this was written in English) was the words “Mr. President, tear down this wall.” We were told to be very careful as there were plenty of pick-pocketers around. As soon as we got off the bus we were swarmed by street vendors. There were plenty. They were pretty persistent, but I don’t think they crossed the line into harassment. We walked to the church(es) built above the spot where Christ was born. This place used to be packed with people every single day but now that the crime, aggression and conflict have increased, the crowds have died down and we were able to go right in. Mangers, I learned today, are not the wood stables that we see in all of the nativity sets, they are actually caves. There are 3 churches built above the spot where Christ was born – Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox and Roman Catholic. The churches were FILLED with crusade era ‘Christian’ décor – lots of statues/idols, gold ornaments, etc. Most people in the group were bothered by the fact that this sacred spot was adorned with such ‘worldly’ items. I was in agreement but I tried to look past it. (I may have had an easier time looking past all of this because I was used to churches looking like this after my time as a missionary in Italy.) The tour guides said that Christ was definitely born in this manger – we don’t know exactly where (the Churches there have marked the exact spot…) – but we do know it was there. I started singing (to myself) The Little Drummer Boy because it’s my favorite Christmas song and I thought that would help me look past the physical aspects of the manger and dwell on the birth of the Savior. The song means quite a bit more now that I can picture what it would have been like to travel to see the Savior and then be down in the cave where he was to welcome Him here. It was a really powerful experience – I can’t put it into words – all I can say is that is was really powerful. He was truly born into a humble circumstance.
We got out of the Greek Orthodox church, walked quickly through the Armenian Orthodox part and into the Roman Catholic Church. Without trying to compare the three – the Catholic Church was a much nicer place to be. They were doing choir rehearsal and the music was beautiful. We went down into another cave (I know there’s a better word than cave, but I can’t think of it) where St. Jerome lived for 30 years while he translated the Bible around 300AD. The room was about 300 square feet. It was amazing to think something so amazing was done in a room that small. There were also some sepulchers down there some were for priests, but others were smaller and dated to right after the birth of the Savior. It is believed, but not confirmed, that they were children who were murdered by King Herod in his attempts to kill the Savior. Again, it was one of those things that I have known my whole life, but when you actually see it, the reality hits you in a way that just can’t be described. I don’t think there is any other way to experience it like this – so I won’t waste time writing it here.
On our way out of Bethlehem we all had to get off of the bus with our passports and go through Security. We went through a metal detector, but nobody was there to monitor it. Melba set it off (as did many others) but just kept on walking… Anyways, we got back on the bus and stopped outside of Bethlehem in a grove of olive trees that overlooked the city. We talked about the Shepherds who watched their flocks. Then we discussed the Wise Men and the Star that appeared. There couldn’t have been a better spot to do this. While we talked, a herd of goats came through. One of the babies was lost and was calling for the rest. He wandered in the wrong direction looking for the herd and the longer he went by himself, the louder he called. The shepherd (dressed in jeans and a T-Shirt) went and got the goat and brought him back. Lots of parallels to the Gospel from watching that happen – especially in a grove of olive trees with Bethlehem in the background.
Then we came back to the hotel and had dinner. It was fun to sit with everyone and laugh. We got together and discussed what we had learned/noted from the trip. Rich has a really deep understanding of the scriptures and can teach it in a way that everyone listens and learns. Last night he, Melba and I stayed up talking for a while. It was nice to have the same experience again, but this time with all of the other Boyers on the trip.
Jerusalem, The Holy City
Shabbat Shalom. Sammie, here. I shall do my best to describe the day without being too non-spiritual. We went to the BYU Jerusalem Center this morning for a tour and for church. The Center itself is very beautiful. It sits right across from the old city and the chapel where we had sacrament meeting faces the Dome of the Rock. I should also say that the front of the chapel is just huge windows so the whole time you are staring out at the city. Out of the million times I have taken the sacrament, today was a truly unique experience because we could look right at Jerusalem as the bread and water were passed to the congregation. The first speaker got up and was really boring (sorry, Mr. first speaker, if you are reading this) and I hit a brick wall and fell asleep. All I really got from the first talk was that the seats in the Jerusalem Center aren’t very conducive to sleeping. The second speaker talked about – surprise, surprise – mawage. (imagine me saying that like the priest in the Princess Bride.) She said she was asked to give a talk about her favorite subject – and she chose her husband. I’ll spare you the details… Her husband then gave a talk (they had been here with the State Department and this was their last Sunday) and I remember it being good, but I don’t really remember what he spoke about. Melba made me take a nap on a couch during Sunday School. I was awake for Priesthood – the lesson was on work. At least we centered on work and having a good work ethic. Rich made a good comment about how many of the people he meets who enter the medical profession have very different priorities than when he entered the profession. Med students seem to be more interested in the lifestyle – how much money they can make, how much vacation they get, etc – as opposed to wanting to help people. I started to think about how while all of my siblings have very different personalities, we all have one thing in common – a good work ethic. I attribute that to my Dad. (Thanks, Homer.)
OK, enough about Church. Then we went outside to take some pictures and then we went to lunch. This was the first day that I didn’t eat a schnitzel for lunch (A schnitzel is a pita with chicken and other vegetables inside. Very good!). We had a real lunch – it was kinda expensive and not very good. Melba, Adam and Martha and I sat next to the Pace’s daughter, Michelle, and her husband Gordon and we had a really good time getting to know them. The Pace’s approached their kids last Memorial Day about taking them all to Jerusalem. Initially, they wanted to go just as a family and then they realized that it would be a lot more economically doable if they went as/with a tour group. Our group is the largest that LDS Travel Studies has ever sent – 54 total – but they also said we are the first group that hasn’t had any whiners (it’s too hot, or this food is weird, or whatever). We decided that one of the main items that is making the trip so great is that we are all families going together.
After lunch we went to Bethlehem. There is a big wall there (I couldn’t get a definitive answer as to who built it) because Bethlehem is owned by the Arabs and the Israelis need to keep them out. We went through the checkpoint with all of the armed guards (M-16’s strapped on shoulders is now becoming a common sight) and as soon as we crossed into the city we could see the difference. Lots of poverty, broken down buildings, beat up cars, etc. Plenty of graffiti on the wall – the most interesting (and this was written in English) was the words “Mr. President, tear down this wall.” We were told to be very careful as there were plenty of pick-pocketers around. As soon as we got off the bus we were swarmed by street vendors. There were plenty. They were pretty persistent, but I don’t think they crossed the line into harassment. We walked to the church(es) built above the spot where Christ was born. This place used to be packed with people every single day but now that the crime, aggression and conflict have increased, the crowds have died down and we were able to go right in. Mangers, I learned today, are not the wood stables that we see in all of the nativity sets, they are actually caves. There are 3 churches built above the spot where Christ was born – Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox and Roman Catholic. The churches were FILLED with crusade era ‘Christian’ décor – lots of statues/idols, gold ornaments, etc. Most people in the group were bothered by the fact that this sacred spot was adorned with such ‘worldly’ items. I was in agreement but I tried to look past it. (I may have had an easier time looking past all of this because I was used to churches looking like this after my time as a missionary in Italy.) The tour guides said that Christ was definitely born in this manger – we don’t know exactly where (the Churches there have marked the exact spot…) – but we do know it was there. I started singing (to myself) The Little Drummer Boy because it’s my favorite Christmas song and I thought that would help me look past the physical aspects of the manger and dwell on the birth of the Savior. The song means quite a bit more now that I can picture what it would have been like to travel to see the Savior and then be down in the cave where he was to welcome Him here. It was a really powerful experience – I can’t put it into words – all I can say is that is was really powerful. He was truly born into a humble circumstance.
We got out of the Greek Orthodox church, walked quickly through the Armenian Orthodox part and into the Roman Catholic Church. Without trying to compare the three – the Catholic Church was a much nicer place to be. They were doing choir rehearsal and the music was beautiful. We went down into another cave (I know there’s a better word than cave, but I can’t think of it) where St. Jerome lived for 30 years while he translated the Bible around 300AD. The room was about 300 square feet. It was amazing to think something so amazing was done in a room that small. There were also some sepulchers down there some were for priests, but others were smaller and dated to right after the birth of the Savior. It is believed, but not confirmed, that they were children who were murdered by King Herod in his attempts to kill the Savior. Again, it was one of those things that I have known my whole life, but when you actually see it, the reality hits you in a way that just can’t be described. I don’t think there is any other way to experience it like this – so I won’t waste time writing it here.
On our way out of Bethlehem we all had to get off of the bus with our passports and go through Security. We went through a metal detector, but nobody was there to monitor it. Melba set it off (as did many others) but just kept on walking… Anyways, we got back on the bus and stopped outside of Bethlehem in a grove of olive trees that overlooked the city. We talked about the Shepherds who watched their flocks. Then we discussed the Wise Men and the Star that appeared. There couldn’t have been a better spot to do this. While we talked, a herd of goats came through. One of the babies was lost and was calling for the rest. He wandered in the wrong direction looking for the herd and the longer he went by himself, the louder he called. The shepherd (dressed in jeans and a T-Shirt) went and got the goat and brought him back. Lots of parallels to the Gospel from watching that happen – especially in a grove of olive trees with Bethlehem in the background.
Then we came back to the hotel and had dinner. It was fun to sit with everyone and laugh. We got together and discussed what we had learned/noted from the trip. Rich has a really deep understanding of the scriptures and can teach it in a way that everyone listens and learns. Last night he, Melba and I stayed up talking for a while. It was nice to have the same experience again, but this time with all of the other Boyers on the trip.
Friday, June 8 2007
by Lori Boyer
This morning we met for a devotional first thing in the morning. Brother David Rees, a bishop and professor at SUU in Cedar City, gave a profound thought in the devotional. He talked about our three gifts from Heavenly Father: mortality, our mortal bodies; our eternal families; and light. He is an ordinance worker in the St. George Temple. As he performs temple ordinances, he has noticed that all the blessings and promises given relate to these three things. It was a beautiful thought and gave us a lot to think about.
After breakfast, we boarded the bus and reluctantly left the Galilee. It is so beautiful and peaceful here. It was so easy to picture the Savior fishing along these shores, healing people and teaching. It was amazing to actually be in the water that He walked upon. The first evening there, Joe and I lay in hammocks on the shore and talked about what it must have been like to be with Jesus as He walked and taught there. We longed to talk to him, have Him share thoughts and insights with us, listen to us and especially listen to Him. We agreed that it would be incredibly uplifting and rejuvenating to be with him. He would always, always lift us up. He would love us perfectly. We ache to be in His presence someday. So… of course, we felt sad to leave this serene area. We drove to the south end of the Sea of Galilee to Yardenit, where the Jordan River emerges from the lake and where baptisms are performed. Since our last visit in 1979, they have created an area just for baptisms, with pools and steps leading into the water. It is beautiful and peaceful there. In a way it seemed a bit commercialized, certainly not as natural as the setting you picture for the Savior’s baptism. There were shops and vendors and things that made detracted from the serenity I felt there before but it was really pretty and we all dipped our feet in the water and read the account of John the Baptist baptizing Jesus.
On the hill above the bank of the river that had descriptions of baptism displayed on large stones or tiles in many different languages. We especially loved the one in Hawaiian Pidgin English. We immediately thought of Eliza and her missionary experiences in Hawaii. Part of it said, “You da man! I feel love and aloha fo you! We took a picture of it for Liza, she’ll love it!
From there we went to the base of Mt. Tabor, the place where President Kimball felt the Savior took Peter, James and John and where the Transfiguration took place. (Elder McConkie’s opinion was that the Transfiguration took place on Mr. Herman.) We got off the bus and crammed into taxis to go up to the top because the road is narrow, steep and windy with sharp switchbacks. At the top we saw a pretty church erected to commemorate the Transfiguration. From the back patio of the church there was an amazing view of the valley. We stopped there for a group picture and to read the scriptural account of the Transfiguration. That is where Peter, James and John received their endowment and keys of the Gathering and Sealing and were trained for their callings in the First Presidency. I thought there was a good spirit there. The gardens in front of the church were really beautiful. The church itself was like many of the churches in that I admired the huge efforts the people had put into honoring that place. It is their way of bearing witness and showing devotion, but the way it is decorated doesn’t really make me feel the spirit there. It was a wonderful experience to be there though and contemplate the magnificent events that took place there. It is where Moses and Elijah delivered their keys for gathering and sealing. There were rooms there to honor those two prophets.
We then drove down the Jordan Valley to Beth Shean (Bet Sha’an) where we wandered through impressive ruins which depict the splendor of Roman life and Hellenistic (Greek) culture. It was just amazing with market places, cardos or streets that were the center of activity and business. I was especially fascinated with the huge bath houses. They would hang out there all the time to bath, swim, get makeovers and massages, do body building in the gyms, take steam baths and even sew up business deals. It was the center of social activities, very fancy.
Our last stop before Jerusalem was in Jericho. We first went to a glass factory where we could buy glass products. I bought a couple of butter and jam dishes. Then we went to the ruins of the Walls of Jericho and read the account of the Battle of Jericho. They have excavated down deep and found an old watch tower and the collapsed walls. The watch tower is said to be the oldest free standing man made structure on the earth. As Bud Pace pointed out, it was 8,000 years old which means it was built 2000 years before the earth was created!
We then drove into Jerusalem over the Mount of Olives. It was exciting to catch the first view of the Holy City. We saw the BYU Jerusalem Center from a distance. It’s so impressive and beautiful! Mayor Kolick, who initially opposed its being built, was a great friend to the church and eventually called it the most beautiful building in the Near East. We will go in it tomorrow. I can’t wait. We loved the view of the city. It was a beautiful evening, perfect temperature. Our weather has been perfect every day. It is unusually cool for June this week which means it is PERFECT!
We checked into the Olive Tree Hotel. It’s really nice, only two years old. We had a wonderful dinner and I tended Marian while Mo and Adam went shopping. She was a little angel. Everyone else just chilled in the hotel. We were all exhausted. Another very magical day in the Holy Land! The best part is just being with the family all day, hanging out with and getting to know all the wonderful people on this tour and, of course, thinking about the Savior all day and worshipping in our own way.
This morning we met for a devotional first thing in the morning. Brother David Rees, a bishop and professor at SUU in Cedar City, gave a profound thought in the devotional. He talked about our three gifts from Heavenly Father: mortality, our mortal bodies; our eternal families; and light. He is an ordinance worker in the St. George Temple. As he performs temple ordinances, he has noticed that all the blessings and promises given relate to these three things. It was a beautiful thought and gave us a lot to think about.
After breakfast, we boarded the bus and reluctantly left the Galilee. It is so beautiful and peaceful here. It was so easy to picture the Savior fishing along these shores, healing people and teaching. It was amazing to actually be in the water that He walked upon. The first evening there, Joe and I lay in hammocks on the shore and talked about what it must have been like to be with Jesus as He walked and taught there. We longed to talk to him, have Him share thoughts and insights with us, listen to us and especially listen to Him. We agreed that it would be incredibly uplifting and rejuvenating to be with him. He would always, always lift us up. He would love us perfectly. We ache to be in His presence someday. So… of course, we felt sad to leave this serene area. We drove to the south end of the Sea of Galilee to Yardenit, where the Jordan River emerges from the lake and where baptisms are performed. Since our last visit in 1979, they have created an area just for baptisms, with pools and steps leading into the water. It is beautiful and peaceful there. In a way it seemed a bit commercialized, certainly not as natural as the setting you picture for the Savior’s baptism. There were shops and vendors and things that made detracted from the serenity I felt there before but it was really pretty and we all dipped our feet in the water and read the account of John the Baptist baptizing Jesus.
On the hill above the bank of the river that had descriptions of baptism displayed on large stones or tiles in many different languages. We especially loved the one in Hawaiian Pidgin English. We immediately thought of Eliza and her missionary experiences in Hawaii. Part of it said, “You da man! I feel love and aloha fo you! We took a picture of it for Liza, she’ll love it!
From there we went to the base of Mt. Tabor, the place where President Kimball felt the Savior took Peter, James and John and where the Transfiguration took place. (Elder McConkie’s opinion was that the Transfiguration took place on Mr. Herman.) We got off the bus and crammed into taxis to go up to the top because the road is narrow, steep and windy with sharp switchbacks. At the top we saw a pretty church erected to commemorate the Transfiguration. From the back patio of the church there was an amazing view of the valley. We stopped there for a group picture and to read the scriptural account of the Transfiguration. That is where Peter, James and John received their endowment and keys of the Gathering and Sealing and were trained for their callings in the First Presidency. I thought there was a good spirit there. The gardens in front of the church were really beautiful. The church itself was like many of the churches in that I admired the huge efforts the people had put into honoring that place. It is their way of bearing witness and showing devotion, but the way it is decorated doesn’t really make me feel the spirit there. It was a wonderful experience to be there though and contemplate the magnificent events that took place there. It is where Moses and Elijah delivered their keys for gathering and sealing. There were rooms there to honor those two prophets.
We then drove down the Jordan Valley to Beth Shean (Bet Sha’an) where we wandered through impressive ruins which depict the splendor of Roman life and Hellenistic (Greek) culture. It was just amazing with market places, cardos or streets that were the center of activity and business. I was especially fascinated with the huge bath houses. They would hang out there all the time to bath, swim, get makeovers and massages, do body building in the gyms, take steam baths and even sew up business deals. It was the center of social activities, very fancy.
Our last stop before Jerusalem was in Jericho. We first went to a glass factory where we could buy glass products. I bought a couple of butter and jam dishes. Then we went to the ruins of the Walls of Jericho and read the account of the Battle of Jericho. They have excavated down deep and found an old watch tower and the collapsed walls. The watch tower is said to be the oldest free standing man made structure on the earth. As Bud Pace pointed out, it was 8,000 years old which means it was built 2000 years before the earth was created!
We then drove into Jerusalem over the Mount of Olives. It was exciting to catch the first view of the Holy City. We saw the BYU Jerusalem Center from a distance. It’s so impressive and beautiful! Mayor Kolick, who initially opposed its being built, was a great friend to the church and eventually called it the most beautiful building in the Near East. We will go in it tomorrow. I can’t wait. We loved the view of the city. It was a beautiful evening, perfect temperature. Our weather has been perfect every day. It is unusually cool for June this week which means it is PERFECT!
We checked into the Olive Tree Hotel. It’s really nice, only two years old. We had a wonderful dinner and I tended Marian while Mo and Adam went shopping. She was a little angel. Everyone else just chilled in the hotel. We were all exhausted. Another very magical day in the Holy Land! The best part is just being with the family all day, hanging out with and getting to know all the wonderful people on this tour and, of course, thinking about the Savior all day and worshipping in our own way.
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