Triclinium

Tonight's fireside rivals the one in the Shepherds field for one of the most peaceful experiences that I have had here. We went to the upper auditorium and reenacted the last supper. There we had the tables set us just as how they would have been. 13 guys reclined while our professors talked about the last supper and the meaning and symbols mentioned in the scriptures. A few people bore testimony about the last supper and its significance to them. People then bore their testimonies about Christ. A group sang "This is The Christ". I love that song and I love listening to groups of good singers, mostly because I really am not a singer myself. For the closing hymn we sang "I Know that My Redeemer Lives" while Brother Squires played the great organ in the Auditorium. It was a wonderful evening.

I stayed afterwards in the auditorium until it was quiet and I was alone. I reviewed the things they taught us from Jone 14, 15 and 16. Sometimes as I read a chapter and swear that I've never read it before, even though that's not possibly true. Jordan snapped a picture of me from outside the auditorium, if you expand the picture you can probably see me sitting there. I will miss that room more than any other at the Jerusalem Center. Luckily, that room is open for visitors if I ever am able to come back.

I am so grateful for the wonderful experiences that I have had here. They have put together a complete program and I am lucky to be a part of it.

Ugh

Sorry, no updates. Tomorrow we will take our last final. We leave here on Thursday. I can't believe it's already over! From there, I may or may not go to Greece for a few days with Christine. I can't determine the correct choice of action. There are good reasons to be back home and good reasons to stay...

Anyway, I'll be back to posting after tomorrow! There's my update.

Peace, Be Still.

Yesterday we took a boat across the Sea of Galilee. We read the account in Matthew where Christ calmed the troubled sea for his disciples. One of my favorite conference talks of all time was given by Elder Oaks on this subject, He Heals the Heavy Laden in Oct 2006. It was a unique and priceless opportunity to reflect on this hymn and talk while on the boat.

Master, the tempest is raging!
The billows are tossing high!
The sky is o’ershadowed with blackness.
No shelter or help is nigh.
Carest thou not that we perish?
How canst thou lie asleep
When each moment so madly is threat’ning
A grave in the angry deep?

The winds and the waves shall obey thy will:
Peace, be still, peace, be still.

Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea
Or demons or men or whatever it be,
No waters can swallow the ship where lies
The Master of ocean and earth and skies.
They all shall sweetly obey thy will:
Peace, be still; peace, be still.
They all shall sweetly obey thy will:
Peace, peace, be still.

The scriptures contain many accounts of the Savior’s healing the heavy laden. He caused the blind to see; the deaf to hear; the palsied, withered, or maimed to be restored; lepers to be cleansed; and unclean spirits to be cast out. Often we read that the person healed of these physical ailments was “made whole”.

Jesus healed many from physical diseases, but He did not withhold healing from those who sought to be “made whole” from other ailments. Matthew writes that He healed every sickness and every disease among the people. Great multitudes followed Him, and He “healed them all”. Surely these healings included those whose sicknesses were emotional, mental, or spiritual. He expressly affirmed that He would heal those with physical ailments and heal the brokenhearted. He healed them all.

He knows of our anguish, and He is there for us. Like the good Samaritan in His parable, when He finds us wounded at the wayside, He binds up our wounds and cares for us. Brothers and sisters, the healing power of His Atonement is for you, for us, for all. His all-encompassing healing power is sought in the prayerful words of our hymn “Master, the Tempest Is Raging”

At times we may despair that our burdens are too great. When it seems that a tempest is raging in our lives, we may feel abandoned and cry out like the disciples in the storm, “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” At such times we should remember His reply: “Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?”

The healing power of the Lord Jesus Christ—whether it removes our burdens or strengthens us to endure and live with them like the Apostle Paul—is available for every affliction in mortality. I testify of Jesus Christ, our Savior, who invites us all to come unto Him and be perfected in Him. He will bind up our wounds and He will heal the heavy laden. At the end of the journey, an end none of us can see now, we will say, “Master, the terror is over. … Linger, Oh, blessed Redeemer! Leave me alone no more.”

Oh Galilee, Sweet Galilee!

Apparently there is a long lost primary song all about the Sea of Galilee. It really is a pleasant place. People say it's not what they expected but I can't say I've ever thought much about it until I got here. It's always a little odd to me when a sea has waves but when it gets windy in the afternoon waves pick up and crash on the shore. It's delightful.

Bougainvilleas grow all over the place! Galilee is warmer than Jerusalem since it's 700 feet below Sea level, but it's much greener and there is generally a nice breeze. These flowers press well in scriptures, I've tried to collect them at every site we've visited.

We've been here for a week now and have a few more days to go. We've been studying the New Testament and the teachings of the Savior that he taught while in this area. We've visited Capernaum, Caesarea, Nain, the Mt of Transfiguration Mt Tabor, etc. We have a field trip one day and the next day we stay at the Kibbutz have class in the morning and relax on the "beach" for the rest of the day. It's still hot, but I love the down time we have.

Rusty, Dave Kader, me in the synagogue of Capernaum right by Peter's house. Amazing!
We ate at a fish restaurant that served St. Peter's fish. Some people ate the eyeballs. Others opted out for pizza...

Nightlife in Tiberias. Feels very much like Balboa fun zone, except less fun and without Balboa bars..

After church on Saturday we stopped by another potential site for the Jesus' baptism. Trevor has made an effort to take a photo at every location pictured in the back of the Bible. He crafted this shot to look just like the one for the Jordan River. Check it out!


One of my favorite sites so far - Mt. Tabor the location of the Mt of Transfiguration.

P.S. Mom thanks for the package! You found some great items!! I'm wearing one of the shirts in this photo.

"Love is like five loaves of bread and two fish, always too little until you start giving it away"

This is the mosaic floor in the Loaves and the Fishes church. Supposedly that's the exact rock where the 12 baskets of leftover food were set. They've left the rock exposed and built a church all around. I hate to be skeptical, but can they really know the exact location?

We're staying at a resort Kibbutz (Jewish communal living center) called Ein Gev. There are bungalows all along the beach. The water is not saltly, the beach is sandy (I expected rocks) and there are TONS of little shells.

I love playing paddle ball! Current record: Rusty and me with 173 consecutive hits.

There's also been some good beach volleyball.
(Rusty, Trevor, Tanner, me)

If you look past Kader you can see my sweet pass.

Some people count their ski days, I count beach days. This summer has been such a success :-)


And of course, no trip to the beach would be complete without spectacular sunsets.