O Jerusalem.....

Our Last Day in Jerusalem:

 "If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning."
Psalm137:5 

DEPARTURE

 *A Beautiful Lani Livingston creation

In a few short hours,

I will embark on another 20 hour flight to leave the land, the people, and the memories that I so desperately love. 

Surge.

Elder Holland

Living in Jerusalem has been the most life changing experience of my entire life, and every day I think that the day could not get better….and every day i am proved wrong. 

This weekend, we had the privilege to have Elder Holland stay with us here in the JC. Due to security reasons, we have been unable to share this joyous secret nor talk about it until now.  He has been traveling all over the middle-east and decided to take a pit-stop in Jerusalem…to see us :) (okay, I admit he had other obligations here as well but still he wanted to stay here with us). The Jerusalem Center is his baby!

Although Elder Holland was utterly exhausted the first night he arrived, he spoke to us for a few hours about the savior, his teachings, and personal counsel for us, students, about to depart from the most life-changing experience.  It was the most personal, powerful, and humbling experience.  There is no doubt that he is an apostle of the Lord. He knows the Lord. He knows and speaks of the Savior as someone would their best friend. He knows the Lord so personally and discussed the doctrine we studied so diligently in New Testament. Imagine a personal General Conference. He embraced each one of us and took the time to talk to each one of us he went to bed that night.  Unreal.

We also ate breakfast and dinner with Elder Holland.  (I am not going to lie, we were all so nervous yet unbearably excited to see him walk around the halls of our home.)  During meals, we would all gather around as little chick lings do to the mother hen and listen as he reminisced on his life for hours. He was so down to earth, witty, and has a great sense of humor. The apostles dedicate their entire lives for this work and for the Lord. So much work is put into the running of this church; so much goes unnoticed. The spirit that Elder Holland radiates is unbelievable.

*Thanks Kate for the Pic!

The Last Days

For our last two days in Jerusalem, we had the opportunity to walk through the last week of the Savior’s life.  This entire week has been among the most sacred and spiritually enlightening weeks of my entire life. Words nor Pictures will ever come close to fully captivating this blessed experience.

 

Bethany. John 11.

The home of Jesus's good friends: Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.

We had a beautiful devotional on Christ Raising Lazarus from the dead. This is a critical moment in the scriptures, for this is the time where Jewish leaders decide the Savior of all mankind must die. 

 

 The tomb of Lazarus 

Jesus walked from Bethany to Bethphage where He made the triumphal entry (on a donkey) into Jerusalem as King of the Jews.  

Luke 19:31-40, 41-44

 

  

Dominus Flevit. 

The Church (built in 1955) is shaped like a tear-drop. It symbolizes the location where Jesus wept over Jerusalem.

We gather at each site and sing hymns. 

The Acoustics=amazing. 

 

we walked for 45 minutes up the streets of Jerusalem to the sacred Upper Room. Matthew 26. We had an incredible lesson on the sacrament. 

"The road to the sacrament Table, is the road to safety."

We  read the account of the Upper Room and sang numerous hymns, reflecting this sacred event.  

Dormition Abbey

 St. Peter in Gallicantu & Caiaphas's Palace

St. Peter's Basillica is built over Caiaphas's Palace. 

We discussed Peter's Denial and the Savior's imprisonment.

 

 I stood in the cell the Savior was imprisoned in, as He was making his way back to Bethany. The entire room was dark aside from a beam of light which streamed in through the ceiling.
five students and I stayed behind to sing, "Abide With Me Tis Eventide."

One of the most humbling and sacred experiences of my life.

The Lord suffered completely alone, so we may not have to.

First Century Steps the Savior willingly climbed to meet his fate.

 That Evening, we participated in the "Upper Room Experience." We reenacted the Last Supper.  We gathered outside of the Jerusalem Center and walked around the center, to symbolize Christ as he walked Through The streets of Jerusalem to the Upper Room for the Last supper with His disciples, exactly two millenia ago. (This was the first time this event actually coincided with the night of Jewish Passover.) Our Professors set the table and for 3 hours we learned of passover, Read the John 13-17, and bore testimony of Christ.

The Garden of Gethsemane

Detour:

St. Anne's Church. 

Location of Mary's birth.

Only Crusader Church still existing.

This Church is Notorious in Jerusalem for having the most amazing acoustics.  

Pool of Bethesda. John 5:1

 Church of the Flagellation

(Look at the background of the Last Ensign Cover. Look Familiar?)

The Garden Tomb

My heart is full of love and peace. MY testimony of the Savior is burning within my soul. I know with everything that I am, that Jesus Christ lives. I never want to forget these sacred, still moments where the spirit has so powerfully borne testimony of the reality of the Savior.  

This semester in Jerusalem has deeply rooted in me a testimony of Jesus Christ, the power of the Atonement, my love for the bible and its teachings, a re-dedication to virtue and charity, a love for my family and loved ones, a burning desire to continue strengthening my relationship with God and His son.  this place has such a beautiful spirit because it is so deeply rooted in Jesus Christ.

  I see Christ in EVERYTHING around me. 

However, I do not need to be in the Holy Land to feel this spirit and this imminence to the Savior. 

  

Jesus Christ has been my center focus for the last 4 months and needs to always be my center focus, for He is the reason I live. 

Joy=Centering Life on Christ

Jesus Christ Lives.

PALM SUNDAY

Today we had the opportunity to join thousands of Christians from all over the world to participate in palm Sunday!

Palm Sunday is a Christian Movable Feast that falls on the Sunday prior to Easter Sunday. The feast commemorates Jesus' Triumphal entry into Jerusalem.This event is mentioned in all four Canonical Gospels 

(Mark 11:1-11, Matthew 21:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, and John 12:12-19) 

My Girls and I in the midst of the Walk

the streets were shut down

We sang, waved palm tree branches, and walked with thousands of others along the streets of Jerusalem to Lion's Gate.

 

Quite a Turn Out.

There were various denominations, countries, and cultures represented. thousands of people chanted and sang in their native languages

lively crowd.

we spent hours in the blazing sun

a few of us walked in the middle of a Polish group....did not understand a word they were saying :)

Our adopted sister, Jess, and her Baby Palm Tree Branch she faithfully waved!

Lions Gate

....my heart............

 

One of my favorite Olive Trees in the Garden of Gethsemane. I read by it almost every Sabbath.

I have four days left in this holy Land...............4 days! 

Four months in Jerusalem=CHANGED MY LIFE.

I discovered this Beautiful quotation this week and i echo his words:

“Yes I have walked where Jesus walked. I have bathed my feet on the shores of Galilee; I have tasted the waters of Jacob’s well, where Jesus talked with the woman of Samaria; I have prayed in Gethsemane; and I have worshiped silently at the garden tomb. Each place stirred my soul and made me feel His holy presence. But I have not seen Him in this life, nor have I spoken with Him face-to-face. I know, however, that He lives and that He loves me. Through the power of the Holy Spirit I can testify that I know Him as if I had seen Him with my own eyes and heard His voice.”-Carlos E. Asay

....FINAL-ly......

This picture is attributed to the Beautiful Lani Livingston

1 Field Trip 

4 Late Night Study groups

two 7 Page Papers submitted

4 early Morning study sessions

3 more Finals Completed

2 full days of locking myself in the classroom

1 floor covered with maps, notes, handouts, and Israeli candy

2 droopy little eyes:)

1 happy girl!

FREEDOM

I have just survived a week of finals!

I crammed thousands of years of history and analyzed dozens of New Testament verses and I enjoyed it.

The highlight of my studies: Our late night doctrine discussions about the New Testament. 

The Bible has come alive!

Just a Floatin'..........Atop the Dead Sea

The Dead Sea.

 The Lowest Elevation on Earth’s surface.

(It is 1,388 feet below sea level)

30 % Salinity (Oceans have 3%).

Warning: DO NOT, DO NOT GET IT IN YOUR MOUTH OR EYES

I cannot fully describe how it feels to be in the Dead Sea....you seriously float with NO effort. It is the craziest Phenomenon you could ever experience.  

It is seriously one of the neatest sensations. 

Simply Unbelievable!

 

 The whole class "floating" on the dead Sea Together

Guess What Grandma?! We Exfoliated with the mud. 

 skin is silky smooth

Homemade Spa with Some of My Girls

My Last Days in J-O-R-D-A-N

Amman, Jordan

King of Jordan: Abdullah II

Currency: Jordanian Dinar 1 JD= $1.40

Population: Majority Muslim

95% of Jordan is desert

The Jordanians LOVE King Abdullah II

Hence, His picture is EVERYWHERE!

Since Jordan is predominantly Muslim, we had the opportunity to go to a mosque.

Muhammad showed us how Muslims pray when they pray five times a day and other rituals/customs they perform. I learned SO much about Islam.

we were required to take off our shoes and remain veiled the entire time

Mom, This one is for you. I know  we don't have very many pictures of "your two babies together."

(Having separate classes makes it a little difficult)

So whenever we get an opportunity to take a picture together, 

a few  boys shout: Mamma Jackson will be proud!:)

Jerash- 

Dates Back to the Middle Bronze Age II in the Roman Period

2 Century AD. 

Jerash was the capital of the Decapolis

Abraham 2:6

I love Greco-Roman Architecture 

Jordanian Girls mobbed the students.  They were very sweet and very outgoing.

They love Americans, Blondes, and practicing their english. 

The Most recalled English Phrase: What is Your name?

if I ever needed to find a student....I looked for the mobs of girls

Next stop: Penial (means face of God)

Jabbok River or Zarqa River (arabic)  

Genesis 32

Location of "The Wrestle" and Jacob receiving the name Israel

Look at our excitement we have for field trips and obtaining Knowledge! (Piers and Mark) 

Cool Fact: Mark (on the right) served with Matt in Spain!!!!

Storming castles again: Shobak Castle

we found an underground cistern

All you car lovers.......be prepared to see the room of a life time

( there were five more rooms )....... 

King Hussein's Car collection Museum 

Below  are three Ferrari's

These Cars can go 0-100 MPH in 4.1 seconds  

So as you all may be thinking, I am not particularly a car person. 

In fact, If a car is shiny, I automatically think it is a nice car:) 

so, Sir Cory (below), taught Chels and I all about cars.  

He gave us a run-down on how an engine works. 

He is currently standing in front of a car that cost 5 million dollars. There are only 75 in the world.  

We went to a Jordanian mall and walked along Rainbow Street that evening. 
We came across many young men Jammin' on the street, playing well-known American songs on their guitars. We all joined along by singing, dancing, and a few  of my friends played the guitar. One man contributed to the beat by cracking his knuckles (Hysterical. That was a first) 

I am learning so much about life from these student.  
I have come to know and adore all of them so very much. 
live in the moment, for it is these spontaneous, unreconstructed  opportunities that we discover the true beauty of life and love.  

 Highlight of Day four:
Running up the "bleachers" of the Largest Theater in the Middle East

Walking through the streets of Amman, the capital and the largest city i Jordan. (We were the first group, since the 90's, to have the opportunity to do it, due to safety reasons)

Our last stop before crossing back into Israel: The River Jordan.  
Many believe this to be the location of Christ's baptism. 
 Some believe Christ was baptized in the North and some the South.
It does not matter where the exact location of His Baptism occurred, the only thing that is important is, He was baptized. 
He was baptized to fulfill all righteousness.
We sang a few hymns and had a devotional.  
We left the country on a spiritual high!