Well. Here I am sitting at home after A LOT of traveling. After finishing up finals in Amman we crossed the border and spent 2 weeks in Israel. We saw SO much! Every day was packed with sites and lectures and stops. It was incredible. I can't recount everything because that's not even possible, but here are some highlights of my 2 weeks in the Holy Land...
1. Tel Aviv.
After 3 months in Amman, pulling into Tel Aviv was quite the shock. The city is very modern and European. People follow traffic rules. It's clean. While in Tel Aviv we visited Independence Hall and learned about the creation of Israel. We also had time to wander around and talk to people. But of course my favorite part was that night - after checking in to the hotel we had about an hour and a half before dinner, so Adam, Logan, and I put our swimsuits on and ran to the ocean. The weather was beautiful, the water felt good, and we just played in the water under the lights of Tel Aviv. It was GLORIOUS.
2. Caesarea & Akko
Caesarea is an old port city built by Herod the Great. We explored the ruins and played on the beach.
That night we went further north and stayed in the old Crusader town of Akko (Acre). Our hostel was near the old city and it was for sure the biggest, nicest hostel I have ever seen. That night Adam, Zack, Matt, and I went out exploring. The streets were
pretty quiet. We found some cool lookout views over the water. But then
we met this awesome family and hung out with them for about an hour. It
was a big group of Arab women sitting in a circle and their husbands
and kids would come and go. They were SO nice and fun to be around and
just so happy. We asked them about life in Akko and relations with other
religions and they said everything was great. It was
awesome to just hang out with them and chat in Arabic. I loved it.
3. Nazareth.
The childhood home of Jesus Christ.
The Arab capital of Israel.
Nazareth was BEAUTIFUL. Being there put a totally different image in my head of Bible stories. We stayed there for 2 nights in a Catholic Convent. We were encouraged
to get out and talk to people and ask them questions about life in Israel and relations between Muslims and Christians. I was surprised at how open, friendly, and overall happy the people were in Nazareth.
We had a lot of free time to explore and talk to people but also visited all the churches in Nazareth. I especially liked the Church of the Annunciation where Mary was supposedly visited by the angel Gabriel, announcing that she would be the mother of Jesus.
"Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women." (Luke 1:28)
What an incredible women. I hope to be like Mary.
4. The Sea of Galilee.
I now know why the Savior loved the Galilee.
It was so beautiful and peaceful and we got to stay there for 2 nights.
We swam where Jesus walked.
We visited the Mount of Beatitudes and the synagogue where Jesus taught.
We went on a boat ride.
While on that boat ride we sang one of my favorite hymns - "Master the Tempest is Raging."
"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."
Also that afternoon one of my professors took a few of us students and we went on a run up a mountain near our hotel. It was UNREAL. Pictures or words will never do it justice, but it was so beautiful! At one part I let the others keep going and I sat by myself and read the Sermon on the Mount. The sun was setting and it was so powerful to think of the Savior teaching on those hills. It was an experience I will never forget.
6. Jerusalem.
Where do I start... So we stayed in Jerusalem for a week at the BYU Jerusalem Center which was pretty incredible.
Looking out over the city was pretty crazy. Just look at it...
We did a lot in Jerusalem!
Much of our time was learning and experiencing the political chaos of Jerusalem. For example, we had a lecture and tour by an Israeli activist who wants greater rights for Palestinians. Then right afterwards we went on a tour of the Old City with a Jewish woman who supports Israeli settlements in the area. It was quite the juxtaposition of opinions.
We definitely got an up-close perspective on the Arab/Israeli conflict. We had lectures every day and really got to see all the different players in the conflict. It was shocking to stand at the dividing wall in Bethany and see what Arabs describe as "an open-air prison." They are essentially trapped within their city with no Israeli services provided.
But then later it was an incredible experience to stand at the Western Wall in a circle of Jewish young women dancing and cheering for Israel. I felt their goodness, their unity, and their desire for a refuge of safety.
It was all quite confusing which is exactly what our professors wanted us to feel. Things are never black and white, and people aren't politics.
On a different note, we also got to visit all the churches and important sites of Jerusalem...
Lazarus' Tomb
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre
The City of David
Hezekiah's Tunnel
The Pools of Bethesda
The Temple Mount
The Old City Gate
The Garden of Gethsemane
And the Garden Tomb
To be honest, I was a little disappointed. My whole life I have wanted to visit the Holy Land and walk where Jesus walked. The sites were not what I was expecting; they were touristy and a bit gaudy. I was surprised when the most spiritual moments of my time in Jerusalem came when I was sitting on my bed reading the scriptural accounts of the life of Jesus Christ. The places were still sacred, but a place is only as spiritual as the reverence and spirit you bring to it.
I still don't know exactly where Jesus Christ was born or where He rose from the tomb, but I do know that He is my Savior and greatest Friend. He lived a perfect life, walking the beautiful streets and hills of Palestine, teaching of love, peace, and salvation. I know Jesus Christ is real - and not from visiting the Holy Land but from feeling the Holy Ghost testify to me of His reality.
Merry Christmas!
