Before you leave Jerusalem, I was wondering if you could buy this stuff for me that I REALLY want.
A. This picture of sheep with gold leafing (Madison also has this):
B. This poster (I have the small one, but I really wanted the larger one): C. A Wall Hanging like this in this color (there are cheaper looking versions, don't get): D. I would like a BYU Jerusalem Hoodie in Navy (NOT SHOWN)
E. Also a t-shirt with this design (small):
F. Two t-shirts like this (in small):
G. and these sandals in 8 1/2 american women size:
H. and this if you happen to see it (might be in Jordan):
I. I also really want a large wooden camel like your mom and grandmas for Christmas decoration.
I really want A & B then C & I and the t-shirts/hoodie
I would LOVE you forever if you could get these for me. I just don't think I could live without them.
Before you leave Jerusalem, I was wondering if you could buy this stuff for me that I REALLY want.
This picture of sheep with gold leafing (Madison also has this):
This poster (I have the small one, but I really wanted the larger one): A Wall Hanging like this in this color (there are cheaper looking versions, don't get):
My friend Christine (my friend since 7th grade) just came back from Jerusalem and she brought home something for me that I wish I would have gotten in Jerusalem--an olive wood carving of the liahona. The rock in the picture is a rock from the Sea of Galilee.
Here it is on my new shelf of my room in front of my framed picture of my favorite places in Israel
Sea of Galilee Garden Tomb Jordan River Garden of Gethsamane Lazarus Tomb
It was fun seeing her. Her family is a second family for me.
I thought you might in interested in hearing Sahar's story. She is a member of the church in Bethlehem and is a Palestianian. I had the opportunity to meet Sahar when I went to Bethlehem last May. She took me and three others to her friend's shop in Bethlehem to get Navitity sets. Here is a picture of her friend making ordaments out of olive wood in his shop in Bethlehem. Emily, a girl that is attending BYU-Jerusalem right now wrote down Sahar's words.
Sahar is a member of the LDS church here in Jerusalem. Tonight she spoke with us about life as a Palestian and a member of the LDS church. Sahar lives in Bethlehem which is currently in the West Bank and under confines of the Israeli army. She lives in an "outdoor prison" as she is surrounded by the walls that seperate her from everyone else. I thought you may be interested to hear her story.
"I was born here near the Mount of Olives. I was raised a Palestinian. Life was not easy in a Greek Orthodox home. I did believe in God and Jesus Christ. I grew up Christian. I believed in God, but not in a loving God. I believed the Heavenly Father loved others but not Palestinians, therefore, he didn’t love me. I thought he hated us and that was why he was persecuting us. At a point in my life I considered being a suicide bomber because it would be easier to end the suffering. But I continued on with my life. I got a masters degree in D.C. by way of a great scholarship.
One day as I was reading the newspaper there was an ad for a scholarship for a university called Brigham Young. My brother suggested that I apply. I didn’t think I should because I had a scholarship, but my brother said do it just in case. I did apply and I was interviewed by President Brown, who did offer me the scholarship. I felt bad but I still wanted to go to D.C. People from the center came to my house. The scholarship at BYU was 1/3 less than the one in D.C. everyone thought I was crazy to even consider BYU. I don’t have a strong personality and I tend to do what people think I should do. This time I had a really strong feeling that I should go to BYU.
At the time I didn’t know what that feeling was. I pushed everyone back and I went to BYU. I felt at home immediately, but I decided before I went that I would never be a member of the Church. According to my grandfather, “Mormons marry more than one wife because they want to have many children. They have many children because Christ is coming and will be born to a woman so they have many children so Christ will come faster.” But than he added, “I met a Mormon couple once and they were very nice.” So I went to Utah and started school not interested in the Church.
General Conference came and everyone is telling me that they were going to listen to the prophet and I thought, crazy Mormons they think there is a prophet. So I went to see just what everyone was talking about. I don’t remember what exactly President Hunter said but I do remember that he was talking about the Palestinians and was so kind. And he even called it Palestine and not Israel.
After, I asked my friend to tell me everything and she did. The people in the room thought she was confusing me by saying everything at once. But to me it all made sense. I couldn’t believe that something could make so much sense. A friend gave me an Arabic Book of Mormon. After reading I didn’t even need to pray because I knew it was true. The more I went to church the more it made sense. I decided to get baptized and of course my family thought I was crazy, but I couldn’t turn my back on something I knew to be true with every fiber of my being. I didn’t want to come home because it was a miserable place before. But Heavenly Father told me to return to Palestine.
I did return to Palestine, only now I had added trials because my family tried everything they could to get me to leave the church. It was difficult for me to get to the Jerusalem Center to come to church, etc. But it was the happiest time of my life. This change of heart can help us find support during our trials. I had a change of heart that happened to me, as did Paul. Alma says, “They were in the midst of darkness but their souls were eliminated…the chains of hell…were they destroyed nay they were not….their souls did sing redeeming love and they are saved.” Many of you have experienced this mighty change just like Paul and I did. Life does become easier knowing that we have help during our trials. “Christ cannot prevent our hearts from being broken but he can help our broken hearts.” Camille Fronk. He has overcome the world and with his help we can overcome the world.
Daily changes in our lives. We can look within and know where we need to improve. Pres. Faust said, “Each one of us has been given the power to change our life. We have agency to make our decisions…in some way all of us need to change. Some of us have habits that need to be changed. These habits harm us or those around us.”
3 methods we can ensure we are changing:
1. Do the Lords will no matter what. Don’t let any one prevent you from doing what is right. Don’t worry about what others will think or say. He will stay by your side, others may not.
Coming to Church was very difficult to get into Jerusalem and was dangerous most of the time. For example, there are different ways into Jerusalem. There are back ways. At one point the only way to get into Jerusalem was to take a Taxi into the valley (we never drive on roads because that is where the soldiers are). You walk two or three miles. Taxi drivers cannot take Palestinians because their license will be taken away. One day I was walking the miles to church and the soldiers spotted me and shot at me. Luckily this nice man took me into his car and drove me to Jerusalem.
We have curfew. If you leave your house we are shot. I had to come give a talk for the branch jus like tonight. Randomly, there was this Taxi driver in front of my house and said where do you need to go? I have no idea where he came from. I had to hid in the taxi and we have to take back roads and driving on the hay field because he cannot be seen with me or put into prison.
If we try and do our best the Lord will help us. I know the Lord was carrying me every time when I came to church.
2. Allow Him to help us change. We were tier gas bombed trying to get across a wall. It was not fun. It has nothing to do with your eyes watering, but it hurts your throat and lungs. Then the soldiers started shooting bullets at us in the university. Finally, a student was shot in the head while hanging a Palestinian flag on top of the University. The soldiers would not allow us to take that student to the hospital. As I sat there and watched these people suffer my heart was broken. I developed such a hatred for the soldiers because they wouldn’t allow us out to go to the hospital.
After I joined the church and came back that hate for the soldiers had dissolved from my heart. One day as I was trying to go to Church I tried the check points, like I always do, even though they never let me across. As I looked at that soldier the scripture “Bless them that curse you” I realized I didn’t hate them but that I don’t have feelings of love for them. The Savior wouldn’t command us to do something that is not possible.
“Pray unto the father…that you may be filled with this love…and become like him. We may have this hope to be purified as he is pure.” I prayed to Heavenly Father to help me love them.
If we ask for His help He will help us.
One year later and I went through the check point and they rejected me I finally felt love for the soldier. No hate or judgment but love. He was a son of God and that is all that mattered.
3. Trust the Lord and turn your life over to Him We tend to worry too much. He is the potter and we are the clay. Let Him make a wonderful vessel out of us.
There are two kinds of changes. First is a mighty change. Second, are the little changes we need to make every day!
With the help of the Masters hand we can change. Become a new creature in Christ. HE chose me to have that mighty change. Without that I don’t know where I would be. It is not difficult to be a convert because I see where my life is today and it is so much better.
He bids us to come unto Him and to become His disciples. Keep Christ as the center and Savior of your world."
On Saturday night, I took Dan to the passover Seder dinner at BYU. A bunch of people that I attended Jerusalem with also came (about 20 or more of us).
Dan and I read Exodus 1-20 before going and I am glad we did!
We ate parsley dipped in salt water (symbolic of the tears the Israelites cried while in slavery and also the coming of spring and the perpetual renewal of life) We ate bitter herbs "maror" (symbolic of the bitterness of Egyptian slavery) We ate a mixture of apples, nuts, wine, & cinnamon "haroset"(symbolic of the mortar the Israelite slaves used in Egypt) We ate unleaven bread "three matzahs" (symbolic of the Godhead--God, Savior, and Holy Ghost. The three loaves are stacked one on top of the other in a napkin and the center piece is taken out.)
In case you didn't know, bitter herbs is the worse, faulest horseradish you have ever eaten. It is so bitter it goes right up your sinus', turns your face red, and makes you cry! I had all three symptoms! :-P
After all of this and some repetitions, we ate a really delicious meal and it was really delicious after all that! : ) Helps you realize how long the Israelites had to wait to be freed!
While we were eating we passed a piece of the unleaven bread (the middle piece symbolic of the Savior). It is called "Afikomen." The person that has it at the very end, makes a deal with the head of the table or the patriarch for something of value (tickets to a game, a dinner made by the patriarch, a ride on the patriarch's boat, i.e. anything you can think of!)
This piece of bread is symbolic of the Savior who was broken and taken at a ransom for each one of us.
At the end you also pass the unleaven bread and everyone takes a piece of it. It reminded all of us of the Sacrament we take every week at church.
During passover dinner, they leave an empty chair. This chair is saved for the coming of Elijah and every year they look forward to his coming. He is to come before the promised Messiah. But what the Jews don't know is that Elijah has come!
I have always been fascinated with anything Jewish after my mission where I taught Jews, after meeting a Jewish convert who served in my mission and hearing his conversion story, and especially after living in Jerusalem.
I really loved the dinner. I had no idea what it was about and now I want to do it with my own family someday. It really helps you realize what happened during the Exodus and helps you understand what we have as members of the church.
As a co-worker asked me today, "So are you going to become Jewish now?" I said no, because it's not that we don't believe in what the Jews believe, it is that we know even more. And deep down, I really believe that they know.
This is an ancient hyroglyphic found in Egypt of their idea of what Judgement will be like. The ancient Egyptians had temples like ours and many of their ideas have survived the test of time.
This is one man's passage into heaven. His heart is weighed in the balance, he gives key words and phrases and enters God's presence.
This week at work I met Joseph McConkie who visited Jerusalem while I was there in the spring.
He said the last time he had been there was in 1984. He talked about his father, Bruce R.
We chatted a long time about Jerusalem, Egypt, symbols. He told me I should read John Lundquist book about Temples and Wilford Driggs who was the head of major archaeological digs and found mummies with temple garments.
He told me that BYU had a King Tut exhibit in 1985 before I was born he said (ha ha).
My friend Christine (who's practically a sister to me) is currently in the Holy Land.
Follow her while she's there and learn even more about the places of Christ's time and the customs and culture of Jews, Christians, and Muslims on the other side of the world.
1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. 21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. 22 And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;
23 (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) 24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. 25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. 26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, 28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: 30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, 31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; 32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. 33 And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. 34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; 35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
While I was in Jerusalem, I only cared about getting one picture just right. I wanted a picture of the garden tomb that was good enough to put on my wall. The first few times I went to the tomb, I realized that it was going to be harder than I thought. There were always people in the way. It was too bright or too dark. The flowers had fallen off the bushes. The second time I went, people kept getting in the way of the picture. I silently said a prayer that the people would move out of my way so I could get one shot. Literally, a few seconds later, the people moved out of the way. I got what I thought was a perfect shot. When I got home, however, it still didn't seem right. I went back two more times. Still not wall quality. I finally prayed that if God would allow me to take a wall-worthy picture of the garden tomb, that I would use it for good. The second to last day in Jerusalem and the fifth time to the Garden Tomb in two weeks, we were about to leave. We had followed the last week of Christ's life that day. Right before the buses left, it was the beginning of evening. The Garden Tomb was closing. Every tourist seemed to be leaving and at the perfect moment, a sunbeam lit the air in front of the tomb. It was perfect.
Well, this Monday, my roommate Alyssa let me know that my roommate Nancy's mom had passed away. Her mother had went to Canada to take care of her mom and had died suddenly in a city bus. I felt so bad for Nancy. I wanted to do something for her. Flowers I thought, but then the thought came--Give her the picture of the Garden Tomb. I had bought the picture and frame last week to send to another friend, but how perfect it was that I had it prepared already. I gave it to her last night and a few hours later, she got on a plane for the funeral.
Dear God, I am keeping my promise. Your Thankful Daughter
On Saturday, October 4th, I did a slideshow presentation on my adventures in the Holy Land. It was with all my aunts and uncles and cousins. It was an hour and a half. It was so fun to have everyone ask alot of questions. They even taught me more! I am fulfilling my promise that I would my experience there to share it with others.
I wrote my Jerusalem teacher about my "ah-ha" moment about Myrrh that I mentioned earlier in this blog. This is the response I got from him today:
"The myrrh symbolism is right on target. Gold symbolized his kingliness, and frankincense (because it was used as part of the sacrificial ritual),his crucifixion and resurrection. Good stuff, huh? Bro. Draper"
Pretty cool. I love it when I discover something on my own, before reading it in a book.
Early this morning I ordered a book of lithograph pictures by David Roberts who visited the Holy Land in 1834. I'm so excited!
Each picture displayed as a current picture of the site as well as David Roberts journal entries he wrote during that time.
Why I like it is because it shows the sites as they looked in the 1800's. So it's really close to what the places would have looked like during Christ's time, because there was little development or population growth during those times.
Yeah, I'm so excited!!!!!
I like this picture, because practically it is the exact view we have from the BYU Jerusalem Center of the Kidron Valley below and the old city walls and with the Dome of the Rock where Solomon's temple would have stood during Christ's time.
Plus, this is the view Orson Hyde would have seen when he stood on the Mount of Olives and dedicated the Holy Land for the return of the jews in about 1844. This picture is a view from the Mount of Olives on the left. Mount Moriah is where the city of Jerusalem stands. Anciently this is the Mount Abraham was asked to take Issac.
