First...I have to send a shout-out to one of my best friends (since we were little kids!) Meg Lasater...now Meg Costantino! Today is her wedding day, and I’m so happy for her! :) We’ve talked about this day our whole lives, and I wish I could be there to share it with her (esp. since it’s in Hawaii!) but I guess being in Jerusalem is a pretty good excuse...I love you Meg!
Today was an amazing day. Here in Jerusalem, Saturday is the Sabbath - so this was our first one. I’m doing choir while I’m here, so that was first thing this morning and I really enjoyed it. We had a great turnout, and the music is wonderful. I’m especially excited for the Christmas program we’ll get to do for the community. Seeing all the students in church clothes, bearing testimonies together, and singing with them just made me love them more...we really are family for the next 3 1/2 months!
Let me just say how incredible it is to have sacrament meeting in a room overlooking the Old City. It’s unreal. Partaking of the sacrament meant more to me today than I think it ever has. It was hard not to get emotional as I realized that the Atonement took place HERE. I have known it happened my whole life, but now I am HERE, where it took place. As we sang the sacrament hymn, I just looked out over the city, thinking about Christ living here, teaching here, healing here, dying here, and being resurrected here. It was powerful, and the spirit was so strong. It was also Fast Sabbath, so we got to hear testimonies from some of the locals/visitors. They were so touching. One in particular was amazing. It was a man from Chile who spoke of his conversion story. Basically he was given an assignment in school (at age 15) to write a paper on “The Mormons” because they (The LDS church) had just bought the land that their school was currently on. He said he got some copies of the Liahona and the Book of Mormon to look at for this assignment (which he got an A on), but once he finished the assignment he was planning to get rid of the materials. But he decided to open up the book, and he found the promise in it - that he could know the truth (Moroni 10:3-5). This touched him, and he did just that...he found the truth, and was baptized. The Santiago Chile Temple now stands where he was given that school assignment, which changed his life. His simple yet powerful testimony was incredible to me, as were all of the others. It’s so neat to hear from so many people, from so many countries, and from so many backgrounds. Gospel Doctrine class and Relief Society were also wonderful - I loved all my meetings today so much. :)
After church we had a few hours before dinner (again, we were fasting). So a big group of us went to the Garden of Gethsemane for the first time. It was a very hot day today, and there are a lot of big hills in Jerusalem. It didn’t help that we were fasting...I was tired, sweaty, hungry, and SO thirsty. I even was complaining a little bit. But when we got near the Garden of Gethsemane...it hit me. I was about to see the assumed place where Christ suffered the sins, pains, sorrows, and injustices for ALL mankind. My “afflictions” seemed so petty in comparison - definitely a humbling but very neat experience. The garden was beautifully kept, and had a neat spirit to it. It was nice to take the time to ponder about the Atonement, and about Jesus Christ. I know He lives. I know He performed the Atonement on our behalf, because He loves us. I am so grateful for the mercy He extends to me, even when I feel I don’t deserve it. And I’m so incredibly blessed to be here, to have that testimony strengthened even more.
A few of us were also able to talk to the gardener for a little bit. He was such a kind and humble man, and it was remarkable to hear from him. He is the only gardener for the garden (What a job!), and his father was the gardner before him (for 43 years) and his grandfather before that. So neat! He explained to us how he keeps up with the gardening, he told us about the trees, the olive oil, etc. I really loved talking to him. He said he would give me something made from the tree next week - I am excited! It’s definitely a place I’d like to go to many times this semester while I’m here. I also cannot wait to see the Garden Tomb...that’s what I’ve been looking forward to most.
To wrap it up, it’s been an amazing Sabbath, and I feel so blessed! :) Pictures to come soon, I promise!
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