Last time I wrote was last Saturday so I'll just pick up from there!
Sunday (which isn't the Sabbath here- Saturday is) we had our first free day. We did the ramparts walk where you get to walk on top of the old Jerusalem wall. It was cool to see Jerusalem from a new perspective!
Monday we went on our first real field trip! My favorite site was called Nebi Samuel where the prophet Samuel was buried. My favorite part about it though was the view we had of the settlement Gibeon. You should look up the story and read it but basically the Israelites were supposed to come to Jerusalem but they were scared because of Jerusalem's high city walls so they were stalling for awhile. Eventually though when they finally took action God gave them some serious help including sending hailstones down on the opposition so the Israelites could make it to Jeruslam. So many times we try and do stuff by ourselves when really God is totally willing to help us. He doesn't expect us to do things on our own.
We were also able to see the place where Jacob lived. I often forget that I am a descendant of the people in the Bible (like Jacob) and remembering that just makes it feel so much more real. I usually think of my family being from Germany or Wales, which they are. But this is where we are really from guys!
Okay, This is the embarrassing part of the blog where I tell you about embarrassing things that I did! So we received a visit from the person that is in charge of the whole Jerusalem Center. He came over from Utah and has been with us about a week. I was talking with some people when he came over to us and started asking all of us where we were from. He kinda scared us all during our orientation meeting and he intimidates me quite a bit. When the question came around to me I got super nervous and blanked! He asked where I was from and I said "I'm from California". And then I was like "Wait. Actually. I don't know why I said that. I'm sorry, I'm actually from Colorado!" Ahhhhhhhhh. He then proceeded to make an notation on his clipboard that probably said something like "Emma Beckstead is a pathological liar. Watch that one". He didn't actually write anything down right then. But still.
Another interesting visit we had was from Senator Orrin Hatch. He told us to be good people and choose the right and we would do well in our careers. And then he made some Bernie Sanders jokes and said goodbye!
Look at that celestial looking cat. We found him napping by the pool of Bethesda. That was probably my favorite experience from the week. Not seeing the cat, although that was nice. But visiting the pool of Bethesda! The pool of Bethesda was where people went to be healed in Biblical times. Remember this picture? https://www.lds.org/media-library/images/pool-of-bethesda-carl-bloch-83121?lang=eng
People could wait by the pool and if they were the first one after the pool stirred then they would be healed. The story is about a paralytic man that waited there ( I think 35 years) to be healed but he was never able to be the first one in the pool. Christ came and healed him of his infirmity.
While at the Pool, we went to a Christian church built by the property and joined a choir that was singing there. They were singing "I Stand All Amazed". The line "I was blind but now I see" really struck me. Christ healed so many people physically but he has healed me in so many other ways. So many times I have been "blind" because things that have happened that I haven't understood the reason for. Because of Christ, the trials I have passed through have been given meaning. Life truly would be meaningless without Jesus Christ and I am so grateful that He heals me so I am enabled to enjoy life!
He lives. I also enjoyed going to the Garden Tomb this week!
I love you all! Have a great week!
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