Lately

So since Turkey, despite my neglect of writing it down, I have had the opportunity to do some really amazing things.
On our field trip last week we visited Jericho!  The big stone fountain at the entrance reads "The Oldest City in the World."  Seeing these places that I have learned about my entire life still fascinate me.  They make the stories in the Old and New Testament seem so much more real and relatable.  We talk about gaining a testimony of the truthfulness of the scriptures, and I have gained one in the past necessarily without evidence, but seeing the places in person makes the stories seem so much more real.
My favorite part of the field trip was overlooking the Quruntul Monastery.  This location in the mountainous desert oversees the road to Jericho, the setting of the parable of The Good Samaritan.  Even though we know the parable was just that, a parable, Christ utilized stories that listeners at the time could understand and relate to.  Brother Schade had us each imagine the man traveling through the pass between the mountains, then left for dead.  It truly is the wilderness out there.  There is nothing but desert for miles, and the mountains flanking the road to Jericho block any sign of civilization.  I would have been hopeless.  That Monday mid-morning was hot and humid because of the recent rain, and I could only think how grateful I would have been to someone, anyone, who would show compassion on a fallen stranger.  We then, as a class, joined and sang "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief," appropriate for the setting.  I am so grateful for the service others have provided to me in the past, I have to pass it on.  Christ views it as not only service to others, but our way of showing our love and commitment to Him.
Even more amazing to me, the peak of one of those mountains on the road to Jericho is believed to be the Mount of Temptation (Matthew 4).  The desert, despite the heat and barrenness of it all, truly looked beautiful to me.  The contrasting golden sand and rock with the clear blue sky was just breathtaking, like it was meant to be a work of art just for us to enjoy.  Brother Schade let us sit, read, and ponder the words of Matthew, encompassing the temptation that Christ faced.  We considered the JST and how that clarifies the event, and then thought about the days leading up to the Atonement and Resurrection of Christ.  Everything happened for a wise purpose, all pointing to what needed to happen.  I am still in awe at being here, where so many of the stories I cherish come to life.  I know that Christ lived, and that He still lives.  I am so blessed to be having this experience.  I still don't think it has fully hit me that I am here in Jerusalem, and I have walked where Christ walked.

The latest field trip we went on, today, was to the City of David.  This city was anciently where King David (2 Samuel) built his kingdom (duh).  It is a smaller walled town built just south of the Old City of Jerusalem.  The ruins that remain there have been turned into a park where people can visit, like a museum.  There are old walls and structures all over the place that give archeologists a pretty good idea of where everything was and what it was used for.  We sure love to see ruins.  However, the best part of the whole city is Hezekiah's tunnel.  The tunnel was built under King Hezekiah (duh) to thwart the attacking Assyrians.  This tunnel, channeling water, is carved completely out of stone from the interior of the city to the ancient outer wall.  It only takes about a half an hour (tops) to walk/wade through the whole thing.  It is small and the water gets pretty high in some areas, but it is so fun!  The water is cold and everyone is ducking and following one another, and we got to wear our headlights!  (I'll be sure to attach a picture of myself, wearing all the nerdiest, touristy things I have.)  I think I loved it most because it feels like cave-exploring, even though there is only one path the whole way through.  But I also loved it because I really feel like I'm exploring with close friends.  I'm loving the people I am with, they are such examples.  And they are just really cool people, much cooler than me.  Living in the Jerusalem Center is the best.  Ever.  If you have the opportunity, PLEASE take it.