Lessons

So here I am, sitting on the 6th floor of this beautiful building I call home in the East City of Jerusalem, and I'm beginning to reminisce a little on the last 3 months. I still have three weeks left here, but it's never too soon to think back on even recent memories and appreciate what I have, right?

I've been thinking a little about what I've learned here. I've learned more deeply that there is opposition in all things. There is so much hate in this world. I have seen that first hand, and been ushered out of the Old City of Jerusalem by phone calls from our security because of it. I have seen it on the internet news updates as I sit about a mile from the heart and most central location of this hate- the Temple Mount. But because there is so much hate, there is that much, if not more love in this city, this country. I see it in the eyes and actions of each student here as we make friends on the streets with shopkeepers or arab children. I see it in the words of our teachers and church leaders here as they urge us to be educated so that we may be unbiased to the situation. I also see it in people like Daniel Seidamann, our guest teacher today, a Jew, (albeit an American one) who spends his entire life in effort of helping to bring about peace in Jerusalem, including giving Palestinians, the enemies to Jews, back some of their land. The Lord is our light, there is in His sight no darkness at all. I've learned that there is no such thing as "hopeless" in this world.

I have also learned better what it means to be a disciple of Christ, and I'm trying every day to become one. It's following Jesus no matter what you want, it's loving the people around you no matter how they feel about you, it's quickly forgiving someone who made you care and then made you cry by showing they don't care nearly as much as you thought. These are things I hope I can continue to implement in my life even when I am away from this place.

I guess most of all though that I've learned for myself, so strongly that I could never begin to deny it, that Jesus Christ is real. I haven't learned that from visiting a place like the Garden Tomb, I've learned it from prayer, proper scripture study, reading my patriarchal blessing, singing hymns, all in places like the Garden Tomb. Because I have shown I want to know, the spirit has given me such sweet witnesses of what I already believe to be true, but can now feel like a fire within me.

Being in the Holy Land, literally walking in some places He did, spending personal time by the shores of Galilee, the place He loved so much, I have had the opportunity to focus my entire life these last months on my relationship with my Savior, and that is why I know He lives. He loves me and knows me personally. I had an experience at Galilee where I went to pray at night aloud by the shore, tears streaming down my face, and the part of my prayer that I was hoping and needing to be answered most at the time was answered, literally minutes later. It wasn't a coincidence, or that someone happened to be in a happier mood, my Heavenly Father just decided to give me a small, tender mercy- I like to think as a blessing for knowing so strongly that He hears and answers prayers.

Friends! I've learned to love this gospel, my Savior, and my Heavenly Father more than I thought was possible these last three months. I guess that's really all I wanted to share. My friend asked me at our Thanksgiving dinner what I was thankful for this year, and what came to mind most clearly was my testimony. I'm so thankful for my testimony, and may I always have the chance to share it, even without words as we've had to learn to do here.

This is my new favorite hymn. It came to mind every time I walked to the shore of Galilee and looked at its waters and thought of the literally countless miracles Christ performed there. Hymn #86. I encourage you to open up your hymnbook and study the words, don't just read them.