Shabbat

Today Church was great. I was surprised that we filled the entire forum. There are a handful of people that work for the US who come to the Branch every Saturday which is Sunday here, the 80 of us and our teachers and their families, and a couple of tour groups and people backpacking through the middle east. I had the blessing of passing the sacrament and out the window was a gorgeous view of the Old City.

While passing the sacrament and listening to the testimonies of the people who bore them, I reflected on the significance of where the Center is on the Mount of Olives and the great sacrifice that our Savior paid for us here. I looked up from my scriptures onto the city where He ministered and my heart is so full of gratitude for the opportunity I have to study here. Every day I feel more and more blessed.
After Church everyone wanted to go out and see to the Garden Tomb, where Christ was buried and then arose on the third day. We all separated into small groups and went on our way. While walking down the hill the group I was in decided to go to the Orson Hyde Park, where Orson Hyde gave the dedicatory prayer of the gathering of Israel. The park is a gift from the Church, it is not owned by the Church, the church pays to maintain it, it is a tranquil place and leads to the Garden of Gethsemane.

We walked down the path of the Orson Hyde Park to the Garden of Gethsemane at the entrance of the Church of all Nations. This church is built where Christ suffered on the rock in the Garden. Inside the Church is a Rock where people of all faiths give thanks and pray. The Rock was part of the Byzantine Church which is the first church believed to be built in the Garden. It is a very reverent and incredible place the spirit is so strong. The Church has twelve domes- one for each nation that contributed money to build this gorgeous monument. We left the Church and walked up in the Garden and tried to get to the Russian Orthodox Church. It is closed until Tuesday so I will have to try again. We continued to walk up the Hill and ran into a couple from Puerto Rico; it was fun to use my Spanish to explain to them that the Russian Orthodox Church was closed. We continued up and saw a tremendous cemetery. Here they are buried within 24 hours after passing away and they are buried with rocks above them.

We continued up and saw the point where Christ wept upon returning to Jerusalem. It is an absolutely beautiful view.
We walked to the top of Mount of Olives and left the Garden and returned to the Jerusalem center for dinner and much needed water. My heart is full of gratitude and I was eating and heard the Prayer Call we hear so many times during the day. I have been here three days and am still in amazement that I am actually here, and walking where Christ walked. I try to fit in as much as I can into each day I am here there is so much to see and experience and I am so grateful for this incredible opportunity.