Daughter of the Covenant

Okay, so it's time for me to play a little catch up. It has been a crazy few days on the homework front. On Monday we had both our Islam and Judaism Modern Near East classes for the first time and both teachers assigned a TON of reading. We have all been scrambling to get reading done. Plus we leave for Egypt on Sunday and we are all trying to get ahead in some of the assignments so we don't have to do so much while we are away from home. Today we had a lucky break when our Islamic teacher couldn't get across the wall leaving his hometown in Bethlehem and he had to cancel class. It gave me the time I needed to catch up. It also made the conflict here very real. We really do live in this oasis here in the Jerusalem Center. Because of my experience in Taiwan and Ecuador, I feel pretty safe walking the streets of the Old City with our groups of threes and it is easy to forget the conflict at play here. Yet on the other hand, there are places where the conflict is thrown in your face as soldiers patrol the streets of the markets armed with several guns. This is an amazing experience we are having. I am slowly learning more about the area, people, conflict and politics of it all. I want to understand it even more so I can really appreciate the people of this land.
Enough of that. On to other things! On Shabbat (Saturday) after church a huge group of us went down to the Garden Tomb. It was a wonderful few hours there. We had a wonderful tour guide who taught so well from the scriptures. The Garden is actually quite large and a beautiful, quiet break from the busy streets outside the walls. It has been maintained since before the time of Christ by a huge water cistern in the center of the garden. Everything is that way here. Since it only rains about four months a year, the rain must be stored to be used throughout the rest of the year. The garden overlooks a traditional site of Golgotha and also contains a beautiful wine press. The tomb was amazing. After seeing it all my life in pictures, it was pretty amazing to be there. But it was crowded and I want to go back when it isn't so busy. Our tour guide bore the most simple testimony standing near the tomb. He explained how often people will leave flowers and prayer notes in the tomb. He powerfully explained that the tomb is not treated as a shrine because we do not worship the tomb, but He who rose from it. The Spirit was present as he spoke. There is a lot of debate about whether the historical location of the tomb is in the Garden Tomb or in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher located within the Old City. One thing I am learning here is that even though being here is really amazing, location is not important. It is my testimony that is important, and it is growing with each day here.
Yesterday was another great day. In the afternoon after some homework we went out into the city and Deb and I bought some real Jerusalem sandals! I love them! I've been wearing them ever since to break them in before Egypt and I think I'm going to be buying a few more pairs! They have them in every style for only 45 shekels (about $12). So now I am walking where the Fathers walked, and I'm doing it in style!
Yesterday we learned about Rebekah in Old Testament class and something I learned really has stuck with me. I have done some studies on the great women of the scriptures over the years and I have several pages in my study journal covering these great souls. Souls like Rachel, Rebekah, Ruth and the wife of Nephi. I've always tried to understand what made these individuals so great and to follow their faithful examples. As we studied about Rebekah I learned something. She understood and had allowed the covenants of the Fathers' to sink deep into her soul. Rebekah had the promises planted deep in her heart. When asked to leave her family to marry a man she did not even know, she was willing, because she understood the promises found within the covenant. I too am coming to understand those promises. Being here is helping me to develop my faith as a daughter of the covenant and each day understanding of those promises is sinking deeper into this humble soul. I thank God for an understanding of the promises made to the Fathers and pray I will always be identified, like Rebekah, as a Daughter of the Covenant.