garden tomb

This might well be my favorite part of the semester so far.

The only nice thing about traveling around is that even though we're usually dying of heat and sweating buckets by the time we get to any site, it's always well worth it. 

Today was no exception.

What has amazed me about so many of the places around Jerusalem is that through the city streets there is just so much hustle and bustle with vendors and tourists and cars and who knows what else, but whenever you enter into a place that has gates or walls, all that noise goes away. 

As we walked to the garden tomb, we almost got caught in a street fight but as soon as we entered the walls of that site there was complete peace and quiet. 

We got a short tour of the garden which I absolutely loved. It is run by a group of Christians from England and so the lady gave us all facts from scripture and history. Now the scripture I was mostly familiar with, the history, I learned some new things! But I was convinced that this most definitely is the area in which our Savior was crucified and died.

Since I've been here, I've learned a lot about how the history
really does help us to know understand events more clearly.

prime example:
who thought Jesus was crucified on a hill far away from the city?
I did!

not so...
the Romans crucified people on the side of the road right outside the city walls.
why? so everyone could see it.

puts a new perspective on things huh.
and all it takes is a little knowledge of history.

 11 ¶But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,

 12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

 13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.

 14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

 15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

 16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

I felt the spirit often in this place. I know that my Redeemer lives!
I know He was sacrificed so that we might live. I am grateful to be living in this holy land and take part of the goodness of our Savior. All that I am and all that I can become is because of Him.