jezreel valley

This day started our suppppeeeerrr cloudy, but it cleared up by the end and was beautiful! As much as I loved these field trips, they were also very very long. On the days we didn't have field trips, we had class. I know, class on vacation is a big thumbs down but it actually wasn't too bad! I had finished most of my homework before we came so really it was just scripture reading and that never feels like homework.

Mt. Tabor
This is the traditional site of the mount of transfiguration but LDS scholars think it is most likely on Mt Hermon. This is also the site of Deborah's victory in the Old Testament.

This church has three chapels to commemorate the three tabernacles that the disciples made for Christ, Moses, and Elijah.

You can see that's it's kind of hazy but I had to take a picture of it because I had the opportunity to sing right here! I sang a song from Savior of the World and it fit perfectly with the places we had seen and the things we were learning about Christ. I loved thinking about that musical throughout this trip and the things it taught me and how it strengthened my testimony!

Today started the first of many stone mangers that we saw. Every single time, Dr. Muhlestein would be like, "where's Mary?" and he would take a picture. One time, he announced it to the whole class and they all had the chance to be a little paparazzi while I just sat there and smiled ha! I think I loved this one the most because it had purple pansies in it which were my favorite flower when I was a little girl.

MEGIDDO
As I'm writing about this, I'm remembering that this field trip was seriously the longest of all time haha! We had been hearing about Megiddo ever since we learned about Solomonic gates.

 Megiddo has been the site of many battles and is known as the future site of the battle of Armageddon. That led to a great big long discussion about the second coming and the book of revelation. We had quite the view though as a backdrop.

Our last stop was Tel Jezreel. I think our teachers knew that we had kind of had it for the day so out came the theatrics and we had the best lesson I have ever heard in my entire life. We will NEVER forget the story of Ahab and Jezebel after hearing it today. If I ever figure out how to put the video on here I will. It was hilarious. We also got one of our favorite phrases of all time from it: SHALOM JEHU!!! I am seriously SO SO grateful for the amazing teachers I have here!

galilean sabbath

We got to go to church in Tiberius today which is across the lake from where we're staying. The church building is a cute little house that the church bought in 2005 I think.

The chapel overlooks the water and they were joking around with us about how the only view that rivals this one is our chapel at the Jerusalem Center which overlooks the city. I feel so blessed to attend church in week in such sacred places. I loved how they had 4 hymn number holders, all in different languages and how the program was printed in two languages as well! Such a diverse little branch!

After church we stopped by the other traditional baptism spot on the Jordan River. We also sang primary songs! And on the bus ride Brother and Sister Muhlestein told us their love story haha! They met in Jerusalem...

We don't know exactly which spot it was that Christ got baptized but I think I like this one a little bit better. But with all things we've learned this semester, it's not where it happened that matters, but the event that actually occurred. I'm so grateful for a Savior who was willing to be a perfect example of all things we must do to return to Him!

When we got back we took more group pictures and just relaxed for the rest of the day. It was incredible.

These were my cute roommates in Galilee! I missed my old roommates but it was fun to mix it up!

giving thanks

We had our field trip in the morning and it didn't really feel like Thanksgiving, especially because we had our traditional American Thanksgiving a week earlier.

But in the afternoon we got to go CANOEING ON THE JORDAN RIVER

I mean, our lives are kind of unreal here.

It was a really warm day which is just what we needed because little did I know at the beginning of this that I would end up in the water...multiple times. I hopped in with JT and Thomas. It was great! I just got to sit down in the middle and enjoy the ride. We went the opposite end of everyone else and it was beautiful! When we got back to where everyone else was we started stealing paddles haha! Loads of people had already capsized! I felt very confident in our ability to remain right side up though because I was with two strong boys.

 People started hopping out and jumped off this platform and were doing flips and stuff. It was all quite a lot of chaos. But then we made someone mad because we took their paddle so we were running away from Trace and Rizik. What eventually happened is that they got enough water in our canoe that it just started sinking. Like I literally ended up in the water still standing and feeling defeated. We had so much stuff in our canoe that it took forever to gather everything. But that was only the beginning.

Because then they decided to start dumping people on their way back. Well somehow the boys got Emma and Nicole mad and Nicole eventually flipped us. So I pushed her head underwater haha. When everything was back in order, I was in charge of scooping out water because it was weighing us down and causing us to tip easier. *Water bailer*

When we were on the homestretch Thomas left us and hopped on the paddleboard. I was in the back and JT wanted to switch. So he got up and came to the back. Then when it was my turn to stand up HE PUSHED ME IN!!! I tried to gracefully get back in the canoe and I didn't say a word to him. I actually thought it was pretty funny but I couldn't give him that satisfaction. It was quite the adventure.

 Notice how I'm completely soaked in this picture and he's somewhat dry.

Golan Field Trip

Gamla

This city was significant during the First Jewish Revolt as it was one of the cities that the Romans besieged and destroyed. It is also significant because it is "a city set on a hill that cannot be hid", one of those cities Christ referred to in his teachings because you can see it from the Mount of Beatitudes. We basically just got to explore for a while. And then we finished in the synagogue that Christ is very likely to have taught in. 

When you look at it, you wonder, "why in the world would anyone ever build a city out here??" It's in the middle of nowhere!

We did a "jogging tour" through Kursi which is also known as piggy hill. This is where it was thought that Christ put the devils into the swine and they ran off the hill and into the sea!

sea of galilee

Today we traveled all across the north part of the lake. It was a jam packed day full of amazing moments.

Just a few fun facts about the Sea of Galilee:
-It is also known as Yam Chinnereth in the Old Testament, Sea of Tiberius by John, Lake of Gennesaret by Luke, and today called Lake Kinneret
-It is 7 miles wide and 13 miles long
-It is about 700 feet below sea level
-The Jordan River feeds into it

Mount of Beatitudes

This sweet lady came down and talked to us in the gazebo about the beatitudes and how important it is to pick a beatitude to work on because it will improve your spiritual life and how you won't be perfect, but we must try. She said that Christ invited us to come to him. With the 10 commandments, they are "shalt nots", but the beatitudes are "blessed are". They bring people in, not push them away.

Dr. Muhlestein and his two youngest kids sang I'm a Child of God for us. It was precious.

Tabgha Churches
We walked down here from the Mount of Beatitudes. It was just for the experience so that we could say we actually walked where Jesus walked on one of the same dusty roads in the heat that he would have. Although I don't appreciate being sweaty, I appreciated the experience to reflect on one of his journeys.

You can see the mosaic shows the loaves and fished. The Tabgha churches commemorate this miracle and the Savior's command for Peter to "feed my sheep". This story got me today. Dr. Muhlestein explained it in a way I had never really thought about before. When Christ found Peter and the disciples fishing after he had been resurrected, he must have felt a little disappointed. He didn't ask them to go back and be fishers. He asked them to go preach the gospel. When we have spiritual experiences that change us, we can't just go back to what's comfortable and do what we have always done, we have to align our will with his and do what he has asked. In the church, we sang I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go. I reflected a lot on my mission and about my life now. Am I doing what the Savior has asked me to do? Am I allowing him to navigate my life and lead me to people and experiences that allow me to grow and become more like him? It was a humbling experience to really process this whole thing. Especially since we are near the end of the semester. What am I going to do differently when I go home?

Capernaum

This is the city where Christ lived most of his adult life. You can see that up here in the galilee, the stone is a black basalt, very different from the white limestone that is more common in Jerusalem. They built that church over Peter's house. It looks kinda like a space ship huh.

If you want to know more about Capernaum, read Matthew 9: a day in the life

Our last stop was a boat ride back to the other side of the lake. It was perfect. They even put up an American flag for us and played the National Anthem. It was a little piece of home.

This was a first century boat they found in the sea a few years ago. It would look similar to a fishing boat and Christ and his apostles would've spent so much time on.

Boat rides are my most favorite. They are so relaxing. In the middle of the lake, the driver turned off the boat and we just got to sit there and sing and enjoy the sunset. It was glorious. It was an amazing first full day in the galilee.

you. me. galilee??

How do you sum up Galilee?? It was ten days of pure bliss. I mean, who can complain about field trips every day. We truly walked where the Savior walked. We learned about his life and the people he loved. We learned of his teachings. We saw the land that made his parables come to life. I will cherish this opportunity forever. I came to know him better and my life is changed because of it.

Galilee is about a 2 hour drive from Jerusalem. And Christ WALKED back and forth on this road his.whole.life. I definitely gained an appreciation for the emphasis that Christ put on teaching individuals and that he did whatever it took to seek them out and make his way to them, regardless of how far away it was. That man walked a lot.

Our first stop was an Old Testament and  New Testament site.

This hill behind the columns is the Old Testament sit of Beth Shean. It is where Saul and Jonathan's bodies were hung on the wall. It was known as "little Egypt" because of the heavy influence the Egyptians had on it.

The Roman city below the tell is Scythopolis which is a city of the Decapolis, which means there is a high probability that Christ taught here.

We were having a gossip girl moment by taking a picture on the steps of the met. Except we were in Israel, which is way cooler.

Next stop was Nazareth. The birthplace of our Savior.

 This church commemorated the angel Gabriel telling Mary that she would give birth to the Son of God. People from all over the world donated paintings of Mary and the Christ child which fill the outer courtyard and the interior of the church.

This was our first view of the Sea of Galilee. It felt like a dream. It didn't hit me for a few days that we were actually HERE. But as we sat on top of Mt Arbel and sang primary songs and spoke of our Savior, I knew that this was going to be a great adventure.