Monday November 26, 2007

McCall Barrick
11/26/07
Monday, November 26, 2007 Journal Entry
Today was our first full day in the Galilee this trip. It was also our class’ day to go on the Sea of Galilee field trip. When we started out, it was pretty windy, so we were slightly afraid that it would be stormy the while time we were out, but it cleared up nicely within about an hour.
The first thing we did was take a boat ride across the Sea of Galilee. It was amazing! It was so much fun to actually be on the sea where Christ spent so much of His time. When we were about halfway across we stopped the boat and had a devotional. We read the scriptures that relate Christ’s different activities on the Sea of Galilee and we sang some songs. It was a really incredible experience. When we got to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, we were able to see the Ancient Boat, a boat that is 2,000 years old that they found in the mud at the bottom of the sea. It was so interesting to see the type of boat that Christ would have used in His ministry.
From there we went to the Mount of Beatitudes. It was gorgeous there! We had another devotional on top of the mount, where we reviewed the Sermon on the Mount and its application in our lives. I really loved it. It was a really good lesson for all of us.
Then we went to Tabgha, to a church where they have the mosaic of the loaves of bread and two fishes, commemorating the miracle that Jesus performed there. After that, we went to the crusader church at St. Peter’s Primacy. That was the place where Christ told Peter that if he loved Him, Peter would need to feed His sheep. At both of the churches we spent some time singing, which is always a good experience. After St. Peter’s Primacy we went to Capernaum and learned its history. We were also able to see Peter’s house there. That was really interesting.
Today was another incredible day in the Holy Land. It was amazing, and so spiritual to read the accounts found in the scriptures and to be at the places where those accounts took place and where Christ Himself stood and taught the people.
My favorite passage of scripture from the New Testament Gospels is Luke chapter 6. The chapter is largely spent admonishing us to love our enemies as well as our friends. This chapter means a lot to me, because it is something that I am continually working on and striving to develop. It is always a good reminder to hear my Savior speak about loving others, because He loves everyone and, therefore, I should too. Verse 35 is my favorite in the chapter, when it says, “But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.” It is a good reminder to me that I need to love everyone, because we are all children of God.