Sunday December 16, 2007

McCall Barrick
Brother Ludlow
December 16, 2007
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Today we had our last final! It was our New Testament final, but it was not until 2:00 in the afternoon, so we had all morning to prepare for it. Most of us felt relatively well prepared, so the stress level in the Jerusalem Center was not as high as it typically is before an exam, which was nice. The final went pretty well for us. Most of us felt good about it. Nonetheless, I think we were all grateful when it was over.
After the exam, most of us did not go out, since our exam was so late in the day, although there were some who chose to go to West Jerusalem to celebrate. Those of us who did not go to West Jerusalem just spent the night relaxing and enjoying the feeling of not having the responsibility of homework hanging over our heads. Many people watched movies or played games and sports. It was a lot of fun.
The highlight of our study of the New Testament, for me, was the day we went to Bethlehem and then had our devotional in the Shepherd’s Field that night. I learned so much that day about our Savior’s birth. Our experience helped me relate on such a personal level to what happened that night when the Son of God came into the world. The experience started, for me, in going to the Church of the Nativity, where Christ was born. We were able to spend a good amount of time in the church, and even had time to sing some hymns, which was really powerful. After leaving the church, we went to the Shepherd’s Field where we had class programs. Ours involved an incredible lesson by Brother Ludlow that involved a personal application of what we had been learning, a reenactment of the Nativity, and more singing of hymns. We ended the night by singing “I Believe in Christ,” which summed up our entire experience here. It was truly a special experience for me, and one that changed my life and my perspective on my Savior’s birth.