Tuesday December 18, 2007

James Heaton

12/18/07

Journal #3

Today we finished what we began months ago in September. We started this morning by eating a quick breakfast and then by boarding a bus that took us over the Mount of Olives to the Garden of Gethsemane. Once there, Brother Ludlow did a great job teaching us about the necessity of the Atonement – how that act alone made it possible for the majority of God’s children to receive some level of salvation. There was a really good feeling present as he bore testimony of the love that Jesus has for all of us. Then we had a few minutes to ourselves to read and ponder. After enjoying the Garden of Gethsemane, we went to Peter Gallicantu where Jesus was flogged and where Peter denied Christ. It really hit a lot of us how much Christ really did suffer for our sakes. It was humbling to realize that the most powerful being on earth subjected Himself to the humiliation, the embarrassment, and the cruel torture of those who really could never have any power over Him. We continued following the events of the last hour of Christ’s life by going to St. Anne’s church, the Church of the Flagellation, and then finally the Garden Tomb. I really enjoyed the tour given by the guide, who walked through the different evidences there are that the site was the actual site where Jesus was buried. He concluded by saying that the most important thing was that Jesus had risen from His tomb.

My New Testament highlight was the archaeological gardens where Jesus would have walked in His day as He came to and from the temple. I felt a really special spirit in being where He was in His mortal ministry.