Palm Sunday

Sunday, March 16, 2008
Today is Palm Sunday and there were thousands of people from all over the world converging on Jerusalem to be part of the Palm Sunday procession. It began at Bethphage, the place in ancient Israel mentioned in the Bible as the place from which Jesus sent the disciples to find a donkey and a colt with her, upon which he would make his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, palm branches waving. It is near the Mount of Olives and the road to Jericho, very close to Bethany.

Dad and I joined the procession as it came down the Mt. of Olives, and back up the hill to Queen Anne's church - retracing some of Jesus’ ride. I couldn't believe how many different types of people we were among. This was one in Jerusalem we would be surrounded by throngs of people believing in Christ!!! People just kept coming and coming, for hours, sometimes singing. I'm so glad we participated in this.

YM/YW activity

February 29, 2008. Today was our 3rd District-wide YM/YW youth activity since we arrived in Israel. It was held in a member’s home in Tel Aviv. We met for dinner, afterwards some stayed to cut out and decorate sugar cookies while others went to the park a block away to play soccer. When they returned they helped with cookies or played board games. We had 14 youth and 10 adults! They really had a good time interacting and many youth said it was a lot of fun!

One of the boys in our branch lives in Ramala (the Palestinian area) and has difficulty ever coming to church because he goes to school on Saturdays (Shabot) instead of being able to come to church (on Shabot). He came to the party with us and connected with one of the BYU professor’s sons while playing soccer. Before the night was over, they were busy making arrangements to get together during the next few months. There was some good fellowshipping going on that night. This is the last youth activity we will be in Jerusalem for since we return home in just 6 weeks.

However, plans for another youth activity are going forward – they will meet in Jerusalem for a tour of some important sights during the last week of Christ’s life, followed by dinner in a member’s home, and ending with a Jeopardy game on 2008 New Era articles.

Snow

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

There was snow on the ground when we woke up today! This is the second time it has snowed in the last month. When it snowed the first time the BYU students were in Egypt so they didn't get to see it. Even there's only about 2-3 inches on the ground, Jerusalem shuts down completely. They say it's very unusual for it to snow in Jerusalem more than once within the same year, so this is part of history. This picture shows snow on top of the Dome of the Rock.

Organ Concert

Sunday, February 10, 2008
Tonight was Bob’s organ concert here at the BYU Jerusalem Center. He was worried about it because he hadn’t given an organ concert since his mission – some 37 years ago. He practiced many, many hours in order to feel ready. He also asked the BYU student choir to sing several songs (some of them he arranged himself), and I played two violin pieces - the Ashokan Farewell (people told me I made them cry with this piece), and the Emanuel Moor duet for 2 violins and piano (the other violinist being a BYU student). The concert hall was packed with people who were very enthusiastic and appreciative. Here is a picture of all of us that night.

A few days later, a daughter and son of one of the faculty professors brought us a beautiful bouquet of wonderfully colorful and large Gerber daisies, thanking us for the concert, and for “bringing the joy of music to Jerusalem”. The concert is a very happy memory.

Mt. of Beatitudes - Sea of Galilee trip

Tuesday, November 27
Today we got on a wooden boat and rode across the Sea of Galilee to view the remains of an old fisherman’s boat similar to those that people in Jesus’ day would have used. At the bottom of this Post is a picture of the Sea of Galilee from our boat, and a picture of the sunset.

We then drove to the Mount of the Beatitudes. Brother Draper, as he was teaching us about the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:1-12), told a story related to verse 10: “blessed are they which are persecuted for my name’s sake” (those who are true to what they believe). The story follows:

Brother Draper loves teaching at BYU because of the caliber of trust between him and the students. He knows he doesn’t need to stay in the room the whole time while giving a test, like some of his fellow professor friends have to when teaching at other universities. One day a female student came to him and asked him to sign some papers so she could leave BYU – she didn’t want to be there any longer. He was surprised and asked her why. After some prodding, she finally told him that she and her brother had been the only church members at school and it had been really hard to live the gospel standards, but they did. They would drive 80 miles once a month just to be with other youth who had the same beliefs and standards, and socialize together. So when she came to BYU she was relieved.

However, one day her roommates invited her to an R-rated movie. She reminded them it was R-rated, and her roommate said there was only 1 part at the beginning that was bad and then the rest was OK. She reluctantly went. After the first bad part there was another bad part. When she turned to her friend and asked, “I thought you said there was only 1 bad part”, the roommate responded, “Oh, I fudged a little – there are a few. Are you a prude?” The girl was hurt and left the movie to walk home in a blizzard. This is why she wanted to leave – she didn’t want to be a Mormon anymore if that’s what it was all about.

Brother Draper asked her to wait for 2 weeks before he signed here dismissal papers. He then phoned two return sister missionary for help, and arranged for this girl to live with them. They befriended her, showed her love and shared their testimonies, and as a result she stayed on at BYU and was fine.

“The effects of being true to what you believe are huge”.

Thanksgiving Day

Thursday, November 22 (Thanksgiving)
Today we left with the students after breakfast on a field trip to Yad Vashem – Jerusalem’s memorial to the Holocaust victims. I now have a better idea of all the cruel challenges the Jews had to face while being exterminated: 1) dug their own graves then they were shot as they fell into the graves 2) they were moved to ghettos, then starved 3) they were taken on a death march thru snow 15 miles a day 4) forced to take a train ride to the gas chambers. The Germans, on purpose, were always deceiving the Jews – telling them to take off their clothes so they could take a shower, when really they took them to the gas chambers instead, etc. One man was heard to say he was going to take his violin with him because the Germans loved classical music, and if he played a Bach violin concerto for them, maybe they would let him live!

That evening we had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner at the BYU Center, with all 80 students, the professors and their wives, and all 4 service couples, followed by a few games with the students.

Ein Kerem and Bethlehem

Wednesday, November 14
Today, Bob and I went on a field trip with the BYU students, first to Ein Kerem, believed to be the birthplace of John the Baptist. This is a favorite place for both Bob and myself. It is a quaint little town, with lots of trees and side streets, and a few cafes on the sidewalks where people eat and talk. We visited the monastery built on the spot where John the Baptist was born. We also visited the church of the Sisters of Zion. Once inside, the students sang again and it was especially beautiful. A lady visitor standing in the back asked when the Student Choir concert was at the BYU Jerusalem Center – she wanted to be sure to go because they are famous for their beautiful singing. It’s very peaceful in Ein Kerem, with beautiful views of the surrounding valley. This picture shows a vivid red Bougainvilla plant here (they also come in orange and purple-pink).

After lunch in a Bedouin tent, we traveled to Bethlehem. Because now there’s a separation wall around Bethlehem, the city is guarded with checkpoints and soldiers. Once we passed thru the checkpoint, we noticed how filthy the city is with garbage thrown everywhere by the Palestinian Arabs. The Church of the Nativity is built on the site where Christians believe Jesus was born in a stable more than 2,000 years ago. The church is shared by various branches of Christianity – an Armenian church and the Greek Orthodox - each of which controls and jealously guards a part of the holy site. Once inside the church we passed a lot of icons, candles and incense as we climbed down a few steps to the “grotto” believed to be the manger place. It seemed very unreal, and actually quite disappointing. It really had lost its special meaning. This picture shows the entrance to the manger spot (under the ground floor of the church)

We then went to Shepherd’s Fields to eat our sack dinner and have a special Christmas class fireside under the stars. Looking up at the sky that night, we tried to imagine the “new star” that once shown from those very skies so long ago, announcing to the shepherds the Saviour’s birth.

Brother Ludlow, one of the professors, then told a story. About 1974, he took a large group of professors and families to the Holy Land in December, just after a big war skirmish in the area. Security was very tight at the airport, with soldiers surrounding the plane at gunpoint before the tour group could get off. Once they finally arrived in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve, they were among throngs of people – maybe as many as 250,000!! Before they got off the bus Bro. Ludlow made sure everyone agreed to be back on the bus by 9:00 PM and encouraged them to spot familiar landmarks so they would know which bus was theirs when they returned. On the rooftops of the stores surrounding Manger Square were soldiers pointing their guns at the crowds. Because of the crowds, it took them a long time to wait in line to see the place where Jesus was born.

As it got close to 9:00 PM he began to make his way back to the bus. When he got on the bus he realized he was the last person on the bus! Everyone had returned early. Why? Because the experience was so different than what they had expected it to be. In fact, one father was so irate, he demanded his money back, and even demanded Bro. Ludlow find a plane that night so his family could return home and spend Christmas Eve back in the States. Bro. Ludlow tried to calm him down and asked the bus driver to take them to Shepherd’s Fields. Back in those days people got all dressed up, and on this night the women had high-heeled shoes, nylons, Sunday dresses, Dads had ties, etc. They sat down in the Fields, sang a few carols, and then he started talking to them. He said to them: Some of you are very disappointed that this experience was so unlike what you expected. Do you really think it’s so different? Think back on Mary and Joseph, as he tried to find a place for them to stay that night. The town was crammed with people milling around, just like you felt at Manger Square. They came to be taxed, they were partying, have a good time, caring for their animals, and no one really knew what was happening that special night when Christ was born – just like tonight.

On that special, first Christmas Eve so long ago, where were we? We were in Heaven, shouting for joy that it was finally time for Christ to come to earth. For 4,000 years we had seen our fellow spirit beings leave us and come to earth, but none of them had returned. We knew that once Jesus was born, then he could grow up, teach his Gospel, die on the cross, be resurrected, and therefore finally make it possible to be resurrected ourselves. We were so happy that this was beginning. Some of us may have even been in that Angelic chorus that announced His birth!!

The tour group sang many carols that night, and Bro. Ludlow began to feel the tension and disappointment soften. Once they all got on the bus to return to the hotel, the irate father grabbed the microphone and apologized to Bro. Ludlow and everyone else at his behavior that night. He said if Bro. Ludlow wanted to send him and his family back home on the next plane, that was fine with him, but he didn’t want any money back, and would even pay for it himself. He said the experience that night in the Fields had been worth every penny he had spent!!