First Sabboth in the Holy Land! (April 28)

I can not belive I am here in the Holy Land. I am just over flowing
with grattituded . Sometimes I wonder and think to my self " why me?".
My hope is to learn all that I can so that I can deepen my testimony
and retain /remeber all I can to help to lift those who may never get
the chance to come and live in the Holy Land. to be in the Jerusalem
Center is so wonderful it feels like home and has a similar spirit to
the temple.

I have so much to catch up on  but first I wanted to share about what
happened while I was schetching in the "biblical garden" .  I was
walking around the Center when i found a garden that had several
different wine and olive presses in it. in the midel of the gared was
an olive tree. I was so impressed by this tree that I sat down to draw
it.  while drawing I had several insights about the Savior in
comparison to the olive tree.

* the olive (as well as the grape) is very important to those that
live here. the olive provides food and oil for cooking and healing
..etc. similarly Jesus Christs provided us with spiritual nurisment we
need to survive.
* olive trees are alwyas twisting and truning . It seems they grow
with many branches all tangeld up together this weaving  creates many
dents and holes or impressions in the  core of the tree-- the trunk--
these imporessions remined me of the prints in the hands of Christ.
* the Twisting and truniong fo the trunk also remidmed me of the pain
Christ had to go through when he  carried our wounds  so that we might
live again.

These were just some of the things that came to my head as I was
sketching, I thought you might be insterested.

 In Chruch today it was wonderful! In chior we sang a song by Sally Deford called" My Greatful spirit sings" this is exactly how I feel. Tears are in my eyes as I sat in sacrament meeting preparing to take the  sacrament and looking over the Land where Jeusu walked. I tis such a blessing to see the Old city inforunt of me and to think about his ministrey and the to look to the left and view the mount of Olive and the Garden of Gesemanee, an dponder how muhc he Loves us and what he did for me there. and  them tp think about His resuerection as I look to the right to teh Garden tomb were he rose again so that I too can live again.

Yesterday was a really neat expereince. with a small gorup we wnet to the Garden tomb. it is owned by a English Cristain group that volenteer to care for hte grounds and give tours. O got to see the "Skull" on the rock  or Galgatha... and them near by I got to walk inside the tomb were they belive he was barried (no one really knows) don't wory I got pictures. :) there was such a wonderful spirit. I just Got so excited indside. and felt awe and reverence when I saw the tomb. but what touched me the most was there was a plack that one could read as they left the tomb. it read " He is not here, for He has risen!" what a beautiful praise! to know that my Redeemer lives! how sweet that sentence is! not only can I raise again too... But becasue he lives that means I can have the sure hopethat he will continue to help and lift and teach and guide me. Oh what Joy fills my heart to know that my Redeemer lives!!!

 I can't believe that I have been blessed with the opportunity to go to Jerusalem.  I am thrilled to meat new people and learn new things.

 I am a little nervous about the plain ride and all the classes -- I hear that the classes are really hard, but that could be a wonderful thing! I have fond that I often love the classes that pushed me to be better. you really learn a lot about yourself when you have to expand the boundaries of your comfort zone -- but I think that things

 I have been pondering and wondering have I prepared enough to learn at the level Heavenly Father desires me to learn at?