Hurrah For Israel

You may remember that I set some goals before leaving for Jerusalem.  Well, my friend Kirsten remembers :)  At our happy reunion, she asked me how those went and wanted to feel some closure to my Jerusalem experience through the blog.  So as my final "Hurrah for Israel" blog post, here goes:

I did not fulfill all of these goals to the max, but I can definitely identify changes in myself according to each of these areas:

An overwhelming theme that has resonated with me this semester is the concept of Christ as a mortal man.  As I look over Jerusalem and walk through the twisting alleys of the old city, I can poignantly feel my Savior’s love for me.  He was born in Bethlehem to fulfill the Father’s will; He came to lead a perfect life as an example for all of humanity, and He suffered and died so that I can return to my Father in Heaven.  I used to wonder how Christ could be an example for me, an imperfect human when He was the son of God, a perfect being.  I now understand that He walked and taught and lived here in Jerusalem as a mortal man.  I can hear the sounds of His sandaled feet.    Either personally or vicariously, Christ suffered every pain, every trial, every temptation, every suffering.  Then, on the third day, Christ rose victorious over death.  And HE LIVES today!  The fourth and fifth verses of the hymn I Know that my Redeemer Lives articulate my feelings well:  “He lives to silence all my fears; He lives to wipe away my tears; He lives to calm my troubled heart; He lives all blessings to impart.  He lives to bless me with His love; He lives to plead for me above; He lives my hungry soul to feed; He lives to help in time of need.”  


Now I face the same question Pontius Pilate poses to the Jews in Matthew 27:22: “What then shall I do with this Jesus which is called Christ?”  If I had been there that day, and heard Pilot’s ringing voice, what thoughts would have come to my mind? I want to kneel at his feet, just as Mary Magdalene did after realizing who He was, and with a sense of friendship, endearment and love, greet Him as “Raboni,” my Master.  What will I do with Jesus, which is called Christ?  I will let His power, love and glory resonate in me every day, and live worthy of the companionship of the spirit so that I can help others discover and embrace the gospel.  So that others with less opportunities and resources can find and apply the atonement and the love of our Savior in their modern-day lives.  As I reflect on my study here in Jerusalem, I want to use the scriptures to teach the doctrines of the gospel.  I want to teach my children of our Savior’s mortal ministry and help them yearn to know Jesus and learn to love Him as I do.    I want to teach them of Christ’s mortal ministry, and help them recognize the miracles He works in this dispensation; the miracles in our every day lives.  I want to teach my children not solely out of obligation as their mother, but rooted from sincere love and passion for Christ in my own heart.  I want my kids, and everyone I associate with to know that I am a witness of the living Christ who offers us healing and happiness if we will but believe Him.