Galilee part 3: of pigs and men

On Friday we did a half day field trip. We first went to Gamla. This is a beautiful site. You go way up into the mountains and then hike down a ways to a ridge that you then hike up. There sits a town built on the ridge. It was a hotbed of revolutionary/zealot ideas. It is often called the Masada of the north and that title fits it pretty well. The beginning of the first Jewish revolt began there, and it was the last place in the north to fall. It was very difficult for the Romans to get into because it is on such a natural hill.


The city of Gamla, set on a ridge. This is probably one of two cities set on a hill that people could see as the Savior used that metaphor. I think this one is slightly less visible than Hippos, but it would have been visible.


The story of the siege and of 5000 people jumping off the cliff rather than coming into Roman hands is quite striking. We talk about it as we hike up, and at the breach in the wall.


The breach


The other striking thing there is the synagogue. This is an actual synagogue during Christ’s day. The stones are the same stones that were there when he was alive. And it is a town right near the lake, and the gospel writers agree that he taught in all the synagogues of all the towns around there. So there is a very good chance that the Savior sat on those very stones and taught in that very synagogue and did miracles in that very spot. The fact that they were so looking for a political messiah may have made him wary of that place, but I think it is quite likely that he was in that synagogue. When we finished with some nice devotional time and time for thinking and writing we then let people hike all over.

The synagogue at Gamla



My class in the synagogue at Gamla, sitting on the stones we wish could talk and tell us the stories of Jesus we love to hear


I hiked a bit, but was not having the best day ever. BJ had been ready to come with us on this field trip (the others weren’t coming). But we have had some issues with his wearing flip flops on trips like this when he is not supposed to. He came in flip flops. I told him he had to change. He ran to his place and found it was locked and he didn’t have the key. He ran back and got the key (his apartment is way out there). He ran back to his apartment, but by then everyone had been on the bus for a while. I stalled for a bit, but he still wasn’t there, so we had to leave. I looked out the window but never saw him. Apparently he was trying to chase down the bus but didn’t make it. I hated leaving him, I really hated it. But what could I do? It made it so I did not have the happiest of feelings on the trip. I was quite sad for quite a while.


Jumping below the synagogue



Gamla is 1369 ft. above sea level, N 32* 54.709, E 035* 37.836 at the top of the mountain where you head down, and in the city it is 997 ft above sea level, N 32* 54.154, E 035* 44.386
After Gamla we went to Kursi, the place where the man possessed with a legion of devils is supposed to have met Christ. We toured the big Byzantine church there, and then went out to the little one that is supposed to commemorate the spot.


My piggy class at the spot built to commemorate where the man possessed with a legion of devils met Jesus



The spot without my little piggys in it


There I pointed out how the text really goes, and the spots where it might work. We saw the place we call “piggy hill,” a spot that is the most likely place for a steep place where the pigs would run into the deep and choke themselves, as the text says. It is 1.2 miles away, and very visible. The text describes the herd of swine as being a good ways off. The setting is perfect.


Piggy Hill as seen from Kursi


piggy hill from up close


Then the story goes that the people taking care of the swine run to the owners and others in the city. Hippos is 1.5 miles away from that spot. For a number of reasons that has to be the city they are talking about. So they ran there.


Some of the ruins of the city of Hippos


Then they all come and find the possessed man sitting with the Savior. People there tell them what happened. That only makes sense when you realize that the swine-herders were far enough away that they didn’t know what had happened, they just knew the swine had run into the lake. The whole story works so perfectly in that geographical location with those three spots. I am fairly convinced that this is the place it all happened. It is a wonderful story with some rich and deep symbolism about how the Savior, Jesus Christ, frees us from the devil and saves us from death and the tombs and misery and clothes us in robes of righteousness and takes care of us. I love this story, and am so happy to have gotten the real spot down so well. Great stuff.
After that we did lunch, and got ready to float the Jordan River. We went with about half of the students and rented rafts and as a family we floated down the river, almost to the Sea of Galilee (we started floating upstream for the lake). It was a beautiful, peaceful, blissful time. I loved it, and I think the whole family did. It is the best way to see what the Jordan is really like. There were a few fun mini-rapids that we enjoyed. We had some communication problem with the bus, and it took us a while to get back, but we made it and had a nice dinner and went to bed. It was a great day.
The next day we slept in. Then we took our family up to Hippos to see how well it works as a city set on a hill and as the place where the owners of the swine lived.

Watch out on hikes around the Golan, such as the one to Hippos. Better stay on the trail!

Some of the ruins of Hippos, a very visible hill from the Mt. of Beattitudes, with huge, striking buildings upon it



The family in front of an Odeon right out on the point of the city's hill, something that would have been very visible from so far away



A building in Hippos that is easy to see from all around


Then we went to Kursi and went through the devils and swine story again, this time with our kids. Then we went back and got ready for church. On the way to church we told the students our engagement story. We only got half way through it by the time we got there. Church was great. I just called on two people to bear testimonies, and then allowed anyone who wanted to bear their testimony. Kaleb was one of the people I called on. I am not sure he was thrilled about it. He didn’t know what to say at first, but I suggested he just say something he knows is true. He spent about two minutes bearing testimony of things he knew. He bore testimony of Jesus Christ, and it was a wonderful moment. I think he had an experience where he just opened his mouth and the Lord filled it. What a nice time.

The class at Jordanit



We told more of our story on the way home, and stopped at Jordanit, a popular baptismal site. It is pretty there, and we had a nice time. We barely finished the story of our engagement as we pulled into Ein Gev, and that was hurrying it at the end. But the students seem to like to hear it all. Then we came home and had a nice dinner, spent some time doing family games, and went to bed. I felt like it was a blissful, peaceful, wonderful Sabbath.

My family and class on the shores of the Sea of Galilee after church

Galilee part 2: life can't get any better than this

On Wednesday we did one of the best field trips in the world. We start out by traveling across the Sea of Galilee by boat. We sang “yo ho, yo ho” as a family for everyone. They put up the U.S. flag and played the national anthem. Then we had a while of fun, and then they stopped and we had a devotional.


Some of the family on the boat



Class on the boat


We read the account of Jesus calming the sea as found in Mark 4,and sang Master the Tempest is Raging. We spoke of how Jesus will take care of us. Sometimes life’s storms will be crashing about us, and certainly the storms of death and hell will because of our sinful and fallen nature. At times it will seem like Jesus is asleep, and we will wonder why he doesn’t come to rescue us. But when the time is right, and often just before we sink, he will calm the storm for us. After all, “no water can swallow the ship where lies the master of ocean and earth and skies.” We talked about the need to have Jesus on our ship, or in other words, having him in our life and part of all we do. Without him in the boat we have no promise, but with him we can be sure that the boat won’t be swamped. We also sang Jesus Savior, Pilot Me, and talked about the need to have him at the helm of our lives.


"Earth's sun in the calm lake is mirrored," a view taken from our boat


Then we read of Peter walking on the water as recorded in Matthew 14. We spoke of his faith, and of the large waves and wind that made him doubt. We gave him credit for wanting to be with the Savior so much, for having faith to walk, and for, even when he was sinking, of having faith to cry out to the Lord for help and still believing Jesus could and would help him. And the Savior did, he reached out immediately, despite Peter’s doubts and faltering, and rescued him and took him back to the boat. Jesus Christ will do this for us as well. Despite the fact that coming to him is a task too big for us, we can with his help. And surely sometimes we will get distracted by the storms of life. But if we believe he can save us, he will. Jesus Christ will not let us sink just because we have doubted and fallen, no matter how many times we may do that. If we cry out to him to save us, he will raise us up and bring us back to the boat.
It was a nice moment. We let everyone have some time to think and write in their journals and read. I was so very pleased with the whole thing, it was a wonderful time for the students and my family.


The Sea of Galilee



The Sea of Galilee is 678 feet below sea level, is ca 160 feet deep, the starting point for our voyage is about N 32*49.516, E 035* 34.252.
When we got to shore we went to see the ancient boat. It is always nice to better picture what the Savior may have been in. Then we drove to the Mt. of Beattitudes. 276 ft below sea level, N 32* 52.858, E 035* 33.360. There a sweet sister named Mary Rose, who is in charge of the place now. She came and spoke to our students about the way Jesus would like us to be as portrayed in the Beattitudes. It was a wonderful, spirit filled discussion. This good Catholic sister taught with the spirit and I believe spoke the words of the Lord, and our students learned and were edified.

Tashara, Sister Mary Rose, and I


Then I had them go through the church and see it and get some pictures. We pointed out the likely spots for the sermon and why it worked well there. We sang, gave some time for reading, then asked a few people to share what they learned from the sermon on the mount. We had some very nice moments there, and then we moved on to Capernaum.


The class where we met together on the Mt. of Beattitudes



It had been so very hot for the students the day before, and they struggled with the heat at Capernaum. This is the most important and profound spot we go to all day, so I rearranged the schedule and went there before it got hotter. We went immediately to the synagogue and read several accounts of what happened there. It is a great place to do it.

The seats inside the synagogue


There we were sitting on the stones of a later synagogue, but it was built on the visible basalt structure that existed in the Savior’s day. It is incredible to realize that you are in the place of so many profound stories. There he cast out devils. He healed a man with a withered hand. He gave great sermons, such as the sermon on the Bread of Life. We read through much of that sermon together, and talked about the symbolism of partaking of Christ. I asked them to picture in their minds the Savior as he taught. Then I had them read the part about the Savior saying he would lose none of those the Father had given him. I wondered aloud with them if when he was saying that he might not be picturing them there in that synagogue trying to picture him.


The white stone of the later synagogue on the black basalt of the synagogue from the Savior's day



Then we went around and looked at likely places for the raising of Jairus’ daughter, for healing the Centurion’s servant, and other great things. We went to the place that very likely is Peter’s house. We talked about the miracles that happened there, such as healing Peter’s mother-in-law, healing various people, and probably healing the man with palsy who was let down through the roof. We talked about how the Savior really had no place of his own, but thanks to Peter this was probably the closest thing he had to a home.
Then we walked through the incredible day in Capernaum that is Matthew chapter 9. By this I mean we started at Peter’s house and walked a bit here and there to see places that may be the areas where some of these things happened. We never really go far, but moving and looking helps to make it seem real. Since the story involves Matthew in a crucial way, I give precedence to his account of these events. In his account it is clear that the man with palsy was healed. From there Jesus went and called Matthew to follow him. He dined with Matthew and was questioned by the Pharisees and disciples of John. As that finished he was called to heal Jairus’ daughter. On the way he healed the woman with the issue of blood. Then he raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead. As that ended he healed two blind men. Then he healed a man who was possessed and dumb. That is one incredible day. But it gives us just a taste of how things were in cities like Capernaum, Bethsaida, and Chorazin, but most especially Capernaum. Here is just a brief idea of the kinds of things that happened there:
Capernaum Events
The City of Miracles


Healing of Nobleman’s son John 4:46-54
Calling of Andrew, Peter, James and John, miracle of catching fish --Matt. 4:13-22; Luke 5:1-11
Teaching in the synagogue Mark 1:21
Casting out unclean spirit (synagogue) Luke 4:31-37
Healing Peter’s mother-in-law (right after casting out unclean spirit) Matt 8:14-17; Mark 1:29-31
Healing all manner of people (in Peter’s house, right after healing his mother-in-law) Mark 1:32-34
Forgiving and Healing of Paralytic (in Peter’s house?) Mark 2:1-13; Matt. 9
Calling of Matthew Mark 2:14-17; Matt. 9
Eats with publican (Matthew), Pharisees question him Mark 2:16-22; Matt. 9
Eats corn from fields nearby on Sabbath (probably near Capernaum) Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-5
Heals a withered man’s hand (in synagogue) (probably Capernaum) Mark 3:1-6; Luke 6:6-11
Taught by the sea side Mark 3:7-9
Questions on fasting Luke 5:33-39; Matt. 9
Healing of Centurion’s Servant Luke 7:1-10
Raising of Jairus’ daughter (Matthew has it as going from healing palsy to calling Matthew, eating with publicans (Matthew?) to raising daughter, with woman healed along the way). Matt 9:18-26;
Mark 5:21-43
Healing of the woman with an issue of blood Mark 5:25-34
Healing two blind men Matt. 9
Casting out devils from a possessed and dumb man Matt. 9
Bread of Life Sermon (synagogue) John 6:22-71
Paying tribute/catching fish with money in its mouth Matthew 17:24-27
Question about who is the greatest among the Apostles Mark 9:33-37
Heading towards Capernaum when Savior walks on water John 6:17-21
? Healing of demonic boy? Mark 9:14-27
?Sending forth of the 12? Matt. 10

I give the students this chart and let them have a little time to go by the sea shore and think about what happened there, and about calling the apostles while at the shores of Capernaum, and to write in their journals, and enjoy the church there. I think everyone had a very nice time. It is a highlight for me every time I go there. I love, just love the city of Capernaum. After all, the scriptures call it Jesus’ own city. Places like this make me feel closer to Jesus and make him even more real. I don’t know how he can become more real to me, he is already ultimately real. Yet each time I go there I can picture it better, I feel closer to him, and it all is just a little more tangible.



Alexia has been building up a rock wall to protect this tree at Capernaum every time she comes for several months now


When we finished there we went over to the Greek Orthodox church of Capernaum. The gardens are beautiful, the place is peaceful. We ate lunch near the shore and read the story of Peter catching the fish with money in its mouth to pay the temple tax, and taught from that. They went inside the church to see the beautiful artwork and to hear the monks chanting as part of a service.


Looking out at the sea from our lunch spot



When we finished there we went to Tabgha, and talked about multiplying the loaves and fishes. It is a sweet place, and I love the mosaics, and I was especially happy to be there with Alexia because she loves that mosaic of the loaves and fishes so much. Somehow that image has just taken her, and I think it is a wonderful thing to be taken with.


Alexia with her favorite mosaic behind her


Then we went to the Church of St. Peter’s Primacy (571 ft below sea level, N 32* 53.035 E 035* 33.344).
We spoke of Peter again wanting so much to be with the Savior. We talked of how he was sent to feed Jesus’ sheep, and that we have the same calling. We had several sweet moments. We sang in the church, dipped our feet in the lake, took a picture, and had a wonderful time. I love seeing my children be so touched by these things.


Kaleb, Bj and I in our matching hats at the Church of St. Peter's Primacy



We took a little detour that Kent Jackson and I had explored and figured out would work well. We stopped at what is called the Bay of Parables. There we sat and talked a little bit about the parables of Matthew 13. Very nice moment.

Class at the Bay of Parables


The Bay of Parables


Finally we went to Bethsaida. 468 ft. below sea level, N 32* 54.710, E 035* 37.838. We walked into the Old Testament portion, where we saw the matsebot (stones meant to represent God but always becomes a form of idolatry). They are next to the gate, a strong gate but a gate that fell when the Assyrians came in. We spent a lot of time talking about how we often worship the things of the world and God at the same time. We compared that to what the Israelites did and talked about how if we do it we will fall just as surely as the Israelites did. But then we spoke of how God is always working with us to bring us back. We spoke of that for a while and had some really great moments. They didn’t know I was basically quoting to them from my book that will come out in about two years. The spirit was strong there, and I felt like it was a powerful and important time.


The gates at Bethsaida


We worked out way through the city, talking about the fishermen who lived in the city and how Peter and Andrew were from there, and wondered if John ever came back to visit. We read the account of the blind man who was healed in stages and likened that to how we are all coming to see the Lord more clearly. We read of how the Lord cursed the city because they didn’t end up listening to him. We likened this to the earlier fall of Israel in that place. There are so many parallels for our life, and I think they got it.


The plains of Bethsaida and the Sea of Galilee looking from the city

All in all, this was one wonderful and powerful field trip.

We swam a little when we got back, and had dinner. I had so many students wanting to ask me so many questions, but I didn’t want it to take away from family time. So I told them they could ask whatever questions they wanted at my place that night at 8:30. A bunch of people showed up (it got larger as time went on because so many of them had to go next door to turn in papers to the Huntingtons, and they saw us and just joined). Several students ended up asking some questions that were obviously fairly important for their personal lives, and we had a great discussion. These are such incredible people.

Moonrise over the mountains behind Ein Gev


The next day classes were wonderful. I love teaching this stuff, and these are such good students. They are so full of light and goodness and soak all this stuff up. When class was over we went out and sat on the sea shore and talked about multiplying the loaves and fishes and applied that to how Jesus makes whatever we are or can do enough. Jesus always makes us enough. It was great. Then we had naps, fun on the beach, and took all the students and the whole family to the Ein Gev fish restaurant.


Eatin' fish, havin' fun

We ate St. Peter’s fish, cooked so well. It was a beautiful night, and we enjoyed being by the seaside. Life is bliss. Kaleb has been reading a ton, we swim, we play games, we learn, we love. Kaleb called it the best vacation ever. He’s a smart kid.



BJ at the restaurant's sea shore



Julianne and Jacob at the dock by the restaurant, which is also where we get on the boat to take our Galilee voyage

Galilee part 1: vacation on steroids, but sweet

It took us pretty much the whole day to get ready for going to Galilee. But we did get ready, and then away we went, for one of the most magical, wonderful, amazing experiences we have ever had. Julianne and the youngest four followed the bus in the van. So that they didn’t have to leave so early they skipped the first site, since they had been there before. It was Bet Sha’an. We had a bit of a puzzle getting there, they have just changed the entrance, and now you go in a new way and take a tram in. A bit complicated, but it worked. We had a very nice devotional there.
The tel is a large one. It is a huge city near top of a high tel 206 ft below sea level near the top of the hill, though actually 350 ft. below sea level in city. N 31* 37.705, E 034* 54.797. It has early Canaanite settlement there, and eventually became an Egyptian stronghold with a large Egyptian presence there. It is easily defensible, and sits at the junction of two important valleys (Harod and Jezreel) which makes it at the crossroads of two major trade routes. It has two large springs , and large areas of land watered by Jordan overflow (almost Egypt-like). The Israelites had difficult time conquering this place. Manasseh was to inherit it, but couldn’t conquer. Saul also failed, his and Johnathan’s dead bodies were hung there after they were killed at Mt. Gilboa. The men of Jabesh Gilead, whom Saul had helped earlier, eventually rescued the bodies and gave them a proper burial. We spent a lot of time talking about the fall of Saul and Johnathan, and read David’s lament over them. It is pretty touching stuff. Finally, David conquered the city.


Looking down on the Roman ruins from on the tel


The cardo (or main street) of the Roman city of Scythopolis



Under the Ptoelmies the city expanded to the bottom of the hill when they settled Scythian mercenaries there, and it thus came to be known as Scythopolis. During the Roman era it was a Decapolis city, the only one west of the Jordan. Since there was a Jewish population there, and since the Savior went to some Decapolis cities and some of them came to the Sermon on the Mount, it is likely the Savior came to Bet Sha’an at some point. The Roman ruins are extensive, and it has a great example of a Roman Bath. We spent some time exploring. All in all it was enjoyable.
From there we went to Nazareth Village, where the family met up with us. They do a nice job there, and I think this was their best time yet. Lots of good stuff for the students to learn and understand. And Julianne did a little bit more filming for our nativity video there.


Workers at Nazareth Village as they sift wheat




Alexia, Kaleb and Sabrina got to ride the donkey at Nazareth Village


Students learning from the guide at Nazareth Village



A worker harvesting with a scythe at Nazareth Village


Then we went to the church built over the synagogue there, and had some wonderful moments talking about the Savior reading from Isaiah and announcing his messiahship there based on that scriptures. We spoke of how Jesus Christ is the one who heals and frees the captives, and how he chose a scripture that described so well his mortal mission. I love how the Spirit bears sweet testimony of these things as you talk about them. At the Church of the Annunciation we were fortunate to meet with Father Molina, an ambassador for the Catholic church. He was there to do a mass for some people in the Church, but he let us go first, and explained many things about the church to the students. We also spent some nice time singing, and talking about the goodness of Mary. It was very nice.


Amber leading the music in the church built over the Nazareth Synagogue



Having spoken of Mary I took the opportunity on the bus ride to talk about motherhood, a topic about which I feel fairly passionately. We spoke about it most of the way to Mt. Arbel. Then we had some questions that took right up until when we got there, and we continued them afterwards almost all the way to Ein Gev. Mt. Arbel was wonderful, though it was horribly hot. It was one of the most hot and humid days I have ever been a part of. However, we were able to get them well oriented to the lake and surrounding territories while there.


The class at Mt. Arbel



We were so happy to get checked in to our little bungalow in Ein Gev. I cannot explain how much I love Ein Gev. It is so peaceful and so beautiful, but it is also so associated with wonderful memories of great people and great teaching moments that it has a magical feel about it. Our children also love it, and were so excited to return.

The little patio at our apartment



Where some of the kids sleep (or bounce) in our little apartment at Ein Gev


One of the things that made this such a great 11 days is how it worked out for the family. Think of it. 11 days where we don’t have to make any meals. Where we have someone come in and sweep and clean the bathroom and change the sheets. Where we can go to the beach often, but also have fun things planned for us every other day, and have a ton of great things to drive to and do. The kids read books, played on the computer, played cards, spent hours at the beach, ate lots of stuff they loved (hot chocolate and cereal and cottage cheese every morning), played with the students, and in general had a wonderful time. This is a family vacation sent from heaven.


Kaleb and Alexia eating in the cafeteria at Ein Gev


The next day I spent most of the day teaching. I forgot how wonderfully classes go in Galilee. The classroom is not that great, but the place lends a spirit to the discussions, and we are so intensively studying the New Testament, that the lessons there are always amazing. It was a great day of classes. Plus it is great to be able to go outside and use the environment. At the end of class today we went out and looked up the hill at Hippos, which I am convinced is a city set on a hill that they could see at the sermon on the mount, and which I am even more convinced was the city wherein the owners of the swine who ran into the sea lived. Afterwards, we relaxed in the air conditioned room for a while (it was stiflingly hot and at least as humid as Hawaii), and went out to the beach (my wife had already had the kids out there before lunch). We played in a raft, played with students, had horse and rider fights, etc. What a really wonderful day.

Two weeks gone by too fast

It is getting to that hectic period, and it won't get better until we have been back in the states for a while. So, I am going to have to give up on as much detail and as many pictures, and just get done what I can.

Sunday was a great day. Julianne went to the house of our friend Willeke Kunibe, a Dutch woman who married a Palestinian man, converted to Islam, and has been living here for something like 35 years. She works for Dukkak travel agency, who handles all our travel out of the country. She came with us to Turkey and Julianne and she hit it off. Today she had the ladies from the JC over to learn how to make lots of the traditional Palestinian pastry thingies. They spent all day there. I played with the kids a bit, but mostly they spent the day getting ready for the talent show. They practiced skits, songs, shows, etc. all day. Then that night we put on the Judd/Muhlestein kids talent show. There were sword fights, songs, puppet pals, gymnastics, guitar songs, Jacob told stories twice, and it was a big hit. The kids loved it, and as always, the students made them feel like a million bucks! I also played in a basketball tournament that night. My leg, which I thought had gotten all better during Jordan, started to really hurt me again. It was hard to play, and I really limped my way through the day.

Monday was my least favorite field trip, because we went to the Holocaust museum. BJ came, and while this stuff is terrible, I think it is good for him to go to. This time I decided I just really didn’t want to go through one more time. So I went with them through all of Ophir’s excellent preliminary lecture, then when they went inside I waited at the end. A few students couldn’t take it and came out pretty early, and I shoo’ed them back in. Several came out weeping and most were emotionally exhausted. I am glad I did not go in. Afterwards we had the great lecture on Mt. Herzl by Ophir. All in all it was a good field trip. And that night our wonderful friend Lynde Mott arrived. Poor woman, her flight was delayed, but she made it. She is such a wonderful, giving, thoughtful delight, and it is great to have her here. I think she is going to love it here.

I did my last two classes with my Old Testament class. It is hard to believe that is already over. It is hard to believe I am done with those OT field trips for a long time. While I am excited to be with my new class, I am having a hard time dealing with the idea of not meeting with my old class anymore, or of not teaching Old Testament here anymore. I have so, so very much loved helping students learn to understand and love the OT. I have reveled in their coming to see its patterns, symbols and meanings. It has been a wonderful experience, I don’t like that it is over. And I really don’t like the idea of my OT students going on field trips without me with them. I really, really wish I was going with both classes on these field trips. I so want to take them all through them. Not that I don’t think Frank will do an even better job than me, but that I want to share in the experiences with them.


My OT class on our last day together




I have not been able to go with Lynde to very many places. Julianne has taken her all over the place. She has gone everywhere with her, and they move fast and do a lot. I joined them for the touring around the temple mount where the Savior would have gone in and out of the temple. I really had the distinct impression that I kind of interrupted what was an amazing flow between the two of them, and that Julianne would have done a better job of showing her that place than I did. Julianne is so amazing, and really knows this stuff. I was able to take Lynde and the Oliver family to the City of David, with BJ, and that was fun and I had a great time. I really like doing that stuff with BJ, we have a lot of fun together. He and I walked home together after that, and it was great. I also gave my final. That was an interesting day. Julianne and Lynde were gone all day, heading to Ein Gedi, Wadi Arugot, the Dead Sea, Qumran, the Baptismal Site, Jericho, various places in Jericho, and Wadi Qelt.


Lynde and Julianne at the Western Wall together


Lynde in a mikvah near the temple




I tried to watch the kids and get stuff done. Eran wanted to talk to me for a while. He was “irritated” at an email I had sent wherein I had outlined a way I thought we had not planned as well as we should have and had failed the students in a small thing. It took us a while of going around and around to get that thing worked out. The kids had been doing pretty well during all of this and then they wanted to go play in some places, and I thought that they were behaving well enough that it would be okay. I went to collect Kaleb, Alexia and Sabrina from the Bomb Shelter/Nursery. I got there five minutes before I was supposed to give my final. There I found that the floor was covered in a thick layer of water and bubbles. They had made an incredible mess, and I did not have time to clean it then. I sent them all home, and gave the final. Then I went to get Kaleb and Alexia and have them clean it up, while BJ watched Jacob and Sabrina. While we were cleaning, trying to be very quiet because we were right next to where the Islam class was being held, I suddenly heard Jacob and Sabrina yelling in where the class was being held. I just couldn’t win for losing today. But it all worked out okay in the end, and hopefully some children learned a thing or two.

The next while became a blur. We went lots of places with Lynde. I think she was really enjoying it, but I think we also worked her too hard and wore her out too much. Some of our more memorable outings were to Ein Kerem (she loved the Church of the Visitation, where Elizabeth supposedly lived and Mary stayed with her there. This church has great artwork), to the valley of Elah, where we did some slinging like David, and where we drove our 4 wheel drive vehicle up onto Sha’araim to come to really understand the whole story, and to Beth Shemesh. We had wonderful times, and she is great to be with.
On Friday I began my New Testament class. It was very enjoyable. I miss my other class members very much, and it will be hard to see them do field trips with someone else. But I really enjoyed starting this class with these guys. It is going to be great. On Monday we had our first field trip together. It was also the 4th of July. So, once the bus got going I brought out a flag I had printed, and we did the pledge of allegiance and sang the Battle Hymn of the Republic, the Star Spangled Banner, and sang along with Lee Greenwood to I’m Proud to be an American. We went to the Herodion, a fortress palace that Herod built, both as a place he could be safe if there were an uprising, and a place to serve as a mausoleum. The lower part has a huge pool, lots of palace buildings, a Roman Bath, and a ton of things to explore. The upper part is a huge fortress. We had lots of time to look at the landscape and explore the areas inside. We finished ahead of schedule, and still had a call from the other bus about how they had finished even earlier and were hoping we could get done soon so we could go to Bethlehem University together. I told them we were going to finish a bit early, but it was always my plan to use the time we had on site to our best advantage and that we would not let other people being nervous about time take away from our good time. I did a small spiritual thought tying in Herod’s tyranny with the 4th of July, we explored the tunnel system, and left. I felt good about how it went.

At Bethlehem University we had the usual propagandistic smack, and then the students got to enjoy spending time with their students. My kids had been great on this field trip so far, and during this part they just watched a movie near the bus. Then we went to a great lunch in the Tent restaurant. Then we went to Manger Square. For the first time my children went inside the Church of the Nativity. It was empty. I have never seen it so empty. It is amazing to be there with no one else. We were able to look at everything we wanted to, and teach everything we wanted. We still had to hurry through the part with the manger, they just make everyone do that. Ah well. We sang a little in St. Catherine’s, the catholic part of the church. All in all it was very nice. The students got a little shopping time in Manger Square. And then it was off to shepherd’s field.


Family at the "birth spot in the Church of the Nativity




At shepherd’s field we did a little filming for our family movie. Then we had all the students stand at the crest of the hill where they could see so much. I tried to get them to picture people like Ruth and David there. I tried to help them picture angels and the Savior there. Then we sang one song and I let them have some time for their journals. During that time BJ explored down in the valley a bit. He went to the watchtower, which he liked, and scared out some gazelles (or gazelle like creatures). I saw them running along for a long time. Very cool. It made me think of what kind of animals would prey on gazelles. Lions came to mind. And then I remembered that David had killed a lion somewhere around Bethlehem. Somehow the story became just a little more real to me.



Filming at Shepherd's Field



Then we retired to a sheepfold. We had some musical numbers and by then were out of time. Se we got on the bus and had a very nice testimony meeting all the way home. On the whole I think the whole things was a great success. I felt very good about it.

No matter how much I have known the reality of the condescension of Christ when he deigned to come down to this world as a mortal baby, every time I look over at the hills of Bethlehem it becomes more real to me. While I love being in Bethlehem itself, and I like to think of his birth there, I never have a chance to have a nice moment in the Church of the Nativity. I like the place, but they hurry you through too much. I wanted to talk to my children about the birth of Christ there, but it just isn’t possible. But when I go to the fields across from the city, where you can look over at Bethlehem, and picture the shepherds hurrying there, and picture Mary and Joseph traveling there, and picture the star, and think of what happened there, it always strikes me as so amazing the Christ would come to earth in that way so that he could rescue us. This time I thought of what it must have been like for that great being to take his first breath in that little, mortal body. Oh how he must love us to be willing to go through that. How real it is. Jesus Christ is real! He really came to save us! This is such an amazing and wonderful truth!

Bethlehem and surrounding hills




Meanwhile, Lynde had been through a relaxing morning. Then she had met up with a friend of ours, Rebekah Call, who had taken her through Bethlehem on their own. I think she had an adventurous and great time.

The next morning Julianne, Lynde, BJ, and Tashara packed up and went to Galilee. They went to all sorts of places all day long. That night they did a service project at the Tiberias Branch House, which needed a lot of weeding done. They spent forever doing that, then had a great night sleeping on the roof, saw a great sunrise, weeded some more, saw a ton of great stuff, and dropped Lynde off at the airport. I guess she was pretty worn out by then. Julianne worked her hard. I think we also underestimate how much of a toll it takes on someone to see and hear and feel so many very new and foreign things. We have been doing that kind of thing for enough years that we are kind of used to it, and forget how tiring it is for most people.


Sunrise over the Sea of Galilee




In the meantime, the other kids and I had a great time. We did some fun things, they played on computers a lot, I got a lot of work done, including some good work on my book about God’s love in the Old Testament. I am getting close to finishing that. All in all we had some very nice days. Friday they planned for us a great 4th of July celebration, even though it was the 8th by then. It was the best BBQ I had ever been to. So much good food. They even made cheeseburgers! Amazing, you can’t do that here, yet they did. We had great music, and the students danced with our kids on their shoulders. We had a carnival with 3 legged races, fishing for prized, marshmallow bobbing, etc. It was a very fun night. Sabbath was great. Tashara spoke in Sacrament meeting, and did very well. Alexia spoke in primary and did very well. We visited with lots of students, pretty much all day long. All in all it was a very nice family day.
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