A Visit to….Jerusalem and the Holy Land

I took a "Girl Trip" to the Holy Land for five days with two wonderful church friends. Not only was it my first time to go to Jerusalem, but my first time going on a "girl trip" to another country, without Mark or family.

Once I decided to go, I was excited and just a little hesitant…only because we had just a month to plan our trip. We did not participate in an organized tour that would be traveling in a large group.  We would be on our own…though joining small tours once we arrived in Jerusalem. 

We did individual and group planning and all worked in our favor…we were safe, had excellent weather, were healthy and amazed each day that we were really in Jerusalem and the Holy Land!

Reflecting on this trip…I learned much, saw many historical places, and each day was glad for the experience.

My daughter Melissa took an organized trip to Jerusalem with other young adults from the D. C. area 3 years ago.  Since her trip, she has said over and over again how Mark and I needed to take a trip to the Holy Land…especially since we were living so close (only a 4-hour flight from Warsaw).  It was never on my "bucket list" to travel to Jerusalem…but I am so glad the opportunity came up and I said "yes" to going here with friends. 

A few of my favorite experiences on our trip to the Holy Land….

The Garden Tomb
Attending church at the BYU Jerusalem Center
Seeing the panoramic view of the city of Jerusalem,
Riding a camel

I enjoyed ...
 Being in or near places where Jesus Christ walked and taught
The archways, doorways, foods
Seeing people who live, work and visit this area
So much to experience in just 5 days!

The Garden Tomb

On Friday afternoon (our 4th day) we went to the Garden Tomb.  It was an absolutely beautiful day with blue skies, cool breezes, and warm sun. 

The Garden Tomb was a short walk (10-15 minutes) from our hotel.  The garden is filled with beautiful flowers and trees, stones and benches.  It is a beautiful setting…quiet, peaceful, and reverent. 

I liked being here.

The Garden Tomb is where many people believe Jesus Christ was buried and resurrected.

Nearby, and pictured below, is the area known as Golgotha where Christ was crucified.  Golgotha means "the place of a skull" in Aramaic.  About halfway down the hill are two indentions in the rock that looks like eye sockets, with a rock structure in between the indentions that looks like a nose….perhaps the source of the name Golgotha.

The Garden Tomb area is thought to be the location of the tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathaea….the tomb where Jesus Christ was buried and resurrected.  I loved this spot!  It is truly a beautiful, peaceful area.

My friends and I each took turns standing or sitting in front of this doorway. It was not always easy to sit or stand without other tourists in the picture.…but we were patient.

The inside of the tomb is quite small….

….I was expecting something much larger.

The flowers and plants were absolutely beautiful…so much color….which we have not seen in Warsaw for quite a while.

My two traveling friends…Rebecca and Cris.

Our afternoon visit at the Garden Tomb was wonderful!

Riding a Camel in the Judean Desert

I thought the Holy Land would be filled with sand dunes….

 ….and that we would be seeing camels daily.  This was not the case, but on our tour drive to the Dead Sea we did see many sand dunes and hills….and our tour guide stopped for each of us to have a camel ride!

The camel was quite docile….no sounds at all….but I wondered how much it really liked kneeling on the hard pavement.  His caretaker was kind and patient….we each enjoyed our little ride on a real camel!

The BYU Jerusalem Center

On Saturday we attended church services at the BYU Jerusalem Center. This center is a satellite campus of Brigham Young University. Students attend semester classes, study and take amazing weekly field trips.  The center also offers free musical concerts and tours of the surrounding area, including the nearby Garden of Gethsemane. 

As with most Christian churches, we worship on Sunday.  In Israel however, our church's services are held on Saturday, the same day as the Jewish Sabbath. 

The grounds were lovely, and after the church service we were able to take pictures and walk through the gardens of the center.

Behind these large archways are large full length windows in the chapel.

The main worship service was held here.  During the service the sheer drapes are open and the panoramic view of the City of Jerusalem is striking.  Worshiping while looking out at the general area of the Gospels is an amazing experience!

The organ and the acoustics in this room were fabulous! The singing, whether by a choir, the congregation, or the soloist were wonderful!

We enjoyed taking pictures of this beautiful sight.  A few university students also took our pictures!  Being at the BYU Jerusalem Center on our last full day was wonderful!  It was a great culmination of 5 days of touring, learning and seeing this beautiful area. 

I thought that attending a worship service on a Saturday would feel quite different….but attending church here on this Saturday felt just like the Sabbath Day to me. 

I am so glad we were at this place on our last full day in the Holy Land.  Attending church, singing hymns of our Savior, Jesus Christ and looking out over the land that he lived and loved…was most humbling. 

One of the songs we sang was "Jesus of Nazareth…Savior, and King".  The words took on a new and deeper meaning as we sang, overlooking this beautiful and historic city.

I enjoyed walking around the grounds of the Jerusalem Center….

….the archways were beautiful….

….I loved the details on the grounds….

….and the pathways and stairways were so picturesque.

The campus grounds inside and out were beautiful.…

….but I especially enjoyed seeing the beautiful view of the hillsides of Jerusalem.

Now I would love to return to visit the Holy Land one day…but this time to share the experience with Mark.