Day 13 - Fourth Visit to Garden Tomb

On my final visit to the Garden Tomb, I wanted to join an official tour, so I had 1/2 hour to hang out until the next tour group had their tour.  As I meandered the garden, I happened upon the only LDS tour group I've seen in Israel (other than at church).  They were 10 people from California.  I met them and then sat nearby to hear their reading of the resurrection in the Bible.

This adorable British tour guide volunteers here for three months at a time, along with the others.  The group they had me join was a WONDERFUL group of Baptists from Canada!  These lively, friendly folks adopted me as one of their own, telling me I was a "blue bus" person (the green bus simply wasn't as good), and one even gave me a small Canadian pin so I could be their honorary Canadian for the day! 

After the volunteer's tour was done, the group invited me to join their religious service, which was lovely.  I listened to their Bible readings of the resurrection, and joined the interspersed singing, doing my best to read the words from a nearby person's paper.  I wasn't sure if I should take their sacrament, since I wasn't baptized into their church, then I realized all they did was say a prayer like a blessing on a meal, so I joined them in a meaningful bite of bread/cracker in this holy place, and when they all drank a tiny cup of wine together, I instead drank from my water bottle.  A delicious experience! 

One of my favorite touching things about this trip is how many, many people love God, however they see God.  So many Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike worshipping God as they see Him.  I love it.

My fourth and last photo at the Garden Tomb.

The adorable Canadian couple who adopted me as their own.  Ann said, "It's not every day you meet a daughter."  She loved that I was the same age as her oldest child and had 5 kdis like hers did. Her husband even noted we were wearing the same outfit!   He and I had a nice discussion about our views of Jesus and the trinity.  Lovely couple.  Hope I get to see them again.

Perhaps the highlight of today's visit.  After the Baptist Canadian group left, I wandered a bit to find a perfect little spot and read a General Conference talk I'd been saving for this occasion.  "Tell me the Stories of Jesus," by Elder Anderson. I wept as I studied, highighted, and wrote notes in the margins of this special talk, made more special in my heart by being in this special place.  I loved this moment.  Then the Garden closed and they nicely kicked us out. 

On my copy of this talk I also scribbled a few notes from the tour guide, the Baptist service, and email addresses of a gal from the Mormon tour group and my new Baptist friend Ann.