St. Peter's Fish

Oh, how I hate the barfing flu!  We are hoping that it doesn't strike any more members of our family this week!  Here...


Is the "St. Peter's Fish" from a restaurant right on the shore of the sea of Galilee.  And by the way, this is the only menu item at this restaurant (unless you just HATE fish and then they will bring you a pizza, which the only person in our group who ate it told us it was "kids menu fare.")

Mount of Transfiguration

The location of the Mount of Transfiguration is not positively known, but it is believed to be Mount Tabor, which is where this church is built.  There was a tiny chapel just inside that we took refuge in.  Here is everyone but me (I was closest to the door with my camera) crammed inside.   

Here is a beautiful grate in the floor just inside the front door.  There are stairs below it going down to something (I'm sure an ancient layer of civilization). 

People have written prayers and put them down the grate.  It is truly amazing to see such an outpouring of faith from so may different people who belong to so many different religions. 

The front of the church.  It has beautiful mosaics on the ceiling.

On top of the mountain, just outside the church.  Did I mention it rained (and rained and rained!)?

Produce Department

We planted our tomato plants today with their plastic covered cages and lights inside.  In honor of that, I give you the "produce department" in the Arab section of Jerusalem.  Poor ladies!  It was raining on them on and off all day!  They were there in the same spot every day we walked past.

 

He IS Risen

Today is the perfect day to post pictures from the Garden Tomb. All of Christendom does not agree that this is the place Christ was buried and resurrected. We visited both sites and the Garden Tomb definitely preserves the Spirit of the Resurrection in a way that Chris and I could appreciate. I and others (including some authorities of the LDS church) believe that this is the place.


I know He rose again on the 3rd day. I know He suffered for our sins. Most importantly, I know that through Him, we can repent and live again as families after we die.



The Garden Tomb is owned by a co-op of churches in England and they have, thankfully kept it as a beautiful garden.

This is a replica of the stone that would have rolled to cover or uncover the door to the tomb.

It was beautiful!

The door has been lengthened, but you can see where the shelf would have attached to the wall, where the body of Christ would have laid and also where the wrappings would have been folded and set after He was resurrected.

A Retail "Store" in Jerusalem

As seen from the street corner just upon exiting the bus.

Capaernaum

Capernum was basically Christ's hometown after he had been rejected in Jerusalem.  Many miracles were performed here.  This is the foundation of an ancient Christian church built over Peter's house.  There is a Catholic Church above it that floats over the site.  It's very cool.

 

The synagoge.  The black is the original foundation that was there in the time of Christ.

The synagoge was destroyed and rebuilt with the white stone in the exact same spot.

Preaching in the synagogue.  Brother Berrett told us that it's certain Christ stood in exactly this same place in tihe ancient synagogue and taught the people.

 

Peter's Primacy

There are actually 2 churches on this site and both are beautiful!  The first is pictured here:

The rock under the altar is supposed to commemorare Christ saying to Peter that "upon this rock will I build my church."

The floor is beautiful mosaic.

Brother Berrett told us a funny story about a general authority (sorry don't remember who) who visited here.  He waded out in to the water, raised his fist and said, "Here's where missionary work started!"

  

Here's the smaller second church right on the water.  This church is just for gathering, no services are conducted here.  We filled it to capacity:

It had fabulous acousitcs!