Day 2

Our first stop of the morning was the Valley of the Doves.  I really wish we would've spent more time there, the spirit there was so strong.  Brother Top told us that is the only place we know where Jesus would have walked (for sure) because it was the only way to go for Jesus to get to Galilee (I just got goosebumps again as I typed this).  So incredible that we were able to see where He lived and walk where He walked.

Next, we stopped at Tabgha, the site of the miracle of the fishes and the loaves (Matthew 14:15-21, Mark 6:34-44, Luke 6:1-15,).  This site, though small (most people haven't even heard of it), touched me to my core.  Justin Top taught us and he did so good at helping us apply the stories to our lives.  These miracles weren't just to show us the power of Jesus but there are things to learn from each miracle that we can apply in our lives.  As we know, the disciples gathered all the food they could find.  EVERYTHING they had and everything everyone else had and it still wasn't enough, Jesus made up the difference.  Sometimes we feel like we are doing all we can but it still isn't enough, in that case, we aren't using our Savior like we should.  All he asks is that we bring all we have and Christ provides what we need, he makes up the difference.  We will never have or be enough to do it on our own.  We need him.  In the story, not only did he make it into enough but it specifically states how there was extra... adding the point of "he more than compensates the rest".  We need Him and He is there for us, we just have to do all we can.

After that we went to the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus taught the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).  Brother Top called the Sermon on the Mount our Blueprint for Perfection. I like that. President Harold B Lee said, "In His Sermon on the Mount, the Master has given us somewhat of a revelation of His own character, which was perfect...and in so doing has given us a blueprint for our own lives".  It's Jesus' call to higher righteousness.  This meeting was just for the twelve apostles so it was intimate.  He went up to the mountain (symbolic) and taught that in order to be a true disciple of Christ, it is going to take work and true commitment.  Brother Top expanded on the symbolism of the mountains and the temples and talked about how we go to the temples to commune with God.  This was their temple.  

This is where we sat and listened to Brother Top. Every place we went we just found a place to all gather and then he would talk to us. 

Different churches were built on each sacred and significant place. 

Before lunch we made a quick stop to walk down to a waterfall that fed into the Jordan River. No real significance just a quick hike with a view. 

We went to lunch at some Lebanese restaurant next to the gate into Caesarea Philippi. I had a shawarma and a coke.  yummy. 

After lunch we went in to Caesarea Philippi where the Savior revealed eternally significant information to his disciples (Matthew 16:13-19, 21; Mark 8:27-38; Luke 9:22-27).  It is at the foot of Mount Hermon where the Savior asked his disciples "Whom do men say that I the son of man am?" We discussed how the Savior told them His church is built upon the Rock of Revelation and there is a huge amazing rock/cliff that really brought it to life. He told Peter he would give Him the keys of the kingdom.  There is water coming out of the base of the mountain which is representative of the living water that comes from the temple.  Out of the mount of revelation flows living water. It was so beautiful. I'm so thankful for living prophets and apostles to receive revelation and also for the personal revelation that I receive so often and goes unnoticed so often.  

We headed up to Mt Bental to look over...everything.  We could see the Road to Damascus and the border or Syria.  There were UN guards keeping an eye out and there were even explosions we could hear in the background and the guards had to check them out.  It was amazing to see the Road to Damascus where Saul saw a light and heard the Savior talk to him and ask him why he was persecauitng him.  His change took place there.  President Utchdorf talked about how we need to take the steps to be active in discipleship instead of waiting on the Road to Damascus waiting for an experience like Saul or Joseph Smith. He also said, "those who diligently seek to learn of Christ eventually will come to know Him." I love this.  I know that as we seek Him diligently we will draw closer to Him and come to know him better.  

We went back to the hotel and walked down by the shops by the Sea of Galilee. Then we had dinner and then a devotional.  It was a long night. And day. Exhausting but extraordinary.