Thursday, January 26, 2012

An Amazing Week in Jordan


Temple of Hercules in Amman


Roman City of Jerash
My Top Picks- Ferraris at the Kings Automobile Museum


We just got back from our first out of country field trip. We spent four days in Jordon exploring everything from ancient Nabatean ruins, to a Roman city, to the modern area of Amman (the capital of Jordan). I feel like every time we go on a field trip, it becomes my new favorite place. The whole trip involved a ton of driving. Driving to Petra was completely out of the way, we drove three and a half hours down one night and four hours back the next day. It was worth every minute. We had a Jordanian tour guide the whole time, which is required by law. He was very knowledgeable, but his accent and pronunciations made it difficult to understand, and he talked for a LONG time about every subject. By the end it was difficult to follow what the original thought was. Regardless, it was amazing.

The first day we crossed the border, which took about two hours and three check points. We went to Mount Nebo, which is where Moses saw the promised land, but could not go into.  I mentioned before that we saw the Wilderness of Zin, where the Israelites lost the privilege of entering the promised land. One of my big learning moments was how close they were the whole time. I just finished reading Numbers, and many of the places they mention the Israelites traveling and camping were never more than 30 miles from the Dead Sea!

We also went to a Greek Orthodox church in Madaba that has the world's oldest version of Google Earth. The floor of the church is a mosaic depicting the Holy Land in the 6th century. We then stopped by Machaerus, where traditionally John the baptist was beheaded by order of Herod Antipas (to save face in front of his birthday party guests).

The next day was a trip to probably the coolest place I have ever seen. We spent most the day in Petra, the place where the finale of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was set- that giant stone building at the end of a canyon?- yeah, it's real! Our guide talked to us as we traveled through the siq- a canyon used as a great defensive measure during the time of the Nabataens. When we got the Treasury (don't be fooled by the name, all the buildings were mausoleums), they let us loose for the rest of the morning. I got to ride a camel, hike up to the Monastery (another mausoleum), and ride a horse for the last stretch back to the bus.

Petra was an experience that taught me a lot about perspective. It was chilly when we left in morning, so any time we got into a patch of sunlight, it felt so good, and we loved it. After hiking straight up a mountain for an hour, that same sun was bright and hot, and we were sweating and thirsty. At one point in the siq, our guide told us to remember to look back and see the view behind us. I am glad he did, because there was a big difference in how things looked just by turning around and seeing where we came from. The entire city was filled with Bedouin people trying to sell all the same items to us, whether it was trinkets, colorful rocks, or camel rides. It made me think about the huge difference between my lifestyle and theirs. These are people who can't afford to let their kids go to school because they need to sell postcards for a dollar to earn money. Talk about a change of perspective.

The next day we went to the King Abdullah mosque and spent an hour listening to our guide, who is a practicing Muslim, talk about the history, culture, and religion. The women were required to not only cover their hair, but put on "dementor robes" as someone put it- long black capes with a hood. I learned more from him in that hour than I have learned so far in my Palestine/Islam class. I never knew how much they believe in Jesus Christ, not as a divine being, but a prophet who will have a significant role in the final battle against evil. Their explanation of the end of the world has some striking similarities to LDS theology. Learning about other religions from practicing members of the faith is fascinating.

The thing I love about this program is that my teachers make a point of giving us time to be spiritually fed as well. We spent time at the Jabbok river near where Jacob wrestled with an angel and his name was changed to Israel. As Brother Huntsman was talking about Jacob sending all his family ahead and the symbolism of "wrestling with the Lord," a herd of goats appeared at the top of a ridge on the other side of the river. That was pretty cool. After we sang a few hymns (another reason I love Bro. Huntsman), he gave us some time to sit and ponder. It was a wonderful place. It reminded my strongly of the park in Fort Jackson. It was so nice to see grass and listen to running water again.

Dad- I have you to thank for my next experience. I remembered a talk Dad gave multiple times when I went with him as district speaker. He read Psalm 73 and went through it line by line and discussed what it meant and the context around it. I turned to it and had such a feeling of reassurance. Being here, I feel like I really have left all my troubles behind me. Problems from home just doesn't have a place in Jerusalem. But I remember how they felt. It is amazing how getting away from the everyday puts things in a different light. In that moment, I felt like the Lord was telling me that right now, I get a chance to rest from my labors, but when the time comes, He will be there from me. I can't get caught up in what others do or have that I don't, because in the end, if I am faithful, I will have a great reward.

We spent the evening in the city of Jerash, the best restored Roman city anywhere. I have never seen so many columns standing upright, they make for such a majestic atmosphere. We got some time to walk around, and I had fun taking pictures.

Roman Theatre in Amman
I had another great moment in a Roman theatre in Amman. We sang some hymns, took some pictures, went to a little theatre, and sang some more hymns. Our group sounds fantastic- balanced four-part harmony that stays in tune, at least with each other. I have become the resident pitch-giver since I always bring my pitch pipe with me. Brother Huntsman now announces a song and then says "Where's Crystal? I need a _____". Today we sang Joseph Smith's First Prayer, Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, and Come, Come Ye Saints. As we sang the last song, I thought about how we were singing in the ruins of what had once been the greatest empire on the world, a song that commemorated the saints who welcomed in the last dispensation. After all these years and all these kingdoms, soon the Lord will return to rule the earth.
Jordan River

We went to the Jordan River on our way home, to the place people go to celebrate Jesus' baptism. We talked about the mission of John the baptist and how he was willing to fulfill his calling to the best of his ability, but when it came down to it, he was humble enough to admit that he was unworthy to touch the shoe of the Messiah. Brother Huntsman also talked about remembering our own baptism. More important than the event, we should remember the covenant we made that day. He also quoted a friend who questioned why, if we talk all the time about things we love and are important to us- our family, those we admire- why don't we talk about Jesus more?


2 comments:

  1. you are invited to follow my blog

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  2. Loved your insights about Psalms 73 and all the things you're learning out there. :)

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