Oh Holy Night

Bethlehem

We started the day at the Herodion- Herod’s palace-fortress, summer palace, and burial place.  We then ventured to the Church of the Nativity. One thing I have learned is that other religions have a very different way of preserving and worshipping holy grounds. The Church of the Nativity most definitely falls under that category. One of the most interesting things is that it is controlled by the Catholics, Greek Orthodox, and one other Christian religion. The preachers and Fathers of the different religions push the line along and hush the rowdy crowd with little success. The gaudy decorations are distracting and the crowded atmosphere lacks reverence. Once you make your way through the line, you walk down some steps into a small cave and look into what looks like a fireplace lined with candles. A priest could tell I didn’t know where to look and he pointed at a star on the ground. To be honest, I couldn’t quite figure out what I was looking at. I could see, but I couldn’t feel. I had been warned that it would probably be different and less peaceful than I imagined, so I wasn’t disappointed. My thought as I walked through the cave was: it doesn't really matter where he was born. All that matters is that He lives! And I know that to be true.

After the Church, we went to a couple other churches. One of them had a hot pink dome and the interior was filled with bright paintings and depictions of the Bible and Jesus. Again, it was fun to admire the different styles of worship and beauty. 

We then made our way to my favorite stop of the day- Shepherds Field, where we had Christmas in March and held a testimony meeting on the hill. 

I wrote in my journal:

This place is not like the Church of the Nativity. It is calm and simple; it is quiet and beautiful. This is the manner that I imagine God works. This reflects the humility of the Savior. As I sit here, I can imagine the shepherds and their sheep. I can see the light of the angel’s glorious announcement of the birth of Jesus Christ, the son of God. I can hear the multitude of heavenly host praising God saying, “Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men.”  After the shepherds received the message, they went “with haste” to find the baby Jesus, and then they “made it known abroad”. As I read, I thought to myself, I have received the great message of the gospel, but how quickly do I seek the Savior in my life? Do I seek him in haste? What can I do better to make it known abroad?

After some time to sit and ponder, a few girls and I sang a musical number, we listened to another, and then we all sang Christmas hymns and had a short testimony meeting. The people I am privileged to spend so much time with here are incredible, and listening to their testimonies taught me so much. One girl talked about an email that her friend had sent her. He asked if she had seen God yet. I loved that, because we can see God in our lives every day, but do we? Through recognizing the hand of God in our lives each and every day, we can better recognize our many blessings and express gratitude more sincerely; we can feel His love and have a greater capacity to love others. So, have you seen God yet?

Someone else talked about how the lack of the spirit at certain holy spots such as the Church of the Nativity led him to think about where the spirit dwells. His conclusion was that it dwells in temples, whether that is a dedicated building or us, as our bodies are temples. It was neat to think of it that way, and I was grateful in that moment for the gift of a body and the Holy Ghost, and for temples. Watching the Jews mourn for their temple breaks my heart, because they are a lost people without it. Their whole belief is centered on what they do not have. I am grateful for the priesthood power and the covenants and ordinances of modern temples which we are so blessed to have.

I am filled with gratitude for the life of my Savior, Jesus Christ. He was born of Mary, lived a perfect life, suffered and died, and was resurrected. He lives, and even as He lives, He will come again. Magnificent will be the day when he sets foot upon the earth again, and glorious will be the sound of the heavenly host once again praising His name, “Glory to God in the highest”.