Road to Jericho!

The site where the walls of Jericho came miraculously tumbling down, the road to Jericho where the story of the Good Samaritan took place, the tree where Zaccheus climbed up to see the Savior before the final week of His life, the wilderness where Jesus fasted for 40 days, the mount where He was tempted to turn stone into bread, the mountain where ravens brought bread to Elijah and the spring that Elijah healed. What do these things have in common? They are all found in or near Jericho and I saw all of them yesterday! We also went to King Herod's winter palace. He was wise to build a palace in Jericho because in winter it is beautiful warm weather. I would take Jericho over Provo any January day. And yesterday I did. :)

We drove through some very barren wilderness and descended 650 feet below sea level. Yes, below. It would win the geographic game of limbo. The only place lower is it's next door neighbor the Dead Sea. But Jericho is the lowest city and the oldest, they say.

My teachers really are the best we could have! Brother Muhlstein spoke to us while looking at the road to Jericho about the Good Samaritan. It's likely that the priests and Levite who passed the injured man were on their way to Jerusalem to do temple work. They were in pursuit of a righteous work, yet passed up the opportunity to be Christlike. How many times have I passed by a "best" thing and settled for a "good" or "better" thing? It was a good lesson about good, better, and best in life.

My friend Sarah and I in front of a large sycamore tree where Zaccheus, who was too short to see the Savior, climbed up.

On the Mount of Temptation (looking a little Chameleonish in that shirt), with a rock. Christ created us from the dust of the earth, surely he could have turned stone to bread. Yet, He didn't give in, making Him fully understand temptation more than someone who has given into temptation.  Behind me is the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, and in front of me is Jericho. The road to Jericho was in terrain like that.

Then, after we got home from the Jericho field trip, a few of us went to a beautiful Jewish synagogue for a tour. This is a pic from the outside balcony that overlooks the city.

It was another beautiful day in my life and in Jerusalem.