Machaerus

     After lunch we were back on the road and headed to Machaerus. This is the sight of Herod Atipas' palace and also where John the Baptist was imprisoned and then beheaded. But I'll talk about that later. The view here was breath taking. I feel like I say that about every place, but this really was spectacular. We were up on a hill (a really big hill that we had to climb up!) You could see all the way to the Dead Sea. We were also there as the sun was starting to set. Oh, it was just gorgeous!

This is actually the only picture I got of the palace! This is what most of our field trips look like. Us sitting around on walls and rocks taking notes. 

We got to be combined with the other class for most of Jordan. It was fun to be with everyone!

(Brooke, Taylor, Jace, me, Hayley)

You know how my finger does that weird white thing? Ya well it was so cold that 5 of my fingers were doing that. Jace was a saint and warmed them up for me. 

Look at that view! 

Me, Coulette, and Hannah

You can see the sun reflecting off the Dead Sea

The prison at Machaerus. John the Baptist was probably kept here. 

     The death of John the Baptist was a turning point in Jesus' life. John's life was a parallel of Jesus' life and it was at this point that Jesus realized that his own life would be ending soon. John was Jesus' biggest supporter. Through everything, he had always stood beside the Savior and stood up for him. At this point, the apostles had not quite stepped up to the plate and Jesus was probably feeling very alone. 

     One thing my teacher kept asking was 'how alone does the Messiah have to be?' The more I learn about God and Jesus, the more I realize that this life was hard for them as well. Yes, Jesus may have been sinless and had perfect faith but that doesn't mean that it wasn't hard. He didn't have someone who knew exactly what he was feeling like each of us do. As I sat there, imagining what he would have felt as he heard that John had just been killed, I realized that I knew. Before anything else-before supporter or friend- John was Jesus' cousin. Jesus just found out that his cousin had died. I don't know why I had to experience this as well, but I wonder if Jesus needed someone who knew what he went through. On the other side of that, if I ever doubted the atonement and ever doubted that Jesus really knew my pain, I now know that he knows exactly what I felt when Chandler died. I am so grateful for the scriptures and am constantly amazed at how much more I can learn from them if I just take the time to look at them a little differently. 

Until my next adventure,

Lindy