I have been having an excellent time out here and learning so much. Our church building is in a big auditorium overlooking the Jerusalem valley, prime real-estate by the way, specifically looking at the Dome of the Rock. While taking the sacrament today, I contemplated the idea that Christ instituted the Sacramental ceremony we perform each week not too far from where the center stands. I felt a closeness to Him . . . I felt a bond to the past as I thought about what it meant to Him and to us, as I thought about how much this ordinance applies even today. It was a beautiful experience considering that I can feel closer to our Savior both in spirit and physical location. I can tell you that His spirit has left a deep impression on the people here. I saw that loud and clear as I passed through the Roman Catholic Church believed to be the location of Christ's burial tomb, in the Christian quarter back on Thursday.

I feel like I'm on a mission again but this time cannot preach the gospel. A brother Williams made a comment in church today about this idea saying that maybe this is a blessing in a sense, that it reminds us how easily we can share the gospel, but also how important it is to share. You would imagine that a place like this would be where we ought to proselyte yet because of so many years of religious turmoil, we still cannot. We were told that this will be the place that Christ comes back, at least before the great end, and that it will be our examples, our reputations, our actions that dictate how quickly the people will receive Him. If you think about it, that is exactly the case. And though we can't share our testimony in voice we sure as heck can in example.

We already have an excellent reputation in the city. Everyone knows us and respects us. Its taken years and years of countless dedicated saints who have come here and made friends with the shop owners and locals. They say that there is something special about "the Mormons" because they shine. Jewish Rabbis can't figure out how we still teach without speaking. The Jerusalem Center is known by most from Jerusalem to Tel-aviv as the Mormon university. Tell a taxi driver, "take me to the mormon university on mount skopus" and he will rush us there with many many comments of praise along the way. There was a particular store I went into with some friends whose owner was delighted to see another crop of the Mormons coming into Jerusalem. We got to talking and he showed me all of the business cards he collected of church officials, american consulate workers and others and just beamed with joy that he knew so many "wonderful men," as he called them. He even had a picture of president oaks from a long time ago perched on a ledge in plain sight for all to see. What a wonderful man, this shop owner. He really impressed upon my mind the important reputation that we as Mormons have out here. It really is a sacred responsibility to uphold this reputation, and in my case, I feel a privilege to perhaps further the close relations we as saints have with the locals, as I am going into the field of I.R.

I have already begun this by meeting lots of the local vendors. We can only travel in groups of a bare minimum of three. Me and three other ladies went around the old city meeting vendors and introducing ourselves, which apparently was not particularly necessary, and got to know some of the owners. Prior to coming to Jerusalem, I had spoken with past participants, friends, etc. and they told me about these owners. I thought in terms of strengthening our relations with locals and told those I had heard of that they have a reputation of being wonderful men. I made sure they knew that those around the world had been speaking about how well they were treated by these men. I made sure that they knew their honest reputation is what helps us feel comfortable coming and working with them because it is so respectable. Of course, this is a lot of praise, but they knew I was being honest and sincere with them and they felt honored. Each succeeding store owner felt that they owed us something and would get us drinks for free, wanted us to try on some Arabian garb and gave us free stuff. Now, yes, it was a marketing technique of creating a stronger bond, but they knew I didn't have to say those things and only had the intention of giving them validation and love. They felt indebted, not necessarily to me individually, but to the stigma and reputation I carried with all my generations past. I took what was always there, but expressed to a untold depth the gratitude mankind has for those who appreciate the individual, not their money. Again, they beamed. I gave them business cards and wrote a message along the lines of, "You are a friend of the BYU Jerusalem Center which means you are a friend of mine. I will always remember you." They quickly read it, smiled from ear to ear and displayed with those who'd honored them before. I felt good. I felt like I was doing a small part of what I could contribute and hope for more opportunities in the future here. The way I see it, this is diplomacy on a grassroots level. Its as simple as validating the individual which prepares the heart to seek truth more.

There are a few diplomats in my ward. There are branch members spread throughout Israel who travel, some even hours, to make it to church by 10am. Bethlehem, City of David, Tel-aviv, Bersheeba, etc. are not all too close to heartland Jerusalem, which really is set up, way up, on a hill. We have one family who works for the U.N. and is stationed out here for some time to act as a liaison of peace. I don't know how important that might be at this time . . . Another is a member of the American consulate for Americans who travel through the Holy Land. I have already spoken with them to a degree, but will do more so next week. I have already mentioned my plans for the internship sp/su 2013 to the U.N. officer. He expressed great interest. We will talk more about it soon I'm quite sure about that.

 

Another pleasant surprise was seeing my friend from the FLSR, Patrick Monsen, here. I knew he would be attending Hebrew U right behind us but wasn't sure if he would be sticking around long enough for me to see him. He's decided to be around for a while now. I have other friends already in the program; Dallin Miller from the mission, Mckay from the FLSR, Ellen from Humanities class. And now I have grown to know many more people who I call close friends already. We are so tight knit, partly because we have to be, but mainly because of the deep profound respect we have for each other, knowing that they made a consorted effort to come to walk the roads our Savior walked. What an amazing legacy to create for your family line, and great inspiration to those with whom you come in contact. We just love each other.

I could talk of the ideas that ran through my mind during my walk through the holy land, I could talk about the dynamics of being a branch out in the holy land, which the locals call Zion, I could share my feelings about seeing such a stark contrast in cultures so similar with similar backgrounds yet so polarized by small subtle, yet relitively vital traditions, but there is not enough time to. I just want to say, I am privileged to be here today and couldn't have made it without all you. This is excellent preparation for going to the international peace corp., The United Nations, of the world. I now need to think about how I will make it there.

 

I appreciate all of your support and friendships.

 

Love,

 

Bradley