It's funny how a lot of the coolest experiences that I've had so far in Jerusalem don't necessarily have to do with being in this part of the world. I could experience similar things back home in Utah. This Jerusalem Center is what makes this program special. It's the closest thing to Zion that exists at present in the Holy Land. All of us here have come for various, but similar reasons, and this place is like an oasis in the midst of all of our vast, rich, but sometimes barren and often very difficult lives. We visit sites where miracles happened, where God interacted with man. We study the scriptures (mostly the Bible) in depth and tap into the well of meaning that is in them. We enjoy each other's company as we fellowship and each strive to live the gospel of Jesus Christ. In many ways the Jerusalem Center experience reminds me of my time as a missionary, and none more than my experience tonight.
My companion, Tanner Potter, and I hometeach the Belnap family. Brother Belnap is my Old Testament teacher and field trip leader. I really like him as a teacher and look up to him, which probably has something to do with the fact that he reminds me of myself in many ways. For various reasons I see him as a great example of the kind of person that I would like to be in 10-15 years, especially as a husband and father. Add him to the list of awesome examples for such things in my life. I got a great look at what a father should be like tonight as we visited them in their home (also in the Jerusalem Center). We arrived and were greeted by Sister Belnap. She invited us in and served us homemade bread with butter and honey (so good). We had a few minutes to wait for Brother Belnap and their 3 year-old daughter, Tabitha, because, as Sister Belnap explained, he had promised Tabby earlier today that he would take a bath with her. We had a few minutes to talk to Sister Belnap and the other kids while they changed out of their swimsuits. When we walked in, 9 year-old Jack was doing a coloring app on an Ipad. 13 year-old Emma came into the kitchen and talked with us and her mom, and 6 year-old Sam walked in a few minutes later sporting an alligator robe complete with white, pointed teeth. We had a great time with them. Sure, they were probably on their best behavior, trying to make a good first impression, as we were, but it was evident that they are a special family (and they were successful in making a great first impression). Tabitha climbed all over her dad while we visited, and his love for her couldn't be shown in any better way than in his patience and willingness to accommodate her every wish and whim. I fell in love with their family. It's a familiar feeling, one that I had often as a missionary in Romania and as a hometeacher with my dad during my teenage years. It's a special spirit that accompanies such experiences, and I have felt so good ever since leaving their home tonight.
Since then I've been left wondering, How can I have that spirit with me always? I'm not sure there are other things to do besides those types of visits that bring the same spirit in such a powerful way. But I suppose there are different versions of such experiences that have some of the same elements. What is it about a hometeaching or missionary visit that brings the Spirit so strongly? We start and end with prayer. We teach and testify of gospel principles, especially of Jesus Christ. We focus on others and others focus on us, which is, in and of itself, the spirit of Christ, the essence of the gospel. I can do the same things in my personal scripture study every day. I can pray more often. I can focus on others more and seek their happiness.
A major theme of my Shakespeare class last semester, and probably the most valuable lesson I learned in that course, was to see and appreciate the beauty around me. It's something I've focused on for the past few months, and it's amazing how much richness it adds to my life. It doesn't happen every day or even every week, but when I do see something that is truly beautiful, I try to appreciate it for what it is and learn from it. They are usually the things that inspire my writing. The challenge is to preserve their dignity when I write. I can hardly do justice to such beauty, and if I try, then I usually end up romanticizing it too much instead of simply showing you what it was. So I try to just tell you what I saw. I hope, then, that you will see the beauty from your own unique viewpoint and let it add richness to your life.
