a cathedral and a garden

Last Sunday a group of us took a pleasant outing to the city. Sundays here are like Fridays with the Sabbath being honored on Saturdays, so we don't have classes and instead try and get out as much as we can. The Church of All Nations is just a ten-minute walk away, and it houses this:

Supposedly it is the rock upon which Christ knelt as He suffered in Gethsemane. Of course it's a subjective claim, as are most of the historical sites and relics here, but the church is beautiful nonetheless. 

Pretty grand, eh? This is one of my favorite things about Jerusalem thus far - it has incredible churches, cathedrals, and mosques - establishments of so many different faiths. Not all are this European, but the religions that have sought to gain a presence here through construction have done incredible things (our church included - the Center is pretty amazing and loved by everyone in Jerusalem).  

Yet what I love most about this site is this:

That is the Garden of Gethsemane. 

Can you believe it? Its area is small and clearly manicured now, but simple and peaceful. It isn't quite what I imagined, but I still love it. So much of Jerusalem has changed since the time of Christ, of course, so it isn't that easy to get an "overwhelming" sense of the Spirit at all of the sites - that is, if you're hoping to be touched by the physical senses alone. In just these first nine days I have learned again the importance of the Holy Ghost - the gift of the Holy Ghost - in having your testimony solidified by places and things. I mean, this could just be another side yard next to an impressive chapel, but I felt more here. 

Maybe the actual place Christ paid for my sins is under that church, but what I saw here is a simple, beautiful finishing touch my personal picture of the Garden.