April 9, 2012 "The Holy Land"

Bonjour Bonjour!

I know your all sick of hearing me talk about time. But its freaking me out because I remember last easter thinking 'woah, by next easter I'll be near the end of my mission". And voila qoui. Commence freakout.

ANYWAYS how lovely is it that we get a two times of the year to celebrate Christ's life. I have loved studying the last week of Christ's life this week. It reminds me of another easter I spent studying Christ's life in the Holy Land. Studying in Jerusalem is an experience I'll never forget. Studying and experiencing Easter in the Holy Land is an experience I'll never forget. During that week in Jerusalem, we attended many different religious celebrations. We walked into Jerusalem with thousands of people singing and waving palm leaves just like people did to welcome Christ on the donkey. We attended mass. We went to churches and sang. We snuck into the upper most towers of a church to watch a midnight reinactment of people carrying Christ's body into the seplachure. We were at a sunrise evangilical service in the Garden Tomb. And then we went to our sacrament meeting. Where we quietly took the sacrament to remember what Christ did for us.

I've thought about my Jerusalem experiences alot on my mission. I know you don't have to travel the Holy Land to understand the bible...but I am so grateful for how alive the bible is for me because of that experience. But Christ my Savior has because much more real to me this past year. In a year of serving others while wearing His holy name on my chest everyday, I've learned what his gospel really means. Sure it was nice to sit next to Olive trees and compare Christ's allagories to the real tree. Sure it was nice to ponder the scriptures in the Garden of Gethsemne. But those stories and scriptures have come to mean so much more as I, at least attempt, to explain to people how they can bring peace into thier lives.

I don't remember who said it, but one general authority said that where you serve your mission will become your holy land. I feel so grateful to have had this past year to make France and Belgium my own personal holy land. And I know that Christ was ressurected and lives today.

Happy Easter.

Soeur Smith