So last weekend Brother and Sister Harris from my home ward of Mt Mahogany Fourth, invited me, Kathy, and Arlissa to come spend the weekend with them in Tiberias where they are serving a mission as the Branch President. They live in the branch meetinghouse (which is the only property in all of Israel that the LDS church actually owns) situated on a beautiful hillside overlooking the Sea of Galilee. Sacrament services in Jerusalem seem to come guarenteed with spectacular views. In Jerusalem you overlook the Old City, in Tiberias the room we met in has a glass wall over-looking the Sea of Galilee!
The meetinghouse is Beautiful! The Harris spend much of their time taking care of the building and the grounds, much time serving the members of the branch who live VERY far from one another and many of whom don't have cars, they also do much service in the community working with elementary music programs (Sister Harris) and with the curriculum for a local University (Brother Harris). As busy as Brother and Sister Harris are, they found time to house us, feed us, and show us the sights for one packed weekend. They made are stay SO pleasant. They had such a wonderful, happy, comfortable spirit with them. I can't say enough about how kind they were.
We arrived Friday late afternoon and it was HOT! Hot and humid. The weekend we happened to go, Tiberias was the hottest spot in the country (which includes parts of the Negev Desert). It was also incredibly humid. Didn't cool off at night either. Everything was closed for Shabbat, so we had a wonderful Dinner with the Harrises and watched a video about the history of the branch in Tiberias. The next day was Church. At the moment there are only about 10 members of the branch, plus two service missionary couples (the Harris and the Becksteads) and whatever visitors are in the area at the time. Three members of the branch are Spanish-speaking care givers. Four of the members are a family of husband, wife, Seven year old boy and five year old daughter from Argentina who have immigrated to Israel for work. There is Spencer (who just goes by Spencer--not Mrs. or Sister)--an American woman who has lived in Israel since 1967. She originally came because she wanted to learn Hebrew to better understand the old testament. And lastly the Hansen's who have lived in Israel since the late 70's (Brother Hansen moved here with his family shortly before going on his mission; Sister Hansen came as a recent high school grad to live in a Kibbutz [a communal farm] for a year, met Bro. Hansen's family, became pen pals with Bro. Hansen's brother and eventually started writing Bro. Hansen--they got married shortly after his mission and both have lived in Israel ever since). The Hansen's currently have one teenage son still living at home--the rest are living in the United States.
There was also a lovely woman named Theresa from Paradise, UT who was visiting her Aunt--a Professor teaching in Haifa for three months.
One of the best parts of church was the combined Relief Society and Priesthood meeting on Emergency prepardness. Instead of questions like, "do you have a year's supply of wheat and a wheat grinder in your food storage?" We heard questions like, "Horhez, if you were in downtown Tiberias, where would the nearest bomb shelter be?" We even got into a discussiom about government-issued gas masks and I have a hand-out that helps me to identify an anti-aircraft missile vs an anti-tank missile. You know. Essential emergency prepardness skills.
We hit up the ancient-boat-found-on-the-shores-of-Galilee exhibit on Saturday, but most of the other sites were closed by the time church was over, so we had a nice restful day at the branch house talking, eating, and singing hymns together.
Sunday we hit Capernaum first. It was so nice to go with the Harris and their BYU field trip manual. We read pertinent scriptures, knew what historical things of interest to look for (like one of the only depictions of the ark of the covenant) and sang Hymns together. It was like having our own little devotional.
Next we visited Tabgha, where there is a famous mosaic of loaves and fish (except that Chapel was closed when we cisited) and it's also the site where the resurrected Savior appeared to Peter and told him that if Peter loved him (Christ) to feed his sheep. I love that scripture.
We had lunch at the branch house. Cooled off momentarily and then got in our swimsuits to head to Mt. Tabor--a possible sight of the Mount of Transfiguration--and then go on to a swimming hole that is a favorite of Bro. and Sis. Harris. The view from tabor was be-utiful. Unfortunately the swimming hole was closed when we got there. Brother Harris was really disappointed.
The drive there and back was also really cool. We went through the Jordan River valley. You could see parts of Jordan (the country) along the drive. We also saw goat herds, cow herds, and date tree farms.
Kathy and I did get selected at the checkpoint along route 90 to get out of the car for additional checking. They took our passports, dusted them with something, made us go through a scanner, looked at our passports some more, then sent us on our way. The best part was when the female soldier questioning Arlissa asked her why Kathy and I were with her (Arlissa was exempt from the extra searching because she's a diplomat), Arlissa responded with, "They're my friends." The soldier, "Really?"
Arlissa, "Really."
Kathy and I, "Yea. Really. We're all friends."
Soldier, "Really!?"
"Yes. Really."
"ok." Followed by a friendly smile.
Just one of the many things in Israel that doesn't really make very much sense.
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