Category Archives: Lewis Family

This bakery is right outside our hospice and we have enjoyed stopping there as we come and go. Today we headed out the Damascus Gate to visit a fun market not far from here. I think these good women have … Continue reading →

This is Zak, proprietor of Zak’s Antiquities (Christian Quarter, shop #24).  He is a good friend to the BYU students and LDS visitors to Jerusalem.  We visited his shop and I learned about these tear catching bottles and how they … Continue reading →

From the City of David, we walked back into the Old City of Jerusalem through the Dung Gate.  We spent the rest of our afternoon and evening in the Old City, wandering, taking photos, visiting with vendors and enjoying all … Continue reading →

Ariel view of the City of David today: What it looked like then: Making plans for what to see here: Here’s a view to the east from the City of David.  The City of David is south of the Old … Continue reading →

Today was an incredible day.  Every place here in the Holy Land is fascinating, but today was especially incredible.  We began the day exploring the archaeological site outside the southern walls of Temple Mount.  They call this The Davidson Center.  … Continue reading →

This evening after some really good pizza, we headed back into the Old City, to the Western Wall.  There are 3 different underground tours you can take there.  We had tickets for one at 8:00 down along the base of … Continue reading →

From Gethsemane, we walked down the Kidron Valley, back towards the Old City, but staying without the walls, we went north to the Garden Tomb, another traditional site of Jesus’s burial.  There is no absolute evidence that this tomb held … Continue reading →

Here are the beautiful gardens on the Mount of Olives, planted in memory of Elder Orson Hyde, Here is an interesting article about him and the dedicatory prayer he offered here more than 180 years ago: https://www.thechurchnews.com/2021/10/24/23217440/orson-hyde-dedicated-jerusalem-holy-land-180-years What Elder Orson … Continue reading →

This is the traditional site of the Garden of Gethsemane.  The word Gethsemane means ”oil press” and there are twenty-three very old olive trees here. The oldest tree in the garden has been carbon dated to 1092, a date almost coincidental … Continue reading →

Next we climbed the Mt of Olives again. On the way we visited The Church of the Tomb of Mary in a church down underground. It felt very Catholic/Orthodox with hanging lanterns and incense burning. Went down old stone steps … Continue reading →