“The Glories of the Gospels”  A study tour in Israel

Dec 26, 2014-Jan 7, 2015 ~ 11 days in Israel

As of May 1, 2014, this tour is FULL, register or call 801-272-5601 to add your name to the Wait List.

 

Glorious it truly is to study the New Testament Gospels while visiting where Jesus Christ was born, grew up, taught, performed so many miracles, was crucified, and resurrected in triumph!  Scholars, historians, and veteran tour hosts James & Judith McConkie and Dean & Kathleen Collinwood will teach and guide you through this sacred text and holy sites while increasing your knowledge and understanding of New Testament sites intertwined with Jesus’ teachings, life, environment, and holy mission as Savior of the world. 

In-depth study of The Gospels:  Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and teachings in Third Nephi.  Explore the fascinating old walled city of Jerusalem.  Walk on the Mount of Olives, meditate in Gethsemane and at the Garden Tomb.  Visit Bethlehem, Nazareth, the Galilee region, the Jordan River and Jericho.  Fascinating ruins at Caesarea, Sepphoris, Capernaum, Qumran, Masada, and so much more!  Unforgettable Sacrament service at the amazing and beautiful BYU Jerusalem Center.  The food is wonderful, and the locals are warm and welcoming.  Off-season travel means low crowds and pleasant mid-60-degree temperatures–the perfect time to go!

 

• Learn from noted scholars  –   The days start with inspiring classroom-style discussions before departing the hotel to visit these incredible sites.  Groundwork will be laid during these presentations to aid in your understanding and appreciation of these sites, their vast history, and their importance to the Savior’s life.

• Participation opportunities  –   Tour members will be given the opportunity to read scriptures aloud at sacred sites.  The Beatitudes will be read where the Lord first gave them.  The miracles of walking on water and calming the sea will be presented on a boat on the Sea of Galilee!  Read of healings and raisings of the dead where they occurred.

• Relive the Lord’s last week   –    Sit close together in a small amphitheater at the edge of the Garden of Gethsemane looking across the Kidron Valley at the walls of Jerusalem.  Fifteen tour members in turn read Bible verses describing the Lord’s Triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the Last Supper, the betrayal, His desperate pleas in Gethsemane to let this cup pass from Him, predicting Peter’s denials, His arrest, arraignment before Caiaphas, Peter’s denial three times, trial before Pilate, crucifixion and glorious ascension to heaven.  Finish the devotional by singing, with tear-filled eyes, “I Know that My Redeemer Lives” while contemplating all of these incredible events.

• Life-changing meeting   –   Garden Tomb    Gather for a most inspiring meeting just a few feet from the Garden Tomb where the crucified Jesus was buried and resurrected in triumph on the third day.  Hear testimonies of the Savior while just a few feet from where the body lay broken and His blood was shed.  You may never forget how you felt while sharing and hearing sacred and tender feelings while gazing at the Lord’s tomb.  Scriptures will be read testifying of Jesus.  Hear Mary Magdalene’s incredible experience as the first witness of the resurrection.  All tour members are given a few minutes of reflection in the tomb, in small groups.  You may never again be able to sing a sacrament hymn without tears and being taken back to that spot and this stirring experience.

Tour ID	Dates	Price each by number sharing a room* 1              2              3	Tour Hosts
IS31M	Dec 26, 2014-Jan 7, 2015	$4245   $3840   $3702	James & Judith McConkie and Dean & Kathleen Collinwood

Tour is FULL, register or call 801-272-5601 to add your name to the Wait List.

All-inclusive Pricing:  total SLC airfare (other cities by request; any baggage fees extra), very nice lodging, charter bus, all meals (except airports), group admissions & events, expert MHA guide services, and local guide & driver fees and tips.  Maid & wait-staff tips additional, about $40 per traveler.  *3 persons max per room.  Generous $1650 credit if not using SLC group air–call to coordinate with group schedule.  $200 deposit secures a seat first-come, first-served.  Balance due 6 weeks prior to departure.  Mail checks to Mormon Heritage Association, 2367 W Goldenpointe Way, West Jordan Utah 84088; credit cards & more details by telephone.  No  immunizations or travel visa required; Passport must be valid 6 months beyond return date.  (Once group seats are ticketed, price subject to current market airfare prices for like or similar flights; call for details inside of 30 days before departure.)

“Our trip was incredible and one that will be most cherished for the rest of our lives.
We rejoice in being taught by the McConkies.  They are the best!
They were the perfect hosts and always so gracious to everyone.”  Bruce & LaReen Littlewood

“The tour was excellent and the McConkies’ knowledge really made the tour come alive.”
Vincent & Carol Ann Webb

“We are taking Jim & Judi’s class now and are so excited to go on this tour—we know how good they are!”
Judy Price 

Sites Visited	What is or what was there
Joppa Port	Jonah departed for encounter with the whale.  Crucial, ancient sea port.  Beginning of Jewish rebellion against the Romans.  Peter’s vision regarding great sheet and unclean animals to be eaten, Cornelius, etc.  (Visited as airline arrival allows.)
Caesarea	Huge, elaborate, exciting ruins of an ancient city at the edge of the beautiful Mediterranean Sea.  Peter lived here as did Cornelius.  Paul was prisoner here for at least a year.  Built by King Herod.  Roman theatre, chariot racing hippodrome, Crusader fortress, moat, Roman aqueduct.
Tiberias	On the west side of Sea of Galilee.  Modern city overlooking the water.  3 hotel nights.
Sepphoris/Zippori	Capital of the Galilee region during the Roman occupation.  Excavations suggest this ruins site was a wealthy Jewish city in which Joseph and Jesus could have worked being close to Nazareth.  Magnificent mosaics, cisterns, markets.
Nazareth	Home of Joseph & Mary and for most of 30 years the scene of the Savior’s youth.  Ancient synagogue where tradition says Jesus read from Isaiah proclaiming himself as fulfilling the law.  Marvel at a nearby cliff where the people may have tried to cash him off headlong because of his proclamation yet “he passing through the midst of them went his way.”
Peter’s Primacy	Jesus feeding the 5000, shore of Sea of Galilee – Jesus left in boat people walked around shore to meet him
Capernaum	Jesus performed more miracles here than any other place.  Peter the fisherman lived here.  Jesus lived with him much of the time he was in Galilee.  Ruins of Synagogue built over ancient synagogue where the Lord preached and did miracles.
Chorazin	Jesus cursed this city for their unbelief in spite of witnessing many miracles.
Mount of the Beatitudes	Each of the beatitudes will be read by a tour member, from this site, overlooking the peaceful Sea of Galilee.  Sermon on the Mount site where the Savior preached to the people a sermon that he later repeated to the Nephites.
Galilee Boat Ride	Jesus walks on the water, calms the sea.  Recount these marvelous scriptural events on board a beautiful, wooden boat built especially for this purpose by dear Jewish friends.
Caesarea Philippi	“Who do men say that I am?”  “Whom say ye that I am?”
Mt. Hermon	Likely transfiguration site located above the gushing headwaters of the Jordan River – the lifeblood of this land.
Jericho	City of Palm Trees.  Walled city ruled by a king.  Joshua’s spies went to Jericho, walls fell, captured & cursed by Joshua.
Qumran	Greco-Roman name of the former biblical City of Salt (or “Salt Lake City”).  Dead Sea Scrolls discovered here (scrolls of the Essenes).  Many of the caves visible from the site.
Jordan River	Baptism site – Qasr El Yahud located at the southern end of the Jordan River, very near where the Savior was baptized.  Read the scriptural account of the Savior’s baptism and receiving of the Holy Ghost descending “like a dove” just a few feet from this peaceful, sacred river.  Look across the water to view Jordan on the other side.
Dead Sea	Opportunity to “take a float” in the beautiful, mineral & salt water at the Dead Sea.  People come from all over the world to experience the rejuvenating effects of the mineral-rich water and mud baths.  (It’s very different from the Great Salt Lake.)
Masada	Walled “winter palace” fortress of Herod the Great.  Captured by Jewish patriots from a Roman garrison.  One of the last strongholds to resist the Romans.  See the remains of this palace and the ramp built by the Roman soldiers to re-capture it only to find Eleazar & his followers had killed themselves in a mass murder-suicide.  Cable car ride to the mountain top.
Bethlehem	Birthplace of the Lord, Jesus Christ.  Shepherds’ fields.  Original home of Elimelech and Naomi.  Ruth and Naomi returned here after the famine.  Here Ruth married Boaz and became the great-grandmother of David, king of Israel.  Thus, Bethlehem is the original home of the Davidic family, and for this reason Joseph & Mary came here for the census.
Bethany	Home of Jesus’ disciples & dear friends Mary, Martha & Lazarus.  Jesus called forth Lazarus’ to rise again after 4 days.
Mount of Olives	Separated from Old Jerusalem by the Kidron Valley.  Overlooks Jerusalem.  Where Jesus addressed the disciples, suffered at Gethsemane, and ascended to heaven.
BYU Jerusalem Center	Unforgettable Sacrament meeting while enjoying a spectacular view of the Old City of Jerusalem from the Mt of Olives.  From this vantage point, view the landscape of the Savior’s last week.  Beautiful, peaceful grounds above the busy city.  The center was re-opened to BYU students in January 2007.
Orson Hyde Memorial Park	Dedicated by Spencer W. Kimball in 1979.  5-1/2 acre park, amphitheater, olive trees; overlooking the old walled city of Jerusalem.  Hear Elder Hyde’s description of his journey in the 1800s to dedicate this land as a latter-day Apostle.
Jerusalem – Old walled city	The most sacred city in the world, and the most important one in biblical history.  Sacred to Christian, Muslim, and Jew.  Step back in time to walk the streets of this ancient city.  Shops, cathedrals, lively culture, etc.–a must-have experience!
Dome of the Rock, Temple Mount	This site is held sacred by Muslims, Christians, and Jews.  Mount where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac.  Jesus taught & healed here.  Future temple to be built here before the Savior’s second coming.
Western Wall	Supporting wall Herod built around the temple mount.  Holiest shrine of the Jewish world.  Evening tour of the excavation tunnels beneath today’s city – fascinating!
Jerusalem Archaeological Park	South end of the temple mount, walk on and among actual ruins of the Second Temple steps and outer wall.  It is truly amazing to ponder all of the people who would have walked these steps on their way to the temple.
King David’s Citadel	Also Built by Herod the Great.  The only part of the walls of Jerusalem to remain standing after Titus and the Roman army destroyed the city in 70AD.  Spectacular evening light show rehearsing the history of occupation of this magnificent city.
Israel Museum	Home of “Shrine of the Book” housing the Qumran Dead Sea Scrolls exhibits.  Fragments are on display from which you can read actual translations.  Gain a greater perspective while viewing a wonderful model of the old city as it was during Jesus’ time complete with Second Temple.  As time allows, also see many ancient artifacts discovered throughout the region.
Gethsemane	Relive the Lord’s last week from the small, private amphitheatre at edge of Garden of Gethsemane.  Hear scriptures read by fellow tour members recounting the events from the Triumphal Entry to the Crucifixion to Jesus’ Ascension to heaven.
Garden Tomb Park, Golgotha	Irrefutable site of the actual tomb where the Lord was buried after the crucifixion and resurrected three days later.  A few hundred feet from the cross site.  Peaceful setting amidst a bustling city.  Hear Mary Magdalene’s account of the Savior’s last days and of seeing him in a resurrected state.  Bear testimony of the Savior just yards away from the empty tomb during our final devotional together.  The perfect ending to the perfect tour!

WE HOPE YOU CAN JOIN US TO EXPERIENCE THIS AWESOME, HOLY LAND!

 

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