Holy Lands Tour Day 1
DAY 1/ Wednesday, July 11, 2018- Flight to Israel

We’re off! It’s going to be a long day flying across the US and the Atlantic Ocean. I’ve never been able to sleep on an airplane, but hopefully with headphones and the right music, along with a good neck pillow, I’ll have better results this time.

Our family got some bad news last night. My nephew’s body was found by police, apparently the victim of a hit and run, near the freeway. Definitely tough news. We know him as a kind man, but he had a tough life, and struggled with severe mental illness, as well as addictions from self-medication. My heart hurts that he died this way, but a part of me is comforted that he’s finally in a place of peace, where his mind can find the healing he needs, and he’s homeless no longer. I am so grateful for my faith in God and His plan for us.

“Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. 5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Psalm 30:4–5 https://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/ps/30?verse=4-5&lang=eng#p4

The theology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints views the afterlife a little differently than some other religions. We believe that if you didn’t have an opportunity to understand or accept the gospel of Jesus Christ during your mortal life, that opportunities are given to you in the Spirit World, before Judgement and resurrection. It was impossible for my nephew to make clear decisions in his mortal life, due to his mental health problems. I believe that now he has a better opportunity to learn from family members who passed on before he did. Knowing this gives me peace. Of course I still mourn his loss, but I also rejoice that he is free from the mental limitations he struggled through for most of his life.

Back to the journey to the Holy Lands that Mr. Hot Stuff and I are embarking on. We meet up with the rest of our group this evening in Los Angeles, and I’m so excited. We’ll be spending a lot of time together for the next several weeks, and I look forward to making new friends. We land super-late in Tel Aviv and then bus ride to the hotel in Jerusalem. I hope I can get some good rest on the plane this time!