Jerusalem

By Susie Larson

The Lord Knew Me

By Susie Rigby Larson-Fall 2000 alumni

When I was 21 I attended the Fall 2000 semester at Brigham Young University’s Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies. I was a history major and loved exploring a land that held so many stories. We traveled and learned Hebrew and Arabic. We also studied the New and Old Testaments with wise professors and ate so much good food.

Me in front of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem Fall of 2000

Our exploration of the Old City of Jerusalem was cut short on Friday, September 29, 2000. I was sitting on our dorm balcony overlooking the Temple Mount where the golden Dome of the Rock is, when I started to hear automatic gunfire and smoke rise from the Temple Mount. I was so alarmed I ran to my professor’s dorm room who had a TV and asked him to turn on CNN to see what was happening. We learned that there was an uprising between the Palestinians and Israelis with rocks being thrown and gunfire. This conflict called the Second Intifada would go on for years and we were the last group to be able to study at the center for 5 years.

Violence breaks out in Jerusalem. I took this picture off my balcony on September 29, 2000.

Several small groups of the 178 students were out in the Old City exchanging money in preparation for our Jordan trip on this violent Friday. People were throwing rocks and shooting guns and it was very dangerous but many of the shopkeepers in Jerusalem knew who the BYU students were and protected us and made sure that the “Mormons” from the “Mormon University” as they called us were looked after and they shepherded us back to the center.

Our center went on lockdown. We could not even be on our balcony or by the windows. Following this uprising, our group left for Jordan for about 5 days. Then we briefly came back to the center and visited the Dead Sea and Qumran caves. With Jerusalem still in unrest, we spent almost 3 weeks at the Sea of Galilee and Ein Gev to keep us safe.

The BYU Jerusalem center is a very special place. Our prophets and apostles and program directors for decades have worked on fostering good relations with all our neighbors- hiring equally both Palestinian and Israelis to work there. As students we learned perspectives and history from many sides. 

Although frightening, It was such a beautiful time to be on the Sea of Galilee for so long. We took our time exploring. We rented bikes to pedal around the sea, walked the hills, swam, and explored hot springs, and the beautiful churches representing the life of our Savior.

Here is me roaming the hills around the Sea of Galilee

Unfortunately, I left my camera at the little church where traditionally Jesus had performed a miracle of feeding the thousands with just a few fish and loaves of bread. I asked each group of students coming back off the bus if they had picked up a camera. No one had seen it. I was so sad and a bit overwhelmed by being so far away during such a tense time in the region even though the Sea of Galilee was much safer than Jerusalem at this time. With perspective, I know losing a camera is a little thing but I was devastated to lose it.

Mosaics from the Church of the Loaves and Fishes where I lost my camera.

At the time my little New Testament class was singing the hymn How Firm a Foundation and we got to the line ”At home or abroad on the land or the sea as they days may demand so thy succor shall be“ and “Oh be not dismayed for I am thy God and will still give thee aid.” I have learned one way I hear Him is through sacred hymns.

I knew the Lord knew me and my circumstances were known and I was filled with peace and an overwhelming feeling of love even though my camera was gone and the program could fly us out of the region any day. We also were told the First Presidency was praying for us individually by name in the temple.

I was just one of 178 students but one of our busy directors Dr. Halverson went back to each of the churches and found that a nice nun had picked up my camera and miraculously I got my camera back! My director took the time for just me.

I learned it’s not necessarily so important where Jesus walked but how he walked. His life was taking care of the individual, and my program leaders and professors exemplified this attribute. The Atonement is individual and Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ know us by name and can comfort us when we are sad.