Last night of Jesus' mortal life

Today was a long and very tiring day. We began by walking to the Garden of Gethsemane. We were going to walk the last night of the Savior's mortal life. (Right - some people hurrying to the Western Wall while a police officer on the right looks on). In the Garden, we sang hymns, read scriptures and talked about the Atonement. Then we had a little time to privately meditate. It was very nice.
From the Garden, we had a long walk down the Mount of Olives, through the Kidron Valley, and up the Ophel Ridge to Mount Zion. There we first went to St. Peter in Gallicantu. That church first commemorated the place where Peter went and wept after denying the Savior three times. (Left - police blockade near the old city of Jerusalem). Now it commemorates the place where the denial happened. It was an interesting church. Under the church are caves where flogging actually took place. Archaeologists say that they really are from the first century. It was interesting, though many people had a hard time with that place.
Near the church is an ancient (first century) road that was the main road going to Caiaphas' palace from the Ophel Ridge. (Right - St. Peter in Gallicantu). That is most likely the road that Jesus would have been brought after being arrested.
We then walked to Cenacles, the place where the traditional Upper Room is located. That was really cool. The current room is from the Crusader period. It was turned into a mosque when the Muslims came in, but is not a mosque right now. We sang in there and read more scriptures before going to our next stop. We went to St. Anne's Cathedral. That church is traditional the location where Mary's parents lived. They obviously got it wrong (they lived in Nazareth) but the church is still there. (Left - the road near St. Peter in Gallicantu that Jesus was most likely taken along on the night that he was arrested). It is near the Pool of Bethesda where the Savior healed a man who had been there for 38 years, unable to get into the water. We sang in the chapel and the priest there told us he really enjoyed hearing us sing. He asked if we were professionals.
Our next stop was the Church of the Flagellation. That church commemorates the place where the Savior was scourged after his trial at the Antonia Fortress by Pilate. It is likely that it took place there, or nearby. We sang inside that church as well.
We had a break for lunch. I went with a group through the Old City. (Right - Pool of Bethesda). It is really interesting to be in Jerusalem right now because it is Passover and the Eastern Orthodox Holy Week. There are lots of pilgrims from all over. We saw some entertainment that is going on for Passover, and then we went and walked on the roof of some buildings in the Armenian Quarter. As we were leaving the Old City, we got stuck in a people traffic jam. Luckily, my experience in Russian buses, as well as Jade's, came in handy. We had everyone grab hold and we pushed our way through the crowd. (Left - Church of the Flagellation). Eventually the people behind us started pushing us. They were pushing so hard that some people coming the other direction got mad and started yelling at us in Italian. It was actually amusing because we couldn't do anything about it.
We ended our field trip by going to the Garden Tomb. It was nice because the place was empty. We had a tour and then a lesson by Brother Draper. We also sang. Today has been a great experience. I walked where Jesus would have walked. It was long and tiring, but I didn't walk it after suffering agony in Gethsemane. I didn't walk it after being beaten and humiliated. I didn't walk it after being scourged and mocked and beaten again. I also didn't walk nearly as far as the Savior, who made a return trip back to be seen by Herod before being sent back to Pilate. (Right - the Garden Tomb). I can only imagine what that night and morning was like for the Savior, but I think I can better imagine it after today.
Tomorrow is my last day in Jerusalem. I'm not sure what I am going to do. I can't believe that my time in the Holy Land is coming to a close! I have learned so much, experienced so much. I am sad to leave, but I am also very grateful that I had the opportunity to come here. I hope I can come back again someday.
(P.S. I will try to add pictures tomorrow because it isn't working right now for some reason).