I’m going through some audio tapes from 1984, when we spent Easter in the Holy Land. I was going to upload a clip of the audio, but it won’t let me. Here is a rough transcription. It is a recording from Daniel Rona, recorded with permission for personal use.
“Gethsemane (on Mt. Of Olives)= vineyard, or orchard where wine is pressed. Geth = garden Sheme = oil, or stuff you squeeze out. How do you recognize a wine press person – feet and clothing stained red.
Read from scriptures. (matthew – 8 verses) Most significant thing that has ever happened. The public part, happened at the rock quarry. The crucifixion was a public atonement – for everyone. Gethsemane not for everyone, only for those who take advantage of it through repentance.
Here the Savior suffered for our sins (and we say it much to easily.) We are basically good people trying to do the best we can, and we can’t even stand in for our own children, and we can’t take away their hurts, or our own. He even atoned for those trying to be wicked. We don’t have comprehension what he went through that night. Story – Elder Faust. He stood under these trees and said, “I’ve been here before.” He felt so unworthy when he was called to the quorm of the 12, that he was in actual pain, and felt he couldn’t do it. He hurt like he never hurt before. Pres. Kimball replied that they understood, because they had all gone through it. He was trying to explain that this was like the cup being pressed to his lips. He did not have to drink it. He felt he had been to Gethsemane before. It takes a long time for us to come close to comprehending what the Savior went through, just because of who we are. I’m grateful for it, I want it. He said “Repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, .and your sufferings be sore, how hard to bear, etc.” Find scripture
He hurt so much that night that he bled from every pore of his body. What did he look like? D&C 46? Who is this, who cometh down. 133: “He shall say, I am he . . . red in his apparel. The sun shall hide his face in shame. Etc
With this horrendous experience, he came down and found the disciples asleep. As he arrived he told them to sleep, then told them to wake and said He is at hand who will betray me, and the multitude, of Jewish policemen, came. Judas kissed him. Scripture. Can you imagine the man whose ear was put back on, explaining how he arrested Christ? Scripture reprieving Peter. Scripture reprieving them for abducting him at night. It is illegal, according to Jewish law to arrest someone at night, unless you catch him in the very act. And they came with swords and staves to take him. It was a full moon, significant night, the night before most people would celebrate the deliverance of the People of Israel out of Israel, and look forward to a deliverer, to live again, that he paid for our mistakes. It was so much that he bled from every pore. That night he paid for our mistakes so that we wouldn’t have to. We have to pay for our mistakes in another way. We have to only by stopping them, replacing them with blessings for others”
Related articles
- Gethsemane: The Olive Press (revivalandreformation.wordpress.com)
- To Gethsemane (sago.com)
- My Own Personal Gethsemane (cherrysocks.wordpress.com)
- Are you sleeping? (atourblessedhome.wordpress.com)
SEEing Miracles 