Garden of Gethsemane

From the Mount of Olives, looking out towards Jerusalem

Red Poppies were in season, lining the fields. Our guide, Daniel Rona, pointed out that the bright red flowers were the lilies of the field that neither toil nor spin. Kings dressed in red and scarlet, but not even Solomon was arrayed as one of these. Kings also rode on donkeys. A donkey was at the other end of the garden looking on when we arrived.

Lilies of Red -by Daniel Rona

The season bursts forth in radiance,

painting the landscape in shades of green.

Flowers add their rhythm in cadence,

splashing color to brighten the scene

Most precious are the lilies of red.

They spin not, they toil not, yet in their way,

they teach of the color of Him who bled,

on Gethsemane’s most fateful day.

His glory is to lighten our load.

He heals us with joy and harmony

A landscape of love for young and old,

His radiance opened eternity.

Lilies of red, they testified

Of Him who bled and died,

Lilies of red, witness they give

He died so we could live.

He lives, He’s risen from the dead

praise God for Lilies of red.

Apostle Howard W. Hunter, on a visit to the Holy Land, requested a special sacrament service at Gethsemane. Our guide, Daniel Rona, was asked to clean up the garden before the service. However, Daniel’s wife, who was expecting, went into labor! Daniel was blessed with a new baby that night, but he had not completed his assignment. Early the next morning, on the Saturday Sabbath, Daniel and his friends cleaned the garden just in time for the meeting.

At the service, President Hunter requested Daniel Rona to give the opening prayer. Daniel was overwhelmed with feeling, being a new father, in a sacred place, and in the presence of a living apostle. He prayed that the Lord would be present with them on the mountain, because nowhere else in the world would Latter-day Saints be assembled to worship on Saturday.

The meeting progressed with the sacrament.

Following the ordinance, Elder Howard W. Hunter took the stand and spoke.

“During the sacrament prayer, all of you had your eyes closed, but mine were open. I looked over towards that rock and saw a man approach. He sat down so he could observe.”

As if in direct response to the opening prayer, Elder Hunter then testified, “I would like you all to know that the Savior was with us today.”