Turkey Wrap... Up

I realize that I have been back from Turkey for almost two weeks now, but I wanted to share some last thoughts. For my Old Testament class I was required to write a reflection paper, I figured, if I put that much work into something then I might as well milk it for what it's worth.

So here it is:

Overlooking the Agean Sea, Paul walked a lonely road from Troas to Assos,.Acts tells us that here he met his companions before traveling to Mitylene. As I sat overlooking the Southwest, where we believe the harbor would have been I couldn’t help but wonder what Paul must have felt here towards the end of another missionary journey. The song, ‘A Poor Wayfaring Man’ came to my mind as I tried to relate the emotions of this devoted disciple who would soon be tried, charged and killed for his work preaching the gospel. I was drawn to the final verse where the author is reunited with the Savior who speaks these words: “Of me thou hast not been ashamed. These deeds shall thy memorial be; fear not, thou didst them unto me.”

            Pergamum, the city of temples, is referenced to by John in the book of Revelations. As we walked through the ruins and ended at the Altar of Zeus, what is referred to as Satan’s seat in chapter 2, it became real to me that Paul had many of the same cultural obstacles that we have to today when sharing the gospel. Like we talked about in class, idols don’t have to be made of stone, they can be found in what we set our hearts upon. I realize that Paul in his work here in Pergamum felt many of the same frustrations that I did as a missionary serving in the South.

Pergamum, the city of temples, is referenced to by John in the book of Revelations. As we walked through the ruins and ended at the Altar of Zeus, what is referred to as Satan’s seat in chapter 2, it became real to me that Paul had many of the same cultural obstacles that we have to today when sharing the gospel. Like we talked about in class, idols don’t have to be made of stone, they can be found in what we set our hearts upon. I realize that Paul in his work here in Pergamum felt many of the same frustrations that I did as a missionary serving in the South.

As we entered the crowded old Roman city of Ephesus I imagined that this must have been close to what it was like when the city was in its prime of nearly a quarter of a million people. As we bustled through the crowded street I couldn’t help but feel like I was in an ancient New York. This was likely one of the strongholds of the Church, and yet within it Paul faced some of his fiercest opposition. In the Grand Theater we read of Paul nobly entering a place where his companions asked, even begged for him not to enter, knowing that this could be the end of his mortal mission. I can’t help but awe and the bravery of Paul entering an arena that was not foreign to the spilling of blood. I can’t help but wonder if this event is behind my favorite verse in Romans, which the Bible Dictionary informs was written from Corinth during his 3^rd missionary trip (in which he purposely avoids Ephesus). In Chapter 8 he asks, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?... Nay, in all things we are more than conqueror through him that loved us.” While I will likely never have to stand before a crowd of 25,000 persecutors, I too can say with a surety know that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.

      

As we visited St. John’s Basilica I envision he whom the Savior loved reflecting and writing upon the life and ministry of Christ. In Revelations we read that Ephesus had begun to accept false apostles and in stark contrast we see how a true apostle likely lived outside of the main city during his final days, showing to me that the apostasy had already begun. The soberness and spirit has changed the way I look at John’s writings, I can now put myself into his place in a context that was unavailable to me before visiting this site. Undoubtedly we know as latter-day saints that John continues his ministry until the second coming of the Lord.

 The last day of our trip took us to a place that many consider the solidification of apostasy, ancient Nicea. Here Constantine assembled a council of 300 bishops to help determine the nature of Christ. Ultimately their ruling of Christ as homoousios with the Father led to the Nicean Creed of 381 AD. As I sat here overlooking the now underwater palace of this council I couldn’t help but wonder if the Lord, by allowing this council and the ones to follow which undoubtedly became the backbone of Christianity for centuries, was preparing the world for the last and final dispensation. To me I will remember this place not as the beginning of apostasy but as the beginning of preparation for the final dispensation, where the Lord (even without prophets) was able to place stepping stones for the gospel to be restored through Joseph Smith Jr., a young boy in upstate New York nearly 1500 years later.