Vacation Part 2

After the Houston Space Museum, which I posted about a couple months ago, we went to MEXICO! We took a Carnival Cruise with "LDS Cruise Lady." We cruised from Texas to Progreso, Mexico and then to Cozumel, Mexico. We took some tours to supposed Book of Mormon historical sites. It has been a dream of mine to do this since I learned about these trips 12 years ago at Ricks College. And my dream has come true! As if that wasn't cool enough, John Bytheway was also there as a featured speaker!

Our view from the upper decks of the ship. 

Did you know John Bytheway and I are old buddies? We go WAY back... 

like all the way back to EFY at BYU 15 years ago.

Our stateroom. They're small but they get the job done. 

A priority for Alan was to make sure we have good food if we're going to spend the money to go on vacation. And it was good and there was plenty of it!

Formal night in the dining room. 

After a day and a half of cruising, we arrived at our first port, Progreso Mexico. There we boarded a bus with our group and drove to Chichen Itza-- One of the seven wonders of the world, and Book of Mormon historical site!

Our tour guide's name was Helaman. He is awesome and I highly recommend him. He's had 30 years of experience doing these tours and he's taught the scriptures for many years in church callings. He KNOWS his stuff. He also has a brother named Nephi and one named Lemuel. But he assured us he is a GOOD Lemuel and that he's even a Stake President. Apparently, though, Lemuel did ask their mom why she named him Lemuel of all names and she said, "Lemuel, are you murmuring?" Get it!? Ha Ha!

www.helamantours.com

We walked through all the little shops where vendors sell their goods before we got to Chichen Itza. There were so many beautiful things! We laughed because the vendors would shout out things like, "Cheaper than Walmart!"

Here we are at the beautiful Chichen Itza! This is where the ancient Mayans lived. At the top of this temple is where they did animal and human sacrifices to their Gods on an alter. Helaman explained to us that these Mayans may have gotten the idea of sacrificing on an alter at the temple from the Nephites and Lamanites, who were likely their ancestors. But that the Gospel had been changed over time, and they lost the truths about the Savior and that He gave His life for us so we wouldn't have to suffer, and it was only because of His blood and sacrifice that we would return to God.

John Bytheway and his wife Kim.

There were many Temples which Helaman said were constructed in a very similar way to Solomon's Temple, with similar rooms, layouts, alters, etc. Which is interesting because there is no way they could have known about Temples or any Old Testament practices if they didn't have the plates, and we know they did because Lehi brought them over when he came to the Americas. 

This is the ball court they used to play on. Helaman said they played with their knees and elbows, not their hands. He also said it was an honor to play and to win. The winners were sacrificed on an alter to the Gods, specifically Chac the Rain God, so he would send them enough rain. Creepy!

The King sat in the little building above the circle. 

Helaman showed us these carvings of the ball players. You can see the faces in some of them. 

These paintings in this temple used to be very bright and colorful but have faded over time. 

Much of the buildings had carvings of skulls, which was to represent all the human sacrifices. They were kind of obsessed with it! Helaman said they would even take the person's heart out of their chest as part of the sacrifice, to show the Gods they had a "broken heart," but they misunderstood the meaning passed down from their ancestors that God wants us to give him our hearts figuratively not literally, and to have a "broken heart and a contrite spirit."

Helaman was able to teach us so many things that non LDS tour guides don't know. He said because he has the knowledge of the Book of Mormon, he is able to be a MUCH better tour guide because he understands where the Mayans got many of their ideas from-- the Nephites and Lamanites! He said it is truly amazing how much of their symbolism points to Christ, but they often didn't realize it.

The Mayans were masters of the constellations and the seasons. Helaman taught us that in March of every year, people flock here to Chichen Itza for the Spring Equinox. This is because the sun hits the stairs on Chichen Itza in such a way that it makes the shadow of a snake down one side. Many believe the Mayans knew the sun's patterns so well that they made this tribute to the snake because they believed it had powers. Helaman taught us they got the idea of the snake having healing powers from their knowledge of the plates and of Moses and the brass serpant, and of how he told them to look at it and they would be healed. Helaman also told us that the shadow is actually not fully completed in March, it is fully completed on one day-- April 6th. Just a coincidence that it's Jesus' birthday? I think not!

There were many sculptures and carvings of serpants/ snakes with wings to represent healing. 

They have started excavation projects and they are finding that there were other cities below Chichen Itza, which supports the claim that the Nephites and Lamanites could have lived there.

If you look closely, you can see the numbers on the stairs. 

The round looking building below was a place they would go to view the stars and constellations. 

Helaman believes that these baths could have been baptismal fonts. They even had plumbing. 

You can't see it very well here, but below on the right is a carving of what looks like a man on a horse, which supports the idea that the people in the Book of Mormon could have lived in that area. Many have said the Book of Mormon is false because there were no horses here long ago, but this could disprove their theory. 

Here is a better photo: 

SO fascinating!

Helaman's daughter makes beautiful Tree of Life replicas based on a large stone discovered in 1941 in the ancient Mesoamerican city of Izapa by archeologist Matthew Stirling. The stone carving has been dated to the Preclassic Guillen Phase between 300 BC and 50 AD. While both LDS and Non-LDS scholars debate the interpretation of the carving, it's hard to ignore the striking similarity it has to Lehi's dream of the "Tree of Life" found in 1 Nephi chapter 8. The tree of life, the people eating fruit, and other resemblances to the account of Lehi's dream, coupled with the location it was found, and it being dated dead on to the Book of Mormon timetable, makes this an intriguing evidence of Book of Mormon authenticity. But like all faith evidences, this won't make people believe who don't already. I think it's so cool! Going there and taking this tour with Helaman was one of the neatest experiences I've ever had! We hope to go back with the girls someday!

(LDS scholars have labeled all the people and things happening in the carving such as the waters, the twelve roots or twelve tribes, Laman with his back turned to the tree, angels, etc.)

The next day, we stopped in Cozumel. It was much more touristy than Progreso, but very fun!

We toured some of the old churches and ruins in the area. 

We went to a wonderful beach and I wished I could stay there all week! No-- all YEAR!

Next was San Gervasio, a smaller site than Chichen Itza, but still neat. We were supposed to go to Tulum which is apparently a stunning site next to the ocean, but the ferry wasn't making trips that day. 

 Nacho Libre masks were everywhere in Mexico!

We got to see some very old villages. Our guide said these paintings were once bright and colorful. 

Our guide, who was not LDS this time, said this rocky path used to be a major road that connected many cities. John Bytheway then told him that we believe it could have been the highway spoken of in the Book of Mormon. It was so cool!

Next was Discover Mexico Park. There were many Tree of Life replicas. 

Alan got some real, authentic Mexican tacos, complete with real authentic, Mexican HEAT. 

I'm not sure why this is legal, but these dudes are brave. 

It's a swan! One night they had a chocolate dessert bar. Let's just say it was a top priority to attend.

 I loved laying out in the sun!

This was an awesome couple in our group. The husband, Tad Derrick, was featured in John Bytheway's book "Super Sonic Saints." He was a pilot in the Air Force during World War II and told us of some amazing and spiritual experiences he had during that time, one in which his miraculous answer to prayer helped save his fellow soldier during a combat mission near the South China Sea. 

Below is the group we ate with every night. We especially loved the couple sitting across from us, the Nallys from Arizona. We had such an amazing time! It took me a while to get my land legs back (I was really dizzy for 3 weeks afterwards) so cruising may not be my first choice in the future, but other than that, it was awesome! I am so thankful we got to go!!!