Types and Shadows

Yesterday I listened to many of the Inaugural proceedings as I cleaned my house. I listened to the prayers (and thanked my Heavenly Father that we are privileged to live in a land that STILL prays)! I've heard many this morning who took offense at the closing prayer. It didn't occur to me to do that, it made me smile. It felt sincere. I winced for President Obama as he stumbled over the oath. He must have been nervous. I prayed in my heart that he would be in tune with heaven, that he would feel the prayers of a nation. I don't agree with any of his liberal views and they frankly scare me. I just pray that he will moderate as he realizes the burden of his office.

I marveled at our form of government and I felt the spirit reconfirm to me that this land was born with the hand of providence for the purpose of restoring the gospel of Jesus Christ, and that this land is still in the Lord's hands. I am comforted by the promise that the gospel will not be taken from the earth again, but will endure and blossom during the millennium. I don't know what trials we have to endure before that day, but I sang the song in my heart (which I KNOW to be true) "Victory, victory, through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

I was also struck with the thought that our government, our constitution with it's division of power and the amazing way that power is transferred from President to President and other elected offices by the people, in an orderly and peaceful manner, is a type and a shadow. A type and a shadow always happens in history to foreshadow a coming event, such as Abraham sacrificing his son, foreshadowing the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It struck me that perhaps the government of this nation was a foreshadowing of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter day Saints; how our church transitions from one prophet to the next (with far less fanfare) and in complete order. And then I thought of how Abraham did not have to sacrifice his son, but how our Father in Heaven literally did; the real event so complete and perfect whereas the type and shadow just that, a shadow. I thought of how each type and shadow builds toward perfection, and then my heart soared as I imagined the culmination of that PERFECT transfer of power one day when Christ will reign on earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Now that is THE inauguration I pray to behold!

Draper Temple

Ron and I had the wonderful opportunity to host a V.I.P. tour of the Draper Temple for our stake on Friday, January 9, 2009. Some of the general authorities as well as stake presidents lead tours of their families and various others through. We were stationed in the stake center, but they graciously let each host couple tag along on one of the many tours.

The temple is of course breathtaking! The celestial room rises five stories! I can't wait to plan at least an hour in there just gazing up. It makes you look up! I hope and pray that Ron and I get called to work in this new temple. We will be released in March from our assignment at the Jordan River Temple.

I just want to bear my testimony again that first, God lives! Jesus is the Christ! That I have had the privelege of feeling the Holy Ghost (who is also a God) bear witness to me of this fact! President Monson is the prophet of the Lord for the whole world! Joseph Smith did restore the gospel of Jesus Christ, in it's fullness, in these latter days! The temple IS the house of the LORD! And, I love my family so much!

I have included a link so that friends and family who live too far away to come to the open house, can have a glimpse inside this beautiful temple. I will definately tend Aubrie, Jules, so you can go when you are home next! For everyone else "please" take this opportunity to take your children and let them experience the beauty and reverance and wonder of the temple! Also, in the beginning film our children's ancestors were mentioned twice! Guernsy Brown on Ron's side and William Draper on mine! Be sure to listen for them.

And, I cannot fail to mention the other most significant thing that happened on January 9th! It was our beautiful and wonderful firstborn grandaughter's 12th birthday! Ron and I take the older kids out for their birthday and Becky hit a new milestone this year. She requested Ihop for lunch! At first it was always McDonalds, then she graduated to Wendys, and now . . . ! Happy birthday sweet girl. We love you so much!

http://www.ldsmag.com/churchupdate/090114tour.html

Holt Family Review of 2008

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Christmas Video

I'm so grateful to have a testimony of Jesus Christ! I want to keep Christmas in the way that would make Him happy! In the way that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints keeps Christmas! This video is beautiful, and it's real! Merry Christmas I love you all!

Merry Cowboy Christmas!

Roy Rogers and . . .

Dale Evans on Buttercup!

Come What May And Love It

Elder Wirthlin passed away today. What a wonderful man. I used his talk from conference last month for my visiting teaching message. I love his message because it is something I am only beginning to understand and barely trying to implement in my life. Ron can handle adversity like this. So can Becky. At Becky's wedding breakfast her father paid her the highest compliment when he said to her new husband, "Zak, I want you to know that when things go wrong (and they surely will) I can think of no one I would rather be with than Becky!" He then went on to tell the story of their camping trip on the top of a mountain. They had back-packed in and set up camp barely before it began to rain. And then all night long it rained and it was cold and the water seeped in. Finally about 4:00 a.m. their tent collapsed with the weight of sleet and snow. It was pitch black outside and they could do nothing but wait until dawn to pack up and hike out. So, the two of them laughed and told stories as their teeth chattered and they continued to get wet. Instead of complaining and gripping Becky eased the load. Ron felt bad enough that his daughter was in this miserable situation. I love that she can do that!

I'm trying so hard to be more like Ron and Becky! (He taught her how) what an example they are to me. I'm grateful that he has put up with me all these years when I have not responded as well. In my family growing up everyone's glass was always half empty and I saw Elder Wirthlin's comments literally played out on a daily basis growing up. He said:

"Have you ever seen an angry driver who, when someone else makes a mistake, reacts as though that person has insulted his honor, his family, his dog, and his ancestors all the way back to Adam? Or have you had an encounter with an overhanging cupboard door left open at the wrong place and the wrong time which has been cursed, condemned, and avenged by a sore-headed victim?

There is an antidote for times such as these: learn to laugh."

I have observed both Ron and Becky say, "Well, you can't change it anyway, might as well make the best of it!"

I think I am able to understand this whole concept better, because I am learning to be grateful! Several years after Robert died my Relief Society President challenged me to count my blessings! She wouldn't leave me alone until I promised her that I would count five blessings a day. She was so ernest and kind I did it for her and it was pretty easy for about a week. But, the only rule was I could not count the same blessing twice, so it forced me to become more and more specific. I did it for a few months and I could NOT believe how it changed my life. I love the hymn "Count Your Blessings"! It's almost my favorite hymn. It constantly surprises me "What The Lord has done!" And, done, and done, and done, and done! I'd start listing all my blessings but NO ONE has time to read them all!

Thanks Elder Wirthlin for the wonderful Thanksgiving message! And thanks, Ron and Becky for living it!

Hey!!! Hoorah!!! I think I finally did it! I had a good attitude on Thanksgiving day didn't I? I thought the whole thing was pretty funny even while it was happening---maybe even funnier than Ron did. Of course food is pretty important to him, and I didn't really care that much because I didn't have to cook, so I don't know how much it counts, but still---I laughed! I LAUGHED when the day went wrong!

Now if I can only laugh next time . . .

So Thankful!

What a funny Thanksgiving we had this year. So different! I told Ron that this is one we will remember because: tragedy plus time = humor! We didn't have a real tragedy so the day became something to laugh about as it unfolded.

Kids, as you know your Dad is a good sport! All I can say is it's a good thing that Kristi made him such a lovely turkey dinner when he was with her and Julie last month. He kept saying, "It's okay, I had a great turkey meal a few weeks ago!" Thanks, Kristi! And, thanks Jules for the "turkey a-la-king" you made your Dad before he left!

Now, about Thanksgiving: All of our children had dinner at the in-laws this year, so that left Ron and I. I have fed the five-thousand for 36 years (which I love and look forward to many times more) but I decided it was time for a year off, so we planned to go out to dinner and a movie. The movie we wanted to see wasn't there. (We didn't check, we just assumed!) So we saw "The Boy In Stipped Pajamas" which was really well done, but a little sobering and sad for Thanksgiving Day. Okay! So, it was then on to dinner. Except we didn't even think that almost EVERY restaurant in town was closed --- even the fast food! After driving around forever we found one open with a line longer than you could believe. So instead we found a Smith's open, and we figured we'd get something from the deli. Could you believe it was closed? I was grateful though that the workers were home and didn't have to work.

Well, we bought a store brand pizza, brought it home, and baked it (it was the WORST pizza I have eaten in a long time!) I think the taste was even worse than the heartburn it gave me afterward! Then, it was off to a viewing. That's right, a friend of ours died and the family had the viewing on Thanksgiving!

Sometimes you just have to laugh! The evening ended early because we had the temple this morning. We get up at 3:45 a.m. so we try to get a really early night! Before bed we had pumpkin pie (I made some the day before) so the day wasn't a complete loss! Ron really enjoyed his, but after the pizza pie my stomach was rolling a bit. It was a good thing we'd had it earlier for lunch. It was great then.

And I'm still thankful! I'm so thankful that I have my sweetheart to share such a day with! A man who never complains about the food I serve, and can laugh when things don't go as planned! All in all it was a great day!

Remote Control

1955: Roylance in the kitchen, "Fraaank . . . will you please turn down that television!"

"Ronald, go turn down the t.v. . . . no, no not the channel! Who threw the pass? Channel son . . . turn the channel back to 5! That's it boy, now turn it up just a little that's it . . . no, no not that way!"

Now you know why your Dad is so phobic about technology. In 1955 he was the technology!

Hoorah For Zion!

It was a wonderful Sabbath day. The one day a month that I teach are usually like this but today was especially so. I love teaching because it gives me the opportunity to bear my testimony and feel the spirit. It reminds me of how much I love Heavenly Father and reminds me of the hope of the gospel through Christ! It reminds me of how much I love my family and how much happiness I desire for them all!

All of the opposition the church has been experiencing over Proposition 8 has made me nervous and sad. Ron and I listen each Sunday night to the special on channel 14, on the Joseph Smith papers. It is a research project undertaken by scholars at BYU to read and publish all of the papers written by and about Joseph Smith. They are learning new things and it is wonderful to follow each week. Tonight's segment was about the legal premises for which Joseph Smith and the other leaders were imprisoned in liberty jail in Missouri. Attorneys went over every bit of recorded evidence and procedure and it was awful at how trumped up and really illegal everything was. It scared me that this kind of misinformation and bigotry could happen again today. Then, they always air last weeks segment (which we missed) and it was on the twelve apostles missions to England. One of the Pratt brothers was the most educated and was sent to a university city in England (I forget where, I forget so many things lately that it scares me, but all my friends do too, so that is somewhat comforting.) Anyway as he was presenting his message the scholars were polite and interested in a new idea, but not to the extent of becoming converted. He wrote that he wished he was experiencing more opposition like the other brethren were who were baptizing hundreds, so it could stir more interest. Well, his wish was granted and because of the opposition several hundred were baptised.

That gave me comfort and made me remember the temple in Denver. After all of the publicity and opposition more than 100 thousand attended the open house because of curiosity and so many baptisms resulted! It got me thinking about all this negative publicity the church has been receiving and then I thought of all the good Americans out there who know Mormons as neighbors and co-workers and friends. Most people are decent and good. They will see the reality of the vicious attacks as opposed to the good people they know and it will spark their curiosity. You know, I really believe that it will be these kinds of things that will cause the honest in heart to seek for the Lord! Life is good! The gospel is true! The Lord is in charge! Good will prevail! I feel like shouting as Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball did as they rose off their sick beds to wave goodbye to their families and shouted "Hoorah for Zion! Hoorah for Zion!"

I think that is really what Ron, Aubrie and Julie were doing at the Rocky statue in Philadelphia weren't you guys?

Hoorah for Zion!

The Law of Life

My nephew wrote a wonderful tribute to a scout leader who influenced his and many other lives for good. He included this poem which his leader shared with the boys at one of their campouts. I hope Jeff doesn't mind if I pass this on because I have always loved that poem and it has often given me strength.

Jeff said, "Near the camp there was a large open field which we called Bristlecone flat because at the upper end of the field there was a very large Bristlecone pine tree. Bristlecone pine trees are very interesting and beautiful trees. They are the oldest known living organism (thousands of years old in some cases). The interesting thing about these trees is that they typically grow in very rocky regions near windswept ridges, at the timberline. In this very harsh environment they grow very slowly, but are very resistant to bugs and other things that kill trees. I'm not sure how old the tee at bristlecone flat is, but half of it is dead and has been burned. It looks like its been through hell, but it is really a majestic tree. I've always remembered a poem that Mike shared at one such fireside:"



The Law of Life

The tree that never had to fight
For sun and sky and air and light,
That stood out in the open plain
And always got its share of rain,
Never became a forest king,
But lived and died a scrubby thing.

The man who never had to toil
Who never had to win his share
Of sun sky and light and air,
Never became a manly man,
But lived and died as he began.

Good timber does not grow in ease.
The stronger wind, the tougher trees,
The farther sky, the greater length,
The more the storm, the more the strength,
By sun and cold, by rain and snows,
In tree or man, good timber grows.

-Author Unknown