the Freedom Trail

We spent an entire day in Boston following the Freedom Trail. We started out the day aboard a harbor cruise boat that took us out in the bay for a spectacular view of Boston. We saw Bunker Hill, Old Ironsides and other historic sites from the boat. Afterward, we got on an open air trolley that took us around the city to view the sites from atop a tour trolley. Later in the day we started walking along the trail that is just over 2 miles long. Rick's parents took a break in the lobby of the Longwarf Marriott hotel and we set out to walk the trail. Rick can be seen walking along the red bricks that led from one end of town to the other following the Freedom Trail. All along the way were historical sites that were sandwiched in between modern high rise buildings. It's quite a mix of historical and modern buildings, blended all into one interesting city. Loved the North End! The sites along the way included: the Boston commons, the State house, Park street church, Granary Burying Ground, King's chapel, old corner bookstore, old south meeting house, the Boston massacre site, Faneuil Hall, Paul Revere House, Old North church, Copp's Hill burying ground, Bunker Hill and Old Ironsides. It was so interesting to learn more about what happened to the early colonists in those years of the American Revolution. We were awe struck by their courage, strength and moral fiber. I'm so intrigued by the story of those early revolutionaries, that I've decided to read the book 1776. It was a day not to be forgotten and we felt a sense of reverence and appreciation for what happened in Boston and surrounding towns, all those years ago.

I love to see the temple

In each of the cities we visited, we had the opportunity to see the LDS temple. We drove past it outside of Boston as we drove to Lexington and Concord. We drove past the New York City temple while on our bus tour of the city. And we drove past the Washington DC temple on our way in to the city. Each edifice is an imposing sight and each is a blessing to the saints who live in that part of the world. Rick attended the NYC temple while Pat and I went to see South Pacific. He made a noble choice and he had a great experience. Of course he commented on how quiet it was inside the temple even though it is located in uptown Manhattan in a very busy part of the city, across from the Lincoln Center and the Julliard School of Music.
We also had an interesting experience listening to General Conference over the Internet in our hotel room on Sunday, October 4. Our niece Catherine brought her laptop to our hotel room and got it hooked up to high speed Internet. We thoroughly enjoyed listening/watching the messages that were delivered at both Sunday sessions, sitting in the overstuffed chairs of the Hampton Inn in Revere, Massachusetts. What a wonderful blessing that conference is available to anyone who has an Internet connection and who has a desire to participate in the meetings. We recorded the Saturday sessions on our DVR before we left and we have been watching those sessions since we missed seeing them when they aired. What a wonderful age we live in! We can participate in conference from almost anywhere, anytime and be taught, edified and feel the spirit of our Heavenly Father through His servants. The messages where powerful and strengthened our testimonies. We're so blessed to be members of the church of Jesus Christ.

Family along the way

On our travels last week, we got to see some family members along the way. In Boston we saw our niece Catherine. She is attending graduate school at Emerson. We went to Legal Sea Foods with her and her boyfriend Ryan. We had a lovely evening visiting with them and enjoying the best Boston clam chowder I' ve ever eaten. Great meal, great conversation, great people.
Washington DC - we stayed with Vern's sister Yvonne and her husband Mike. They were wonderful hosts and took such great care of us all. Yvonne was trilled to spend some time with her older brother Vern. It's been years since he has visited her in her home and she was so excited to have us all come for a visit. We enjoyed staying in their basement apartment and we partook of some of Yvonne's delicious home cooking. Yvonne and Mike both have PhD s from prestigious eastern universities and Yvonne has taught at Trinity University in DC for many years. She is an expert in art. Their home is filled with the treasures they have collected from their extensive world travels through more than 100 countries. They are such interesting people to talk to and we enjoyed our time with them very much. They couldn't have been nicer or more accommodating.
Washington DC - we got to go to lunch with our niece Haley who works in downtown DC as a lobbyist. We learned about her work and her life in the city. We had a great chat with her and it with nice to pass an hour together enjoying Asian food during her lunch hour. She walked us to the White House on a beautiful fall day. In addition to seeing all the wonderful sites that we saw, it was so nice to see some familiar faces and to pass some time with loved ones.

Our 'First Freedom'

I was reading this morning in Alma 2:2-8 and realized that these verses correlate exactly with what is currently happening in the news from yesterday when Elder Oaks spoke to the students at BYU-I. The verses state:


2 Now this Amlici had, by his cunning, drawn away much people after him; even so much that they began to be very powerful; and they began to endeavor to establish Amlici to be a king over the people.

3 Now this was alarming to the people of the church, and also to all those who had not been drawn away after the persuasions of Amlici; for they knew that according to their law that such things must be established by the voice of the people.

4 Therefore, if it were possible that Amlici should gain the voice of the people, he, being a wicked man, would deprive them of their rights and privileges of the church; for it was his intent to destroy the church of God.

5 And it came to pass that the people assembled themselves together throughout all the land, every man according to his mind, whether it were for or against Amlici, in separate bodies, having much dispute and wonderful contentions one with another.

6 And thus they did assemble themselves together to cast in their voices concerning the matter; and they were laid before the judges.

7 And it came to pass that the voice of the people came against Amlici, that he was not made king over the people.

8 Now this did cause much joy in the hearts of those who were against him; but Amlici did stir up those who were in his favor to anger against those who were not in his favor.

Take a look at this article in the newspaper. Elder Oaks states:

• "The contest is of eternal importance, and it is your generation that must understand the issues and make the efforts to prevail."
• "Religious values and political realities are so interlinked in the origin and perpetuation of this nation that we cannot lose the influence of Christianity in the public square without seriously jeopardizing our freedoms," he said.
  "I maintain that this is a political fact, well qualified for argument in the public square by religious people whose freedom to believe and act must always be protected by what is properly called our 'First Freedom,' the free exercise of religion."
  "A second threat to religious freedom," he said, "is from those who perceive it to be in conflict with the newly alleged 'civil right' of same-gender couples to enjoy the privileges of marriage."
• "The real issue in the Proposition 8 debate — an issue that will not go away in years to come and for whose resolution it is critical that we protect every one's freedom of speech and the equally important freedom to stand for religious beliefs — is whether the opponents of Proposition 8 should be allowed to change the vital institution of marriage itself
• "The supporters of Proposition 8 were exercising their constitutional right to defend the institution of marriage — an institution of transcendent importance that they, along with countless others of many persuasions, feel conscientiously obliged to protect," he said.
  "Any such effort to have governments invade religion to override religious doctrines or practices should be resisted by all believers."

The former University of Chicago law professor, Brigham Young University president and Utah Supreme Court justice acknowledged during his devotional talk Tuesday afternoon at BYU-Idaho's Hart Auditorium that, thanks to the Internet age, his message would be received by an even wider, more diverse audience.

For me, once again these parallels reaffirm that the Book of Mormon is truly for our time.

Once again I realize that this is the fight of our generation. It's not to force our beliefs off on others, it's to preserve the time honored definition and sanctity of what constitutes a marriage.

Once again I'm grateful for the free exercise of religion — as protected by the U.S. Constitution - and I'm happy to be among those who are being called upon to rally in its defense.

It's one thing to look at statues and plaques and to read the historical significance of what transpired at different times and places. It's another thing entirely to stand in defense of something I believe in, even if it's unpopular and criticized by Senator Harry Reid.

Lexington & Concord

Birthplace of the American Revolution. Stunning scenery. A feeling of reverence and solemnity.

"It was here in 1775 that the Minute Men took a stand by challenging the British Redcoats. History was made as the Minute Men displayed the determination of the American colonists. Two centuries later, Lexington Green still evokes that historic confrontation. If fact, much of the area has been preserved. Long stretches of the Battle Road, set aside as National Park land, retain their open farmland, woods, and stone walls. Concord's North Bridge, site of "the shot heard 'round the world" still leads to open meadow. Many historic houses that were witness to the battle still stand. And displayed in the Concord Museum is the lantern hung in the steeple of the Old North Church on the night of Paul Revere's famous ride." Check out this web site here.

While we were there, a National Guard troop came by on maneuvers. They had been out all night on a 20 mile hike and they were finishing up at the Minute Man monument. We couldn't help but contemplate the symbolism of one historic and one modern group of men who were fighting for and defending our liberties. It was a sobering sight.