Thursday, February 21, 2008

in loving memory of dad...

i've been thinking about this blog post for a while... wondering how i could ever do it justice. my dad, scott j keyser, passed away last week - feb. 12 - from cancer. what more can i say to desribe him than the best dad i could have ever asked for? i've had a few request for the letter that i read at his funeral. so i thought i'd post it here.

dad's letter to me while i was on my mission:

Dear Natalie,
Just a quick note to let you know that you are never far from my thoughts. I pray all is well with you and you are enjoying your MTC experience. We keep getting reminded that you aren’t here. Yesterday, while preparing dinner, your mother had to make the white sauce for the cauliflower, and you weren’t here to help with the dishes. Bridger seemed lost without Natalie to play with. I miss hearing about the drama in your life (your mother is sleeping better now) and I eagerly wait your first letter. Checking the mail has much more urgency now. Natalie, please remember how pleased the Lord and your parents and family are with the decisions you have made and your preparations for this period of your life. We love you and we pray for you continually. I look forward to reading a detailed description of what is happening in your life.

my letter to dad for his funeral:

Dear Dad,
Just a quick note to let you know that you are never far from my thoughts. I know that all is well with you and that you are enjoying your spiritual experience. We keep getting reminded that you aren’t here. The VCR that wasn’t working last week still isn’t working today, and the chair that you always sit in is empty. And we all seem lost without dad to play with. I miss telling you about the drama in my life and I eagerly wait to see you again someday. Dad, please remember how pleased the Lord and your wife and kids are with the decisions you made and your preparation for this period of your life. We love you and will always remember your example of righteousness. I look forward to giving my children a detailed description of you and your life.

segment from another letter i received from my dad while on my mission: (dad's testimony)

I know that the Joseph Smith Story is true. The book of Mormon is true. Christ atoned for our sins, He was crucified and resurrected that we may someday live as resurrected beings with our Father in Heaven if we will humble ourselves and do his will.

he was truly a man of faith...




Tuesday, February 5, 2008

in memory of President Hinckley



james makes fun of me because i always say that President Hinckley and I are amazingly alike. laugh if you will but its true. here, see for yourself (and if you're lucky enough you may even find that you too share some similarities with this remarkable man):

top ten reasons president hinckley and i are alike...

1- both born in utah

2- we both served a mission to england

3- his first assignment was to Accrington, England. Accrington was in my frist area.

4- President Hinckley is famous for his time in Hyde Park, London. I am famous for my time in Hyde, Manchester (and i'm sure there's a hyde park somewhere in that town).

5- we both graduated from the university of utah

6- we both majored in english

7- we both wanted to be journalists though i got confused and ended up as a buyer in the purchasing department.

8- we both married extremely well.

9- he has five children. i've always wanted five children.

10- he's LDS. and so am i.

its ok, you can admit it. i am basically his twin. but the truth of the matter remains, that i am a completely insignificant person compared to him. he lived his life in a manner that i could only hope to come close to someday. and i am so grateful to him for leading a life so full of love and hard work that has inspired me to live better. and hopefully someday, even though i won't be as well known as he is (and mike wallace probably won't want to interview me) i'll still be able to look back on my life with satisfaction, knowing that i didn't hold anything back. because if anyone can say that...he can.