The Beautiful

Land of the Free
Because
of
the
Brave

"We stand as a Nation that is strong and deserving of praise. Yet we are humbled, because we remember that the wealth of this Nation's heritage, the strength of its ideals, and the extent of its freedom came with a tremendous price.



These treasures were purchased with the lives of American service men and women, a cost borne prominently by several generations. We are humbled because so many bright futures, hopes, and dreams were sacrificed for the abundance of opportunities we now fully pursue.



We honor the final sacrifice of our service men and women by dedicating our own lives to peace and the defense of freedom. For these ideals they fought, and for these ideals we continue to strive.



May we stand with diligence and with humility on the broad shoulders of those whose brave deeds and sacrifice we memorialize today. Let all of us commit this day, whether in public ceremony or quiet reflection over a single grave, to remember them in fitting tribute."



From Prayer for Peace, by the President of the United States, George W. Bush




A young man from our ward at church was killed in Iraq last year.
His name was and is Rowan Walter.

We visited his grave yesterday.
We honor him.
I attended his funeral and I wrote that day in my journal, "I never remember feeling so patriotic as I did when they brought his casket in the chapel today." I will never forget the thankfulness in my heart I have for him and others who have paid this great price for us, and for our freedom.