NANCY - What does the term "types and shadows" mean in the scriptures?

JOEL - The term "types and shadows" refers to things that you might also call analogies or examples. There might be certain physical objects or things that happen on this earth that represent spiritual things of heaven.
For example in the New Testament Jesus Christ refers to Himself as a Shepherd with His flock (John 10:14-16).
There are many types and shadows in the Old Testament that represent the coming of Jesus Christ. The Savior himself reminds us that the sending of manna to the Isrealites was a similitude of his coming as the true “bread of life” sent from heaven.(See John 6.)
Paul taught that the rock which was broken open in the wilderness and from which came life-giving waters witnessed that Christ, the Stone of Israel would be broken, that through his blood we could have life.(See Ex. 17:3–6; 1 Cor. 10:4)
Moses set up a likeness of a serpent that the Isrealites had to look upon to be saved from the poisonous serpents that were attacking them; obviously a representation of Christ saving us if we look to Him(Num 21:6-8).
Another example is where Alma, in the Book of Mormon, teaching his son Helaman of the significance the Liahona played in his people’s journey to the promised land, says, “And now I say, is there not a type [similitude] in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.” (Alma 37:45)
In this analogy, Alma is comparing the wilderness, through which the Liahona guided Lehi’s family, with mortality—“this vale of sorrow.” And he compares the promised land with eternal life—“a far better land of promise.”
These are all examples of "types and shadows".