Prophets of Our Day: Howard W Hunter

Going back to Junior High when I was in the 9th grade.  I entered the seminary building with my friends (there was only six of us in the class).  We entered the room and we were stopped short as our seminary teacher, Brother Ellis, was sitting quietly in a chair next to the radio.  Solemn, there was a silence in the room as we saw tears stream softly down his cheek.  Moments later, the prophet, President Howard W Hunter was confirmed dead.  Tears fell between all seven of us in the room and we asked what happened next.  There I learned the wonders and truth of the Priesthood.  We learned how the keys are distributed among the government of the Church, how prophets are called, and how the Lord's Church will never leave the earth again.  Brother Ellis was to teach us something else about the New Testament and in our time of need he was able to have a discussion on the truths of the Gospel.  I am ever grateful that he took the time for such a need in my life.  I do not remember much of his sermons but I do remember the love I had for the prophet of God (even though at 14 I took for granted this wonderful blessing. ) 

“There is no such thing as instant greatness. This is because the achievement of true greatness is a long-term process. It may involve occasional setbacks. The end result may not always be clearly visible, but it seems that it always requires regular, consistent, small, and sometimes ordinary and mundane steps over a long period of time. …

“True greatness is never a result of a chance occurrence or a one-time effort or achievement. It requires the development of character. It requires a multitude of correct decisions for the everyday choices between good and evil. …

“As we evaluate our lives, it is important that we look, not only at our accomplishments, but also at the conditions under which we have labored. We are all different and unique individuals. We have each had different starting points in the race of life. We each have a unique mixture of talents and skills. We each have our own set of challenges and constraints to contend with” Howard W Hunter

His parents met while his mother was on a trip from Mt. Pleasant, Utah to Boise.  John William Hunter was not a member of the church and Nellie Marie Rasmussen although loved John did not want to marry outside of the temple.  She moved back to Mt. Pleasant but John was persistent and they were married December 3, 1906.  

Howard was born on November 14, 1907 in Boise, ID.  2 years later after his sister was born, his mother boiled a pot of boiling water and set it on the floor, Howard came running into the house and fell with his hand being scalded from the pot of water.  At age 3, he contracted polio.  

Nellie was faithful and attended church and all of its activities.  She encouraged Howard to be engaged in the Lord's work and to be a faithful Saint.  John felt that age 8 was too young for children to decide their faith of religion.  Howard was baptized when he was 12 after asking his father if he could do so.  He was ordained a deacon 11 weeks later.  The first time he passed the sacrament he was nervous but was thrilled of the opportunity.    He was color blind and had a hard time telling the difference between red, green, and brown.  

Although his childhood was filled with challenges he would accomplish anything his mind was set to.  He did many odd jobs and when a fundraiser was setup for a new chapel in Boise, Howard was the first to pledge ($25).  He had musical talent, great student, he was the second to receive honor of  eagle scout in Idaho (1st went to a boy he knew, while both earned 21 badges-Howard did not complete 3 required which were athletics, cooking, and civic.  So the other boy became the first in Idaho.)  He learned to play the marimba, drums, saxophone, clarinet, and the trumpet, piano, and violin.  He organized an orchestra for which we played a lot of these instruments and was invited to aboard the SS President Jackson and play for 2 months.

During a Sunday school class he was nurtured and while he always attended church, he found his love and understanding of the gospel in this class setting.  He was eager and absorbed all he could: reading, studying, speaking in class, and received his patriarchal blessing.  Here is a part of that blessing.

“The blessing stated that Howard was one ‘whom the Lord foreknew,’ and that he had shown ‘strong leadership among the hosts of heaven’ and had been ordained ‘to perform an important work in mortality in bringing to pass [the Lord’s] purposes with relation to His chosen people.’ He was promised that if he remained faithful, he would have showered upon him ‘intelligence from on high,’ he would be ‘a master of worldly skill and a teacher of worldly wisdom as well as a priest of the most high God,’ and he would use his talents in serving the Church, would sit in its councils, and would be known for his wisdom and righteous judgments” 

Howard met his wife at an adult dance in California.  He decided to get married instead of going on a mission.  They decided that together, him and Claire, would serve a mission together.  They met in 1928 and were married on June 10, 1931 in the Salt Lake temple.  Deciding that the lifestyle of a professional musician often put him with acquaintances that drank, he gave up that ambition and sold most of his instruments.
They started their marriage in Hermosa Beach, California.  Their first apartment was a little bit of luxury and they would go swimming in the ocean almost everyday.  Determined not to go into debt they moved into a 3-bedroom home just walking distance from the bank where Howard worked.

‘For this reason we didn’t have all the things we wanted, but we had what we needed to make us comfortable,’ Howard said”

During the Great Depression, the bank where Howard worked closed.  Being the entrepreneur he was he sold soap door to door, surveyed roads, and painted bridges, and worked in the title department for the LA County Flood Control District.  The latter found himself that he had a great love for the law.  At age 26, he decided to go to law school.  He finished his pre-requisites and found himself four years later with a degree in hand and 3 beautiful children.  He worked full-time, went to school, went to sleep and then arose at 2am to study.  He graduated 3rd in the class.

August 1940, he was called to be the youngest bishop in California.  He was only 32.
1950, he was called to be stake president.
In 1959, Howard and Claire traveled to Salt Lake to attend the October General Conference.  He received a note from David O McKay saying that he wanted to meet with him and that tomorrow he would be sustained as a member in the quorum of the 12 apostles.  He accepted the call to the Lord and the next day as he climbed the stairs to take place with the other apostles he felt all eyes on him and the weight of the world.
He taught about true religion.

“True religion to the Christian is demonstrated by a real belief in God and the realization that we are responsible to him for our acts and conduct. A person who lives such religion is willing to live the principles of the gospel of Christ and walk uprightly before the Lord in all things according to his revealed law. This brings to a man or a woman a sense of peace and freedom from confusion in life and gives an assurance of eternal life hereafter”

He traveled the globe.  He traveled to the 'Holy Land' twice.  He developed a great love for the place where Christ was born, grew, and became our Savior.

“We were in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve where Christ was born. There were some 20,000 others there from every land and of every color, race, language and creed. But when we went down to Shepherds’ Field, we were all alone in the dark. That is, it would have been dark but for the bright moonlight and the starry sky. We sang softly to ourselves: ‘Far, far away on Judea’s plains, shepherds of old heard the joyous strains: Glory to God in the highest.’ Here no mosques nor cathedrals marred the scene and we felt a sweet spirit and could well believe that few changes had taken place here since the holy night. …

He received two assignments to dedicate the Orson Hyde Memorial Garden and the Jerusalem Center.
He taught that "All are Alike unto God" and spoke of the love for all mankind, All are Heavenly Father's children.  He taught how to develop spiritually.  He spoke that apostles have a hard time keeping thin for they are well fed by the Saints, spoke hope to those with a wayward child, taught that everyone has challenges and will face trials, know the scriptures, Center your life on Christ, he gave counsel to sisters.
Howard became chairman of the advisory board for New World Archaeological Foundation.  They searched the Americas for authentic places of the Book of Mormon.

He enjoyed visiting the sites of Mesoamerica and made a number of trips to those areas.

He turned 5 stakes in Mexico into 15 stakes in one trip.  He made it easier for the members to travel, allowed for growth, and helped them to become better aligned. 

In 1983, his beloved Claire passed away.  

In 1987 he underwent back surgery.  He was told that he would never walk again but faith was his message and he underwent much physical labor to stand and walk.  

May 20, 1988 was called to be the President of the Quorum of the 12.  He was still trying to regain use of his legs from the surgery.  He did eventually walk again and knew it was because of the faith and prayers of the brethren of the 12, his determination, and the Lord's will.

April 1990, he married Inis Bernice Egan, an acquaintance from California. 

On February 7, 1993 President Hunter was at the Marriott Center getting ready to speak when a young man with a brief case that he said was a bomb and told all but President Hunter to leave the stand.  Pres. Hunter was asked to read a statement that the Lord had chosen this young man to be the prophet.  President Hunter refused and the congregation stood and sang, "We Thank Thee, O God for a Prophet".  The young man was taken into custody and the fireside resumed.  The message he delivered was, "An Anchor to the Souls of Men."

He was in a similar situation at the BYU Jerusalem Center where he received a note that there was a bomb threat.  Him and Boyd K Packer continued their message without fear.

On June 5, 1994 he became the 14th president of the Church of Jesus Christ.  He called President Hinckley and President Monson as his counselors.  He taught that every member should be worthy to attend the temple, he was a strong witness of Christ, and to seek a Christ-like life.

March 3, 1995 he died.

Here is his last conference address