HWH

Howard W Hunter by Eleanor Knowles page 172. in Belfast, Northern Ireland, stake leaders took the hunters on the tour of areas where buildings have been bombed and automobiles burned by the Irish Republican Army.

Elder Hunter faced danger of a different sort in 1971 when he in sister Hunter stopped over for a day in Panama City en route home from South America. “Before going to bed we walked down Central Street. As we passed the entrance to an hourly, four… Men swept down on me with the apparent intention of dragging me into the alley. I dropped to the ground and yelled at the top of my voice. In the few seconds they went through my pockets except the one in which I had my wallet, and they could not wrench my hand away from it. The crowd quickly gathered and the man ran into the dark alley. I was not hurt, although I could feel the effects of the encounter, and nothing was missing except my hotel keep. This is a rough place”

after a stake conference one weekend, elder Hunter revealed in his Journal his feelings about another kind of danger a general authority faces: it's almost impossible for a general authority of the church to keep slender. Every weekend we stay at the home of a stake president, and his wife always goes to every effort to cook, bake and spread the table with an abundance of everything. I never object because I have no dislikes – there is nothing I don't enjoy. Most people like baked ham and fried chicken and so do I, but recently I have had so much that I can't look at pig or chicken squarely in the eye without a guilty feeling for the dislike I feel is commencing to creep in.

Take this weekend for instance. At the Utah Symphony dinner Friday evening we were served half of a large fried chicken, more than I could possibly eat. On the flight to Chicago Saturday morning we had large slices of ham for breakfast. At noon on the way to Atlanta the stewardess served us deep-fried chicken stuffed with ham. Between Atlanta and Jacksonville we had a light lunch – chicken and ham sandwiches.

When we got to the Browns home there was a big dinner ready for us and sister Brown and baked in beautiful southern ham. This morning I got up and sure enough, sister Brown was preparing a huge breakfast – fried eggs, hot biscuits, grits, peach preserves and, surely you could guess, the biggest slices of fried ham I have ever seen.

On the flight back to Chicago I wasn't very hungry after such a large breakfast, but they served snacks – open-face sandwiches with sliced chicken and ham. I ate the bread and pickles and left the me. On the evening flight from Chicago to Salt Lake there is always a big dinner. First the liquor service – I had tomato juice – and then the stewardess asked me if I was ready for dinner. “What are you serving?” I asked. “Beef shish kebab,” she said. “That sounds good,” I replied, but under my breath I said, “hallelujah, last something different.” Soon the beautiful dinner was served. On the spit there were three large pieces of ham and two small pieces of beef, onions and peppers sandwiched in between. I enjoyed the beef and then commence to wish that ham and chicken had been mentioned, among other things, in the 89^th section of the doctrine and covenants.

I am grateful for the wonderful people with whom we stay each weekend and I appreciate their goodness to us, but as I passed Dee's Hamburger Stand on the way home, I thought, “wouldn't a hamburger and a malt make a wonderful banquet?”[Brandon, when I was a boy Dee's hamburger stand was advertised regularly on TV and radio. I still remember the song: let's all go to D's let's all go to D's let's all go to D's and the family all agrees! Delicious!.]

Monday night July 17 10:01 PM. Hello Brandon, as you can see I am reading Howard W Hunter's biography. Let me share with you 23 facts I have learned so far about Howard W Hunter. A – his father was a nonmember. B – he grew up in Boise Idaho C – he was the most enterprising boy you could ever imagine and found jobs earning money all over the place. D– his parents were only able to have two children, for many years.. E – Howard was the oldest child and he had a little sister named Dorothy. F – his nonmember father loved music. He also loved studying atlas and encyclopedias, with his little boy Hunter. They would imagine places they could go in the world and then read about them. G – hunters crusaders were hired to provide the music on the passage ship from California to the Orient. He could play the piano and four other instruments. Howard got to explore the Orient like he had always dreamed. He was only a teenager. H – he had at least 40 different jobs. He chose to move to Los Angeles after his ocean cruise. After working as a shoe salesman he decided he wanted to work in a bank. The Great Depression began and eventually his bank went bankrupt. He decided to go to school and become an attorney. He was married and had a family to provide for so he went to school at nights for five years. I – he had polio as a child and could never lean all the way forward and touch his toes. J – his first child died of polio at six months of age. The plan of salvation took on greater significance at that point. K – he had never learned to pay his tithing. He wanted to get married in the Temple. That was when he began to pay his tithing. His Bishop did not think he earned enough money to support a wife, the bishops information coming from Howard's tithing receipts. L – because of studying the atlases and encyclopedias as a child with his dad the idea of world tours fascinated him. M – both of his sons served missions in Australia. They planned a three month world tour to pick up his first son. President McKay called him to the quorum of the 12. He had served for 9 ½ years as one of the 14 stake president in Los Angeles. Pres. McKay heard he had a world tour planned to pick up his second some from his mission in Australia. He encouraged them to take it. They did. N –He was an extremely kindhearted man. He helped Saints in legal matters in Southern California for years and years and often times couldn't charge them for his legal advice. As California crew in membership he was an important resource for answering many problems and challenges they faced. He had lived there. He knew the people. And they loved him. All of the California issues came to him to resolve. O – Claire his wife was tall and both his sons Played basketball in high school. P – I built my home in 1983. I have lived here for 34 years. Howard was not afraid of changing residences. He moved from one house to another and built one house after another.Q – they had to raise their own money to build chapels and stake centers in those days. Do you remember those 40 jobs I told you he had? Well he was as good, As a Bishop, at finding jobs for his Ward members to to to earn building fund money as he had been at finding jobs for himself. Only problem, they didn't pay much. Later as the stake president they discovered that making commitments to pay a certain Amount of money by a certain time from all the leaders was much more effective.R– everyone says that Howard W Hunter was familiar with pain and suffering and wounds and healing. He started his life before the age of antibiotics. So death and disease common companions. S –He took his stake on a Temple excursion to the Mesa Arizona Temple at the age of 46. The Temple president asked him to address the congregation before they went to the session. His parents entered the back of the chapel dressed in white and ready to receive their endowments and be sealed. He was so shocked he couldn't talk. They had kept It a secret. That was the sweetest story. They had left Boise and come to live in Los Angeles as well. T –Marion G Romney was a counselor in the first presidency. Like Howard W Hunter he had earned his law degree later in life. That idea inspires me. They didn't know what they were going to be or do right from the beginning! U-you have probably heard of Temple preparation classes. In his stake he took a unique approach. They asked each Bishop for four or five couples that would be interested in improving their relationship with Jesus Christ. One nonmember sister married to Inactive member was surprised that the church believed in Jesus Christ. Quotation: while I was serving as a stake president in the Los Angeles area, my counselors and I asked our bishops to carefully select four or five couples who wanted to further their progress in the church.( notice the desire Brandon). Some were less active, others new converts but they were motivated to spiritually progress. We got them together in a stake Classes taught them the gospel. Rather than emphasizing the Temple, we stressed a better relationship with our heavenly father and his son, Jesus Christ. Our careful selection process assured success, and the majority of these couples did become active and go to the Temple.\Let me share an example or two. We had a brother and one of the wards who didn't attend any meetings. His wife was not a member. She was somewhat hostile, so we could not send home teachers to the home.\The Bishop approach this brother by telling him that the brother had a relationship with the Savior he needed to expand and enlarge. The brother explained to the Bishop the problem with his nonmember wife, so the Bishop talk to her, emphasizing the same approach – a relationship with the Lord that needed to be expanded. She was still not receptive but was happy to learn that the latter-day Saints believed in Christ, and consequently drop some of her defenses.\Success did not come immediately, but those who visited the home Stressing the couple's relationship with the Lord. In time she became friendly, and finally consented to come with her husband to the stake class taught by members of the high Council. We stressed the covenant one makes baptism and other covenants. Eventually she became a member of the church and he became a productive priesthood leader. Today all of their family is active in the church.[That came from page 136.] Page 137. Howard practiced in his stake leadership the same kinds of people skills that made him a successful attorney and businessman, resulting in intense loyalty among his associates. “You felt appreciated and wanted and needed,” observes Elizabeth Ashby, who served as president of the Pasadena stake young women's mutual improvement Association.”He made people responsible when they received a calling, and if they needed his opinion or counsel, he was always there. We knew that we had his complete support and interest.”\Sometimes after the formal business of stake presidency in high Council meeting said been covered, Howard would take an opportunity to counsel his associates on church policies and procedures. Elder Cree-L Coleford of the 70, who later presided over the Pasadena stake described a typical scene: “sounds of gentle laughter as the clock strikes midnight, the meeting long since concluded, and president Hunter, mellowing with each passing moment, removes his coat and, while bishops in high counselors refused to leave, talks into the night about matters of the spirit.”@@ so Brandon, why would I be reading a biography about Howard W Hunter? One – because I bought it for two dollars at DI. Two – because I have carefully read Gordon B Hinckley's biography twice and Ezra Taft Benson's once, why not go for Howard W Hunter? Three – what makes a prophet tick? That is a driving force behind my studies. Four – my appreciation for Spencer W Kimball, Ezra Taft Benson, Gordon B Hinckley, Thomas S Monson and now Howard W Hunter has increased knowing the details of their lives. Five – These are men I know and have trusted, what kind of men were they really deep down inside? I have discovered some of the most interesting personality quirks and idiosyncrasies. But heavenly father and Jesus Christ have chosen them as their key Prophets here on the Earth for some period of time and it is so heartening to me to know you don't have to be one type of person to be chosen. V – Howard's youngest sister went off to live with a man and had a baby without being married. She left him shortly but took years before she was ready to be seal to the rest of the family. Do you think Howard understood what it was like to have your first child die in in the sea? You think he understood what it was like to have a nonmember father? Do you think he understood what it was like to have an inactive sister? What does that tell you Brandon? Pretty amazing isn't it. W – sisterTauna Buckway wanted to make a point of how important a close relationship with Jesus Christ is, in Sunday school yesterday. Missouri turned out to be a testing place. Zion's camp turned out to be a testing place. Kirtland turned out to be a testing place. Nauvoo turned out to be a testing place. Salt Lake City turned out to be a testing place. St. George turned out to be a testing place. Purgatory jail turned out to be a testing place. Gunnison jail will turn out to be a testing place. Niwott high school turned out to be a testing place. Guatemala and Brigham Young University turned out to be testing places. What do you think Brandon? Are you getting the idea? It wouldn't be so bad if we could remember! :-) I just had to share the story of the 4 couples chosen from every ward in HWH's stake. I did not tell about the inactive brother and nonmember sister. 11:06pm@@

Sometimes apostles are hard to listen to because they speak haltingly or softly or have to repeat and correct words they mispronounced because they couldn't quite see them and they had guessed at what it was going to say. SWK n HWH are both in that condition in Apr'79. Sometimes they say things that seem so extreme or so portentous that we can't fathom what they said, so we just keep listening until we do understand what they are saying. Notice how many times that happens to you in this next talk!

por·ten·tous

pôrˈten(t)əs/

adjective

1. of or like a portent.
   "the envelope and its portentous contents"

   synonyms:

   ominous, warning, premonitory, threatening, menacing, ill-omened, foreboding, inauspicious, unfavorable "portentous signs"

   • done in a pompously or overly solemn manner so as to impress.
     "the author's portentous moralizings"

synonyms:

pompous, bombastic, self-important, pontifical, solemn, sonorous, grandiloquent "portentous dialogue"

Developing Spirituality\Howard W. Hunter\President Wilford Woodruff once had a remarkable experience to which I would like to refer. He first publicly mentioned the incident at general conference in October of 1880. Sixteen years later he gave further details in a discourse delivered at the Weber Stake conference, and his remarks were published in The Deseret Weekly. In the 1880 conference President Woodruff told of dreams he had after the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith in which he conversed with the Prophet many times. He then related another dream in which he talked with Brigham Young, and this is what he said about it:“I saw Brother Brigham and Brother Heber ride in [a] carriage ahead of the carriage in which I rode when I was on my way to attend conference; and they were dressed in the most priestly robes. When we arrived at our destination I asked Pres. Young if he would preach to us. He said, ‘No, I have finished my testimony in the flesh I shall not talk to this people any more. But (said he) I have come to see you; I have come to watch over you, and to see what the people are doing. Then (said he) I want you to teach the people—and I want you to follow this counsel yourself—that they must labor and so live as to obtain the Holy Spirit, for without this you cannot build up the kingdom; without the spirit of God you are in danger of walking in the dark, and in danger of failing to accomplish your calling as apostles and as elders in the church and kingdom of God. And, said he, Brother Joseph taught me this principle.’” (Journal of Discourses, 21:318.)\President Woodruff then went on to say of that experience, as he spoke at the Weber Stake conference, essentially what I want to say today: “Every man and woman in this Church should labor to get that Spirit. We are surrounded by these evil spirits that are at war against God and against everything looking to the building up of the kingdom of God; and we need this Holy Spirit to enable us to overcome these influences.” (Deseret Weekly, 7 Nov. 1896, p. 643.)\Continuing his discourse, President Woodruff told of his missionary experiences. He said: “In the time of the apostasy in Kirtland … the Spirit of God said to me, ‘You choose a partner and go straight to Fox Islands.’ Well, I knew no more what was on Fox Islands than what was on Kolob. But the Lord told me to go, and I went. I chose Jonathan H. Hale, and he went with me. … Through the blessings of God I brought nearly a hundred from there up to Zion, at the time the Saints were driven out of Missouri into Illinois.\“So it has been all through my life. If I have undertaken to do anything, and the Lord has wanted me to do something else, He has had to tell me. When we were sent to England, we were sent by revelation. I went into the Staffordshire potteries with Brother Alfred Cordon. We were doing a splendid work, baptizing almost every night, and I thought it was the finest mission I ever was on. I went into the town of Hanley one night, and attended meeting in a large hall, which was filled to overflowing. The Spirit of the Lord came upon me and said that that was the last meeting I should hold with that people for many days. I told the people that that was the last meeting I should be with them. After the meeting, they asked me where I was going. I told them I did not know. In the morning I asked the Lord what He wanted of me. He merely said, ‘Go to the south.’ I got into the stage and rode eighty miles. The first man’s house I stopped at was John Benbow’s in Herefordshire. In half an hour after I entered the house I knew exactly why the Lord had sent me. There was a people there who had been praying for the ancient order of things. They were waiting for the Gospel as it was taught by Christ and His Apostles. The consequence was, the first thirty days after I got there I baptized six hundred of those people. In eight month’s labor in that country I brought eighteen hundred into the Church. Why? Because there was a people prepared for the Gospel, and the Lord sent me there to do that work. I have always had to give God the glory for everything good that has happened to me; for I have realized by what power it came.” (Deseret Weekly, 7 Nov. 1896, p. 643.)\President Woodruff concludes with these words: “I refer to these things because I want you to get the same Spirit. All the Elders of Israel, whether abroad or at home, need that Spirit. … This is the Spirit that we must have to carry out the purposes of God on the earth. We need that more than any other gift. … We are in the midst of enemies, in the midst of darkness and temptation, and we need to be guided by the Spirit of God. We should pray to the Lord until we get the Comforter. This is what is promised to us when we are baptized. It is the spirit of light, of truth, and of revelation and can be with all of us at the same time.” (Deseret Weekly, 7 Nov. 1896, p. 643.)\Developing spirituality and attuning ourselves to the highest influences of godliness is not an easy matter. It takes time and frequently involves a struggle. It will not happen by chance, but is accomplished only through deliberate effort and by calling upon God and keeping his commandments.\The Apostle Paul spent much of his life teaching and encouraging spirituality in the then far-flung missions of the world. He frequently used terminology from the sports, games, and athletic contests. He said that a Saint successfully keeping the commandments is like an athlete winning his contest; that comparable degrees of training, exertion, obedience to the rules, self-discipline, and the will to win are involved. To the Corinthians he wrote words, which paraphrased, are to this effect: “You know (do you not?) that at the sports all the runners run the race, though only one wins the prize. Like them, run to win! Now every athlete goes into strict training. They do it to win a perishable wreath, but our wreath will last forever. For my part I run with a clear goal before me. (See 1 Cor. 9:24–26.)\Along this same line he said to Timothy, his beloved young friend and missionary companion:“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only; but unto all them also that love his appearing.” (2 Tim. 4:7–8.)\Taking the athletic contest to what was in ancient times the ultimate experience—a hand-to-hand battle to the death—Paul wrote this statement regarding such physical combat:“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;“And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;“Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” (Eph. 6:11–18.)[I have this one memorized from the d&c vj]\The Prophet Joseph Smith did not speak in such athletic or military terms, but he has given us perhaps the clearest statement of all on the need to become spiritual as well as the time and patience which we must recognize are part of the process. The Prophet Joseph Smith said: “We consider that God has created man with a mind capable of instruction, and a faculty which may be enlarged in proportion to the heed and diligence given to the light communicated from heaven to the intellect; and that the nearer man approaches perfection, the clearer are his views, and the greater his enjoyments, till he has overcome the evils of his life and lost every desire for sin; and like the ancients, arrives at that point of faith where he is wrapped in the power and glory of his Maker, and is caught up to dwell with Him. But we consider that this is a station to which no man ever arrived in a moment.” (History of the Church, 2:8.)\Part of our difficulty as we strive to acquire spirituality is the feeling that there is much to do and that we are falling far short. Perfection is something yet ahead for every one of us; but we can capitalize on our strengths, begin where we are, and seek after the happiness that can be found in pursuing the things of God. We should remember the Lord’s counsel:“Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.“Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days.” (D&C 64:33–34.)\It has always been encouraging to me that the Lord said it is the “willing and obedient [who] shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days.” All of us can be willing and obedient. If the Lord had said the perfect shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days, I suppose some of us would be discouraged and give up.\The Prophet Joseph said, “Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God.” (History of the Church, 5:134–35).\The place to begin is here. The time to start is now. The length of our stride need be but one step at a time. God, who has, “designed our happiness,” will lead us along even as little children, and we will by that process approach perfection.\None of us has attained perfection or the zenith of spiritual growth that is possible in mortality. Every person can and must make spiritual progress. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the divine plan for that spiritual growth eternally. It is more than a code of ethics. It is more than an ideal social order. It is more than positive thinking about self-improvement and determination. The gospel is the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ with his priesthood and sustenance and with the Holy Spirit. With faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and obedience to his gospel, a step at a time improving as we go, pleading for strength, improving our attitudes and our ambitions, we will find ourselves successfully in the fold of the Good Shepherd. That will require discipline and training and exertion and strength. But as the Apostle Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philip. 4:13).\A modern-day revelation makes this promise: “Put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good—yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit.\“Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy;“And then shall ye know, or by this shall you know, all things whatsoever you desire of me, which are pertaining unto things of righteousness, in faith believing in me that ye shall receive.” (D&C 11:12–14.)\May we follow the counsel to so labor and so live as to obtain the Spirit of God, I humbly pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.