Howard W. Hunter
Born: 14 November 1907
Called to Quorum of the Twelve: 10 October 1959
Became President of the Quorum of the Twelve: 20 May 1988
Sustained President of the Church: 5 June 1994
Died: 3 March 1995
Called to Quorum of the Twelve: 10 October 1959
Became President of the Quorum of the Twelve: 20 May 1988
Sustained President of the Church: 5 June 1994
Died: 3 March 1995
Biographical Articles
Improvement Era, November 1959, Howard William Hunter, Member of the Council of the Twelve
Relief Society Magazine, December 1959, Howard William Hunter of the Council of the Twelve
Improvement Era, January 1960, Howard William Hunter, Apostle from California
Improvement Era, April 1970, Elder Howard W. Hunter, Church Historian
Ensign, April 1986, President Howard W. Hunter, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Ensign, December 1986, Elder Hunter Undergoes Surgery
Ensign, January 1988, President Howard W. Hunter Honored by Scottish Clan
Ensign, March 1991, President Hunter Honored for Fifty Years of Legal Service
Ensign, July 1994, President Howard W. Hunter: Fourteenth President of the Church
Ensign, April 1995, President Howard W. Hunter: The Lord's "Good and Faithful Servant"
Ensign, April 1995, Funeral of President Howard W. Hunter, 8 March 1995
Ensign, April 1995, Howard W. Hunter: Man of God
Ensign, April 1995, President Howard W. Hunter--He Endured to the End
Ensign, April 1995, President Howard W. Hunter: A Man for All Seasons
Ensign, January 2016, Howard W. Hunter: My Father, the Prophet
Relief Society Magazine, December 1959, Howard William Hunter of the Council of the Twelve
Improvement Era, January 1960, Howard William Hunter, Apostle from California
Improvement Era, April 1970, Elder Howard W. Hunter, Church Historian
Ensign, April 1986, President Howard W. Hunter, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Ensign, December 1986, Elder Hunter Undergoes Surgery
Ensign, January 1988, President Howard W. Hunter Honored by Scottish Clan
Ensign, March 1991, President Hunter Honored for Fifty Years of Legal Service
Ensign, July 1994, President Howard W. Hunter: Fourteenth President of the Church
Ensign, April 1995, President Howard W. Hunter: The Lord's "Good and Faithful Servant"
Ensign, April 1995, Funeral of President Howard W. Hunter, 8 March 1995
Ensign, April 1995, Howard W. Hunter: Man of God
Ensign, April 1995, President Howard W. Hunter--He Endured to the End
Ensign, April 1995, President Howard W. Hunter: A Man for All Seasons
Ensign, January 2016, Howard W. Hunter: My Father, the Prophet
"Howard William Hunter Member of the Council of the Twelve." Improvement Era. November 1959. pg. 792.
Howard William Hunter Member of the Council of the Twelve With a ringing testimony and the statement, "I love this Church," Elder Howard William Hunter, most recent member of the Council of the Twelve, accepted his call to the apostleship. That he loves the Church is evidenced through his constant and capable service to it. As a young man in Boise he became an Eagle Scout; soon after moving to California he served as scoutmaster in the Adams Ward; and later he was active as a troop committeeman, and as Assistant District Commissioner, Los Angeles Metropolitan Area Council, in the 'mid-thirties. A part of his heart is still with the scouting program. Elder Hunter was called as bishop of the former El Sereno Ward, Pasadena Stake, in September 1940, where he served until 1946. He was president of the high priests' quorum of the Pasadena Stake in 1947; in 1949 he was called as a member of the stake High Council; and in 1950, became president of the Pasadena Stake. Elder Hunter, president of the Pasadena (California) Stake of Zion, since February 26, 1950, was sustained, along with the other General Authorities as President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., presented their names at the Saturday morning session, October 10, 1959, in the Tabernacle. Elder Hunter, a native of Idaho, was born November 14, 1907 at Boise. His parents are John William and Nellie M. Rasmussen Hunter, who were both born in Utah, but now reside in California. He received his elementary education in Boise and was graduated from Boise High School in 1926. He then enrolled at the University of Washington. Elder Hunter went to southern California in 1927 where he obtained employment as a bank teller, became an assistant cashier in another bank, and later an examiner for the California State Banking Department, and title examiner for the Los Angeles County Flood Control District. He studied law at Southwestern University, and was graduated in 1939 with the degree of bachelor of laws, cum laude. For many years he has been engaged in the private practice of law in Los Angeles (at the Sunday afternoon session of conference as he spoke before the congregation he described law as his life's work "until yesterday") and is a director in a number of corporations. He married Clara May Jeffs in the Salt Lake Temple, June 10, 1931, and the couple had three sons: Howard William, Jr., who died in infancy; John J., a student at Brigham Young University; and Richard A. Hunter, serving as a missionary in Southern Australia. Elder and Mrs. Hunter have one grandson, as well. When asked what his plans for the future were, Elder Hunter said, "I haven't been told yet." This is indicative of his willingness to devote his life to the service of the Church. As the November Era goes to press, the staff welcomes Elder Hunter and wishes him joy and success as he fills his new call to service in the Church. A more complete biographical article is being prepared and will be presented later in The Improvement Era. |
Brown, Hugh B. "Howard William Hunter of the Council of the Twelve." Relief Society Magazine. December 1959. pg. 799-801.
Howard William Hunter of the Council of the Twelve Elder Hugh B. Brown Of the Council of the Twelve . . . When Nature wants to make a man To do the Future's will: [she] Sets a challenge for his spirit. Draws it higher when he's near it -- Makes a jungle, that he clear it, Makes a desert that he fear it And subdue it if he can. . . . When his feet are torn and bleeding Yet his spirit mounts unheeding, All his higher powers speeding, Blazing newer paths and fine; When the force that is divine Leaps to challenge every failure and his ardour still is sweet And love and hope are burning in the presence of defeat . . . Lo, the crisis! Lo, the shout That must call the leader out. . . . —"When Nature Wants a Man" by Angela Morgan, from Forward March, copyright 1918, by Dodd, Mead and Company, Inc., Reprinted by permission. THE entire Church rejoices in the call and ordination of a comparatively young man to be an apostle and special witness of the Lord, Jesus Christ. That the Lord has had this man in training through the years is evident as one reads his life story from the time when he was born in Boise, Idaho, November 14, 1907, through his early schooling then his subsequent move to Southern California, his years of struggle and hard work, his activities in scouting. Church and civic affairs, his steady growth, his undeviating loyalty to country, Church and family, his years of legal education and later years of successful practice of law — all combined to prepare and make him ready for the call which came unexpectedly on October 9, 1959. He worked in the Bank of Italy (later merged into the bank of America) for some years and was later cashier at the First Exchange Bank of Inglewood, which with many other banks during the great depression, closed its doors and he suffered heavy loss because of his stockholder's liability. Because of a resolution which he and his wife made early in their marriage, that they would never buy anything, homes, cars, washing machines, dryers, furniture, etc., until they could pay for it (they have never broken that resolution), they lived in a very humble home for several years. They had the courage and fortitude to resist the seductive appeal of installment buying and go without rather than go in debt. They bought vegetables which were cheap but not always fresh, and ten-cent soup bones when they could have enjoyed T-bone steaks. During his preparation for the law, he went to night school at Southwestern University five nights a week and worked during the daytime. He often began studying at 3:00 A.M., even though he had not returned from school the night before until 10:00 P.M. He has always been an indefatigable worker driven by an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. At the end of four years of sacrifice and struggle, he graduated from Southwestern University, cum laude, and has, since that time, been a successful lawyer and business man. Elder Hunter is the son of John William Hunter and Nellie Marie Rasmussen Hunter, both of whom reside in Southern California. He comes from sturdy, frugal Scotch and Scandinavian ancestry. In addition to his long and varied Church work through the years — bishop, president of high priest quorum, member of stake high council, and nine years president of Pasadena Stake — he found time for civic and business responsibilities. He has always been -an enthusiastic scout man, became an eagle scout in 1923 and was later scout master and District Commissioner for scouting in Los Angeles metropolitan area. IN 1928 he met Clara May Jeffs at a Gold and Green Ball in Los Angeles and they were married in the Salt Lake Temple, June 10, 1931. She stood loyally at his side through the lean years and now, with simple grace and dignity, takes her place as queen of an unusually charming home. The Hunters had three sons, one died in infancy. John J. filled a mission in Australia, and after coming home married Louine Berry and is now taking pre-legal training at the Brigham Young University. The other son, Richard, is serving as a missionary in the South Australian Mission. The Hunters, with their sons, enjoyed a round-the- world tour in 1958. When Elder Hunter was asked about hobbies, he said, ''My wife, my boys, and the Church are my chief hobbies." However, he is known to have a large collection of rare coins and a very select Church library, including many original and early editions. Elder Hunter has a warm, charming personality, a ready and winning smile, is an able and inspiring speaker, an excellent administrator, and impresses all who meet him with his enthusiasm, sincerity and humility. His acceptance speech was characteristic of the man, willing, humble, capable and motivated by what he termed ''an uncompromising conviction." It is a pleasure to welcome this outstanding man into the Quorum of the Twelve. |
Courtesy The Improvement Era
HOWARD WILLIAM HUNTER Courtesy The Salt Lake Tribune
ELDER HOWARD WILLIAM HUNTER AND HIS FAMILY Left to right: Clara May Jeffs Hunter; Elder Howard William Hunter; Louine Berry Hunter, daughter-in-law, holding baby son Robert Mark Hunter; John J. Hunter, son. Another son, Richard A., is serving a mission in Australia. |
Green, Doyle L. "Howard William Hunter Apostle from California." Improvement Era. January 1960. pg. 18-21, 36-38.
Howard William Hunter Apostle from California by Doyle L. Green, Managing Editor It was October conference time, 1959. From many parts of the Church the Saints had assembled to participate in the glorious spirit of the conference, to hear counsel and instructions from the leaders of the Church, and, incidentally, to see the man selected to fill the vacancy in the Council of the Twelve Apostles occasioned by the appointment of Brother Henry D. Moyle to the First Presidency. There are in the Church today, approximately 215,000 men who hold the Melchizedek Priesthood, and all the Church is a training ground in which these men may prove themselves worthy of positions of responsibility in God's kingdom. There are, for example, some 870 men serving in stake presidencies in the 290 stakes of the Church. Some 3,480 are members of stake high councils. About 7,500 are in bishoprics. Thousands of others serve in mission and branch presidencies, in the presidencies of priesthood quorums, as patriarchs, as chairmen of genealogical committees, as auxiliary workers. Which of all of these men would be chosen? From Arcadia, California, Howard William Hunter, president of Pasadena stake, had come to conference as he had done for the past ten years. Following the first session on Friday morning, he was handed a note asking him if he would come, between sessions, to the office of President David O. McKay, who greeted him warmly and told him that the Lord had spoken, that he was being called to serve as one of His special witnesses. President Hunter responded by telling President McKay that he would be happy to serve in any calling that came to him, that he felt very honored in the call, that he would do his very best to fill it worthily, and that he sustained the prophet with all his heart. Leaving the Church Office Building, President Hunter telephoned Sister Hunter who was in Provo at the home of a son. After he had told her of the call and she remarked how wonderful it was, neither of them could speak further. They both just sat, clutching the telephone receivers. Very few words but much love and many feelings traveled over the wire before they said good-bye. The following day in conference Howard William Hunter was sustained by the body of the Church as a member of the Council of the Twelve. At any point in his life a man is the sum total of the experiences he has had, the decisions and sacrifices he has made. Numerous circumstances can be observed in the life of Howard William Hunter which have helped to mold his character and make him great, and which permit him to bring into his new position a spotless character, a driving ambition, a dauntless faith, a brilliant mind, and an understanding and wisdom which have made him the Lord's choice to perform the tremendous tasks that lie ahead. The ancestors of Howard's mother came from Den- mark. Great-grandfather Morten Rasmussen was born in Brendekilde, Odense, Denmark, in 1834. When he was seventeen years of age, he was taking a load of farm produce to market and gave a ride to two young men who turned out to be Mormon missionaries. They introduced him to the restored gospel, and he was subsequently converted to the Church and baptized in 1851. Three years later, he immigrated to the United States, crossing the plains to Utah by ox team. In 1858 he moved to Sanpete County where he became one of the original settlers of Fort Mt. Pleasant, and was prominent in farming and business affairs in Mt. Pleasant until his death in 1885. Howard's maternal great-great-grandfather, Christian Andersen, was born in Svenstrup, Soro, Denmark, in 1796. A tailor by trade, he was converted to the Church by early missionaries to Denmark and was baptized in 1853. Nine years later, he left the home of his birth for the Church, crossed the plains by ox team and settled in Sanpete Valley. He also resided in Mt. Pleasant until his death in 1884. The people on Howard's paternal grandmother's side were of Puritan extraction. Some of these ancestors settled in Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts, as early as 1621 to escape the religious persecutions in England. He descends from William Palmer, Henry Rowley, Stephen Batehelder, Robert Bodfish, John Wing, and other early founders of the nation through the Hatch and Nowell families. Three of these men were also progenitors of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Brother Hunter's paternal great-grandparents were Scottish. Great-grandfather John Hunter was born in Paisley, Scotland, in 1825. He early became a prominent manufacturer of dress goods, cloth, and Paisley shawls. In 1863, three years after he joined the Church, he migrated to the United States settling in Salt Lake Valley. He engaged in the freighting of produce and supplies to and from Fort Bridger, Wyoming, Helena, Montana, Virginia City, Nevada, and other western settlements. He died in Ogden, Utah, in 1903. When the baby who was to be named Howard William Hunter was born to John William and Nellie M. Rasmussen Hunter in Boise, Idaho, November 14, 1907, there was but one small ward in the city. Southern Idaho had long been "Mormon country," but the northerly part of the state in those days had a very small Latter-day Saint population. Many of Howard's friends and associates were not members of the Church, and as a boy he learned to appreciate the gospel for what it is. Howard was a sweet and lovable child as his parents and his early pictures testify. He was a boy who was good to his father and mother. He made friends easily. He loved animals. His mother and father recall that he brought home at least a dozen stray cats, and when at home he was seldom without his pets—dogs, cats, rabbits. Young Howard early developed a spirit of independence, and very early in his life he learned to take care of many of his own financial needs. While just a boy he sold newspapers, worked in a newspaper office, delivered telegrams, framed pictures in an art store, and did various odd jobs in a department store. During his high school years he worked summers, and after school, in a drugstore. In high school he was captain of the ROTC and achieved the rank of major; highest rank obtainable in that organization at the time. Howard's mother was a stalwart in the Church, serving as a teacher in the auxiliaries, as president of the Primary, and as president of the Young Women's Mutual Improvement Association, but his father was not then a member. Great-grandfather Hunter had not affiliated with the Church after he came to Utah, and Howard's father had not been taught the principles of the gospel during his youth. So it was Howard's mother who was to give most of the guidance and encouragement as far as the Church was concerned. It was a joyful day for the Hunter family when the father accepted the gospel and was baptized in 1927. A few incidents from Howard's early life will demonstrate his devotion to the Church and the principles of the gospel. When he was twelve years of age, the ward in Boise decided to build a new chapel. The announcement was made in a meeting, and ward members were asked to pledge what they could afford toward the new building. The first person to rise to his feet was a deacon, young Howard Hunter, who completely on his own, pledged $25 toward building a new structure. Twenty-five dollars was a lot of money to a twelve-year- old boy in 1919. On one occasion when Howard applied for a job at a business house in the city, the owner very much impressed by the boy offered to give him a position. It would have meant, however, that another boy would have been released. But Howard declined the offer saying, "No, I don't want to take some other boy's job!" After Howard entered MIA, he started along the scouting trail with the enthusiasm with which he tackled anything he set about to do. His progress was so rapid that he was the second boy in the entire state of Idaho to become an Eagle Scout. Howard did not settle on his life's occupation, the practice of law, early. His many talents and abilities, as a matter of fact, might have led him to succeed in any one of a number of fields. Music seemed to come naturally to Howard. He took piano lessons for about a year when he was a child and later studied the violin for a short time. But before he was out of high school he had learned on his own initiative to play the saxophone, the clarinet, the trumpet, the drums, and the marimba. He was playing professionally while still in high school, and it was not long before he was directing his own dance bands, which became very popular in the Boise area. He did much of his own arranging. When he was just out of high school, his "Croonaders," a five piece band which he organized in Boise, won an audition and was engaged as ship's orchestra aboard the SS President Jackson. In this capacity he made a tour of the Pacific and the Orient. But being a professional musician, while glamorous and monetarily rewarding, looked as if it would not lead him into the kind of life he wanted, so he early abandoned any plans he might ever have had to make entertainment his life's profession. So firm was he in this decision that just before his marriage he sold his drums and marimba and boxed up his three saxophones, his two clarinets, his trumpet, and his violin, and has not touched them since except to play some carols for the family at Christmas time. Howard's early training might also have led him into medicine. With the encouragement of a doctor in Boise, and while working in a drugstore during his high school days, he completed a correspondence course in pharmacy, thinking that this would give him a good background to study medicine. But this field he also later abandoned. After attending the University of Washington for a short time, Howard went to southern California on a vacation to visit a friend. The year was 1927. He liked what he found there and remained. Three things influenced him—a job, a girl, and the country itself. Howard had thought that he might like to make a career out of banking, so he applied for a position with the Bank of America. As one of his references, Howard gave the name of his stake president in Boise, Heber Q. Hale. The representative of the bank called President Hale by telephone and asked if he could recommend Howard Hunter. President Hale responded that young Howard Hunter was an elder in the Latter-day Saint Church, that he had a spotless character, and that he could give him the best recommendation of any young man he knew. Howard got the job. His first assignment was in the clearing house, then he became a bookkeeper, and then a teller. Later, Howard accepted a position as a junior officer with the First Exchange State Bank in Inglewood. This chain of banks, however, did not survive the depression, and Howard found work for a brief period with the California state banking department. But other things than work were occupying his attention. Soon after he arrived in California, he had gone with a friend to an M Men-Gleaner dance in Huntington Park. 'There he met a young girl named Clara May Jeffs. Clara May had moved from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles with her family in 1924. It was in 1931 that this young couple decided to get married, and even though Salt Lake City was a long way away and their proposed method of transportation was Howard's model T Ford, still they were so determined to start their married life according to God's plan that they saved their money for a June wedding in the Salt Lake Temple. On the day they were to leave Howard surprised his bride-to-be by driving up to her house in a new Chevrolet. The ceremony in the temple was performed by one of the General Authorities who gave the young couple some advice which, along with the principles of the gospel, has guided their lives. "Stay out of debt," he told them. "Live within your means. Do not spend more than you make. Don't hesitate to walk or ride the streetcar if you can't afford a car. Don't buy anything unless you can pay for it. Save your money until you can pay cash." On the way back to California, Howard and Clara May talked much about the advice that had been given them, and they decided that they would follow it to the letter. Howard had paid cash for their new car. To begin their home they bought a little furniture and a few necessities, all of which they could pay for. Just nine months later, in the midst of the depression, Howard lost his job and the young couple lost their savings. But because they had followed the advice given them, they were not in debt. And except for their first home, they have never gone into debt for anything. Before they would buy any item of furniture, clothing, or food, an automobile, or any other necessity or luxury, they saved their money until they had enough to pay cash. They didn't have everything they wanted. They went without a refrigerator until after their third child was born. For years Clara May washed the sheets, the shirts all the clothes—by hand, scrubbing them out on a scrubbing board. But they didn't go into debt. In 1934 Howard, now twenty-six years of age, was working for the Los Angeles Flood Control District. Their first child was on its way. Howard and Clara May made a momentous decision. He would go back to school and get his degree. He had now decided to make law his profession. He couldn't give up his job and still feed his family, so he decided to go to school nights, work at his regular job in the daytime, and study in between. Southwestern University, in Los Angeles, was the school of his choice. It was a grueling period, the years from 1934 to 1939, but Howard followed his exacting schedule, summer and winter, without a break. It was a busy time for Clara May, too. During these years their three sons were born: Howard William, Jr., who died in infancy, John J., and Richard A. Many times the temptation to quit school must have presented itself, but the determination on the part of both Howard and Clara May won out, and he received a bachelor of laws degree, cum laude, in 1939. His average was just two-tenths of a point below the highest grade in the graduating class. His scholarship record is all the more remarkable when we remember that all of his classes were taken at night while he was working days. After another several months of intensive preparation he passed his state bar examination in the fall of 1939. After passing his bar examination, Howard started practising law part time while continuing to do some work for the Los Angeles Flood Control District. As the months passed his clientele grew, and he became increasingly successful. His practice has been limited to civil matters, principally in the fields of probate and business law. He has become legal counsel to a number of corporations and at the time of his call to the Council of the Twelve was a director of the Beneficial Life Insurance Company, the Watson Land Company (a land investment corporation), Task Corporation (maker of electronic components), and other industrial corporations. During 1940 and 1941 Howard's primary Church assignment was conducting the fourth year department of the junior genealogical group in his ward. Of the sixteen young people Howard had under his charge, every one of them, as far as can be determined, was married in the temple. When the El Sereno Ward of the Pasadena Stake was organized in September 1941, Howard Hunter was called to serve as its first bishop. The ward was small, only 265 members, so young Bishop Hunter had a chance to learn from the grass roots the problems involved in setting up and carrying on a ward organization. The ward members did a lot of pioneering and missionary work with the young bishop, who was only thirty-two years of age, directing the activities in a kindly yet efficient manner. The Masonic Temple in Sereno was leased two days a week. Regular services were held on Sunday, and Primary, Relief Society, and MIA on Tuesday. Before long the ward stood well up in the activities in the stake, leading many of the other wards percentagewise in some activities. As the ward grew, a building fund was commenced, and when Bishop Hunter was released in 1947 a site had been purchased for a chapel. After his release as bishop he became president of the high priests quorum in the Pasadena Stake. In 1948 he was appointed to the high council of the stake, and served in that position until February 1950 when he was called to be stake president. Two years later an additional duty was added—that as chairman of the regional council of Southern California welfare region. When the region was divided in 1956, he became chairman of the Los Angeles region. Soon after he became stake president plans were started for a stake center. The building was completed on a seven and one-half acre site and dedicated in June 1954 at a cost of nearly half a million dollars. President Hunter also played a prominent part, along with the other presidents of stakes in southern California, in helping to raise $1,750,000 which was applied toward the building of the Los Angeles Temple. He was also a member of the committee that organized the visits to the temple prior to dedication. Through the years his faithful and devoted wife and companion, Clara May, has quietly carried on her duties in the home. Of her he says, "She has been a good mother, a good bishop's wife, a good stake president's wife." Could any higher tribute be paid a woman? "My desire and my greatest ambition," Sister Hunter responds, "has been to be a good wife, to be a good homemaker, and to be a really good mother. I have always thought that if I could do this I would fulfil my mission here on earth. We have worked hard to keep our boys close to the Church; the boys and I have had wonderful times together. I've gone through their scouting with them, because, well, Daddy just didn't have the time." The success of the home life of the Hunters is amply evidenced in the love that exists between Clara May and Howard, and the outstanding success their boys are making of their lives. Both are Eagle Scouts. John recently filled a mission to South Australia where he served as a counselor in the mission presidency. Their youngest son, Richard, is now serving in the same mission. John, who is now going to school at Brigham Young University and planning on a law career, is married to Louine Berry Hunter. They have one child, Robert Mark. Brother and Sister Hunter took time in their busy lives in the summer of 1958 to do some traveling, but even this was tied in closely with Church activity. The trip was in the form of a world tour, accompanying their son, Richard, to Australia where John, who had just been released, joined them. They made a special point of visiting the Hawaiian, New Zealand, and Swiss Temples, and they attended the dedication of the London Temple. They have visited all of the temples of the Church. The worth of a man can well be determined by the impact he has made on the lives of others. Let us read what some close associates have to say about Howard Hunter. "Of all of his wonderful qualities, the thing I believe I would put first when thinking of President Howard Hunter is his devotion to the Church. In all my experience I have never known any man or woman who is as willing to give everything he had to the Church as is Brother Hunter. If the Church wants him to do something or if anyone is in need of his attention, this comes first. The only way we could ever get him to go to any entertainment was to have a Church meeting first and then go from there." # # # # # "I've always been impressed with President Hunter because of the great dignity which he carries, not only at home but also in Church or wherever he may be. The dignity with which he presides over our stake, I think, is especially outstanding. # # # # # "President Hunter has great ability to teach. He is able to convey to others the things that he knows so well. I'm sure that in our stake the bishops and the auxiliary heads have been better trained than they are in many areas. President Hunter is a great teacher.' # # "I think one of the outstanding things about President Hunter is his knowledge of the order of the Church and how things should be done properly. I've been acquainted with many stake presidents, but I don't know of any other who knows the order of the Church, the order of the priesthood, and how things should be done in wards and stakes better than President Hunter." # # # # "President Hunter is one with the people. He leads them without being dictatorial or militant. He does his greatest teaching by listening to someone outline his course of procedure and then, if he feels it is wrong, he proceeds to tell a story or an illustration or something that points out the error or the fallacy of a particular course of action. The individual then concludes on his own that he was wrong. Never have I heard President Hunter say to a bishop, 'No, you shouldn't do it that way, you should do it this way.' He always illustrates his point and lets the other person draw his own conclusion. He is a great teacher." # # # # # "The thing that I marvel about in connection with President Hunter is his ability to say just the right thing at the right time. No matter when he is called on to speak, what he says is most appropriate to the occasion. He always comes forth with just exactly the right words." # # # # # "I have never known a man in an important Church position who has been so universally loved." # # # # # "The thing that impresses me is that President Hunter is so orderly in everything that he does. He has a great mind and is able to see through any situation with clarity and orderliness that is most impressive." # # # # # "I like President Hunter's warm manner and his great sense of humor." # # # # # "Everything Howard Hunter does he seems to do with a heart full of understanding, of love, and devotion." # # # # # "I especially like President Hunter's hearty and contagious laugh. He is a great man to have behind you on the stand when you tell a funny story." # # # # # "Most impressive to me is President Hunter's love and respect for the leaders of the Church. Whatever they say he accepts without hesitation or reservation. An example of this is the reverence program that he has carried on in our stake. Since the General Authorities suggested this be done, he has stressed it and you can certainly tell it in the order that now prevails in all of our meetings." And so Howard William Hunter of Arcadia, Los Angeles County, California, becomes the 74th member of the Council of the Twelve Apostles chosen and sustained by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in this dispensation. His is an uncommon story. He is an uncommon man. As he travels throughout the Church in the service of the Master, the Saints will love and respect him as a man who loves God, who places his duty to Church above all else, and who has been found worthy to be a special witness for Christ. |
Elder Howard William Hunter
Clara May Jeffs Hunter
Howard near the age of eight (left), with his sister Dorothy and his dog.
As a child Howard loved pets. He is shown here at eight months of age.
Soon after graduating from high school, Howard (center) took this orchestra on a tour of the Orient.
As a baby.
At age five.
Howard was the second Eagle Scout in the state of Idaho.
Brother and Sister Hunter, and their son John, daughter-in-law, Louine Berry, and grandson, Robert Mark.
Son, Richard, serving in the South-Australian Mission.
Mother and Father Hunter, John W. and Nellie Rasmussen,
On a world tour in 1958, Elder and Sister Hunter and son, John, visit the Taj Mahal in India.
Dorothy Hunter Rasmussen, Elder Hunter's sister.
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Todd, Jay M. "Elder Howard W. Hunter, Church Historian." Improvement Era. April 1970. pg. 26-27.
Elder Howard W. Hunter, Church Historian By Jay M. Todd Assistant Managing Editor The First Presidency has called Elder Howard W. Hunter of the Council of the Twelve to succeed President Joseph Fielding Smith as Church Historian and general Church recorder. Elder Hunter thus becomes the sixteenth man in this dispensation to be charged with "preaching and expounding, writing, copying, selecting, and obtaining all things which shall be for the good of the church, and for the rising generations that shall grow up on the land. . . ." (D&C 69:8.) President Smith has served as Church Historian for 49 years, since 1921—the longest period served by any previous Church Historian. During his nearly half century as Church Historian, he has seen the historian's staff grow from 12 employees in 1920 to a present staff of 48. The holdings in the written records, manuscript, and library section are presently estimated at more than 260,000 volumes and about one million documents, pamphlets, photos, and recordings. "When I was called to a meeting of the First Presidency and they called me to serve as Church Historian, I was taken so completely by surprise that I didn't at the moment feel the impact of the awesome responsibility of this assignment," said Elder Hunter in a recent interview. "President Smith had been the Church Historian for so many years that I could hardly visualize myself in that position. However, after further consultations with the First Presidency and having reread the revelations of the Lord that refer to the office, I am quite overwhelmed with its importance and responsibility." When asked about the overall charge of the office, Elder Hunter said, "As I read the revelations, there are definitely two sides of the Church Historian's responsibility. One is as an archivist, to collect and preserve those things that will be of value in the future. This encompasses writings of all kinds as well as objects of art, artifacts, and other things that have relevance to the Church and its organization, growth, and history. The other responsibility is to build the living side of the history by recording the events of the times. "Truthfully, the assignment as given by the Lord through revelation is tremendously challenging—both in fulfilling the task of collection and writing and in making the material of use to the members of the Church. "I think that most people have an interest in history, and I, too, have had a very deep interest in history. I have a 20-volume work containing the history of civilizations, which I have enjoyed reading and rereading. I believe that when we understand what has gone on in the past, we can make better plans for the future," Elder Hunter added. The new Church Historian was born in Boise, Idaho, November 14, 1907. As a youth he was the second boy in Idaho to become an Eagle Scout. He liked music, and toured the Orient with his own band before moving to California to make his home. In 1931 he married Clara May Jeffs. After marriage he worked in banking until he completed his law studies in 1939. In 1941 he was called as bishop of the El Sereno Ward, and nine years later he became president of the Pasadena Stake. He was called to the Council of the Twelve in 1959. Five years later he was appointed president of the Genealogical Society. In this calling he has won for the Church immense respect and tribute, as the Genealogical Society has become world famous among professional organizations for its progressive record-keeping activities. Elder Hunter will continue to serve as president of the Genealogical Society; as supervisor of the missions of the South Pacific, Australia, and New Zealand; as chairman of the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii; as chairman of the New World Archaeological Foundation of Brigham Young University; as a member of the board of directors of Beneficial Life Insurance Company; and on several other Church-related boards and committees. The office of Church Historian and general Church recorder was one of the first established by the Lord when the Church was organized. Indeed, on the day the Church was organized, April 6, 1830, the first Church recorder was appointed. This was Oliver Cowdery, who was also sustained as Second Elder. He served as Church recorder for about one year. Following are the succeeding Church Historians, recorders, or clerks and their approximate lengths of service (all were assigned in one way or another to fill the charge given the Church Historian and general Church recorder ) : John Whitmer ( 4 years ) , Oliver Cowdery (2 years), George W. Robinson (3 years), John Corrill (1 year), Elias Higbee (5 years), Robert Blashel Thompson (1 year as Church clerk), James Sloan (2 years as Church clerk), Willard Richards (11 years), George A. Smith (16 years), Albert Carrington (4 years), Orson Pratt (7 years), Wilford Woodruff (6 years), Franklin Dewey Richards (11 years), Anthon H. Lund (21 years), and Joseph Fielding Smith (49 years). All who have served since and including Elder Willard Richards have been members of the Council of the Twelve. Six have been called to the First Presidency: Oliver Cowdery, Willard Richards, George A. Smith, Albert Carrington, Anthon H. Lund, and Joseph Fielding Smith. Two have been called as President of the Church: President Wilford Woodruff and President Joseph Fielding Smith. |
Elder Hunter discusses new assignment as Church Historian.
Elder Hunter examines old minute book in written records section of library.
Lauritz G. Petersen, research supervisor, and Elder Hunter view painting by CCA. Christensen, one of many paintings and photographs in Church Historian's library.
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