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Making the Miracle Trek to Nauvoo

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By Kevin V. Hunt

Blog #5

LEAVING THE MTC

In my previous blog article, I detailed the magnificent experience that we were a part of at the Provo MTC.  Ultimately, all good things must end.  It really was not an ending, however,  but a grand new beginning.  A really big adventure!  And of course, making the miracle trek to Nauvoo.

The MTC experience did not end exactly as I would have pictured it, but it happened.  For the final day at the MTC, I was “sicker than a dog” with a lovely bug – that featured eruptions from every angle.  (Not a good thing!)

I awoke on D-Day (departure day) feeling just as lousy as the day before.  I had received a great amount of rest – so that was good – but still the symptoms remained.

Lou cornered two of the Elders in our MTC group – and who were staying in our same Residence Inn – and who were also going to Nauvoo.  Elders Jones and Pearce came to our hotel room and administered a Priesthood blessing with the “laying on of hands” – just as Jesus did in His day.  And we likewise have that authority today.  Elder Pearce blessed me that I would be completely healed very soon.  They also helped me get our collection of stuff on a hotel cart and out to our car.

We checked out of the hotel.  We had a wonderful stay there for our nine nights.  We then went to the MTC and checked out as requested.   A sister “deactivated” our MTC badges that had heretofore opened almost every door of “the magic kingdom”.  It was a bit sad to make that cut and to realize that our magnificent MTC experience was now history.

GOING FORWARD WITH “FAITH IN EVERY FOOTSTEP”

We then went forward in faith.  I prayed fervently that frequent stops might be averted – and to my great blessing, such was the case.  I rejoiced in this miracle blessing granted me.

We decided to travel via Interstate-80 – thinking that the “lower altitude” (of just 8,500’) might be better than the 11,500’ high elevation that we could experience on I-70.  (I-70 would have been a more direct route to our desired destination stop in St. Louis, Missouri.)  We drove up Provo Canyon to Heber City and then north to Park City.  We there got onto the I-80 freeway.  Sister Hunt marveled when I told her that no turns would be required for 600 or more miles.

Our children (several of them) commented on how we were following the route of our own pioneer ancestors (who traveled from Nauvoo to the Great Salt Lake Valley) but only that we were doing it in reverse.

Our Over-Filled Wagon Compared to the Wagon-load of the Pioneers:

As I thought of those long-ago pioneer ancestors, I thought of their wagon travel over much of the same route upon which we were then travelling.  I looked at our over-packed wagon (our “minivan”).  I then began to think of what the pioneers may have carried in their own wagons as they made their treks.

Our wagon was literally “packed to the gills” with “stuff” that we figured that we needed for our 18-month mission journey.   That poor wagon (minivan) was really overloaded.   As I thought of our over-packed vehicle, my thoughts were drawn to the specific supplies that each pioneer family were counseled to take on their journey west. 

Like us, pioneers traveling by covered wagon had to be very careful of their wagon’s weight. Even a few pounds heavier could mean the trip would be much more difficult for the oxen or horses. This is why the men and women would walk beside the wagon instead of inside it.

The typical pioneer journey by covered wagon was five months long, and those pioneers would need to pack enough supplies and equipment for the entire five months. There were many items deemed “necessary” and of course, everyone had some special “treasures and heirloom pieces” they would also want to take.

Below are the supplies that a typical Pioneer family traveling west across the United States might take on their covered wagon journey.  A typical covered wagon could carry 2,000 pounds before the weight became too much.   Like us, they probably used every available inch and corner in the wagon – just to tuck that one last item in.  Suppose you were a pioneer planning your long journey to the frontier.  You can take only about 2,000 pounds …  You would be literally “taking everything you owned – or would own at the end  of the journey” … You would have not known when or how you might replenish your supplies.  I am sure that the pioneers wanted the required necessities, but each person or family also would have wanted some additional “nicities” with which to make a comfortable home after their journey.  Just acquiring the needed wagon and animals to pull it – would have been an adventure.

When the pioneer Saints were getting ready to leave from Nauvoo, they were given a “Bill of Particulars” – which was a long list of supplies needed for the journey.   This was published in the “Nauvoo Neighbor” newspaper on October 29, 1845.

Our own “List of Necessities” for the journey

It is interesting to compare our own list “of needs”  for our 18-month overland journey to the pioneer list.  Our list of “necessary” equipment is listed below:

1 mini-van – fully loaded and capable of holding extreme weight

Tires – 4 tires that have enough tread/life to make the journey

2 bicycles – for exercise and transport to various sites (if Kevin and Lou were to be assigned to work at different site locations)

Bread maker

Bosch Mixer

Winter coats – for “layers” – as needed for Arizona Desert Rats going to a projected sub-zero winter experience

Boots and shoes for each of us – and probably multiple pairs

Temple clothes (for going to the Nauvoo Temple)

Air fryer

Blender

Small television (for late-night Hallmark movies – if we were not too be too exhausted each night for such frivolity!)

Guitar, violin, harmonica (for new and rehoning of old skills) for wife

Painting and art supplies for hobbies for wife (anticipating a long winter with a lot of extra time on our hands)

Heat pads (including a very large “tube” where total immersion is possible for Sister Hunt)

Computer, scanner, printer and paper – for Elder Hunt

Waffle maker (mini) (for our enjoyment – plus in case we want to stage our annual mini-waffle eating contest – virtually – with kids and grandkids)

School tutoring supplies for Sister Hunt to continue to weekly tutor grandkids (time permitting)

Electric fry pan

Broom and dust pans

Cake pans

Rice cooker

Crock pot

Can opener

Egg cooker

Collection of spices

Yeast

Big cooking pan

Small cooking pan

Large pans for making Momma Lou’s famous cinnamon rolls

Pie pans for Kevin’s annual pie-extravaganza

Cookie sheets

Rolling pin

Blankets, bedding sets for anticipated queen-sized bed (for us – and a few for anticipated visitors)

(Afghan made by Lou’s mother, Verna, blanket made by mother – and which was taken on Kevin’s “Young Mission”, small throw blanket used by Grandma Alura in final weeks of life.  (“Comfort items” – and to bring their memory – and their missions – to our own mission)

2 towels for each  (plus some for anticipated guests who might come)

Laundry supplies

Scriptures and provided mission study materials

Electric blanket (a major survival package for Sister Hunt)

Personal bathroom care hygiene items

Pioneer costume items for Kevin and Lou (a very extensive collection – including hats, bonnets, suspenders, bloomers, vests, boots, shirts – with no collars, … and the list goes on!)

Sister Hunt’s sewing machine

Fabric for Sister Hunt to make costume dresses

Several outfits (dresses, skirts, blouses, and even nice pants) for Sister Hunt

Missionary suits for Elder Hunt (two recommended … I brought 3 but no new ones)

A plethora of white shirts for Elder Hunt

The pioneers of yesteryear only had one chance in having the needed trip supplies and equipment.  They had to acquire the supplies, and make one packing for the trip ahead.  There were no stores, no service stations, no restaurants – along the way.  It was kind of “all or nothing” for them.  They either had it, or they did not!  And of course, they did ultimately have to choose to leave a lot of things that they really wanted to take.  Sad!

On the other hand, Sister Hunt and I knew that there would likely be a well-stocked Walmart at the end of our journey – but with limited resources to equip a new home, we thought it best to take whatever we could – of our own home resources – rather than to buy all new stuff upon arrival.

The Struggle of Maintaining the Wagon along the way

We soon realized that we were facing some of the same challenges that were faced by our ancestor progenitors.  I remembered the story of many pioneers (and likely my own ancestors) who struggled with their wagons in the crossing of the plains.  When a pioneer tire went crazy, it posed a major problem.  Often the repair took multiple hours, and it was not a simple process.  They would have to jack up the entire wagon (likely very heavily loaded) – and they did not have the hydraulic jacks that we have in our day.  A broken wheel could have meant that the iron ring around the wheel might be cracked, broken, or have come off of the wooden wheel.  And sometimes, the hardwood wheel “hub” would get split, or the wagon spokes might crack or break.   Often the wooden wheel components had not been dried sufficiently for such a journey.  Many wheel breakdowns required the services of a wheelright, or a blacksmith – and in large wagon trains, such a skilled person might not be readily available for services required by multiple families along the way.  The blacksmith was likely the most popular person in camp – if you could get him cornered … likely, each family just had to deal with their own problems …  Indeed, a tire break-down could be a very traumatic experience for everyone – and could delay travel for them and others around them for some time.

The Challenges with our wagon:

We prayed hard for the Lord’s protection along our way.  We prayed for the vehicle, the tires, and for us – that we could travel safely.  We were on the I-80 freeway eastbound and traveled at the typical high speeds.  We traveled with three relatively new tires, but the one tire had some issues.  We really “should have” replaced it before the trip, but resources just to get out of town were somewhat strained so we put it off.

Our first day out of the MTC we drove north and east from Provo and then drove much of the day through Wyoming.  And we didn’t see much in the scenery along the way.  The route was pretty much devoid of any vegetation or anything else of interest.  No wonder people want to go 75 MPH!  Even the antelope evaded us.  We arrived safely in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where we had hotel reservations for the evening. 

When I was a year or so old, I actually lived in Cheyenne with my family.  My younger brother, Dean, was born and got pneumonia almost immediately.  He was in the hospital for a month or so.  The doctor told my folks, “He will never survive Wyoming winters …”  And so, following his advice, Dad, Mom, and I – and literally in the moving van – picked Dean up at the hospital and moved to Arizona.  And that’s how I became an Arizona desert rat.  (Thought you might enjoy that bit of Hunt family trivia …!)

HUNT home in Cheyenne, Wyoming 1955-56 – 2239 E. 19th Street – Cheyenne

While in Cheyenne on this trip, I decided that it would be fun to “HUNT” up the home where we lived in Cheyenne.  With the help of modern technology (and a search of the scanned birth certificate for Dean) we found the place and got some photos.  I think that the place had probably aged a quite a bit since the folks and I were there.

We found an old-fashioned country diner where we could eat.  I thought that that some home-made soup might be what the doctor might order – to be easier on my stomach challenges than other choices.  We went in and I got the soup but could only eat about a third of the rest of the meal.  I knew that under the circumstances, that was my limit – though I was super hungry after not eating for the past two days.

We went outside of the diner and Sister Hunt immediately noticed with horror, that our back tire (passenger side) was flat.  (She had been watching all of our tires –  and the heavy load on them – like a hawk – the entire trip.)  This was the tire (referenced above) and we strongly then reminded ourselves that we “couldda – shouldda listened and fixed it”.  But, it was too late then.

By this time, it was about 9 PM.  We checked Google (our trip BFF) and searched for an “after hours tire repair” service.  And with our heavy load, we could not jack up the vehicle ourselves.  A trip to us by the repair company was a necessity.  One company we called proved to be a scam – and they pulled $493 from our checking account – and did nothing for us.  They said that they would be there to replace the tire in an hour.  And then right at the hour, they called and said that the [new] tire that they planned to sell us “was ripped”.   (Are you kidding me?)  It took some later effort with our bank, but we got the fraudulent charge removed and credited to back to our account. 

We found another company that was much more reputable – and considerably cheaper.  They came early the next morning and did a fabulous job.  (Thanks, “Fat Boy Tire and Auto!)  And we also later found that we carry “trip interruption insurance” on the vehicles – so they paid for the new tire and the service trip to put it on.  So, in the end, and after a bit of trauma (real trip interruption …), we got a “free” tire.  Interesting how the Lord’s blessings and miracles come!

Although this situation created much of stress and trauma, we actually felt to rejoice in the whole situation.  The “what if’s” flooded our minds as we thought of possible horrific consequences that might have happened had the tire burst on the freeway when going 75 miles per hour.  So, we were very blessed and grateful.  We knew that we had experienced the Lord’s protecting care.  Thank you!

Completing our Pioneer Journey

Thankfully, the rest of the trip was mostly uneventful.  We continued to feel the blessings of protection afforded by the prayers we sent heaven-ward and supplemented by the combined prayers of our loving family everywhere.

We had a very long trek on Thursday.  We travelled about 750 miles in that one day.  We drove through Nebraska (and wished that Spring had come to that area.  We decided that this country could have been beautiful – if the trees would have had their leaves.  But, such was not the case.)  We drove and drove until nearly midnight (the local time – across yet another time zone).  We had stopped for food about 9 PM and with my already queasy stomach, I soon learned that I was depending on another miracle to get to our desired destination (and somehow, gratefully, that miracle became reality!

A wonderful sister who worked in the MTC Travel Office, helped me plan our route and where we needed to be each night – to get to when and where we wanted to be.  Somehow, we came up with the town of Booneville, Missouri.  (Looking back now, I wonder how we came up with that place.  I will not editorialize upon that place nor the accommodations – not quite up to par with The Residence Inn which we had earlier experienced.)  Anyway, that is where we found ourselves for the night.

And as a side note:  Another miracle.  We had used our phones all through the day to communicate with our concerned children back home – and to navigate our way across the country.  My wife’s phone had run out of juice early in the afternoon.  We then used my phone – this time more sparingly, to navigate our way.  Then when we were about two hours from our destination, my phone was draining fast.  (And our car is quirky with charging phones.  For whatever reason, when we plug in the phone to the car, instead of charging the battery, it literally sucks out he juice from the phone.)  We found ourselves at the dangerously low 5% battery charge – and by some miracle, it remained open at this level for an extended period.  I suggested that Lou hurry and grab the directions for the needed exit and how to get to our reserved hotel before the phone would die permanently.  She did this – just in the nick of time – before it died an ignominious death.

The next day was pretty simple – only about a 3-hour drive into O’Fallon, Illinois, a St. Louis suburb.  We were able to plan our trip to be able to spend a full day with our daughter and family – who will soon have a military transfer to Las Vegas. This would kind of be our last chance to be with them before their move.  Plus, the timing was such that we were able to squeeze in a drama production which featured our granddaughter.

We had a glorious overnight experience with the family.  We packed in all of the memories that we could – including breakfast with our whole group at our favorite Cracker Barrel.  Yum! 

Then came the dreaded departure time – complete with another plethora of those “everything and everyone” photo ops.

We left O’Fallon about 2:00 PM on that Saturday afternoon.  It was with great anticipation that we pointed our wagon north toward Nauvoo.  Our excitement mounted with each passing mile.  (And we were surprised that Google led us across some very unbeaten paths … we really began to wonder when we found ourselves out in the middle of two country pastures … but we did ultimately make it.)

It was so exciting as we turned on Highway 96 (just east of Keokuk, Iowa) as we turned onto the familiar scenic river road river road alongside of the majestic Mississippi River (that we have travelled many times in the past).  This is such a gorgeous piece of God’s earth.  It is just breathtaking in its beauty and wonder!  And since we have made this trip to Nauvoo many times, it was like “coming home” to us.

(Did I ever mention that I spent the last six months of my “youth mission” in Nauvoo?  Quite a transfer up from Florida!) And we have been to Nauvoo many times through the years …  more on some of those treks later.  The drive was calm, peaceful, serene, and exhilarating!

Arrival at our Nauvoo Destination

Our wagon pulled into Nauvoo about 6:30 PM on Saturday (April 13th).  We had been in contact with our missionary “district leader” who had been anticipating our arrival.  And he had put out another of those “all hands on deck” requests for help to unload the wagon.  And come, they did!  I think we had ten people (5 “senior couples”) converge on the scene to help us unload.  It was kind of embarrassing, however.  I had originally packed the car neatly and compacted beautifully, but now, it was far from that.  The effects of living out of the car for two weeks – and some 2,300 miles had taken its toll.  It was not a pretty sight!  (I won’t say where they might have thought that we came from …)  Thankfully, many of the folks brought their own pair of “blinders”.  They were covenant brothers and sisters (in a “Covenant Community”) and they were just willing to help us.  We were so grateful for their able and willing service.

The help team just kind of dumped stuff in our new place – as we had directed them to do.  We then spent the rest of the night putting our stuff away.  And by midnight, we were able to stage a WhatsApp call out to our children and grandchildren (in two time zones away).  They were all jazzed to see where the old folks would hang their hats (or bonnets) for the next 18 months.   They were all impressed – with the place/home provided – as well as the fact that we had everything “almost” put together – though there was still much more to do.  The trek – and the arrival – really was an adventure for us and for all of the family too.

Upon arrival, I thought, “Wow!  That was a really long journey getting here to Nauvoo.  I later calculated the miles as follows:

Maricopa, Arizona to Salt Lake City, Utah – 698 miles

Salt Lake to Provo, Utah– 50 miles

Provo, Utah to Cheyenne, Wyoming – 456 miles

Cheyenne to Booneville, Missouri – 741 miles

Booneville to O’Fallon, Illinois – 163 Miles

O’Fallon, Illinois to Nauvoo, Illinois – 202 miles.

Added up, this came to 2,312 miles (not counting the round-abouts, side trips, etc.)

I then looked at the distance the pioneers would have taken – as the crow flies and if making a direct trek – and it was 1,238 miles.  We beat them (almost doubling their distance), but I think our route was a lot less traumatic.  (And gratefully, it did not take us 5 months to make the journey.  Wow!)

We were very grateful to the Lord for his protecting care over us through our long journey.  He did take care of us and provided many miracles on our behalf.  With His help, we made it!  WE ARE IN NAUVOO (got to keep pinching ourselves to see if it is real …)  Wahoo!

We arrived excited, grateful, and happy to be in Nauvoo.  We were ready to go to work!  Elder and Sister Hunt … Reporting for duty!  Ready for our next adventure on our Nauvoo missionary trail …!

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The Magnificent Mission Training Center (MTC)

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By Kevin V. Hunt

If I were to use one word to describe the Missionary Training Center – The MTC, I would just say that it is “MAGNIFICENT”.  Words really cannot describe it adequately.  Two words that could describe the MTC campus and function would be “TOTALLY AWESOME!”. “GRANDEUR AND MAJESTY” would be three words.  And four words would “FULL OF THE SPIRIT” (meaning the Holy Ghost).  I could go on and on, but you get the drift.

ARRIVING AT THE MTC – AND IN-PROCESSING

In a recent blog, I took you right up to the door of the MTC with us.  We told the family, “We’re going to be hanging up now” as we literally went through the door.  It was such fun having many of our family members on-line to share that special moment with us.    This was something that we had been hoping and dreaming of for several years.  And, as I said before, it was interesting to now to have them be the ones to drop us off at the MTC.

I had brought to my mind the general motto of the Brigham Young University – the campus where the MTC is located.  I remembered this motto from years ago when I entered BYU as a student (a hundred years ago).  That was, “Enter to Learn, Go Forth to Serve”.  That’s what we were doing!

Elder and Sister Hunt at the MTC

We were ushered into the office facility of the MTC.  I was in awe that the building is named for Wilford Woodruff – the fourth prophet of the Church and one of the greatest missionaries of all time.  There is beautiful painting or photo of him in the center lobby.  I have a special love for Wilford Woodruff – since two of my own fourth great grandfathers were the missionaries who tracted out and baptized Wilford (Zera Pulsipher and Elijah Cheney).

President Wilford Woodruff

In a script that we would use later in the week, (preparing us to give historic tours in Nauvoo), we were told that Wilford can be compared to the four royal sons of King Mosiah who taught for 14 years among the Lamanites – and who baptized 1,000’s of their brethren.  Those men are some of my own favorite characters in the Book of Mormon.  I love to read of their missionary labors (Alma chapters 16 to 26).

We did not have our luggage with us.  We knew that we could connect with it later.

We were placed in a holding line – while the MTC personnel determined who we were.  This was further complicated by the fact that there were THREE HUNT COUPLES who were all entering the MTC – all on the same day – and all of us going to Nauvoo.  Talk about confusing!  More on my “cousins” later.

Once the folks determined our identity, we were led into a large room where we saw a multitude of other such “senior couples”  We were directed to a table that had four or so ladies waiting for us.  Each one had their specific function to perform.  And we were put onto a large serpentine function that wove us around to various stops for various tasks.

MTC Name Tags

We were first given the famous missionary black badges – to tell the world who we now are and what our function will be.  It was so exciting to put on our badges that tell the world that we are now official representatives of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  We were happy to take upon ourselves this sacred designation.  They gave us three varieties of badges – to accommodate all kinds of suit coat situations.

We were given an official “Ministerial Certificate” – officially signed by Russell M. Nelson, our current church prophet, and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  We were told that we could take these to the MTC copy center to have them laminated – for a longer shelf-life.  We later made our way over there and left the cards there for their lamination.  And yes, they lost our cards in their process.  (They suggested that maybe one of the other Hunt couples got ours by mistake – but not so.)

Sister volunteers asked about our travel plans for getting to the mission.  Like most missionary couples serving in the U.S., we brought our own vehicle.  We presented our travel plans and when we would plan to get to our Nauvoo mission.

At another table, a sister reviewed the cafeteria scenario and we talked of dietary issues.  We had none!  Wow!  Look at us!  We were told about available exercise facilities at the MTC but ultimately, we did not have time to use this equipment.  We were just too busy.

We were given fresh fruit and a choice of a variety of finger breads.

And by this time, it was time for us to enter the cafeteria for our first MTC lunch.  Wow!  What a collection of food options.  And seeing that throng of young missionary Elders and Sisters, as well as a large crowd of Senior Couples – all holding on to each other and practicing their “Senior Shuffle” – everyone dressed in white shirts and ties, and suits – and fancy (simple but very beautiful) dresses for the ladies.    That is when “magnificent” hit me.

MTC Cafeteria

SENIOR ORIENTATION

Senior Couple In-Processing

After our lunch, we returned to our former orientation room – to find the full place now filled with seats for our auditorium gathering.  (They do fast work for such things here).

We were introduced to the couples who serve as the Presidency of the MTC operation.  We met President Kevin Calderwood (good name!) and his wife, Sydnee.   After an opening song and prayer, we were invited to introduce ourselves.  Each couple got a moment to tell who we are, where we are from, where we are going, and the number of children and grandchildren we have.  (I think we were the most blessed in that activity!)

It was interesting to note that in that gathering, there were 124 senior missionaries reporting for duty.  There were six single sisters, and the rest were couples.  We came from all over the United States, and we were leaving to serve all around the world!  That is where “Totally Awesome” began to sink in.  We found that there were 13 couples who are all heading together to Nauvoo and of those 13, eight of them are going to serve as “Teamsters” – managing oxen and horses and giving historic tours along the routes of the wagon teams.  It suddenly became “really cool” to be wagon teamsters.  (And that’s a blog for another day … More on them later!)  We were told that the MTC presently had over a thousand missionaries – with 240 more scheduled to arrive on Wednesday.  We were told that of the crowd, 51% of the group are young “Sister Missionaries” – and that in June, this would reverse – with about 85 per cent to be Young Elders.

And just a note … that was our first time to get a look at the three Hunt cousins.  I tried to memorize their faces so that we could connect after the meeting.

We were then given some general instructions.  These complete, we were greeted by a young brother – actually employed by the MTC.  He had more general stuff for us to know.  This gathering event seemed to take most of the afternoon.

It was soon time for dinner.  And another look at all of those magnificent missionaries.

ASSOCIATION WITH THE HUNDREDS OF MISSIONARIES

Everywhere we walked, met, or went, we saw hundreds of missionaries – as described above.  What a grand missionary force!  The cafeteria became the natural “hang-out” place.  I don’t know how many folks the place would hold, but I do know that it was a lot.

In the cafeteria, there were a multitude of food stations – each with their food specialty.  There was definitely something for everyone!   They had a variety of main dish options, a well-stocked salad bar, sandwiches, a fruit bar and more.  With my “generations of sweet tooth” things going on with me, of course, I went to the dessert bar first.  Yummy.  They had new delicacies there every day.  Wow.

We were free to eat anywhere we wanted to land ourselves.  We tried to sit by new people (young and old) at each meal – in order to make new instant friends.  Of  course we all asked or answered the three questions: “Who are you, where are you from, and Where are you going to serve?”  So easy to start a conversation based upon these questions.

In the MTC (and the cafeteria) we met folks of all sizes and shapes, and people from a multitude of nations and peoples – all appropriately and wonderfully dressed in missionary attire..  This was so exciting and wonderful.  That’s where “GRANDEUR AND MAJESTY” became evident.  Seeing and being with those hundreds of young people truly was a grand and majestic experience.  I thought, “Where else in the world can you find a crowd of young people such as these – all dressed sharp, all committed to serve, and all righteous (having met the very stringent application questions).    This truly was a manifestation that the work of the Lord is moving forward!  Words cannot describe the image and feeling of being with these men and women of God.

Sister Missionaries at map of the world – Pointing to their Missions

Elders in the hallway

That brings up the four words:  “FULL OF THE SPIRIT”.  The light and power of Christ – and the presence of the Holy Spirit (the Holy Ghost) was everywhere present – in the cafeteria, in the halls, walking around, in every classroom, and just permeating everywhere.  This was such a grand and majestic thing to experience.

And as a side note … we soon found out just “how awesome” it is for us to be going to Nauvoo (and we didn’t even request such an assignment).  In every discussion, with folks everywhere on our trail, as we said, “Nauvoo to be site missionaries” we were met with a silent attitude a gasp of awe and wonder.  We realized that this is “the ultimate” place that everyone wants to go.  We were humbly proud and excited for our special and sacred opportunity to serve in Nauvoo – this “Covenant Community” – the “Cornerstone of Zion.”  (Of course, every place is awesome and cool – and people are called to these places by the Lord’s prophet – to accomplish great things according to their own talents and abilities.)

It was fun at the MTC to greet old friends and to make many new friends – both old and young!

Friends from home – Mark and Marlene Ellingson

More Mesa, Arizona Friends – Ray and Sharon Snyder

THE MTC “BOOKSTORE”

We soon discovered that the whole MTC missionary world was drawn to the “bookstore”.  We followed the crowd and made our way there.  We bought some marking pens and other note-taking  necessities.  We were anxious to meet Joe Merrill – the Bookstore Manager – since we share four grandchildren with him.  It was great visiting with him.  Of course, we took several photos with him and us, and sent them pronto to his kids and ours.  They used that “Awesome” term when they saw the photos.

NO ROOM AT THE INN

Elder Ronald Rasband, one of our current 12 Apostles, and a great leader in the church, recently gave a talk at the October 2023 General Conference of our Church.  In his talk, he invited all senior couples of the Church  to review their life situations to see if this might be the time to leave grandkids and to serve a couple mission.  He said that couples were greatly needed throughout the world – “and everywhere in between”.

Elder Rasband’s talk must have had a positive effect on many “Elderly” couples.  I know that his message had a major effect on Sister Hunt and me. 

And because of this enthusiasm to serve the Lord, as he had invited, we arrived at the MTC and were greeted with news that “there was no room in the inn”.  They had more couples than they could accommodate.  So, we were assigned to stay in the “Residence Inn” (located abut a mile and a half north and west of the MTC) for the full duration of our MTC stay.

Of course, we were not ones to complain …  It was really a hard life living in this “apartment” (with cooking equipment, a fridge, dish washer, two TV’s, a couch and chairs, and a king sized bed.  Kind of a rough life … but someone has to do it.  It was fun coming home to this place each night after the work of the day.

THREE HUNT COUSINS          

Of course, the news of three Hunt couples – all here together at the MTC – and going to Nauvoo was interesting to all.  I quickly cornered the other two Hunt Elders.  We each opened the “Relatives Around Me” app on the FamilySearch program on our phones.  We were anxious to find out how we are all related – assuming that we are.  As we opened the APP, we learned that we are all (Elder Brad Hunt of Diamond Valley, Utah (by St. George), Elder Jacob Hunt (from Centerville – north of Salt Lake City and me) are all “4th Cousins”.  We descend through three different sons of Amos Hunt, our common 3rd Great Grandfather.   Amos is probably proud … I hope so!  I Took a photo of the Hunt cousins.  And we had fun being “cousins” all week long.

Later in the week, we also met a young Elder named Hunt.  It was interesting to note that his own first name is Jefferson Hunt (shhhh!).   He told us that he comes through the lineage of Jefferson Hunt, Captain of the 1840’s “Mormon Battalion”.  We brought him into the family photo with us.  And for the record, there is no close connection to our Hunt line with that of Captain Jefferson. As a side note, the other two Elder Hunts are both going to serve in the Teamster group at Nauvoo.  They can have their basic ox …!

CLASSES AND TEACHING

The Church recently revised the “old” “Preach My Gospel” study guide for missionaries.  The first edition came into Vogue about 20 years ago (as our son was serving his mission in Texas – and he helped to teach this book and its use throughout his mission).

We had training classes each day of our first week at the MTC.   We studied the “PMG” book and gleaned some really great insights to the missionary effort and our role in it.

Our AM  Study District

Elder and Sister Hunt with other Senior Missionaries – PM Study Group

For our final two days of training – we studied another book – specific to our roles of “Historic Site Missionaries”.  This was also excellent training – and was a bit more “hands on”.

For all of these classes, we had different teachers.  Two sisters taught in the first week.  One taught daily in the morning and the other taught in the afternoon.  Both of these sisters had previously served as full-time missionaries.  They taught “with the Spirit” (The Holy Ghost”) and they knew their “stuff”.  They taught with power and authority.  And then in the afternoons, we had another team of equally qualified Sisters.  They were all amazing and wonderful

We had Friday night off – after the classes finished at 3 PM.  We arranged for the Belcher siblings (seven of the living eight) to get together.  We trekked to the Murray, Utah Chuck-A-Rama restaurant and had a great visit together.

Thursday evening was “Temple Night” for everyone.  The Provo Temple (adjacent to the MTC)  is presently closed for major remodeling.  They provided buses for the Young missionaries and the couples found their own rides. 

Sister Hunt and I found space for us at the American Fork – Mt. Tiimpanogas Temple. 

GENERAL CONFERENCE OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

General Conference in the MTC

Typically, MTC missionaries participate in regular Sunday services – just as they would if at their homes.  Ours was a special privilege, however since our stay included the 194th Annual General Conference of the Church.  We convalesced at our “Inn” and watched the two morning sessions of the conference there.

Then in the afternoons, we went to the MTC – and viewed the conference with hundreds of missionaries (mostly the young Elders and Sisters).  Wow!  What a great army.  Again, the power of the Holy Ghost radiated everywhere among the majestic crowd.  It was fun to view the conference proceedings shoulder to shoulder with these young missionary greats.  It was a special blessing and opportunity to hear the inspired words of our Prophets, Apostles, and other General Church authorities.  As ever, I took copious notes of the many  talks.

Typically, on Tuesday nights at the MTC, missionaries get to hear a talk presented by an Apostle or General Authority of the Church.  Because of the General Conference week, we did not have that privilege.

We did have a couple of wonderful evenings of Gospel presentation.  One night we learned and basked in the study of the Character of Christ.  Then on the other night, we heard messages from the MTC presidency members.

I am a “people watcher” anyway, so I loved looking behind me (behind the seats reserved for us “Seniors”) and seeing the young Elders and Sisters gathered for the events.  One Elder in a gold suit wanted to be seen in my photos.

THE  FAMOUS MTC MURALS

There are 21 different meeting and residence facilities at the MTC.  Throughout all of the buildings, they have on virtually every available wall space, majestic murals of the Life of Christ and His servants – as well as real life missionaries teaching people all over the world.  These murals are so awe-inspiring – and they strongly bring the Power of the Holy Ghost to the entire campus.

The “T-4” (teaching building #4) building, is a six-story structure.  And throughout this facility they have giant, full-wall murals of Christ and His workers in His kingdom.  We were encouraged to go through the facility to view and experience these beautiful murals.  Each mural was awe-inspiring, magnificent, and wonderful.  These really helped me to feel the Spirit – and the power of the might of Christ, prophets, and others.  So magnificent!

Mural of “The Sons of Mosiah” Preaching to the Lamanites

A BIT OF MTC TRIVIA

The MTC was established in the mid-1970’s.  My younger brother was one the last Elders to enter the Salt Lake Mission Home.  That was September 15, 1978. Today, the MTC trains over 20,000 missionaries each year.  And the missionaries are trained in 60 different languages of the world and there are a dozen or more regional MTC facilities located through the world.

I am so old that my “young missionary training (1973)  actually precedes the MTC experience.  My wife and I actually reported for missionary training and duty at the old Salt Lake City “Mission Home”.  Wow!  That is really old!  This Mission Home was housed in an old school located across the street from 29-story skyscraper of the Church office building.  That is an interesting scenario that warrants a study by interested historians.  Good stuff.  As I was compiling my 20-volume autobiography a couple of years ago, I researched the old Mission Home and included it in one of the volumes.  Here is a link for avid historians.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1F81GvT2801UwMUwe93qH1teLUOH9Xjap/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=1068e19282860106253950&rtpof=true&sd=true ­­­­­­­­­­­­

Also, here is a link to my own journal entries for that experience. 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FKPdi_ZaS2DwlAtSAT4k9oxJXNBMFmhS/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=106819282860106253950&rtpof=true&sd=true

Enjoy!

TO THE NATIONS

One of my favorite experiences of the MTC was feeling the reverence and awe of the Gospel being taken – with all of these magnificent missionaries – to all countries of the world.

There is a rotunda of flags of the nations to which the Gospel is being taken.  They line the sidewalks all around the training buildings.  It is so exciting to see these flags.  They are rotated daily to include more of the national flags.  These flags are a testimony of God’s work spreading over all of the world.  Just being here at the MTC is a testimony of God’s work and the truthfulness of the Restoration of the Gospel – wherein God and Christ called Joseph Smith to be their modern prophet and the person through whom their Church was restored for our day. 

International Flags at Mission Training Center

In a prior day, I wrote a hymn that expresses my feelings about these flags of the world nations.  This is what I wrote:

I look forward to sharing this Gospel and The Restoration with the many visitors who come to experience Nauvoo with us.  This should be a grand adventure.

The words of “MAGNIFICENT”, “TOTALLY AWESOME!”, “GRANDEUR AND MAJESTY” and “FULL OF THE SPIRIT” definitely describe our wonderful MTC experience.  Ready now for action in Nauvoo.

We take off from the MTC April 10th– though I am “sicker than a dog” at the moment.  We go forward in faith! Nauvoo bound!  Pray for our safety!

Elder Kevin and Sister Lou Hunt

Gratitude, History and Heritage, Inspiration, Mission Service

Getting Ready to Head out on the Mission

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By Kevin V. Hunt

Elder Kevin and Sister Lou Hunt preparing for Missionary Service April 1, 2024

Getting ready to head out on the mission …  I announced earlier about the upcoming mission that my wife and I are doing for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  The plan is to be gone for 18 months.  We have been asked to serve in Nauvoo, Illinois – which is a historic church site in Illinois.

As we prepared to go on the mission, there was much to do.  My wife and I both had “To Do Lists” that were a mile long – at least.  It was kind of over-whelming.  There was so much to do.  My wife wanted to organize and clean up the entire house.  She cleaned and sorted everything in the house and garage. Everything had to be perfect.  She wore herself out in this process.

I had many family history and other computer projects that kept me entertained.  I worked hard to get these tasks completed and ultimately got through many – but not all of them.  I worked on these projects right up to within a few hours before we were to head out of town.

We were invited to give a talk in church.  (See my previous blog, entitled, “Praise to the Man” Check it out!

As we anticipated the church talk, our children decided to come from all over to participate with us.  We had a steady stream of family for a couple of weeks as we were trying to make our trip preparations.  One daughter, her husband and son, came from Texas and they stayed a week.  A daughter came from Idaho with her two boys, and they were with us for two weeks.  Another daughter came from Idaho.  They made a family trip and came to be with us for two days on their way home.  And we had two children come from towns 50 or so miles away.  And of course, we have three families who live in our own home town.  Two sons-in-law were not able to come – and we missed eleven of the 42 grandchildren.  So, this meant that we had a crowd of 50 of our posterity – and many other family and friends gathered with us.

After the church meeting, we gathered to the home of a local son, and we had a great farewell dinner and activities together.  And of course, we posed for more family photos than any person should ever have to endure.  We got shots of every possible group gathering.  It was great!  (We have many able photographers in the family … so they are great!)

We had a few challenges in the week before our departure. Our microwave oven gave up the ghost. Our son had an accident in his vehicle. He needed a vehicle while he worked with insurance, etc . We offered to loan him our second vehicle. Then three days later, his wife wrecked our car.

On Thursday before our Saturday departure, the alternator of our vehicle decided to quit.  Three sons-in-law worked together to get the alternator changed.  They finished at midnight about eighteen hours before we were to head out.  They made a great team as they consulted together and tried to loosen all of the bolts, the belt, etc.  They called themselves, “Three brothers-in-law, a wrench, and You-Tube”.  We were so grateful for their combined efforts.

The night before we were to leave town, a daughter put out an “all hands on deck” call to get her siblings to come to help.  Again, there was much to do.  Many responded to the call to help us.  Son-in-law, Mike helped check out the vehicle to make sure it was road-worthy.  Ladies helped with packing and a plethora of other projects.  (And meanwhile, my wife and I still tried to complete tasks from our never-ending lists).  We said sad good-byes to the local children and grandchildren.  It was a happy-sad day as we all knew that it was good-bye for a year and a half.  There were a lot of tears and of course, everyone (including us) had to get in “just one more hug”.  One daughter sobbed, “How can I survive without you?”

Then came the big day to leave town – Saturday, March 30th.  It was a short night before D-day.  We each only got about four hours of sleep – not enough, for sure.  We had already said our good-byes.  One son-in-law came to our home about 6:30 AM to load our two bicycles onto our car rack.  I finished packing the already-too-loaded vehicle.   (We had packed the vehicle on Thursday and Lou had meticulously packed different suitcases for each phase of our adventure of the next two weeks.)   Somehow, we got everything but the kitchen sink – and then some – into the Honda mini-van.

We had wanted to leave at 6:30 in the morning, but it was 8:00 AM  when we finally headed out of town.  We stopped in Tempe to say goodbye to one more family.  And then we were off.  We headed north on the I-17 freeway from Phoenix – and headed north toward Flagstaff.  We stopped at our usual Sunset Point rest area for “drink and drain”.

As we were just a few miles south of Flagstaff, the lack of sleep caught up with me.  I swerved a bit, and we were saved only because of our pre-departure prayer, and the faith of our family.  It could have been bad!

We had planned to drive clear north to Salt Lake City – to spend two nights with my wife’s sister.  We didn’t make it.  We decided that we had to stop for a night – in order to get a full night’s sleep.  We had driven north on Highway 89A – as is our usual custom on trips to Utah.  We spent a wonderful night in the beautiful Jacob Lake Inn.  (Such a great place to stay …  Everyone ought to stop there at least once.)  Their home-made cookies, alone, are worth the drive, but the drive through the Alpine setting – with a big forest of beautiful pine trees, made the drive most enjoyable.

Then the next morning, we awoke to four or more inches of snow on top of our car and everywhere else.  This was a bit of a shock to us desert rats.  Somehow we got the snow off of the window – or at least enough to peer out.  And getting up and out of the snow was another adventure.  We wondered if we would be going anywhere that day.  Again, the prayers of faith got us out of the ruts and on our way.

By this time, it was Easter Sunday, and it was not the Easter day that we had anticipated. – to celebrate the Atonement and Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  We did rejoice in Him in our interesting circumstance.    Our clothes were all packed tightly in the vehicle – such that it was not easy to get to them.   We had not planned for church along the way but our desires to attend church en route were foiled.  We opted to use our phones to tune in to a video broadcast of a daughter’s Texas local ward (congregation).

We arrived at the home of my wife’s sister and husband, and they had a wonderful meal waiting for us.  They are always great hosts, and we love them.  We noted with them that they have hosted us five previous times as we have prepared to send off our missionary children.  (Two other children also served missions – but they reported directly to foreign MTC facilities.  A daughter attended an MTC in England and a son reported directly to the Brazil MTC.  It was interesting to now be the parents entering the MTC.

And then, it was April 1st – the day for us to report to the MTC (Mission Training Center) where many out-going missionaries are trained for the work they will do on their various missions.  (Stay tuned for our blog about the MTC – to come soon!)  We had been anticipating this day for almost two months since we had received our mission calls (assignments) to serve.

We had a leisurely morning – cold cereal and all.  I did some last-minute repacking of the vehicle.  Always such a fun task.  And I even found a few minutes to post the “Praise to the Man” blog post.  We dressed in our missionary attire.  I was in my black suit and a brand new shirt, socks, shoes, and everything.  Sister Hunt wore a beautiful dress that matched my suit (though this was not planned).  I think that we looked great – if I do say so ourselves.

We left in plenty of time to get from Salt Lake to Provo, Utah.  We had to chuckle a bit.  We were given rather specific  instructions that said we were to report between 10:30 and 10:40 AM.  Wow!  They have this reporting system down to a science.  Very impressive!

We had about fifteen minutes to kill before our scheduled arrival time.  We decided to do a video conference with our many children – located all over the globe.  Many of the family members were able to join in with us.  My wife manned the phone call as I drove the car into the MTC.  We got through the security booth and parked in a parking lot designated for “senior missionaries” like us.  Senior missionaries are those (with gray hair and expanded stomachs” who have achieved an advanced age – but who still have some energy to commit to missionary service.  We revise the old Primary song, and sing, “We’re glad they’ve called us on a mission … now that we have grown a foot of two.”  (Not to brag about the direction of that growth.)  Well, anyway, we got one of the last available parking spots.  And it even accommodated our mission bikes that were strapped onto the back of our vehicle.  We must have looked a sight with the fully packed car, the bikes, the Jacob Lake dirt, snow, and salt, and more.   Admittedly, we thought that we had everything that we thought that we needed for the next 18 months.

My wife continued the video call with the family – and they “went” with us right up to the front door.  I finally had to tell her and the family that it was time to “be hanging up now”.

We had many service missionary folks there to usher us in to start the mission.

And the adventure begins …!  Moving onto the Nauvoo Scouting trail … !  Can’t wait!

Gratitude, History and Heritage, Inspiration

Praise to the Man!

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By Kevin V. Hunt

(Photo copyright by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

Kevin’s Mission “Talk in Church”

PRESENTED MARCH 24, 2024 – Pacana Park Ward

We sing a popular hymn #27, as written by William W. Phelps.   With gusto, we sing, “Praise to the Man”.

                Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah

                Jesus anointed that Prophet and Seer

Blessed to open the last dispensation,

                Kings shall extol him,

                And nations revere …

                And the final line of the 4th verse says, “Millions shall know “ Brother Joseph again …”

As we know, Elder M. Russell Ballard, long the “Acting President of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles”, died just after General Conference.  His final address – just a month before his death – was a powerful testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith – his great grand uncle. 

He said, “I have seemed to have the Prophet Joseph in my mind the last few months.  I’ve sat and contemplated his glorious responsibility in becoming the prophet of this, the last dispensation of the fulness of times.”

“I think how grateful we are as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that Joseph Smith, a boy who desired to know what he needed to do  have his sins forgiven, found the courage to go into a grove of trees near his home in Palmyra, New York, and there kneel in prayer.

“On that occasion, as Joseph got on his knees in what we call the sacred Grove, the heavens opened.  Two personages, brighter than the noonday sun, appeared before him.  One spoke to him and said, “Joseph, this is My Beloved Son.  Hear Him!”  Thus began the Restoration of the fulness of the everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Still quoting Elder Ballard:  “I’ve been thinking about all the marvelous thins that we know and all of the things that we have … and how abundantly blessed we are to know all that we know because we have Joseph Smith, the prophet.

“We have an understanding of the purpose of life, of who we are.  We know who God is, we know who the Savior is.  … We can know that Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ have revealed themselves in this latter-day and that Joseph has been raised up to restore the fulness of the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ.”

“[Because of Joseph] we have the Book of Mormon … another witness, another testament that Jesus is the Christ.

Then Elder Ballard said, “So my testimony this morning is that I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the world.  I also know that our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus appeared and spoke to Joseph and prepared him to become the prophet.”  A powerful final testimony by Elder Ballard.

The conference talk of Elder Rasband grabbed my wife and me.  He talked of the great need for more senior couple missionaries.  Lou and I had talked of a mission before but we didn’t want to get the Covid shots so did not want to go when we first retired.

But with Elder Rasband’s talk, we felt it was now our time to go.

From that talk, we began immediately to make preparations to serve.  We began our missionary recommendation form and process.  It was truly a miracle that we were able to complete all of the medical appointments, the shots, the photos, the application, and much more – all within just a week.  That was in October, and it seemed to take forever to get the application moved on to the next step. I was frustrated and did not have the humility that my wife has just talked about.  For the record, Lou has pretty much conquered that trait, but I still need some work on it.  That’s why she  was assigned the topic today – so that she could do some preaching to me. But, looking back now, we see the knowledge of God in the timing of us going to Nauvoo when we are.

When couples go on a mission, they can specify some “preferences” of where they want to go.  But that doesn’t mean that this is where you will serve.  In the paperwork, the couple signs a statement that they will serve anywhere the Lord needs them.  We initially listed several preferences, but ultimately pulled all of the preferences and submitted our will to that of the Lord – to serve anywhere as needed.

I still have to laugh at my mother and step-father as they planned to serve a mission.  My step father had some Salt Lake connections and he thought that they had all of the t’s crossed and all of the I’s dotted  for them to go to Nauvoo.  When they received their call, the step-dad called their Bishop.  He said, “Now Bishop, how did you spell Nauvoo on that application?”  The Bishop said, “N A U V O O …”  Elder Nash said, “Well, let me tell you how THEY spell it … T O O W O O M B A”.  The Bishop said, “Where in the world is that?”  They were called to teach institute out in the Australian bush in Toowoomba, Australia.

My wife wanted to go to Australia since she had served there – a hundred years ago – in her youth.

So, our folks wanted to go to Nauvoo, and they got called to Toowoomba, Australia.  Sister Hunt and I wanted to go to Australia, and we got called to Nauvoo.

When I went on my youth mission, I was sure that I would go to a foreign mission.  My patriarchal blessing said I would go to a foreign people and learn their customs and ways”.  I was surprised with the call to  Alabama, Flawda, and Jawja.  My mother said then, “Those people are about as foreign  as you can get … I reminded Mom of her statement when she and Richard were called on their 2nd mission to Alabama –  They served in Tuskeegee.  She there met David Oryang, then the Branch President of the small Tuskegee branch and his wife Christine.  A couple of months ago, I went on an Elder’s Quorum visit to visit Brother Randy Tuke in our Pacana Park Ward.  We got to talking about missions and it was interesting that Elder Tuke also served in Tuskegee, Alabama.  He knew the Oryangs and even produced photos of them when he attended their elaborate African wedding.  He ministered to them and set an example for them.

My folks were there in Tuskegee just a couple of years after Elder Tuke was there.  They continued to fellowship the Oryangs.  They taught them the Temple prep lessons and got them to the Atlanta Temple where they were endowed and sealed.  I worked for a time for America West Airlines, and we flew to Alabama – all 11 of us – and visited Mother and Richard on their mission.  We attended their Tuskegee branch with them.  We met President Oryang, the branch president, and I can still recall seeing this great Ugandan Brother as he stood tall and testified boldly of the Prophet, Joseph Smith.

Mother continued to stay connected to David and Christine over the next 25 years.  They came to visit her in Mesa, and she visited them in their home in Washington, DC   I connected with them, and they participated by video on the program at her 90th birthday celebration held just before her recent death.  Because of their continuing connection, I had their contact information in my phone.  As Randy Tuke and I talked about the Oryangs, he said that he had lost contact with them.   He was surprised and pleased when I told him that David is now the stake president in Washington, D.C..  We took a selfie photo, and I shipped it off immediately to Pres. Oryang.  He was very pleased to see the photo.  I got Randy and David connected.  President Oryang and his wife have just been called as Mission Leaders in Nigeria.

We never know the full results of our missions …  It may be years before we learn results of seeds that we plant … and we may never know our impact.  As a youth, I was a teen guide at the Mesa Temple for a couple of years.  Lou and I and our baby, Jackie, served as guides at the Ogden Temple and Tabernacle soon after our marriage.  Our mission at those places was to help people feel at home and to feel Spirit and the Lord’s guidance in their lives through our testimonies.    Such will be our mission in Nauvoo.

I served in Cullman, Alabama – a strange town for the South  – since it was all German Catholics.  I was there five months – and I felt that it was a total waste.  I tracted out the whole town 3 ½ times.  I didn’t baptize anyone … I had been home for FIVE YEARS when got a letter from a Sister Buchanan, from Cullman.  She thanked me for bringing her into the Church.  I could not remember her – nor could my companion of the time.  I went to my missionary journal.  I found a couple of entries about her.  We first met her and taught her the first discussion on her porch.  She loved everything and said, “Ya’ll come back now, ya heah?”  We did return the next week to teach her again.  Her husband met us and kicked us off the porch – with no “Ya’ll come back”.  That was our last contact with her.

Then five years later, she wrote to tell me that she had been baptized – all because of me.  She had my address from my “Article of Faith” card I had given to her.  She wrote again a year later and said that her two teens had been allowed to join the church.  Then still later, she wrote me and said that her husband had mellowed out and had also joined the church.

My Brother Kyle served his mission in NYC – Our first child was a girl.  Unusual … Hunts do not generally have girls first.  I looked in our family history … had to go to the 1600’s to find a girl born first …I  knew that our Hunt family had been in Utah, Kentucky, and North Carolina but I had totally forgotten that our Hunt family first went to Hopewell, New Jersey about 1620 and were there for over a hundred years.  My brother Kyle at that moment was serving his mission in Hopewell, New Jersey … I copied genealogy pedigree charts and sent them to him.  He tracted out all of the local Hunts who were still there and shared the charts with them.  Then after he had been home, seven years, he received a letter from a guy in Pennsylvania.  He said, “You do not know me, but I have been doing Hunt family genealogy work all of my life and have not known what to do with it.” 

“I contacted a  cousin in Hopewell, New Jersey.  She said, “If you want to know about Hunt genealogy, you need to talk to a Mormon elder who was here a COUPLE of years ago.”  She then gave him Kyle’s article of faith card he had given to her.  To make a long story short, I communicated with the guy, got his genealogy package – and ultimately processed 1,000 names for Temple ordinances.

We are a missionary family – All four of our parents went on missions.  Lou and I served – and we sent seven children on missions …  We are now starting missions for the grandkids.  Our first grandson is presently serving in Argentina.  His younger brother just left the MTC to go to Yakima, Washington.   Two granddaughters are processing their missionary applications.   These are exciting missionary times for our family.

Sister Hunt and I are going on a couple mission now for the grandkids.  We could have done a service mission and remained at home, but felt that we needed to uproot and GO somewhere … so that the grandkids – all 43 of them – would see us and later say that Grandpa and Grandma WENT a mission and we want to be the examples for them.  It would make us very happy if all 43 of them would serve a mission.

When we are willing to be missionaries, the Lord puts people in our path to hear of the gospel from us. We have had many wonderful missionary opportunities through the years …

Sister Hunt talked of her folks serving on a mission to Nauvoo.  Just for the record, almost no one baptizes anyone as they serve as missionary guides at church historic sites – as we will be doing.  That is not a goal for historic missionary guides.  When they were at the Lucy Mack Smith home, the folks were frequently visited by a young lady from nearby Keokuk, Iowa – located about 10 miles across the Mississippi river from Nauvoo.  She just kind of gravitated to Gramps/Elder Belcher.  She came to see the folks frequently.  Elder Belcher ended up baptizing this young lady in the Mississippi River.

Years later, as our family was in the Nauvoo, “City of Joseph” pageant, we were in a scene with all of the huge cast.  In this scene, we were all Saints who were “building a city” – building Nauvoo.  All over the stage there were a multitude of city building tasks going on.  The centerpiece of the building scene was a giant water wheel that was about 20 feet or more tall.  During the scene, the water wheel suddenly started to topple.  I joined several men around me and we rushed to help “steady the ark”.  Somehow we managed to keep it upright.

After the scene, a lady whom I did not know came up to me.  She introduced herself as a news reporter from Keokuk.  She said, “I got a picture of you with the water wheel … now I need your name and information for my newspaper article.”  We talked of my former mission to Nauvoo, the train trip of my family and me, and more, but she was not impressed.  Then I said, “My father in law served a mission here years ago and was at the brickyard.” She then lightened up.  She asked his name.   When I said, “Elder EH Belcher,” she nearly ejected from the stage.  She excitedly told us that Elder Belcher had baptized her in the river.  We were all in total amazement at how the Lord had orchestrated all of this.  Wow!

With our 18-month service in Nauvoo, we will be historic guides at a multitude of historic homes and shops of old Nauvoo.  More than 20 of our combined ancestor families lived in Nauvoo.  We will arrive in Nauvoo just as all of the Nauvoo properties of Joseph Smith have transferred to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  It will likely be our privilege to guide visitors through those marvelous properties.  Talk about the timing of our mission …!

One of our mission training booklets is called, “On Holy Ground”.  In this booklet President Gordon B. Hinckley was quoted as he dedicated Historic Kirtland.  Those words are applicable also to Nauvoo – to my wife and me, and to each of you.  He said, “May this area become a great gathering place for Thy people from over the earth.  May they come here, walk about with reverence and memories, feel the power of Thy Holy Spirit, and grow in faith and testimony concerning Thy work and Thy kingdom.  May it be a place of spiritual refreshment, where hearts and minds will be  touched by the power of the Holy Ghost to lead them to knowledge of Thee and their Redeemer, Thy Beloved Son.  May it be a place where the stranger will be touched by Thy Spirit and come to know something of the wondrous workings of Thy cause and kingdom.  May men and women from over the earth experience here a sure and solemn witness of the divine calling of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the divinity of Thy work established through him.”

That is an invitation to all of you … come visit Nauvoo while we are there … bring your families … come and stay several days … walk the paths of the Prophets and your ancestors … Come to experience the two Nauvoo pageants.  Come and see Sister Hunt and me in our pioneer costumes, sing with us, “Praise to the Man” and Come and get to know Brother Joseph, again.  I know that Joseph Smith was and is God’s Prophet that God, our Father, and His Son,  Jesus Christ did in reality visit Joseph and called him to be Their prophet to restore the Church of Jesus Christ to the world.  I look forward to testifying of him and of Them to the world as we are in Nauvoo.

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Heading to the Provo MTC today! A great day for UP” (Dr. Seuss)

Kevin the Nauvoo Scout …

History and Heritage, Inspiration

The Beginning of a New Adventure in Historic Nauvoo

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By Kevin V. Hunt

Greetings to all of you!  For many years, I have blogged on this site about my 60 years of adventures in the Boy Scouts of America.  I have had grand times through those Scouting adventures with great people and super fun activities.  Now, I am announcing a new blogging focus on this site.  I welcome you and hope that you will join me weekly.

I announce that I will have a new title:  Elder Kevin Hunt … and my wife will be Sister Lou Hunt.  We have accepted the call of a prophet to serve as Historic Site Missionaries in the Illinois Historic Sites Mission – which includes Nauvoo, Illinois.  We will wear pioneer clothes as we welcome visitors to Nauvoo.  We will serve for 18 months.  We report for training at the Missionary Training Center (the “MTC”) in Provo, Utah on April 1st (no joke!)

Most folks likely will not have heard of the obscure village of Nauvoo.  It is located on the Mississippi River where Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri come together.  The town was founded in 1839 by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Under the direction of the Prophet, Joseph Smith, members of the church gathered to the new land from all over the United States and Europe.  Together these “Saints” built a beautiful city.  Nauvoo, in fact, is a Hebrew name which means, “City Beautiful”.

The Saints built a city that reached a population of more than 12,000 people and it was, in fact, then larger than Chicago.   Our own family has a rich heritage in Nauvoo.   Combined between our ancestral lines, we have 20 or more families who settled, lived, and grew in faith in Nauvoo.  We look forward to honoring their lives, heritage and sacrifices for us.

The Saints built homes and shops of all kinds.  In its day, Nauvoo had seven brick making establishments.  Isaac Hill was one of the most famous of these brickmakers.  He inscribed his famed “I Hill” on every 100th brick.  (And I have four of his I Hill bricks!)  Many of the original homes of early pioneers were made of brick, and others were of wood and limestone.  Many of the brick homes have survived the nearly 180 years.  A multitude of others have been “restored” through historic re-construction.  While in Nauvoo, we will be privileged to live in the former Simeon A. Dunn brick home.  This was the first 2-story home in Nauvoo and was built in 1841.

Nearly 30 of the pioneer homes and shops have been restored and are open for public tours.  In our role as historic guides, we will give tours of many of the 30 or so homes and shops.  Sister Hunt and I will be in our pioneer costumes as we greet visitors.   Many of the tours are also available virtually on-line at nauvoohistoricsites.org.   It will be a privilege and honor to testify of the Prophet, Joseph Smith, and his role in the Restoration of The Church of Jesus Christ upon the earth.

My wife’s parents, Elder E.H. and Sister Verna Belcher served missions for two and a half years (about 1980) in Nauvoo.  And while there, Elder Belcher built the “modern” brickyard and began making and firing bricks made from mud dug out of the Mississippi River.  His bricks are still made, given to visitors, and have  now become world famous!  His bricks can be found everywhere.  It will be an honor to continue their Nauvoo heritage.  I promise more details on Elder Belcher’s Nauvoo bricks in a future blog.

Nauvoo has long held a special place in our hearts.  Many years ago, I served my youth mission in Alabam, Flawda, and Jawja.  And I was called by the Church to serve the last six months as a guide in Nauvoo.  Those were grand times.

Twice, my wife and I took our nine children and trekked to Nauvoo (one summer by train) to participate in the cast of the “City of Joseph” pageant in Nauvoo.  Our daughter had the privilege to attend a semester at the BYU-Nauvoo campus (before it was torn down to restore the view of the restored Nauvoo Temple.  We were there in Nauvoo just last summer (2023) with another daughter and her family who are living in Illinois.  We were able to stay there for four days.  We were able to experience both the Nauvoo and also the British Pageants (that alternate nights from mid-July to early August each summer).  We loved walking the streets and experiencing the spirit of the early Church leaders and our own ancestors.   (And all of these experiences will make for material for future blogs on this site.)  Returning to Nauvoo will be like “coming home” for me and Sister Hunt.  What a magnificent place, this Nauvoo!

I could go on and on about Nauvoo, but I will not attempt to cover everything in this first introductory blog.  But, stay tuned!  I will make an effort (time permitting) to post a new blog here every week.  So, check in regularly and learn of our latest adventures in “The City of Joseph – City Beautiful.”

And it begins … we will begin our adventure – in our own vehicle – as we drive to the Provo MTC later this week.  We will be in the MTC for about 10 days before heading on to Nauvoo.  Should be a grand adventure.  We are excited for the opportunity to serve.

Now I can say I am the “Nauvoo Missionary Scout” … A new trail to experience!  Come along for the ride!

Kevin Hunt

Adventures in Scouting, Gratitude, History and Heritage, Nostalgia

Announcing the End of a Scouting Trail Era

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Kevin the Scout – Celebrating 60 Years of Scouting Adventures

Well, today (March 17, 2024), I made a major announcement. I published this article on my Scoutingtrails.com website.

Here is the link:

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1743400140141384184/8295642121742167505

I wrote:

MY FAREWELL SCOUTING TRAILS BLOG – By Kevin Hunt

Published on the Scoutingtrails.com website on March 17, 2024

To all of my devoted fans of my Scouting Trails blogsite.  Greetings!

This is to announce that I am ending this Scouting Trails blogsite.  I have had the site for many years and have loved writing and posting what I hope has been informative and enjoyable articles on many subjects of the wonderful Scouting life.  Thanks to all of you who have read my articles and commented on them.  The site has given me great joy and purpose and has been fulfillment of a great dream for me.  It is sad to give it up.

After 60 years of committed service in and to the Boy Scouts of America, I have kind of retired my Scout uniform.  Several situations transpired that led to my current state:   My church made the decision to depart from the program – and this cut many of my ties.  I moved to a new community and lost the previous district and unit ties that I had previously.  For two years, I hauled two grandsons to Mesa – located an hour away from my home – so that they could still participate in a quality troop program.  Then they moved to Texas.  So, with all of these circumstances, I kind of backed out of the program (though I still have the fond memories of my years in the program).  And I still have a room in my home that is full of Boy scouting memorabilia – my Scouting Trails Museum.  (And this  will still be open for ten days or so before it gets filled with furniture.  Come on over!)

It has been a while since I have last posted on this site.  I apologize for that.  Life has changed …

My wife and I are off on a new adventure.  We have accepted an assignemt (A “Call” from a Prophet) to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  We report to the Provo Mission Training Center – the “MTC” on April 1st (no joke!)  We will serve in historic Nauvoo, Illinois as historic site missionaires.  I will don a new uniform – to look like a pioneer of 1839-1846 as I present tours of 30 or so historic homes and shops commemorating pioneers and Saints who lived in that community during those years.  Many of the original structures remain even to this day – mainly those made of the Nauvoo brick.  Others have been totally restored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the public to experience.  And it will be a great honor and privilege to honor and testify of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the visit of God, our Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ to the Prophet Joseph.  I know that they appeared to him and called him to be the Prophet to restore the Church of Jesus Christ once more to the earth.  I have a testimony of these grand eternal events and look forward to sharing that testimony with those who come to Navuoo.  My wife and I will serve in Nauvoo for 18 months.

It will be so great to “return home” to Nauvoo.  My original “youth” church mission was in Alabam, Flawda, and Jawja.  Then the Church sent me on special assignment to serve my last six months in Nauvoo.  Such a fabulous experience!  My wife and family and I have returned to Nauvoo many times through the years.  Twice we took all nine kids and participated in the cast of the “City of Joseph” pageant.  The first time we went (1996), we travelled together on the train.  (And that will make a great future blog.  I promise to do that.)  We were there even last summer for several days.  What a joy.  And my wife’s parents, Elder E. H. and Sister Verna Belcher served two and a half years on a mission to Nauvoo, and Elder Belcher built the original (modern) brick yard and his Nauvoo bricks are now world famous.   And between my wife and me, we have about 30 of our own pioneer ancestor families who lived and served in Nauvoo – “The City of Joseph”.  So, it will be wonderful to kind of re-live their lives and the legacy that they have given to us. 

This “Scouting Trails” site will remain open for just three more days. (to March 21, 2024)  At that time, I will shut off the blogsite.  You have one last chance to peruse the articles and experience them again.  I made the financial decision to close this site because all possible cost savings are being implemented in order to pay for our coming mission.

But, all is not lost!  You may still read past Scouting (and other) articles on my kevinthescout@wordpress.com blogsite. I will continuie to keep this site active.  Some of my Scoutingtrails.com articles appear on this website – but there are many differences.  I will also use this KevintheScout site as a medium to blog about new experiences as a missionary.  I will attempt regular (weekly is the goal – time permitting) to post about our mission life and times in Nauvoo.

Also, I have published most of my past Scouting blogs on the Lulu.com publishing webiste   These volumes (and a multitude of other historical books are published and available for purchase on the Lulu.com website under a search of “Author Kevin V Hunt”.  Check it out.   Here is the link:   https://www.lulu.com/search?page=2&q=author+kevin+v+hunt&pageSize=10&adult_audience_rating=00

Sixty years is a very long time – a life-time of Scouting advenmtures.  I recently completed the compilation and writing of my own personal autobiography – in 20 volumes (and still growing) under the title of “My Life’s Collective Works” (or shortened in titles to “MLCW”).  Fully 7 volumes of the autobiography detail my various Scouting adventures through those 60 years.  These are volume numbers 14 to 20.  And my own youth Scouting experiences are detailed in Volume #1.  Volume #20 might be of special interest for my Scouting Trails fans.

Volume #20 is entitled: “MLCW – Vol. #20 “KevintheScout” Woods Wisdom from the Scouting Trail”.    This volume contains many or most of my Scouting blogs through the years – and available to you in one volume.  Other Scouting blog articles are also woven through the other MLCW Scouting volumes.

I invite you to check out the Lulu.com website and peruse my many writing attempts.  And some of my Scouting book titles are still also available on Amazon.com (again under an author search in my name.)  Something on these sites might be of interest to you.  (And of course, sales might also help with the total mission effort).

And finally, here is my invitation to come and visit Nauvoo while we are there … bring your families … come and stay several days … walk the paths of the Prophets and pioneer ancestors … Come to experience the two Nauvoo pageants.  Come and see Sister Hunt and me in our pioneer costumes, sing with us, “Praise to the Man” and Come and get to know Brother Joseph, again. 

Best wishes on your continuing Scouting and other trails.    Thanks for walking the Scouting trail with me through these many years.

Kevin the Scout!

Nauvoo, Historic Nauvoo, Senior Mission Couple, Historic Sites, Missionary, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintS