“God Will Do Something Unimaginable”
Let’s look
back at the early Saints, who endured many trials and heartaches:
They built a
city along the Mississippi River in a mosquito-infested swamp
Saints crossing the frozen Mississippi River. (1)
They suffered
the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith
They sacrificed
to build the Nauvoo temple and then had to leave it behind
They abandoned
Nauvoo the Beautiful and fled across the frozen Mississippi
They trudged
more than a thousand miles across the wilderness via wagon, handcart and by
foot to reach an isolated valley next to a great salty lake.
More than
4,000 of them died, including several of my ancestors, before the
Intercontinental railroad was completed in 1868. 
Crossing Sweetwater River pulling handcarts. (2)
Then they
had to struggle to survive in the desolate Salt Lake Valley, including an
invasion of crickets, which resulted in the miracle of the seagulls.
Even still,
they imagined a prosperous kingdom in the tops of the mountains.
When Brigham
Young and the first group of Pioneers arrived in 1847, he picked a temple site,
but construction didn’t start until six years later. 
Workers cut slabs of granite in Little
Cottonwood Canyon south of Salt Lake. (3)
“Church
craftsmen painstakingly chiseled out of the canyon walls huge granite blocks
that weighed from 2,500 to 5,600 pounds each and carefully transported them to
Temple Square, first by ox-drawn wagon and later by railroad. There, expert
stone cutters carved the blocks to fit perfectly into place.”
In the
spring of 1858, while the Saints were still laying the foundation of the Salt
Lake Temple, the U.S. government was dispatching Johnston’s Army to put down
the “Mormon rebellion.” In response, Pres. Young had the Saints evacuate their
homes and covered over the temple foundation in anticipation of the arrival of
the army.
However, a
resolution to the crisis was found, and the Saints returned to their homes and
uncovered the temple foundation. But to their dismay, many of the sandstone
blocks were cracked and would need to be replaced.
Painting of Johnston's Army marching through
the deserted Salt Lake City, Utah Territory. (4)
Another
obstacle in building the House of the Lord.
The temple construction
took 40 years.
Why were the
early Saints so tested in their efforts to build Zion?
Despite all
the challenges, the Saints eventually began to flourish, building the
crossroads of the west.
Back when
the church was organized in 1830, who of the first members could imagine the
growth of the church in later decades.
When I was a
young teenager in the 1960s, the church was still pretty small – less than 2
million members. I wondered then how the church could possibly grow enough to reach
into all parts of the world – especially in places like Eastern Europe, Russia,
Africa and even China and India. 
Berlin Wall dividing Communist East Berlin
from free West Berlin from 1961 to 1989. (5)
And now there’s
a temple in India! Wow!
When I was a
missionary in Costa Rica in 1970, there were two branches in the country. Now
there are more than 78 congregations, 51,000 members, and even a temple in San
Jose.
Hard to
imagine!
When the
Covid Pandemic slammed the world, the Lord through his church leadership had
already given us a way to weather the storm – the Come Follow Me program.
Who could
have imagined such great timing!
Church President Russell M. Nelson
The church
has faced many challenges and obstacles, but through our Father in Heaven, we have
come out stronger than ever.
What’s lies
ahead for the church? Many trials and tribulations!
But Pres.
Nelson said in the last conference: “In the coming days, we will see the
greatest manifestations of the Savior’s power that the world has ever seen!”
Can you
imagine that?!
In all this,
the Lord’s work is to bring to pass the Immortality and Eternal Life of Man!
What about
on a personal level?
Every one of
us has or will face hardship, challenges and obstacles!
But the
important thing is to see how we handle them! Will we give up and turn away
from our Heavenly Father and our Savior?
It isn’t how
many times we get knocked down, it’s how we respond, how quickly we get back up
– and what we learn from them all – whether they be physical, mental or financial
challenges?
How we
handle these things and what we learn from them makes us more prepared for what
comes next – and in the next life.
I asked a
friend about his challenge in life – a financial one.
He said: “I
realized that I needed to make a change in my life because I was growing
further away from the lord. The more stuff you have and the more absolute your
authority is, it seems the further away from God you get. I really needed to be
humbled and by changing jobs, the Lord blessed me. First with humility, which
gradually led to a greater focus on what is really important. It has been a
journey of close to two decades and counting, but the rewards are amazing. I
have learned to recognize his hand in all that we do. I have prayed to know
more, and he has put me in callings and responsibilities that have made
learning and understanding necessary. I have experienced that when I ask for
blessings, I better be prepared to be challenged. I have learned that the plan
of salvation is real and unbelievably wonderful. I have learned to love the
scriptures and that we are all God's children and that the lessons given to one
generation can and do apply to all. I have learned without a doubt that this
gospel is true and the Lord really loves me and us.”
Another
friend told me of his challenge: “When I was about 13 years old, life was
pretty hard. I was living in a new town and
had very few friends... Kids treated me
like a freak because of my limp ... and inability
to run. My balance was so bad that I would trip and fall all the time. I
remember feeling really sorry for myself for not being like all the other kids
and not doing what they could do. I was
praying and complaining to Heavenly Father when a sweet peaceful feeling came
over me, telling me that even though I was different, I was still his son and
as such was special... I was told not to
worry about what others thought or how they acted towards me -- but to just be
the best person I could and I would be okay. From that day on, life was much
better. Still hard – but way easier to
be happy.”
 |
| My older brother, Merrill, playing basketball at Granger High School. |
Let me tell you
my “short” story. And if you’ve heard this, it may be a good time for a nap!
My older
brother was an athlete! I always wanted to be like him! But I suffered too many
illnesses, back issues, cracked wrists, shoulder separations, and too many
surgeries.
I was the
runt of the litter.
However, in
the 8th and 9th grade, I had a growth spurt – all the way
up to 5’ 4”—and I loved playing basketball. In attrition I had good health during
my high school years.
I was even
able to go on a mission to Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Good times!
Elder Hunt on crutches and in
full leg cast on way home
from mission in Costa Rica.
However, over
halfway through my mission, I started having problems with my left knee. After
a couple of months hobbling around, I underwent surgery and had a broken cartilage
removed in my knee. Then after a month or so of reading the scriptures in
recovery, we found out I had bone cancer. I was quickly flown home and ended up
in LDS Hospital.
That first
night after finding out that I faced a leg amputation, I started praying out
loud to my Father in Heaven, wondering if I was going to survive and pleading
for His help. I prayed that I could be OK with a wooden leg, that I would live
to find an eternal companion and have a family of my own.
After a long
evening of praying, I felt a warm reassurance that all was going to be OK --
that Heavenly Father would help me through this ordeal and that I would be able
to continue on with my dreams – despite the loss of my leg.
Standing behind me is Mission President Milton E. Smith
and Apostle Delbert L. Stapley in Costa Rica.
A few days after the surgery, Elder Delbert L. Stapley of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles visited me and gave me a blessing. I’ll never forget how he started his blessing by talking with Heavenly Father as if He were in the room, telling Him about my situation. Then he paused and proceeded to bless me. The two main parts I remember to this day is that he commanded that if any cancer remained in my body that it should depart and then commanding that it should never return.
I’ve never
really worried about the cancer after that.
Here I am
now, 72 years old and praising my Father In Heaven for keeping His promises to
me.
It’s hard to
imagine!
Nancy and I
have been married now for 47 years, we have five children and 15 grandchildren.
Life has
been amazing – but also hard!
The truth
is, I’ve had many things to repent of! Every day I give thanks for Christ’s
Atoning Sacrifice. .jpg)
Lehi’s Dream (and the Iron Rod),
by Jerry Thompson. Courtesy
of the LDS Church, © 2015
From all my mistakes
and ordeals, I have learned many things – including determination, faith, the
truth of the gospel and Plan of Salvation, the Love that my Father in Heaven
and my Savior have for me – despite all my past sins and weaknesses.
Now, I need to
Hold Tight to the Rod – despite my brittle bones and arthritis in my shoulders
and joints.
Elder Dallin
H. Oaks of the first presidency said in the last conference that adversity is
temporary. What is permanent is what we become by the way we react to them.”
(2) Christensen, C. C. A. (Carl Christian Anton), 1831-1912
(3) (c. 1872) Photographer: C.W. Carter
(4) Joseph Smith Foundation
(5) the Jakarta Post
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