A Glimpse into Lee's LDS Mission

Throughout this post and other posts on this blog, the words and names that are highlighted and underlined are links to other Website posts, including LDS sites, to gleen more details and background information. It's a lot of fun to find so much through Google to add background and details to these pictures. Have fun!

Look at this "Greenie" grinning! Here we come!
Mom Lorraine Hunt poses with Warren Lee Hunt at the Salt Lake International Airport after my two months at the LTM (Language Training Mission) at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. This would have been end of April or first part of May of 1969.
Look at those stylish eyeglasses and Mom's hairstyle! Nice suit and tie, though!

Family photo as I get ready to board a jetliner in Salt Lake City, Utah, for my trip to Central America via Los Angeles and Guatemala City, Guatemala.
Left top: Warren Merrill Hunt, Troyleen, Warren Lee Hunt, Beatrice Lorraine Hunt (Magee), Vicki (Kershaw) Hunt, Merrill Ray Hunt.
Front: Rendall Albert Hunt and Trena Leona Hunt.

W. Lee Hunt with his two sisters: Troyleen and Trena at my departure in 1969. 

Lee and my parents Lorraine and Warren Hunt at the airport as I get ready to board the plane for Central America.
Obviously not paying attentiion to the camera!
Dad looks pretty dapper in his white sports coat.

The men in the Hunt clan: Warren Merrill Hunt, Warren Lee Hunt, Merrill Ray Hunt and Rendall Albert Hunt as I head off on an LDS Mission in spring of 1969.

A good missionary friend: Sister Broadhead.

The famous singing group in the Central America Mission, 1970 -- well, before the real one. (Pictures below)
Elder Hunt, Sister Pulsipher, Sister Holly Gudmundson, Elder Reuel Smith (I don't remember the name of the other tenor).
We're performing at a Costa Rica conference session in the dual branch chapel in Costa Rica. Central America Mission President Milton E. Smith is at left with his arms folded. 

Most of my time in Costa Rica (1970) was spent working in the mission office as the public affairs officer. I wrote articles for local newspapers and coordinated church movies for television stations and audio tapes for radio stations throughout the mission. Episodes of "The Spoken Word with The Tabernacle Choir" were the most popular. I also wrote some articles for The Church News. A couple of them were published.

 Central America Mission President Milton E. Smith at a Costa Rica conference session in the dual branch chapel in Costa Rica, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1970.
Sister Holly Gudmundson is at right and I think it's Brother Topia at left in back.

The chapel and cultural hall are filled for the Costa Rica conference session in the dual branch chapel in Costa Rica, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1970. This picture I believe ran in the local newspaper La Nacion after the conference with a caption only about the session.

This is an invitation to an "Exposition" and a special video presentation of "Man's search for Happiness" at the branch chapel in Managua, Nicaragua, July 26, 1969.
It starts with:
"Where did we come from? Why are we here? and Where do we go after this life?"
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
We put up a bunch of posters in the cultural hall about the church and had quite a good turn out of members and the curious.

Sister Holly Gudmundson performs a solo at a San Jose, Costa Rica, LDS District Conference session in the dual branch chapel in San Jose, Costa Rica in 1970.
I'm hiding behind the flowers at left and Sister Pulsipher is at my right.

This is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints branch chapel in San Jose, Costa Rica, in 1970.
I have many fond memories of the work here.

I received a birthday card and this note inside from President Milton E. Smith and his wife on my birthday while serving in the mission office in San Jose, Costa Rica, Feb. 27, 1970.

Two members of the branch in San Jose, Costa Rica, perform in "Todo A Favor" ("All in Favor") in 1970. I was asked to direct the LDS musical comedy partly because I had been in the show just over a year before back home in Granger, Utah.
I can't remember either of their names: Is his Victor Vida? Can anyone help me with the names?
I never got to finish the job or see the performance because of the problems I was having with my leg.

Two members of the branch in San Jose, Costa Rica, perform in "Todo A Favor" ("All in Favor") in 1970. I was asked to direct the LDS musical comedy partly because I had been in the show just over a year before back home in Granger, Utah.
I can't remember either of their names: Is his Victor Vida? Can anyone help me with the names?
I never got to finish the job or see the performance because of the problems I was having with my leg.

Two members of the branch in San Jose, Costa Rica, perform in "Todo A Favor" ("All in Favor") in 1970. I was asked to direct the LDS musical comedy partly because I had been in the show just over a year before back home in Granger, Utah.
I can't remember either of their names. Can anyone help me with the names?
I never got to finish the job or see the performance because of the problems I was having with my leg.

A member of the branch in San Jose, Costa Rica, perform in "Todo A Favor" ("All in Favor") in 1970. I was asked to direct the LDS musical comedy partly because I had been in the show just over a year before back home in Granger, Utah.
I think his name is Brother Topia Can anyone help me with the name?
I never got to finish the job or see the performance because of the problems I was having with my leg.

I was asked to direct the LDS musical comedy in San Jose, Costa Rica, of "Todo A Favor" ("All in Favor") in 1970 partly because I had been in the show just over a year before back home in Granger, Utah.
Elder Hunt and Sister Holly Gudmundson at a rehearsal.
I never got to finish the job or see the performance because of the problems I was having with my leg. Sister Holly Gudmundson carried it the rest of the way -- as I recall.

This is the famous singing group in the Central America Mission, 1970.
Elder Ralph Dewsnup, left, Sister Elona Knighten (Shelly), Elder Callahan andSister Holly Gudmundson, front.
(President Smith sent an email update: "In regard to the singing group the one name you were missing is Elona Knighten (Shelly). She lives in Orem, has a nice family, and her husband works for BYU. Elona has kept very busy with organizing mission reunions along with Andy Valdivieso. When we meet in Salt Lake, Elona gives me a ride. My wife is not doing too great in her health and has not attended for the past two years. We generally meet in October. Back to the singing group: Holly Gudmundson has had some health problems which have caused her many challenges. Mike Callahan passed away a couple of years ago. Ralph Dewsnup returned a year or so ago after serving as a mission president in Puerto Rico. He is an Attorney."    

This is the famous singing group in the Central America Mission, 1970.
The group did quite a bit of traveling for missionary promotional performances, including some television and radio gigs.
Elder Ralph Dewsnup, left, Sister Elona Knighten (Shelly), Elder Callahan and Sister Holly Gudmundson, front.
(President Smith sent an email update: "In regard to the singing group the one name you were missing is Elona Knighten (Shelly). She lives in Orem, has a nice family, and her husband works for BYU. Elona has kept very busy with organizing mission reunions along with Andy Valdivieso. When we meet in Salt Lake, Elona gives me a ride. My wife is not doing too great in her health and has not attended for the past two years. We generally meet in October. Back to the singing group: Holly Gudmundson has had some health problems which have caused her many challenges. Mike Callahan passed away a couple of years ago. Ralph Dewsnup returned a year or so ago after serving as a mission president in Puerto Rico. He is an Attorney."

This is the famous singing group in the Central America Mission, 1970.
The group did quite a bit of traveling for missionary promotional performances, including some television and radio gigs.
Elder Ralph Dewsnup, front, Sister Elona Knighten (Shelly), left, Elder Callahan, back, and Sister Holly Gudmundson, right.
(President Smith sent an email update: "In regard to the singing group the one name you were missing is Elona Knighten (Shelly). She lives in Orem, has a nice family, and her husband works for BYU. Elona has kept very busy with organizing mission reunions along with Andy Valdivieso. When we meet in Salt Lake, Elona gives me a ride. My wife is not doing too great in her health and has not attended for the past two years. We generally meet in October. Back to the singing group: Holly Gudmundson has had some health problems which have caused her many challenges. Mike Callahan passed away a couple of years ago. Ralph Dewsnup returned a year or so ago after serving as a mission president in Puerto Rico. He is an Attorney."

This is the famous singing group in the Central America Mission, 1970.
The group did quite a bit of traveling for missionary promotional performances, including some television and radio gigs.
Elder Ralph Dewsnup, front, Sister Elona Knighten (Shelly), left, Elder Callahan, back, and Sister Holly Gudmundson, right.
(President Smith sent an email update: "In regard to the singing group the one name you were missing is Elona Knighten (Shelly). She lives in Orem, has a nice family, and her husband works for BYU. Elona has kept very busy with organizing mission reunions along with Andy Valdivieso. When we meet in Salt Lake, Elona gives me a ride. My wife is not doing too great in her health and has not attended for the past two years. We generally meet in October. Back to the singing group: Holly Gudmundson has had some health problems which have caused her many challenges. Mike Callahan passed away a couple of years ago. Ralph Dewsnup returned a year or so ago after serving as a mission president in Puerto Rico. He is an Attorney."Elder Dewsnup was my companion for several months, mostly while I was "recovering" from surgery on my left leg.
The doctor and I thought my problem was cartiliage damage in my knee from a tubing accident I had when I was on a Scout winter camp. (That's a different post).
Elder Dewsnup was an athelete as I considered myself, too. He encouraged me to tough it up like the football players I had worked with for so many years and get better so I could do missionary work. He and I didn't realize how serious it really was.
Thanks to Elder Lorin Hansen for emailing back and identifying Elder Callahan.
(Elder Hansen said in his email that he's from Elwood (Tremonton) Utah. He now live in Costa Rica and has been there 7 years. He lives on a farm near Guapiles. He retired 7 years ago, sold everything in the U.S. and moved there with hid wife who is Tica. "We enjoy it here. Church has changed greatly since 1969. I left the mission in march 1970 from Honduras.")

One of the highlights of my mission was the visit from a member of the Quroum of Twelve of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- Elder Delbert L. Stapley.
In the picture, he's holding a replica of a traditional brightly colored orange Costa Rican cart. The missionaries in Managua, Nicaragua, met with him as part of  zone conferencein 1969. He also met with media representatives.

One of the highlights of my mission was the visit from a member of the Quroum of Twelve of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- Elder Delbert L. Stapley.
In the picture, he's greeting LDS Scouts.

One of the highlights of my mission was the visit from a member of the Quroum of Twelve of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- Elder Delbert L. Stapley.
In this picture,Elder Stapley meets with a government official in 1969.

When I first arrived in San Jose, Costa Rica, from Managua, Nicaragua, Elder See was one of the mission office workers. He was a funny, fun guy. Notice the Coke bottle on the shelf behind him.

Elder Ralph Dewsnup, left, and Elder Callahan perform on television program in San Jose, Costa Rica, in 1970
The group did quite a bit of traveling for missionary promotional performances, including some television and radio gigs.

One of the highlights of my mission was the visit from a member of the Quroum of Twelve of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- Elder Delbert L. Stapley.
Elder Stapley is holding a press conference. His reflection is in the mirror. Elder Gayton, at his left, is the interpretor. Sister Smith and Mission President Milton E. Smith are at Elder Gayton's left.

Elder Andy Valdivieso on our "diversion day."A great missionary!
I need more details on this, Andy! 

Elder Warren Lee Hunt
Central America Mission
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
1969 and 1970.
For my family, I want to include the email from Pres. Smith:

"Hi Elder Hunt. It looks like I received your email through Andy Valdivieso. It is great to hear from you and get an update on your activities. Your pictures and comments brought back some great memories. The last I knew about you I think you were working for the Deseret News writing headlines. Is my memory correct? We hope things are going well for you. I suppose you have heard from some other missionary friends as I notice you now have the name of Robert Alsop which I did not see at first....

I have thought of you often and wondered how you are doing. I really appreciate the great job you did when you were assigned to the office. Your leg problems saddened us very much but we are grateful you got help before it was too late.    
I retired from BYU about fifteen years ago. My wife and I spent three years in Guatemala where I served as Temple President. I now serve two days a week in the Mount Timpanogos temple. Our children are spread around a little, and they are subject to the normal challenges of life. We have one grandson currently serving a mission in Argentina and another in Colombia. Our oldest daughter, Terri Lyn, is currently serving a mission with her husband in Uganda.

Take care of yourself. May the Lord bless you. Con Amor, Mitt Smith"

Elder David Hacking
Now lives in Brigham City, Utah

I think this is Elder Hill.
Details?

Elder Alsop
Pres. Smith emailed: "Bob Alsop is also an attorney and lives a little north of Salt Lake. He and his wife still have one child at home since they were blessed with a little one several years after the rest of the family.

Elder Wilde was my first companion in San Jose, Costa Rica. We were only together for two or three weeks before I saw him off on a jet plane, bound for his hometown in Utah (I think it was Magna.)
He asked me to sang a special song to his friends who came to see him off at the airport:
"I'm Leaving, on a Jet Plane, Don't Know When I'll Be Back Again!"
Couldn't do it, though. Sorry, Elder Wilde.
Quite the experience!

Senior Year -- Granger High School, 1967-68

Pre-Mission picture of Warren Lee Hunt, 1968 graduate of Granger High School in Granger (now West Valley City), Utah. Note the Duty to God pin on coat label -- and all the teeth and no beard. Also note the Beatles hairstyle.

I received this letter when I was presented with my The Duty to God Award during Sacrament meeting of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during my senior year in high school. Note who signed the letter: John H. Vandenberg, David L. McKay and G. Carlos Smith.

The Duty to God Award was also signed by Ray L. Wendrich, my bishop at the time. Bishop Wendrich was a super bishop --  tall, strong and tough. We bumped heads at times, but I admired him a lot. His oldest daughter, Sandra, married my Sunday School teacher and Granger High basketball star Dean Whitworth.

During my senior year, I played a lead role in the LDS Church musical "All in Favor." My "girlfriend" in the production was Vicki Kershaw Hunt, my brother's wife. I think Merrill was in it, too! Vicki Hunt and I are at the front right of the picture. I was in the North Jordan 7th Ward at the time in the Jordan North Stake. Later on my mission, I was asked to direct the same play -- but in Spanish with local LDS members in San Jose, Costa Rica. All of Costa Rica only had  1,700 members in 1970 when I was there. Now there are thousands of members and even a temple. 

One of the best parts of my senior year was being in Granger High School's Madrigals. We had quite an awesome group. I think this picture was of me after the performance of "All in Favor" as I and my high school girlfriend gathered all of our things. Note the Granger High School sweater that she's carrying, which she received for lettering in music.

One of the best parts of my senior year was being in Granger High School's Madrigals. We had quite an awesome group. Note the Madigral coat and Vickie's matching Madrigal dress. We're "dining" in the Stonehenge, the school cafeteria and dance hall. Sometimes I wore my glasses, but most of the time, I didn't. Yes, my hair was always falling down over my eyebrows -- and, yes, I did have pretty nice eyebrows back then.

Lee and girlfriend Vickie sometime after graduating and before leaving on my mission to Central America.
At the time of my mission, there were only four countries in the mission: Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras. I served about 7 months in Managua, Nicaragua, and about 9 months in San Jose, Costa Rica. I came home about 6 months early because of cancer in my leg.
Note the cool white wool Granger High school sweater I'm wearing -- not a school jacket. I thought it would be more useful down the road. However, it turned yellow in a few years and soon became too small.
Note the football insignia on the pocket -- I lettered in football -- as a three-year football manager, which led to Brigham Young University asking me to be a football manager there in the fall of 1968.
Ninth grade through my first year on my mission were probably my best athletic years.
In ninth grade, I won an award for being the most fit in Coach Newton's gym glasses. We had to do different exercises and run certain long distances.
 During that year, the first year of Westlake Junior High, I made the basketball time -- but just barely. I played a few minutes and scored a total of 1 point. I was 5' and 4 1/2" tall. Never grew any taller.
This picture, I guess, shows what I'm kinda hoping for as far as my resurrection -- plus a few inches in height.
Vickie and I were really close in height -- except when she wore any type of heels.

All too soon came graduation from Granger High School. In the front row are several friends in my class. The first guy at the left is ??? (it's on the tip of my tongue!), fourth to the right is Bruce Taggart, school vice president and fellow Madrigal, and to his right is Garth Hardy. Garth and I were classmates through most of my years even back at the old Monroe Elementary, which was on the northwest corner of 3500 South and 4000 West (Gus Paulos Chevrolet dealership is located there now.) If you look really closely, you'll see me on the second row. Look between the first and second guys on the first row to the left. I'm wearing the National Honor Society sash.

Oh, there I am: I'm on the second row. Look between the first and second guys on the first row to the left. I'm wearing the Honor Society shash. Next to me on my right is Carol Linton, a fellow Madrigal. We went to Monroe Elementary together, too, and for awhile were in the same ward.

Notice the hair is up on top in this picture and the bushy eyebrows. I'm not sure if it's a missionary picture or one taken before. I've had the same hairstyle all my life -- but in this picture I had a lot more hair (though no beard-- and it was pretty dark brown then.
Once when I was about 10, 11 or 12 years old, my dad gave me a "haircut" -- he butched it down to about 1/2 an inch. Mom was pretty upset because my head isn't smooth enough or round enough to show it off that way. Mom always cut my hair, and for the past 35 years, Nancy has. Nancy has been a licensed cosmetologist since before we married in 1976.

The Summer of '66 back East

While we lived in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, during the summer of 1966 just after my brother Merrill R. Hunt graduated from Granger High School, Merrill and I as Aaronic Priesthood holders worked several times with the missionaries there. One time we were part of an LDS baptism in the same river where Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were baptized -- the Susquehanna River .

As one of our vacations while back East in 1966, we traveled to Westerm New York and visited The Sacred Grove where Joseph Smith had his First Vision. It was an experience I'll never forget. In he picture are Mom Lorraine, Trena, Troyleen and Rendall.

We also visited several other sites in Palmyra, N.Y..on that trip in 1966, but the line at this one was so long that we didn't wait because we wanted to get a good spot at the Hill Cumoruh Pageant.

As one of our vacations while back East in 1966, we traveled to Westerm New York and visited The Sacred Grove where Joseph Smith had his First Vision. It was an experience I'll never forget. In he picture are Merrill, Trena, Troyleen, Rendall and Lee. Just a few months later after returing home, Merrill and Vicki Kershaw married (December of 1966) in the Salt Lake Temple.

Hunt family pre-1970

Lloyd Hunt, Myrl Lavendar, Cal Hunt, Fawn Michaelsen and my dad, Warren M. Hunt

We moved into our Granger home when I was five or six years old. Dad built a large bedroom and bath onto the back of the house (behind Chinese Elm Tree) around 1964. We built our 1960s "bomb shelter" underground food storage cellar behind the garage (behind Willow tree) and planted grass all over it. Notice the clothes dryer to the left. This is looking from about 3/4 the way back of the yard. Off to the left (south) is a garden that was about 1/2 the size of the lawn area. We played a lot of football (touch) on this yard and baseball (before we put up the fence on the property line on the north side between us and Grants.

Troyleen Hunt (Wilson) ready for one of her many prom dances in high school while I was away on my mission.

Rendall, Rhonda and Merrill Hunt at a brithday, probably Rhonda's first. Notice the classic orange chairs and foot rest. They were the best. The round wood table was previously owned by Grandma Butt. Merrill and Vicki Hunt inherited it later.

Warren M. Hunt with his three youngest children posing in front of our home in Granger. Probably taken in 1970 while I was on my mission. Notice the large willow tree and the end of the 1959 Ford Fairlaine that I ended up using after my mission and during the first couple years back at BYU.

Rhonda Hunt napping in front of Mom's favorite orange chairs around 1970.

Dad & Mom took the youngest kids to Temple Square while I was on my mission.

Rendall and Trena Hunt under the pretecting hands of our Savior. Cute kids!

This is the family Butt reunion held around Thanksgiving at Pioneer Hall in West Jordan in 1967. Grandpa Albert Butt is at the head of the table (bottom) and Grandma Leona Butt is at the other end of the table (top). Clayton Butt is at Grandpa's right, and Clifford is at Grandpa's left. I believe I'm at the end of the right table facing the camera in a white shirt and tie.

Starting from the left: Vivian and Doris, Ray and Marge, Raio and Idella, Warren and Lorraine, Clifford and Margaret, Albert and Leona, David and Elaine, Clayton and Alice. Taken at Thanksiving dinner 1967 at Pioneer Hall in West Jordan. We later used the hall many times for Hunt Mysteries rehearsals, dress rehearsals and once for a West Jordan Chamber of Commerce performance.

Thanksving dinner 1969 at Myrl Lavendar's home in Granger while I was on my mission. Kim Lavendar Baird in front at left, Fawn, Coy, Max, Vicki Hunt, Merrill and Warren. Lorraine is just barely out of the picture.

Rhonda Hunt at Christmas time 1969 at her grandma Hunt's home in Granger. 

Stacy up on the counter in the trailer that her family lived in for several years while Merrill worked for Kennecott Exploration. For awhile, the trailer was parked on the side lawn in front of our garage in Granger. Probably around 1970.

Aunt Elaine, Uncle David and cousin Ron Butt (Bursett). Picture was one sent to me while I was on my mission.

Merrill R. Hunt (brother) holding Stacy and Rhonda at our home in Granger while I was on my mission. Note the small TV in the background; also the built-in piano and cabinets above. The picture right of the flowers is me as a baby. A picture of Troyleen is farther right.  

This is the opposite end of Merrill and Vicki's trailer home. Note the large TV on the stand next to their bed.

Stacy Hunt, born while Merrill and Vicki lived in their small travel trailer.

Front row: Tonya Michaelsen, LeeAnn Lavendar, Robert Hunt.
Second row: Max, Fawn, Myrl, Kim & Lorraine.
Third row: Warren, (??), Rajena, Golda & Lloyd.
Fourth row: Coy, (??), and Mont Jensen. 

Out on the welfare farm in Granger:
Left, Pres. BenDixon, Bro. Peterson (Steve's dad), Dayane Johnson (later became our stake president). Gordon Evans (later became stake president after Johnson) is second from the right.

One of my favorite pictures of my mom: Beatrice Lorraine Hunt Magee.

This picture was taken the New Year of 1970 at our home in Granger.
Mom (Lorraine), Trena, Troyleen, friend Mona and Grangpa Albert Butt holding Merrill's new baby, Stacy. Note the semi-wall between them, which was built by dad. He tore out the long hallway wall, changed the entrance and opened everyting up.

Rendall visits with Santa at a Christmas party with the extended Hunt family while I was on my mission.

Trena and Rendall sing (??) at Hunt Christmas party. in the back are Myrl, LeeAnn (on stoll), Jim in back, Fawn on left of pillar and Rajena on right of pillar.

Trena gets her turn with Santa at a Christmas party with the extended Hunt family while I was on my mission.

A precious picture of Grandpa Albert Rufus Butt at their home in Copperton with Trena, Troyleen and Rendall. He was an extremely nice man. I didn't realize until I was older how humble and hard-working and kind he was.

Christmas time at the Hunt home in Granger while I'm on my mission. Mom at left, Trena in white cowboy hat, Troyleen, Rendall in black cowboy hat and Rhonda in her coat. Note the modern look of the place, including the wall picture, left, curtains, orange chairs and lamp. I loved that lamp and chairs. Also, notice the aluminum Christmas tree with the rotating floodlight above.

Easter at the Home home in Granger: Trena, Rhonda and Rendall. Probably 1970.

Family having dinner together while I'm on my mission. Many are wearing shirts that I sent them from Nicaragua.
Left, Rendall, Troyleen, Vicki, Rhonda, Merrill, Grandpa Butt, Trena and dad Warren. Where's Grandma and Mom?

Merrill Hunt, my older brother, poses at our home in Granger. Note the classic curtains and the picture of Dad on the bookcase above.

Trena and a whilte bunny. I don't know the story behind this picture, though it was taken while I was on my mission.

Family poses for a picture they can send to me on my mission. Most are in shirts I sent them from Nicaragua.
Merrill, holding Stacy, Rendall, friend Mona, Rhonda (in front), Trena, Troyleen (in back), Dad Warren and Grandpa Butt.

Another cute picture of my younger sister Troyleen, probably a high school picture.

Troyleen's dress up for Valentine's. Was it for a high school dance?
Note the classic mirror and the reflection of the hanging lamp in the background.