THE PASSING OF GURU HUNT

As we serve on missions we meet and serve with other missionaries that we remember for years.  Even though we may never see some of them in person following our mission, the shared experiences seem to create a bond that is not forgotten.  On Friday we learned of the passing of Larry Hunt.  I (Russell) knew him as “Guru” Hunt, he was our primary instructor when I was in the Hawaii Language Training Mission (LTM) in late 1974 and 1975.  Elder Hunt was a member of the first group of six missionaries that entered Indonesia in January 1970.  Following his mission, he attended BYU Hawaii and taught Indonesian at the Hawaii LTM when the first group of missionaries to receive language arrived in early 1974.  While we have met in person only a couple of times since then at missionary reunions, I still have vivid memories of him as he taught us, not only the language but also about the people and country that we were to later serve in.  Little did imagine that less than 40 years later I would be serving there again with Eileen.

Although Elder Hunt was five years older than me, we are close enough in age that his death reminds me of my own mortality.  I would like to think that I have plenty of time to become a better person, to repent and change, as we have been encouraged to do by Church leaders.  I need to do a better job of changing today and not procrastinating.

I am so grateful to know of our Father in Heaven’s eternal plan for us, and for our Savior’s role in that plan.  I am grateful to know that I will someday again see loved ones who have passed on, and that relationships formed here on earth can survive death.

For Eileen, this past week has been both very busy and eventful.  The personal nature of her work makes it hard to appropriately describe fully most of the situations she deals with, but here are few highlights.  She sent one missionary to the ER.  After three hours in the waiting room, the elder asked Eileen if he should give up and go home.  They agreed to give it another half-hour.  Five minutes before the appointed hour, the elder was seen and then released three hours later. Following up on that ER visit, Eileen was able to get some assistance from a previously unavailable source, which was an unexpected blessing.  Another missionary was struggling with her new medication for a serious problem. After a few days of holding on, things settled down and now the missionary loves how she feels with the new medication.  

With each group of new missionaries, Eileen reads through their papers and does follow up calls with the parents if she needs more direction.  It is interesting to see in some of the situations how reality differs from what is noted in the papers.  The overstatement and understatement of problems have both been  issues with some.  And then there are a few situations, where neither the parents, Eileen or the Sommerfeldt’s can see how the missionary will be able to survive in the mission field.  Sometimes they don’t make it, but some do.  And when that success happens, it is wonderful and amazing to watch.  Miracles happen!

Russell has nurtured these flowers through a very hot summer. We love seeing them on our balcony.

 The two dots are not freckles but how long the elder's blood clot is.

We haven't had waffles since our grandkids were here. It seemed like a wonderful way to start the morning prior to the conference sessions. It is such a blessing to be able to hear conference live.

This missionary wiped out the basketball hoop. When asked if he was hanging on the rim he said no.  I think he recognized his mistake and that is why he looks like a little boy who just got in trouble.