President Hunter was calm, positive amid stressful and perilous situation
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As members of the Church News staff travel throughout the world, we often have moments with the Brethren that are deeply inscribed in our memories. Most of those moments have spiritual overtones. But one I shared with President Howard W. Hunter - then a member of the Council of the Twelve - and his sister, Dorothy Hunter Rasmussen, had the undercurrents of terror or, at least, deep concern.
On the day we returned to Salt Lake City after the dedication of the Taipei Taiwan Temple, Nov. 17-18, 1984, a typhoon was headed toward the island nation. Elder Hunter, Sister Rasmussen and I were scheduled to be on the same airline flight on Nov. 19. We rode to the airport in a van with Elders Jack H Goaslind and Robert B. Harbertson of the Seventy and their wives. Elder Hunter kept up an enthusiastic banter: "Look at those trees! The tops are just about touching the ground! Isn't that something!" He had his ever-present smile and robust laugh. He seemed to be enjoying nature's stormy display.We were among the few early-arriving passengers who settled down in the departure lounge to await our flight. I kept looking out the terminal window at palm trees being whipped by wind like a rag being snapped to and fro in the jaws of a big, ferocious dog. "Are we really going to take off in weather like this?" I asked.
Elder Hunter's reply was philosophical: "I'd rather take my chances up there, above the typhoon, than down here, in the middle of it."
A few minutes later, we heard an announcement that passengers for our flight were to board immediately, ahead of schedule. "The pilot must have decided to try to make a run for it and climb up above the storm," Elder Hunter commented as we walked down the concourse to the boarding gate.
After the pilot taxied the plane onto the runway, he announced that he would wait for a lull in the wind, and then take off, going as fast and as straight up as he could to take the aircraft into calmer air.
When we had safely landed at the next airport for our connecting flight, Elder Hunter asked how I had enjoyed the trip. I commented that it was OK, once we had reached our cruising altitude. "But getting there was half the fun!" he exclaimed.
Perhaps Elder Hunter was trying to teach me a lesson or two: We can rise above the storm, and we should enjoy life's journey.
