"We represent and speak today for a worldwide church, the organized and established kingdom of God on earth." - General conference, April 7, 1991

Although President Howard W. Hunter served as president of the Church for only nine months, he participated in many significant events during the short time he led the Church.

During his presidency, he called and set apart Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Seventy to fill a vacancy in the Council of the Twelve, dedicated the Bountiful and Orlando temples, created the Church's 2,000th stake in Mexico City, and participated in commemorative services noting the 150th anniversary of the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith.

His travels as prophet took him to Switzerland and Mexico, and to Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii and Illinois. He gave a number of speeches, and shook countless hands as he greeted members of the Church in many locations.

It was a busy time for President Hunter, who, when he spoke to the news media on June 6, pledged "my life, my strength, and the full measure of my soul" in serving the Lord.

In addition, during President Hunter's tenure, plans were announced for three new temples. On Nov. 12, 1994, it was announced that a temple would be built in Nashville, Tenn., and on Jan. 21, 1995, temples in Cochabamba, Boliva, and Recife, Brazil, were announced.

Three weeks after becoming the prophet, President Hunter and his wife, Inis, traveled to Nauvoo and Carthage, Ill., to participate in three services on June 26, 1994, commemorating the 150th anniversary of the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith.

In the morning, President Hunter spoke at a special sacrament meeting, attended by 1,500 people who had crowded into the Nauvoo Ward meetinghouse and in the nearby Nauvoo Visitors Center. It was President Hunter's first scheduled public address since being ordained the prophet. "I would venture to say that this may be the largest sacrament meeting held in Nauvoo since the 1840s," said President Hunter.

During the afternoon on the hot and humid day, President Hunter spoke at the unveiling of a Nauvoo Temple sunstone display at the site of the Nauvoo Temple. In the evening, he spoke at a commemorative program at Carthage Jail site, carried throughout North America over the Church's satellite system.

The program was held near the old jail, where 150 years earlier, Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum had fallen as martyrs to the cause of the restored gospel.

"This world needs the gospel of Jesus Christ as restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith," President Hunter testified to the 3,000 who attended the ceremony and the countless thousands who viewed the program via satellite. "The gospel provides the only way the world will ever know peace."

In August, President Hunter and Sister Hunter visited "the glorious land" of Switzerland from Aug. 8-16.

While there, President Hunter spoke at the Lausanne Ward of the Geneva Switzerland Stake, addressed a fireside in the Lausanne Palace Hotel, visited the Swiss Temple and took care of some business relating to temple matters, and spoke with missionaries serving at the temple.

President Hunter participated in his first regional conference after becoming president of the Church when he attended the conference on Sept. 18 of the Tucson Arizona and Tucson Arizona East regions. He encouraged the 13,000 members who attended to "be more converted, strengthened and fortified in the gospel."

After the October general conference where he was sustained by the Church membership as prophet and president of the Church in a solemn assembly, President Hunter continued his busy pace.

On Oct. 9, he dedicated the Orlando Florida Temple, the Church's 46th temple. He was the first prophet to attend a temple dedication since President Ezra Taft Benson presided over the dedication of the Las Vegas Nevada Temple in 1989. Typical of his enthusiasm, President Hunter presided at seven dedicatory sessions and delivered four addresses.

President Hunter was one of nine stake presidents of the Pasadena California Stake at a stake conference and reunion on Oct. 15-16 in Pasadena, Calif. President Hunter said he experienced "a flood of memories" as he entered the stake center. About 1,400 people were in attendance, many of whom were old friends.

A month later, he and Sister Hunter traveled to Hawaii, and on Nov. 18 he installed Eric B. Shumway as president of BYU-Hawaii. It was the first time a prophet had participated in the inauguration of a president since the school was founded in 1955. President Hunter also took time to visit the Polynesian Cultural Center, where he had served as a member and chairman of the board from 1965-76.

A fulfilling moment came on Dec. 11 when, in Mexico, he presided at the creation of the 2,000th stake. That stake, the Mexico City Mexico Contreras Stake, was a division of three of the 16 stakes that then-Elder Hunter had created or reorganized in a marathon weekend in Mexico City in 1975.

Shortly after the new year, President Hunter dedicated the Bountiful Utah Temple on Jan. 8, the Church's 47th temple. During the week of dedication, President Hunter presided over six sessions and addressed four sessions.

The Bountiful temple dedication was his last public appearance.

Wherever President Hunter went, members flocked around him with great veneration and sought to greet him and shake his hand. In Nauvoo, for example, members waited for some time for a dramatic production to end that President and Sister Hunter attended. As President Hunter left the visitors center, he greeted many people and shook many hands. As he neared his car, the crowd softly and reverently sang, "God Be with You Till We Meet Again," an emotional experience for many, who cried openly.

"We love you, President Hunter," someone loudly proclaimed as President Hunter got into his car. "I love you, too," the prophet responded.

It was that kind of love that touched the hearts of millions of members of the Church, and left a lasting impact for good.

On Jan. 18, the Church released a statement announcing that President Hunter had been diagnosed with prostate cancer that had spread to the bone. He died six weeks and two days later.