Happy Birthday, Hunter

21 February 2016                                                 Valparaíso, Chile

Dear Hunter,

Happy First Birthday to El Cazador – Hunter James Gibson – The Hunter.  So your hunt has just begun.  Who will you hunt?  Where will you hunt?  What will you seek?  Amazing changes have happened in your life already this year.  You have definitely had an impact.  

You grew your family by one, and tipped the voting majority to the boys’ side.  You have learned how to sleep (mostly), eat and walk.  You have become a seeker of toys under tables and sofas.  Later you will seek direction out of the scriptures.  Now you will start to get off of your baby food menu, and compete with Sadie and Colton at the big table.  You will learn how to run – chasing big brother and sister, then chasing a ball, then friends, then investigators, then a special girl…..  Hey, hold on!   Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves…. 

Just have a super birthday!!  We love you!!!

 We wanted to be there for some holding, hugging and snuggles.

Thanks to your Mom we have been able to see you grow this year.

Here is a fun FHE Activity for all the nietos – Star hunting:

The constellation Orion (the Hunter) ascending over Normandy, France, as seen by EarthSky Facebook friend Mohamed Laaifat.

 4 bright stars mark the Hunter's shoulders and knees:

(above and between his shoulders is a small triangle of stars representing his rather tiny head)

Betelgeuse and Bellatrix are his shoulders. 

Saiph and Rigel are his knees.

In the middle of the rectangle formed by these four stars are three stars on a slant, representing Orion's Belt

Then three smaller stars below form the Hunter's Sword

 Photo by EarthSky Facebook friend Marian McGaffney.

 The Orion Nebula (or M42) is the mid-part of Hunter's Sword.  It is the place where new stars are born. 

"As a general rule, the higher the constellation Orion is in the sky, the easier it is to see the Orion Nebula. Orion is due south and highest in the sky around midnight in middle December. The stars return to the same place in the sky some 4 minutes earlier each night, or 2 hours earlier each month. So look for Orion to be highest up around 10 p.m. in mid-January and 8 p.m. in mid-February." Feb 09, 2016 by Bruce McClure

Here is a treasured memory by Grandma Gibson of President Howard W. Hunter:

I had a special experience with what was taught in Lesson 2 of this years' Teachings of Presidents of the Church.  President Hunter served as President of the Church from June 5, 1994, to March 3, 1995.  In September of 1994, President Hunter came with his wife, Inis, to Arizona to preside over a Bi-Regional Conference in Tucson.  In that meeting we do remember his encouraging all those over 12 years of age to have a current temple recommend which changed the way we thought about the youth .

At the time I was serving as second counselor to Sister Pam Ingermanson in the Stake Relief Society Presidency.  We had the privilege to serve dinner to President Hunter and the priesthood leaders just after President Hunter spoke to them at our Stake Center.

Sister Ingermanson, knowing that we could not involve all the YW of the Stake to help with that meal, invited our daughters to help us. She outlined a plan so that each of our daughters would be able to have a one-time chance to serve at President Hunter's table - serving the meal (picking up the salad plate, serving the main plate, serving the dessert, refilling the water glass, bringing more rolls, etc). As that assigned daughter took her turn she would come in to the kitchen and report how it was to serve the Prophet.  How thrilling it was for all of us!!  I remember so clearly that at the end of the meal, I was at the sink and heard President Hunter's voice. He and his wife Inis had come in to thank us. He had a cane and was bent over, but his eyes and face shone.  As he shook my hand and said thank you, he looked directly in my eyes and I felt the Savior's love.  I will never forget that feeling!

The meeting was directly following in the chapel. It was there that he quoted those scriptures he often used. Those scriptures entered my heart with great power.  I could not stop crying and still remember the peace they brought:

"President Hunter spoke often about inner peace, teaching that a person can receive it only by turning to God - by trusting Him, exercising faith, and striving to do His will.  Such peace helped sustain him through many difficult times….  In situations like these, President Hunter trusted in this promise of peace from the Savior, which he often quoted: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27)....We can find this peace now in a world of conflict if we will but accept his great gift and his further invitation: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” (Matt. 11:28–29.)   Chapter 2, “My Peace I Give unto You" – section: From the Life of Howard W. Hunter

We know the scriptures are true.

1 Nephi 10:19   For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded to [you] by the power of the Holy Ghost….