After 35 years as an Apostle, Howard W. Hunter became the 14th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on June 5, 1994, at age 86. Despite ill health, he maintained a busy schedule with extensive traveling and speaking. Only nine months later, on March 3, 1995, President Hunter’s earthly ministry came to an end.

During his years of service President Hunter emphasized the need of each member to know and emulate the Savior.

“All men are invited to come unto [God] and all are alike unto him. Race makes no difference; color makes no difference; nationality makes no difference. The brotherhood of man is literal. We are all of one blood and the literal spirit offspring of our eternal Heavenly Father. Before we came to earth, we belonged to his eternal family. We associated and knew each other there. Our common paternity makes us not only literal sons and daughters of eternal parentage, but literal brothers and sisters as well. This is a fundamental teaching of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” (Howard W. Hunter, “All Are Alike Unto God,” Address at Brigham Young University 4 February 1979)