This is to announce that I am ending this Scouting Trails blogsite. I have had the site for many years and have loved writing and posting what I hope has been informative and enjoyable articles on many subjects of the wonderful Scouting life. Thanks to all of you who have read my articles and commented on them. The site has given me great joy and purpose and has been fulfillment of a great dream for me. It is sad to give it up.
After 60 years of committed service in and to the Boy Scouts of America, I have kind of retired my Scout uniform. Several situations transpired that led to my current state: My church made the decision to depart from the program - and this cut many of my ties. I moved to a new community and lost the previous district and unit ties that I had previously. For two years, I hauled two grandsons to Mesa - located an hour away from my home - so that they could still participate in a quality troop program. Then they moved to Texas. So, with all of these circumstances, I kind of backed out of the program (though I still have the fond memories of my years in the program). And I still have a room in my home that is full of Boy scouting memorabilia - my Scouting Trails Museum. (And this will still be open for ten days or so before it gets filled with furniture. Come on over!)
It has been a while since I have last posted on this site. I apologize for that. Life has changed ...
My wife and I are off on a new adventure. We have accepted an assignemt (A "Call" from a Prophet) to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We report to the Provo Mission Training Center - the "MTC" on April 1st (no joke!) We will serve in historic Nauvoo, Illinois as historic site missionaries. I will don a new uniform - to look like a pioneer of 1839-1846 as I present tours of 30 or so historic homes and shops commemorating pioneers and Saints who lived in that community during those years. Many of the original structures remain even to this day - mainly those made of the Nauvoo brick. Others have been totally restored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the public to experience. And it will be a great honor and privilege to honor and testify of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the visit of God, our Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ to the Prophet Joseph. I know that they appeared to him and called him to be the Prophet to restore the Church of Jesus Christ once more to the earth. I have a testimony of these grand eternal events and look forward to sharing that testimony with those who come to Navuoo. My wife and I will serve in Nauvoo for 18 months.
It will be so great to "return home" to Nauvoo. My original "youth" church mission was in Alabam, Flawda, and Jawja. Then the Church sent me on special assignment to serve my last six months in Nauvoo. Such a fabulous experience! My wife and family and I have returned to Nauvoo many times through the years. Twice we took all nine kids and participated in the cast of the "City of Joseph" pageant. The first time we went (1996), we travelled together on the train. (And that will make a great future blog. I promise to do that.) We were there even last summer for several days. What a joy. And my wife's parents, Elder E. H. and Sister Verna Belcher served two and a half years on a mission to Nauvoo, and Elder Belcher built the original (modern) brick yard and his Nauvoo bricks are now world famous. And between my wife and me, we have about 30 of our own pioneer ancestor families who lived and served in Nauvoo - "The City of Joseph". So, it will be wonderful to kind of re-live their lives and the legacy that they have given to us.
This "Scouting Trails" site will remain open for just three more days. (to March 21, 2024) At that time, I will shut off the blogsite. You have one last chance to peruse the articles and experience them again. I made the financial decision to close this site because all possible cost savings are being implemented in order to pay for our coming mission.
But, all is not lost! You may still read past Scouting (and other) articles on my kevinthescout@wordpress.com blogsite. I will continuie to keep this site active. Some of my Scoutingtrails.com articles appear on this website - but there are many differences. I will also use this KevintheScout site as a medium to blog about new experiences as a missionary. I will attempt regular (weekly is the goal - time permitting) to post about our mission life and times in Nauvoo.
Also, I have published most of my past Scouting blogs on the Lulu.com publishing webiste These volumes (and a multitude of other historical books are published and available for purchase on the Lulu.com website under a search of "Author Kevin V Hunt". Check it out. Here is the link: https://www.lulu.com/search?page=2&q=author+kevin+v+hunt&pageSize=10&adult_audience_rating=00
Sixty years is a very long time - a life-time of Scouting advenmtures. I recently completed the compilation and writing of my own personal autobiography - in 20 volumes (and still growing) under the title of "My Life's Collective Works" (or shortened in titles to "MLCW"). Fully 7 volumes of the autobiography detail my various Scouting adventures through those 60 years. These are volume numbers 14 to 20. And my own youth Scouting experiences are detailed in Volume #1. Volume #20 might be of special interest for my Scouting Trails fans.
Volume #20 is entitled: "MLCW - Vol. #20 "KevintheScout" Woods Wisdom from the Scouting Trail". This volume contains many or most of my Scouting blogs through the years - and available to you in one volume. Other Scouting blog articles are also woven through the other MLCW Scouting volumes.
I invite you to check out the Lulu.com website and peruse my many writing attempts. And some of my Scouting book titles are still also available on Amazon.com (again under an author search in my name.) Something on these sites might be of interest to you. (And of course, sales might also help with the total mission effort).
And finally, here is my invitation to come and visit Nauvoo while we are there … bring your families … come and stay several days … walk the paths of the Prophets and pioneer ancestors … Come to experience the two Nauvoo pageants. Come and see Sister Hunt and me in our pioneer costumes, sing with us, “Praise to the Man” and Come and get to know Brother Joseph, again.
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