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I must have been asleep when this topic started.
I have not lived in Utah since kindergarten, but...A good friend in High School was the Stake President's son and my dad was the Stake Exec Sect. Coming home from an outing one Saturday night we stopped at friend's house and there on the couch was David B. Haight, in town for stake conference. The three of us sat and talked for quite some time, about what I do not remember. I do remember that I got in trouble when I got home because I was late. The reason I gave - full up conversation with an Apostle - was not enough of a reason.
I usually avoid General Authorities. They are either being overwhelmed with other people or they are getting ready to ask you to do something.
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John Dickson of the Seventy is my 1st cousin. He and his siblings used to hang out at our house when we were children. I could tell a few stories about that, but I will be discreet. He came to our family reunion last month, which was awesome. He made a point of speaking with each of the 150+ people there, then spoke at a family fireside. Asked each of the young boys if they were planning missions. Inquired about my physical health (I am plagued with fibromyalgia, arthiritis (sp?), back isuues, etc, etc which can make moving difficult), and reminded me that while it may be permenent in this life, not in the next.
When I was confined to a wheel chair with both bones in both legs broken, I attended a regional RS conference. My sister who accompanied me was singing in the choir, so I sat in the wheelchair next to the front pew in the chapel while they did the final rehearsal just before the meeting. The then General RS pres was speaking at the conference,arrived early and spent maybe 15 minutes talking to me. That was a true spiritual feast, just talking about how much the Saviour loved each of us, and especially me. That was a particularly hard time in my life, so this was just awesome.
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I've participated in a priesthood blessing given by Elder Cook. Very sharp man, who seems genuinely care about those he interacts with. His call on apostolic power was unique, otherwise the blessing was no different that what any humble priesthoold holder would give. Which makes perfect sense when you think about it.
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Victor L. Brown when he was an emeritus GA, lived on my mail route years ago and I spoke to him several times. What a wonderful man he was. I met Loren C. Dunn (and Jon M. Huntsman) when they both came to our stake to interview stake leaders to find a new stake presidency. I was really impressed with both of them as well. I also had the opportunity to meet David B. Haight at a stake conference leadership meeting. I found out later that his security man was really upset that people came up and shook his hand because he was so old and would get tired easily. I don't think Elder Haight minded though. What a sweet man. Others I've met include Michael Ringwood, Hartman Rector Jr. (after he was emeritus), and before he was a GA, Kevin Pearson. Great men all.
My only other experience was with President Monson when he was a counselor to Ezra Taft Benson (I think) I had somehow found out his address and wrote him a letter about my wife who was suffering at the time from a miscarriage and resultant depression. I had asked if he'd be willing to sign a copy of his book that was new at the time, Conference Classics Volume Two. I was planning to purchase it and send it to him to sign if he was willing. Instead, his secretary called me and said that he would love to send a book to my wife. When it arrived, there was a loving inscription from him, bearing his testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel. I will never forget his kindness as long as I live.
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While on my mission in Brazil, Elder Howard W. Hunter presided at a multi-stake conference. The day after the conference, Monday was our P-day. My companion and I were at the mission office late on P-day, and as we tried to leave to go back to our area we found the front door locked. The only other way out was through the foyer entrance at the bottom of the stairs leading to the MP's residence. As we stepped into the foyer we found Elder and Sister Hunter having a casual chat with the MP and his wife.
We stopped and shook hands and chatted for a few minutes. Elder Hunter asked us a few questions (mostly of the "Are you working hard and obeying mission rules?" variety). I was thankful we could answer yes (I'm glad he didn't ask us about getting back to our area on time at the end of P-day) because I had the distinct impression he knew the answers before asking the questions.
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I once "crashed" a Stake priesthood leadership meeting. (I know - what an odd thing to crash, right?) Robert D. Hales was presiding. I remember three things:
* More than one person got choked up just trying to ask him a question during Q&A.
* When asked how important it was to track expenses and turn in receipts, he replied "not very", and went on to say that they were always getting on him for not turning in his expenses too.
* He made it quite clear that when a bishop suspected but didn't know a member was lying in a TR interview, the bishop should grant the recommend. He said something to the tune that the TR interview was a chance for the member to be square with God, and bishops give the opportunity, they don't enforce compliance based on hunches or opinion or inconclusive evidence.
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I worked at the Church Offices in Solihull, UK and met a few general authorities. Elder Holland was the Area President and is one of the greatest men I have ever known. Other great men were Spencer Condie, Hugh Pinnock, Andrew Doxey, Kenneth Johnson and Robert Sackley.
We had visits from President Hinckley, James E Faust, Tom L Perry (my goodness, isn't he tall?!), Robert D Hales and others. My own mission president, Ben B Banks, was called as a member of the Seventy, another truly inspirational man.
I was met off my flight to the Scotland Edinburgh Mission by Marvin J Ashton. This was a real blessing for me as there was a point when I was struggling in the gospel and he spoke at a Conference at the Odeon, New Street, he spoke and it changed my life.
I've been married for 14 years now and I have two children and have been caring for my in laws, both of whom have dementia, my time at Church Offices seems like a different life.
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I once received unsolicited personal instruction from Elder Scott in the Church Administration Building.
He told me how to get out of the Church Administration Building.
I once wrote to an apostle to tell him that I disagreed with something he said in conference. I got a very nice letter back.
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Elder Holland once passed me while walking to class at BYU.
Well, that was when he was president of BYU and not an apostle, but still, it remains as a special link that we have.
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Well, now that I think about it, I did once stand in a check-cashing line in front of President Holland at the BYU bookstore. But of course, at the time, he was no more a general authority than I was. I'm sure he remembers the event fondly.
quote:I once wrote to an apostle to tell him that I disagreed with something he said in conference. I got a very nice letter back.
Now I'm curious to know if you still disagree with him.
When I was in high school one of my counselors and the teacher adviser for key club was the son of Elder Ballard. For a field trip we were able to come to Salt Lake and among other things have lunch with Elder Ballard. We talked about what the church was doing to help Ethiopia. I was impressed with the idea that the church wasn't just "giving the man fish, but teaching him how to fish".
My favorite seminary teacher is now Elder Paul Johnson of the seventy. Excellent teacher. When taking teaching classes at Education Week this week I was impressed with many of the things that were being taught was the things Brother Johnson did in my classes.
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I know I have mentioned it before, but one of Elder Johnson's sons is married to my sister. (my sister by unofficial adoption)
He is a humble and spirit filled man. All of the new curriculum that we are working for the youth (still in the pilot stages) has his handprints all over it. I love that he heads the S & I program for the church, and that I get to watch the changes that have come and are coming in how we teach the Gospel.
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My inlaws live in the homeward adjacent to Pres. Eyring. They attend Stake Conference with him, and when we lived with them, I met him personally one day while waiting for the girls at a Young WOmen's activity. He seems very nice. The family saw him shopping at Dick's Marketplace in Bountiful, as well. He's a thoughtful man, always a smile, and we hear lots of stories about him and anything he says that's even remotely interesting. I can't imagine how it'd be to be him, knowing that there are so many that esteem every little detail of his life. But he seems to handle it well.
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I also saw Elder Oaks at the Festival of Trees once, with his family. He was just wearing a golf shirt and blue jeans, which of course thrilled me. Also at that Festival was Greg Ostertag, who played for the Utah Jazz at the time (though not a GA). I remember seeing his head up above all the trees clear across the gigantic room as he walked up and down the rows.
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I almost forgot...I had a short conversation with Cecil Samuelson once after a stake conference. We were both waiting in the hall for something and I took the chance to ask him about BYU football. It was at the time a few years back when they were upset about the tv contract that was happening then. So I asked him about it. He said, shaking his head, "You know, in those kinds of negotiations, sometimes you wish you weren't a General Authority." True story.
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Despite serving a mission in Utah and now living in Utah I haven't personally met many General Authorities. Of course, there were the members of the area presidency over our mission - Marlin K. Jensen and Charles A. Didier (I don't recall meeting Malcolm S. Jeppsen though he was a member of the presidency). Got to have dinner at Elder Jensen's when my companion and I covered Ogden Valley.
I've been close physically to several General Authorities but haven't met them. I've either had duties to attend to or didn't want to be part of the crowd pressing in on them to say hello. Our ward has been visited by Elder Holland (our ward is his old ward in St. George) and Elder Steven E. Snow (he has family in our ward).
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I will alway remember Elder Marlin Jensen for something he did at the end of my mission..a week or two, before I returned home from my mission in ID, he was the visiting GA at a stake conf. Internally, I was struggling w/feelings of wondering if I had done a good enough job as a missionary, given my shyness,etc. When Elder Jensen spoke, he had my comp and I come up to the podium. He put his right arm on my shoulder and his left arm on my comps..and he said to the audience how this sister (meaning me) can go home knowing I've done a good job..something like that. What I remember the most is the feeling and power during those few moments. And when I got home, he sent a LETTER to my parents saying he had met me on my mission and saw me serving well. That letter really impressed my dad, not a member of the church--my dad even referred to that letter in my homecoming talk.
The other really meaningful time was when I had just recently joined the church..my mom and I had gone to what was a youth fireside as I recall. Elder Maxwell came up to us and shook our hands. I so wished I knew now what I knew then...at that point I just saw him as a smiling man shaking our hands! And then in college he was someone who's talks made me fall asleep...but now, so many years later, his talks are among my favorites and some of the one's that have been most helpful to me in life so far. Oh and one other memory is of a Utah roommate who used to work at McD's..she told me once Elder Maxwell came in and bought a hamburger and she shook his hand! I thought it was so interesting to think "they" go to places like McD's!!
Elder Oaks: when he came to our stake a few years ago, he was such a hoot! Until that point, I saw him as a strict and stern type person, I think because he is so serious in General Conference. But at our stake conf he went around handshaking and was so humorous in some of his remarks. He joked w/us,etc and smiled a lot, it totally changed my prior perception of him! (plus it has been fun to hear insights into him from his second wife a fireside, as well as comments his top notch violinist daughter has made in some of her concerts)
Elder Scott: never met him. But one time I was sitting in a stake conf and I eavesdropped on the conversation of the two guys behind me. One of the men shared how someone he knew had a dad who was a stake president somewhere. One day Elder Scott was visiting his friend's home, the mom I think inquired what Elder Scott would like for dinner. Elder Scott wanted pancakes! the guy on whom I was eavesdropping thought that was such a humble request of the Lord's disciple!
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Elder Holland: when I was a freshman at BYU, going to the welcome reception, I got to shake his hand when he was the BYU president
First Presidency member: past or present, just for the person's privacy, I won't tell! But at one point, a friend of mine was caring for her older mother who had some memory problems as well as a chronic disease. One General Conf Am, my friend asked me to hang out w/her mom for a short time while she ran an errand. So I did. I then learned that my friend's mom had a sort of crush on a First Presidency Member who had spoken that AM. (She sighed when I shared that member was married, her hopes sort of dashed! ) Somehow I got a crazy idea to see if that First Presidency member would send a brief birthday note to my friend's mom. So I sent the letter, saying I realized we aren't supposed to write then but letting him know that this lady liked his talks,etc . I was so happy one day when I got a letter from the Church Office...the member of the First Presidency wrote back to me (via his secretary) that he was unable to send the birthday greeting to Sis So and So. But that "Pres So and So wishes you well" Truthfully I did feel a little disappointed as I wish they had sent that brief greeting to the lady instead. But I understand the vast scope of their duties and that it is not possible to wish everyone a Happy Birthday etc!
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All the missionaries in our mission met a general authority and his wife in Nauvoo. They took the time to greet every last one of us. Some of us were a little nervous, fearing the God would reveal their weaknesses to the general authority. I figured that if God wanted to tell on me it was for the best.
First I shyly told Sister General Authority, when she asked, that I was going fine on my mission. She admonished me not to lie because they would know.
So when her husband greeted me I cranked up my enthusiasm, and he just smiled and gave me a warm greeting.
We had a meeting in the Seventies Hall, where we were allowed to doff our jackets. We had meetings over the course of two days. He felt impressed to teach us how to use publications and books, and how much weight to give each. He said that McConkie's Mormon Doctrine was 95% correct, but to never assume that a general authority's book was correct. Which was good, he himself was a writer of books. He said give greatest weight to the scriptures, and then to official publications of the church.
Those two days flew by, as we received instruction from a humble servant of the Lord.
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