I shook hands with ETB as a young boy. He was nice to me, I had a positive impression. Met Robert D. Hales once, was not impressed at all. He was quite aloof.
I had dinner with ezra taft benson and his wife flora while on my mission, he was very friendly and talkative, even playful. he even gave me a 20 dollar bill (although my zone leaders later made me spend it on a box of book of mormons) I was really taken by his niceness.
I briefly met L. Tom Perry on a YC trip to Palmyra. It (supposedly)wasn't coordinated at all. But he just happened to be at the temple when we were, and then just happened to be at the same tour location, and then just happened to decide it was a "sign" that he should have a special fireside with us.
The leaders were ugly crying about how special it was and clearly HF was looking out for us. Even as a TBM I thought it was all a little odd though.
Monson married a good friend of mine when he was still 1st C.
And I met Eyring. I went to high school with one of his daughters and was a good friend of hers. I worked at Fred Meyer and they were in there shopping and so she introduced me to him. The only thing I remember thinking was he was tall.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/18/2014 09:34AM by wanderinggeek.
When my DH and I were first married we lived in his parents' house for a year while they were on an extended business trip. My in-laws were James and Ruth Faust's home teachers (yes, the top 15 have home teachers) so DH and I filled in for them while they were away. Ruth was especially kind. James was a lot like my father-in-law but with more of business man demeanor. We also lived next door to their bodyguard for several years, a really nice guy who had some hilarious stories about several of the top 15. Several years later we happened to just run into James and Ruth, not long before he passed away, and had a very nice visit with them.
I also met Spencer Kimball - the "prophet"- at a BYU football game. I was a student at the time, and worked at the stadium. I was really worried about his super discerning powers and that he'd "know" that I had made out with my boyfriend the night before. I was afraid he'd call me out on it. (lol) I quickly realized he had no such powers and was just a small, old man.
Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 07/18/2014 09:54AM by braindead.
Mark E. Petersen and wife had lunch at our house after they dedicated the new chapel--that I helped build almost every day for a year. He played the part very well. My remembrance is that he was making an effort to be magnanimous. It shouldn't be an effort. The whole experience did not feel natural to me, or spiritual.
BKP visited our mission and gave a speech to the missionaries and then opened it up to Q&A. One of the elders asked if the prophet and apostles had actually seen Jesus. BKP seemed annoyed with the question and gave some stupid scripted answer. And, apparently afterwards this elder was scolded by the MP. Not impressed at all.
I rode up the elevator to the suites to a Jazz game with Monson and a bodyguard when he was 1C. He seemed disappointed that I didn't genuflect and only asked him if he has heard if Boozer was playing that night.
During the game he was seated in the suite directly across from mine. He didn't watch much of the game but he would stop any conversation when he heard the dancers music start up.
AS a yound boy my dad and I paid a visit to Spencer Kimball who was a student of my grandmothers. Nice guy. He pulled a dollar bill out of his wallet and told me it for my mission. A week later I spent the money on bubble gum.
Took Hinckley and faust on mission tours when I was an assistant.
Hinckley ordained my father a temple president and we spent an hour or so with him again.
GA's were always coming through the house as my dad was a stake pres. also.
shum Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > AS a yound boy my dad and I paid a visit to > Spencer Kimball who was a student of my > grandmothers. Nice guy. He pulled a dollar bill > out of his wallet and told me it for my mission. A > week later I spent the money on bubble gum.
Met Russ Ballard several times. Some long, some short (always lots of others clamoring for his attention). Found him thoroughly ordinary; not much different from my then bishop who takes himself WAY too seriously.
Joe Wirthlin was a feeble old grandpa type. Nice enough, but near the end when I met him.
Tom Perry was a different bird. Very outgoing and gregarious. Had a sense of humor (more than any of the others I know...) with the crowd; but one on one was a little more awkward and aloof.
Met Neal Maxwellhouse a few times as a kid; don't remember much other than being happy to meet the one that taught all the cool space teachings (which I was totally into and loved)
Dallin Oaks came to my mission one time. Wooden as a fence post, and about as charming as a sack of nails. My brief interaction with him took off whatever bloom was still on the rose of the big 15. He asked how things were in the area. I told him the truth (under the assumption that he'd know somehow if I lied... His special powers had to be a little better attuned than my BP SP and MP who never detected any of my wrongdoing). We didn't have any investigators, and no one we invited was going to be coming to that meeting. Definitely should have lied.
Shook hands with Ballard when he came to a disaster cleanup in my area. No, he was not dressed to do any service, just observing the busy bees as the elite are prone to do.
I was privileged to get to have a one on one meeting with Gordon B. Hinkley while I was on my mission. This was before he became pres. I was having some problems with depression. I thought I was a shitty missionary because I wasn't seeing any success. My MP (who was an honestly nice guy) thought that it would really help me. Anyway, GBH proceeded to rip me up one side and down the other for being such a shitty missionary and for wasting my parents money. Yeah, helped a lot. Turns out, in Japan, all the missionaries are pretty shitty at being missionaries. Plain and simple, GBH was an asshat.
In addition to my conversation with GBH, a few years later, I had a quick, "good morning, how are you" encounter with him and his wife. I also had a quick greeting and handshake with TSM. I was never sure I'd be good enough to make the top level of the CK, but for years, I thought "wow--I have met people who will someday be gods!"
I had the Chance to have a small meeting with Dieter in SLC because of some who know some who know some.....he is a very charming and funny guy indeed. Not arrogant or something like that. He made some jokes and was happy to meet Germans. Nice sugardaddygrampa.
shook Monsons Hand, however this even strenghten my opinion about his faking attitude, in Hamburg, and had a small chitchat with Bednar when he was at a stakeconference and I was chosen to speak the conclusion prayer. He still speaks a very good german but noone I would remember in the streets. When I was at MTC we had a fireside with Holland I really adored him that time and remember him as a powerful guy. But I glorified him a lot.
Yes. L. Tom Perry came and spoke at my uncle's funeral. I was already out by this point, but the rest of the family were in awe, especially since the funeral was on a Thursday and he was missing out on the super secret Thursday meeting in the Temple.
Despite his grandfather-like persona, I actually found him to be a little cold. He didn't seem especially warm and friendly to me. Perhaps he was having an off day. Or perhaps, his super-awesome priesthood keys let him know he was in the presence of an apostate!
Holland - Felt he and his wife were putting on an act to smile and be friendly, but really felt like they didn't want to be there at all.
Oaks - actually felt dark and creepy.
This was while I was TBM, totally hopeful for some special experience. Each time walked away and told friends "what was that all about?" Such puzzled feelings. It was so disappointing and weird.
Got to shake swk and his wife's hands cause I was a Kimball Scholar at a school now ranked, what, 451st???!? He was an adorable little gnome with dumbo ears and a giant grin looking not necessarily all there in the brains department--I remember thinking where did he find a woman as short as he was to marry?!!!
And got a wedding present from BRM & wife--lest you think I rank in the SLC hierarchy (I don't) it was because they came on tour w/ us (BYU YA group) as chaperones. I realize now this must have been around the time of his nasty letters to Eugene England, which may explain why he went with us--maybe the higher ups need him to SHUT UP and sending him out of the country seemed the only way!
I don't remember hearing him speak a single word the entire 6 weeks, just sullenly moping around, and we had group prayers, devotionals, etc. multiple times a day. When his wife found out I was marrying an RM in the temple 3 weeks after we got back, she gave me a pretty little piece of silk w/ a bird embroidered on it, from some flea market in China. I hang it on my wall ironically-- very pretty reminder of a very messed up time!!!
I met Eldon Tanner once, who was in the first presidency at the time...at my aunt's funeral....he was her brother in law. Nice enough man...but no halo...and no "spirit" vibe....just another old geezer that everyone was fawning over. Dad had known him when he still lived in Alberta and before Tanner got the call to Cult HQ.
L. Tom Perry at a regional conference in Moscow, Russia - 2002. We were there to adopt our second Russian daughter and reunite her with her sister. The girls were media darlings in both Russia and the U.S. and Elder Perry and his wife took some time to speak to us.
Later, he corresponded with our girls and sent a picture of he and his wife. He reminded me that "miracles happen everyday."
My impression of Elder Perry is that he was a kind, deeply spiritual man. That experience still is my best memory from Mormonism.
I met and talked to Gordon Hinckley working the room at some kind of fundraiser when he was president of the church. He was reasonably impressive, clearly pretty sharp.
I met Tom Perry in the lobby of a hotel. Seemed like a nice guy.
When I was 14 my YW class took a fruit basket at Xmas to then prophet Joseph Fielding Smith. Met the old man and his wife in their apartment in SLC. I was chewing gum, he glared and pointed at me then snapped "what's in your mouth?" I swallowed then replied,"nothing". His wife whispered to me, "it's alright dear, he never got used to chewing gum, it reminds him of tobacco" I left there questioning why a prophet would accuse a 14 year old girl of coming to his place with her YW group to sing carols and be chewing tobacco! Needless to say my impression of that prophet of god dwindled. This came to mind several years later with the flak about Ezra T Benson not being in full capacity, and Steve trying to be public about it.
I was in some young adult choir and right before Christmas, we were going to have the privilege of Christmas Caroling at Kimball's house on Laird Ave. BUT, at the last minute we were told the prophet was sick and they worried about him standing in the cold air. SO, the first runner up was N.Eldon Tanner. We were in the lobby of his apartment building (for those of you in SLC it's the high rise on the hill as you go up 4th South and where the road curves and turns into 5th South.) but I digress.
He and the Mrs. Came down to the lobby, we sang some forgettable songs, then someone asked to tell us one of his most memorable experiences as an apostle. Are you ready for this? He said: "Well we were in Africa once at branch function and me and my wife were the only white people in the room!" Hand to god (or whoever) he said that. Most memorable? Really?
Crossed paths with Tom Perry while shopping at Crossroads Mall. We were both basically waiting for our wives, quietly standing at the edge of the women's section at Macy's. He was holding his wife's purse and wearing a bolo tie and jeans. I gave him the obligatory man-shopping-with-wife head nod, the one that helps a guy get over the embarrassment of holding a pink purse.
I doubt I recognize any of them now except for TSM maybe, couldn't name more than a few of the 12...just don't pay attention to any of that crap anymore.
Ezra T. Benson - Benson family reunion, Mark Benson was in charge - he (ETB) attended but didn't appear to be "there". N. Eldon Tanner - in elevator at Sydney Opera House - wouldn't make eye contact with me - stood stiffly silent. Dallin H. Oaks - was counselor in Chicago Stake presidency when I lived in a suburb of Chicago - his brother in-law was my priest quorum advisor - Dallin and his first wife, June, were family friends. He was personable and friendly to us and had a good sense of humor. Marvin J. Ashton - in Sydney Mission home while I was on my mission - I cracked wise to something he said (it was not off color nor inappropriate, just funny) in our private conversation and his look was definitely sour.
I'm related to or I've been related by marriage (ex-wife) to and known many others in the "lower quorums" as well.
Edited to correct a name and for clarity.
Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 07/18/2014 02:16PM by moose.
What a pompous ass! He put me down when I complained about all the rain, being new to the area. He bellowed, "I don't let the weather get in the way of my plans!" Well, he wasn't having to drag a baby stroller down Pacific HWY. South, to buy some badly needed food.
My Ex thought he had died and gone to heaven while in his presense.
Yes, many of them visited BYU campus and spoke at the weekly Devotionals, and Local Firesides, and later visited local wards and stakes I attended back in the 60's, & 70's, in particular, until they stopped traveling. They also attended and spoke at CES conferences, and other programs I attended.
I had the opportunity to hear most of them speak on a local level, often shake their hands and sometimes had a short, conversations with many of the leaders in those days: McConkie, Packer, Faust, Hunter, Hinckley, McKay, Kimball, Lee, Benson and many, many more. They were always kind, and respectful.
I have never known any of them on a personal basis.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/18/2014 02:24PM by SusieQ#1.
I was ordained a seventy by LeGrand Richards in 1970. This was before the Seventy were GA. He was an old man then with a cane and hard to keep up with the pace he set.