Seriously.

Is he the kind of person you could confide to, without threat of excommunication? Or will he snitch on you to Boyd Packer?

Is he someone who would understand the concerns and plights of its members, particularly its young people?

C'mon, he can't be all that bad a person, can he? Since he's second in line, do you think there's some hope for TSCC if and when Monson and Packer croak before him?

Dont know him personally but he seems to be a jovial person and grandpa. He has some inactive relatives and possibly exmos in his direct and indirect family tree.

I've heard that he's very outgoing and engaging in person, not haughty or critical like some of them. I suspect that if he were president, he'd let someone else do the dirty work.

He once interviewed me to be (my then Stakes) Stake President. He was all business and matter of fact in his behavior. Like he was checking boxes or going through the motions in order to pick the new SP. I was passed over (thank god) for the man who later Exed me.

Thanks for the laugh! =)

I've written here about meeting him before (I don't know how to do the link thing). I am not fond of him- acting all put out when he is called to be on the "Lord's errand;" the woman was dying for hell sake. He reconsidered my request, but not before acting like it was a major imposition.

I met him once while working at ZCMI downtown he was in charge of it back then basically he was seemingly nice and friendly granted that was like 20 years ago but judging from the latest picture of him with Kristofferson he doesn't seem to have many years left in him. I really don't see him being a prophet who will excite people especially the young. The church seems to have an aging problem where they could have multiple prophets in a very short timeframe.

He's an aging victim of a ridiculous and inhumane policy. He really deserves to be released so he can die with dignity.

I ran into him multiple times about 15 years ago and he was always smiling, talkative, etc... He attended the stake conference here last year, and he seems like a different person...tired, smiles seem forced, lost his train of thought multiple times, etc...

After his first wife died, he briefly dated the mother of one of my mission companions. Nothing came of it but he continued to hand write short letters of encouragement to my companion. I read a few of those letters and he seemed like a nice guy. No doubt a person in his position is a complex mix.

THey can't be about Tom Petty...his hair is too long to be a Mormon, amiright?

He bought a large coke behind me at the Blue Burrito in the SLC airport on a Sunday. I thought that was pretty cool.

Yes,I've had a couple of opportunities to chat with him about in the 15 to 20 years ago timeframe. He was a real decent guy. Hope he still is.

I wanted to ask her out but was afraid of the INTERVIEW.

After all what were my intentions etc.

He seemed like a giant smiley button. No substance.

I heard his daughter is very out of the church.

That's very interesting. I don't hear much about the children of apostles leaving the church. It used to happen a lot in the crazy (or crazier) days of Mormonism. Could it be that correlation helped for a while, but that retention is reverting to the historical average?

My guess is that those that leave aren't as outspoken as some of the GA relatives from the past. Frank Cannon comes to mind, Fawn Brodie, Steve Benson, the Tanners. The whole Huntsman gang is struggling with their testimonies I heard. John senior is still very strong. but john Jr. has had enough of it. and his daughter has resigned all together.

But I wonder if currently the close family members might have to sign a non disclosure paper these Days. So that they won't make waves? Does anyone know????????????

aren't all GAs 'company men' by the time they're selected?

I'd love to see / understand that there's some levity, some personality, some something "Outside The Box".

He's not a believer. He's in it for the benefits only. I know it for a fact.

Could you care to expand on your factual knowledge?

Drive by posting.

GOOD guy??? He knows! That is what defines him. There is room for nothing else.

He came to my mission ans stayed at the mission home (florida 1993 ) I was the AP and was in charge of helping the pres wife to get the room ready. We waited with baited breath. I had about 584,334 gospel questions that I wanted answered.

He stayed until the next morning, we took him out to do the rounds and he ONLY talked about the NFL, the steelers and cowboys. We went back to the mission home thinking, ok, now he is going to sit around the living room and let us see the plates, basically. Nope, more football. He was extremely engaging and down to earth.

I sang in the GC choir one year and he certainly is the most outgoing of all the GA's. From what I noticed he'll talk to anyone. He doesn't care who it is. Not like the others, the others will leave a meeting as soon as they can, almost like they are not comfortable with the people or something. Not perry. Perry is also very large. He's got to be over 6'4".

His messages are geered to the family and kids. I don't know that he is concerned about single people (which is like 1/2 the world now isn't it?). We single are either forgotten or pitied.

I saw him once in Crossroads Mall while shopping with my wife. Our wives were buzzing around one of the department stores (separately) and he and I stood side by side holding their purses. We gave each other the obligatory guy-in-dept-store-holding-wife's-purse head nod and just kept to ourselves. Dude was wearing a bolo tie. I liked him for that alone.

How in the world can Perry be a 'good guy' when he tells the Swedes (of the Swedish Rescue) that he has a secret document in his brief case that will prove the church is true and will put all their doubts to rest? Where is that document? With all the resignations and information on the internet leading folks out of the TSCC, why won't he put that document on the front page of the church magazine, the Ensign?

Answer: He can't. He was a liar. A prevaricator. A deceiver. A pompous asshat. A deliberately teller of falsehoods.

A good guy isn't a liar. Plain and simple. Especially one who is supposed to be an apostle for Jesus Christ and is supposed to tell the truth.

I know Perry came to San Jose and told the missionaries that they were NOT to follow the counsel that Richard Scott had given them months earlier. Scott told the missionaries NOT to issue the baptismal challenge at every lesson, but to listen to and follow the spirit. Along comes Perry and he tells the missionaries to ignore what Scott said and give the baptismal challenge at every lesson -- because said Perry, "I am senior to him in the quorum." What G** D*** arrogance!

These two examples don't make for "a good guy" let alone a disciple of JC.

One his children was in my ward about 4 decades ago. He insisted on sitting with the congregation and not on the stand. He was smiling and friendly to everyone.

Let me chime in with a nice anecdote. I was in a priesthood meeting with him several years ago. He had assistants or chaperones that appeared to travel with him. I was going very negative at the time, so I expected someone treated with such kid gloves to be self important. Nah, he was humerous, not in a Gordon B Hinkley condescending way, but it seemed genuine. His comments were not condemning or too serious, but he handles church business. I liked him even when looking with a critical eye. I recall reading A thread here a few years ago saying he was pretty much on the outs with other apostles. I can see why because most come across as self important patriarchal prima donnas with a greater than thou approach. I liked Perry. They probably dislike him because he is not so serious.