I followed him down a hallway once, he was chatting to Ballard.
What struck me was all of the BS you get on your mission about calling your companion Elder, and how even the GA's respect the their titles and call each other by them. Well that's pure Bull Chit for sure.
When i hear them calling each other Tommy and Russ as they leave a conference heading to their car.
This was several years ago--the player is no longer with the team--and I pulled up next to a silver limousine, hopped out to open the door for my fare, and Monsoon was exiting the limo's front seat right next to me...
This was in the V.I.P. parking, of course...
He looked at me--he is a very large man, even in his dotage--and I don't know if my evil apostate activities are below his radar or not, but we had a bit a "stare down."
Postscript: The power went out during the game, honest...
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/28/2017 11:48PM by SL Cabbie.
My friend had Grant Palmer on speaker at her place when I was in the room and he told her that Monson's son had an affair several years ago at work and people went through great lengths to cover it up. Grant Palmer also said that some of the GA and apostles do not like Monson.
I saw him in 1987. I was a Jack-Mormon at the time. I was in the U.S. Army and stationed in Germany. My wife and I were visiting Frankfurt and decided to see the Frankfurt Temple for the first time. It was on a Sunday. While we were walking around the Temple grounds, we saw Monson, who was an apostle at the time, and a group of German Church Leaders and their wives walk out of the Temple. I thought it was strange that they were at the Temple on a Sunday when the Temple is closed.
I was wearing an U.S. Army Shirt. Elder Monson called me and I wanted to talk with me. He was very nice and asked me where I was stationed and asked me if I was LDS. He shook my wife's, my daughter's, and my hands. Looking back, I suspect that Monson was presiding over Second Annointing Ceremonies for the German couples. Why else would they be inside the Temple on a Sunday?
I was waiting for an elevator once in the Wilkinson Center (BYU campus) back in the 80's. Monson showed up with his 2 bodyguards. I was there first, but when the doors opened his bodyguards rushed him into the elevator, then looked at me and without saying a word make it very clear that I was taking the next one.
I was very unimpressed personally he reminded me of a woman's shoe salesman in a department store. He seemed to be spinning bullshit the entire time. NonGenuine and weirdly effeminate too.
When he got home he changed a faith promoting story he heard about an Elder in our mission and used it in a conference talk. Only about 50% of the story was true as he told it in conference and published in the Ensign. The Elder was my companion so I think I have a good grip on what really happened.
You only know really happened, but Monson knew what should have happened, and that's the story he told. That's what being a prophet is all about... just ask Joe Smith; that was his specialty!
Hedning Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I was very unimpressed personally he reminded me > of a woman's shoe salesman in a department store. > He seemed to be spinning bullshit the entire time. > NonGenuine and weirdly effeminate too. > > When he got home he changed a faith promoting > story he heard about an Elder in our mission and > used it in a conference talk. Only about 50% of > the story was true as he told it in conference and > published in the Ensign. The Elder was my > companion so I think I have a good grip on what > really happened.
My one encounter with a “prophet’s” bodyguard was much more pleasant than yours. About 20 years ago, I attended the funeral of my mission president’s wife. My MP was close friends with Gordon B. Hinckley, so GBH and his wife attended the funeral. Because I was in the right place at the right time, I was the only one who shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with GBH and his wife that day. They entered the foyer just before the service started, and the bishop who was conducting the service asked everyone to remain in the chapel after the meeting until the Hinckleys have left.
I was standing at the chapel door, and I stepped aside to let them enter. I was waiting for the sole security guard to enter, but he looked at me, smiled, and gestured for me to go ahead of him.
I did meet GBH once (also in the Wilkinson Center). I was on the third floor walking down a hall toward the elevator. He was walking toward me (no bodyguards) and said hello and shook my hand. He was very nice.
One of my sisters was in a booth next to Monson's at a BYU basketball game. She wanted to shake his hand, but she couldn't get past his guards. How's that for the people's prophet?
This was around 1979 or 80 and they needed 2 people for security in the hotel where President Kimball was staying. My friend and I were on the same floor as Kimball by the elevator. It was area conference when they still had those. Suddenly, there was President Kimball walking down the hall with Monson and I think Faust maybe? I just know what Monson did. We stood up and walked towards him. Now mind you we were 2 young 20 somethings in dresses, walking slowly, to greet the prophet. Monson takes a couple running steps, grabs my arm and tells us to go back and sit down. He scared me to death, a very mean person. President Kimball yelled at him(as much as he could yell) I was close to tears. He took our hands and apologized. He talked to us for about 15 minutes and seemed truly interested in us. Monson-not impressed.
From 1985 to 1984, I worked for ZCMI, the church owned department store. (We actually had 2 managers, the store manager who usually wanted to make the store run like a stake and the manager who came from the Brown Shoe Company. Both generally assholes)
I worked in a couple of the stores, Southtowne Mall and the University Mall but spent the majority of my time at the Cottonwood Mall, and dammit I still miss that mall.
His wife shopped there on a regular basis and as far as I could tell, she never had handlers or anyone with her. She bought several pair of shoes from over the time I was there but of course bought only “old lady” shoes, go to church shoes. She was always pleasant to whoever helped her in the department but didn’t act like she was All That for having him as her husband
One time, close to the end of my time at Cottonwood, she came in with him and I think his daughter, Ann. Sje came in to buy shoes and he and his daughter sat down on one of seating places and chatted with each other. Usually, if there was a famous person in the store, the management came to chat with them but no one approached him. He looked like he would be really pissed if a normal person came up to talk to him, but no one did.
The only difference I noticed was that his wife was kind of on edge that day, didn’t take long to look at shoes and I think she was trying to get in and out without him getting upset that she was taking so long. That’s my guess.
I didn’t really have any contact with him. The time that Mrs Fields of cookie fame was there was much more impressive.
I used to work for Mrs. Fields in the corporate headquarters in Park City. She was always nice to me but her husband was an asshole. I wonder if she is still married to him.
My dad, TBM through and through, told me that ZCMI stood for Zion's Corporation for Mormon Idiots. I'm not sure if that's true or not, but it does ring true.
One time many years ago when he was "just and apostle" I had occasion to converse with him. I fed him a tall tale about my great grandfather and the handcart company he crossed with. He did cross with a handcart co. but the tale was tall. Monson got up in stake conference and repeated the story which was false as if it were true. He had no verification of the facts. Real Great inspiration!!!
Did he acknowledge his source for the story, or let it ride that it came via inspiration, or through his scholarly endeavors?
The story I loved reading, and I forget if it was here or on postmormon, was told by someone who was in Monson's booth or lounge or whatever at the Jazz arena. According to the raconteur, when the Jazz cheerleaders would strut their stuff out on the court, Monson would stare and them, drooling. Well, maybe just mentally drooling. But the impression I got was that he came across as mentally tabulating which girls, and which positions... I hope that person can verify it, cuz otherwise I'm just gossiping and that's like moving back into full activity.