Not an apostle but I met Eldon Tanner (councillor in the first presidency back in the early 70's) at my Aunt's funeral. He was her brother in law. He was a geezer then but there was lots of hero worship going on as most there didn't know him personally. My Dad did from Tanner's years in southern Alberta. Dad didn't idolize him, but he didn't idolize anyone.

Ron Burr

PS: didn't meet them but saw Monson at a youth conference in Edmonton in the 60's just after he ascended to the 12...and Kimball around the same time when he spoke at stake conference. Also Wm. (Bill) Walker first quorum of the seventy is from Raymond, AB. Knew him a but at Ricks in '66-'67 and my Dad grew up with his father, a family doctor. This was after cancer took his vocal cords...unforgettable voice.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/18/2013 06:47PM by Lethbridge Reprobate.

I met Marvin J. Ashton on my mission, he was sort of a dink. Joseph Wirthlin and Mark E. Peterson were in my ward growing up. I saw them a couple of times, but never talked to them. Spencer W. Kimball was in my stake and I heard him talk at Stake Conference. Richard G. Scott also talked to us on my mission, but I never met him.
I was friends with Russell Nelson's only son (also named Russell) growing up in the Yalecrest neighborhood of Salt Lake City. I never met his dad though. This was when his dad was still a heart surgeon.

Had an interview with Eyring. Just further proof to me of no special divine guidance or inspiration. He seemed like a very regular guy, yet it was clear to me that he expected me to worship him. I left him wanting.

Ballard came to my mission when in the presidency of the 70. The missionaries were sooo excited to have a GA coming to speak to US. Biggest disappointment of our young lives. It was just a sales training meeting with brutal criticisms that left us deflated.

Bednar came to a Priesthood leadership training meeting that I attended, but I didn't meet with him personally. Very arrogant. Very.

Shook hands with Richard G. Scott. Creepy old guy. He came to Rexburg to talk to all the youth. He kept saying we needed to break up with our steady boyfriends/girlfriends and prepare to serve the church.

When I was about 12, one of my school friends was Boyd K. Packer's son. I met BKP on several occasions, and he seemed ok but that was well before he rose to apostle. He was just some CES guy in Utah County at the time. This was 50 years ago.

Met L. Tom Perry in the Mesa, AZ temple just before the unfortunate experience of getting "sealed" to my ex husband. We were chastized by the temple prez because we didn't instantly stand as soon as his foot entered the room we were waiting in even though we didn't know he was in the room. There was a big gathering around him outside the temple afterward. He seemed to enjoy the lime light a lot. He was very tall.

Neil Maxwell was friends with my spouse, he would call occasionally and ask for my spouse. I'd always tell him they were not home as I looked across the room as my spouse was there. Had enough hero worship to last a lifetime .

But this was long ago, back when I was still active. They were just ordinary men. I could list them, but they are all dead and gone, and I am still here.

When I had been in the church about 2 years, L Tom Perry came to our stake conference. Between the afternoon and evening session there was a dinner for the stake presidency and their wives and Perry. My husband was stake clerk so we were included. I was in awe! Then the SP called on me to give the blessing on the food--there I was, the very least of them. During dinner we sat across from Perry. My memory is that he was very nice.

Also in my early years in church there was a couple in our ward named Dave and Susan Bednar. Nice couple with some little boys. We weren't close, but then I was somewhat shy and intimidated by some of the members. But, they were very nice. When they left us they moved to Arkansas and it was fun to hear how he had been called as a bishop, then sp. Then he was pres of BYU-I. In the fall of 2004 I was packing my house in preparation to move. I had conference on the tv and they were calling a couple of new apostles. This thought actually went through my head, "I don't know why I bother to listen, I don't know any of these people." And then they announced David Alan Bednar. Whoa....someone I actually knew was an apostle!

So, those are my stories. Oh, and a lady was the daughter of a man who was recently released from the Presiding Bishopric, so I saw him a time or two.

"Oh, and a lady was the daughter of a..."

I should have proofread that before I posted it...

"a lady in my ward, was the daughter..."

Hinckley set me apart for my mission, and Monson ordained as a HP. Nice guys, charming and personable. ZERO inspiration.

I met Joseph Fielding Smith at the Ice Capades decades ago. I shook his hand. I was young and that's all I remember. Not sure why we were allowed to go over and shake his hand. I dare not ask anyone in my family if they remember more or they will take it as me being interested in the church.

..met and shook hands with a very feeble prophet Howard W Hunter backstage at an area conference in SoCal. I think he died the next month. He seemed to be a very kind man.

I met him around the same time. I was eight. I only remember him shaking my hand and telling me what a pretty dress I had on.

Met and spoke briefly with Hunter / Monson / Hinckley.. the then first presidency at the Orlando Temple dedication in the early 90's. I was helping with Security. It was a weird experience.. it was my "claim to fame" amongst my local member friends for years... but I had this memory of how ackward Monson was. It as only for a few moments... but yes.. very uninspiring. They were being rushed from meeting to meeting .. it was like a back stage moment where they put their stage faces off for a bit...

I was at that dedication...I believe it was '94. Hunter was very feeble. It seemed like it took him 2 minutes to walk the 15 feet or so into the celestial room after they opened the doors.

I married into one of the southern Alberta clans. We spent a Sunday afternoon with her great uncle, Hugh B Brown, in his home. This was shortly after his release from the First Presidency. He was very gracious.

Also met N Eldon Tanner, who had been the branch president when my wife was a little girl. I felt intimidated by him.

Several apostles toured my mission in the mid sixties. Most of them interviewed the missionaries. Kimball and Hinckly were the most charismatic.

used to work for a airline out of SLC. Meet most of the GA's including Monson, and Hinckley. What always struck me was that a SUV would drive up to the gate with PD escort and drop them off and pick them up the same way upon arrival.

They would never mingle or talk to any of us scum!

However on the flip side of that Pres. Carter would come into SLC from time to time and he would make it a point to mingle with people and walk through the terminal even saw him eating at Burger King once. Pres Clinton came in once and same thing. Bush Jr. came in once and he had the SUV meet and great at the gate wouldn't talk to anyone. Oh, by the way they were all ex-pres. by then.

I guess it just depends on one's personality. During Sundance in Park City many movie stars could be seen at the airport. some would mingle and talk to you and sign autographes. And others would have escorts bulling them through the airport.

I only ever met M. Russel Ballard. I was shocked at the time at how little insight he displayed into who I truly am. Sure, he had no reason to know anything about me, but at the time I expected more.

Very close with an emeritus 70. Like a 2nd father. Very kind and humble and does not buy into the adulation.

Translated for Monson at a mission conference in Germany years ago. Continuous translation, which is very hard. I saw him a few years later at BYU. First words out of his mouth were "are you keeping up your German?" He remembered me and my German abilities. Nice guy, but nothing special.

When we lived in UT in the early 60's living in Married Student Housing, we met many of the GA's. They spoke at firesides, and conferences, and weekly broadcasts. Most of them are deceased now.
I found them approachable and welcoming.

Scott shook every missionary's hand at a fireside I was at in the MTC, and so did Uchtdorf. So I wouldn't really call it meeting apostles, but that's as close as I've come. In my brainwashed state it was almost earthshattering that unworthy me would actually be granted half a second to touch an apostle's hand and look into his eyes. One of the missionaries in my group was from East Germany, and I think he just about had an out of body experience, he was so thrilled that Uchtdorf came and shook everyone's hand.

I interacted briefly with Gordon Hinckley in 1980 in Sioux Falls,SD. He was organizing a stake there. I wanted a picture with him so I asked. I could tell he wasn't thrilled but he consented.