General Authority Questions

[Guest]

@Zarahemla just posted a thread where he spoke of his firsthand meeting, and Q&A with Dallin H. Oaks.

His thread was so cool that I didn't want to derail that thread.  So I thought I would start a new one.  

It got me to thinking... Many times when visiting GAs meet with a ward or stake they have a Q&A session.  I was wondering who here had some stories.  I've never met one in person, myself.  The nearest I came was when Pres. Hinckley came to speak to my mission.  He wasn't prophet at the time, but...  Anyway, I didn't get to actually shake his hand or anything.  And he didn't have the fairly common Q&A.

I did think that it would be good to share what a man in my ward just shared today.  

FIRST STORY: He was meeting with then Elder Hinckley and was offered an opportunity to ask him any question.  He asked if there was any one thing or one experience that he could attribute his faithfulness to.  Elder Hinckley sat back and pondered a moment before responding.

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I take the time to read my scriptures every day.

I also spend a lot of time praying... (considering) Yes, I spend quite a bit of time praying.

And often times, when I pray, I'm also fasting.

Also, Whenever I received a calling, I did my best to perform it well and take it seriously.

... Oh, yes, and one more thing...

My friend got on the edge of his seat because he thought the first four items here were just "Sunday School Answers".  He felt like he was finally going to get to the exciting stuff.

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I always do my best to choose the right.

Now, the man in my ward is one of the eldest in the ward.  He said this happened back when he was a young man.  So, as a young man he thought to himself, "Well, if you didn't want to answer the question, then you should have just not answered it."  But now with the benefit of age, he now realizes that there is no great secret.  The secret to faithfulness is these plain and precious truths, these small and simple things that the Lord uses to accomplish miracles.

I was reminded then how many times we hear from so many how they "don't want to hear the Sunday School answers."  They really want to know the "truth".  Well, did they expect that the Sunday School answers were lies?  The basic stuff is often the most powerful.  We just don't realize it.

SECOND STORY: A few years after Elder Holland became an apostle, he came to address my friend's ward.  The Q&A session started.  He was the first with his hand up.  He was about to ask the same question that he had asked Pres. Hinckley.  But another question formed in his mind.  He gave some background to the question.

He once took his son to Salt Lake City and let him know a bit about Church headquarters because it is as important as any American visiting their state capital or Washington D.C.  He wanted him to know about the running of the Church.

In the Church Office Building (I think that's where he said it was) he pointed to many of the photos of past prophets and many apostles.  While he thought it was quite an inspiring display, his son asked him,"Why aren't any of them smiling?" -- Floored!  That was a good question.  In fact, he said it loudly enough for some passersby to hear it.  They, too, wanted to know.  So, with the pressure on, he answered his son with a joke kind of answer because he really didn't know.

So, he asked Elder Holland,"Why aren't any of the photos of people smiling?"  Elder Holland replied.

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I'm glad you asked this question because it touches on a topic that has been weighing on my mind tremendously.  When I was first called as an apostle, I spent much of the first year reading and re-reading everything I could find in all the scriptures about apostles.  I wanted to make sure I did everything I could to fulfill that calling because I felt so woefully inadequate.  (I believe he quoted Mosiah 7:19)  I considered the words "and many more things did he do for them."  

I wondered what am I missing?  (What lack I yet?)  I haven't caused the lame to walk, or the blind to see, or raised the dead, or parted the seas.  This made me feel that I had not been obedient enough.  I hadn't fulfilled my calling well enough.  I still needed to do so much more.  

After about a year or so, I finally received an answer to the prayer I had been praying for so long.  The Lord gave me a clear understanding and vision of all I had done in that year.  I had traveled all around the world and back again.  I had met with, spoken with, brought the message of the Lord to millions of saints across the globe.  I had been a party to bringing hundreds of non-members into the faith.  I had brought tens of thousands of souls to Christ.  But it took the Lord to show me all that I had been able to do because the Lord gave me this calling.

I want you to know that as apostles of the Lord, Jesus Christ, we take our roles very seriously.  And it is because we feel the weight of our callings that sometimes we are too serious in our daily lives.  But I will also testify that although the work is difficult and very demanding, the rewards are always worth it.

Boy!  If an apostle has feelings of inadequacy, I don't know how I should feel about myself.  But then I also was given a microcosm view of that same experience -- knowing what I had done with my own life.  No, it is not as grand and high as the calling of an apostle.  But in my own sphere, according to my own talents and abilities, I've been able to do much good on behalf of the Lord.  Yes, the rewards are worth it.

Edited December 12, 2016 by Guest

[Traveler]

I have been in two personal Q&A meetings (one on one) with an Apostle.  While serving my mission in the North Western States Mission, Elder Legrand Richards visited our mission.  Because the mission was so large Elder Richards visited each Zone rather than have all the missionaries gather for one meeting.  My companion and I drove Elder Richards from the Zone meeting in Klamath Falls to the mission home in Portland Oregon.  I was serving in Bend Oregon and there was a minister there that was a great friend to the Elders.  We would eat a meal each week in his home and when there was some remodeling in our branch meeting house – we once borrowed his baptism fount in his church to baptize a family from his congregation. 

I told Elder Richards of this minister and that he would often preach sermons from the Book of Mormon and that he was converted but felt that he had an obligation to help his members – some that were antagonistic towards us.  I remember well – Brother Richards stopped me and reminded me that there is only one reason that keeps anyone from joining the church and taking part in the covenant of baptism – he said that one reason was sin.   He reminded me that my calling as a missionary was to call everyone to repentance.  I never forgot that advice – but the minister never joined the Church – to my knowledge.

 

The Traveler

[Anddenex]

15 hours ago, Carborendum said:

His thread was so cool that I didn't want to derail that thread.  So I thought I would start a new one.  

It got me to thinking... Many times when visiting GAs meet with a ward or stake they have a Q&A session.  I was wondering who here had some stories.

My first experience in being in front of Apostles was when I was 16. My mother had the opportunity to be one of the choristers for the dedication of the San Diego temple. We were able to sit on the front row with the Apostles about 6 feet in front of us. Elder Hinckley was there along with two other Apostles. My younger brother was falling asleep and my older brother was keeping him awake. Elder Hinckley stopped what he was saying, looked at my brother and said, "It's OK let him sleep, these can be long meetings." Everyone chuckled a little.

At the end, they shook hands with people. I made sure I stepped behind the chairs knowing they were too busy to try to shake hands with everyone. I thought they would call me to repentance and tell me how bad I was doing. I realized now how foolish that was and that experience I wish is one I would have just shook their hands. I believe it was Elder Ballard, but could be wrong.

My second experience was on my mission with Elder Scott visiting. Before he began he asked that he could shake hands with every missionary in attendance. He explained he had done so to look into each of our eyes and witness our countenance. He then said, "Some of you have great countenances, others need to work on theirs." He then gave a wonderful question and answer and his last statement is what changed my mind to look for an eternal companion before I graduated from college, not after.

My third experience was with Elder Ballard who was visiting our neighboring ward. His grandson was having a baby blessing. He shared his testimony and mentioned how he loves these experiences with his family. This was one time I made sure I sneaked in with three of my little ones (my oldest was 7) and made sure I was able to shake his hand and that my little ones were able to do so also. His first comment was about my children, and then he looked directly at my oldest and asked, "Will you serve a mission?" My son answered, "Yes." And then Elder Ballard stopped for a moment and then replied, "Yes, I believe you will serve a mission." A funny note. My beloved walked in just as he was exciting sacrament, and then he started to walk over to my wife to shake her hand. For some reason, my wife didn't notice him, saw me (that is probably why because she couldn't resist this good looking face of mine ) and totally dissed (not purposely) Elder Ballard extending his hand to her. I looked at her and said, "Hey love, Elder Ballard just tried to shake your hand and you totally dissed him." She said, "No I did not." "Yes, you did. Look he is walking away." "Oopps, well, I didn't see him." Haha. I still give her a hard time about it every now and then.

My last experience, was this past weekend with Elder Oaks visiting our city to speak with married couples. The next day he spoke with YSAs. It was a great session. I will tell one funny thing, because it shows they are human and while being human they love the Lord. A person asked, "What do you do when you have a family member who has chosen to no longer live the gospel." His statement, "I understand, we have some children who have chosen a different path, and it makes you feel like, 'Why are they choosing to do something so stupid. It makes you feel like you want to 'kick them in the pants." He was then interrupted by his wife who said, "I want you to know though he has never kicked anyone in the pants." Elder Oaks then provided a quick rebuttal, "Unfilled ambitions." Hahaha. The teaching was serious, it was light, and it was humorous.

I worked with a friend who grew up with Elder Nelson. They were in the same ward. He was friends with one of his grandsons. When he returned home from his mission he started growing out his goatee. At a family function Elder Nelson was in attendance and walked over to him and said, "Would you like me to buy you a razor?" "A razor"? "Yes, a razor to remove the hair from your chin." I don't remember his exact (but something to the point of "how soon we forget) words that were shared after that toward my coworker who grew up with him, but I know the next day he shaved and I never saw him with a goatee again. I thought this was interesting.

Edited December 12, 2016 by Anddenex

[NeuroTypical]

Just had a leadership meeting with Elder C. Scott Grow.  Very funny, practical guy.  I would say that he was irreverent in presentation, but I can't because he professed the reality and divinity of Christ with just about every other breath.  That said, I really like his presentation style.

* He promised to take our SP's suggestion to rename the Stake High Council's name to "the get members to the temple brigade".  

* He called the Stake High Council a 'bunch of losers' because they hold no priesthood keys (and then pointed out the scripture that places them even with the authority of the 12 apostles).

* He dreams of a day when he could attend a church that never used the phrase "Well brethren it's the third week of the month..."

 

[Just_A_Guy]

53 minutes ago, NeuroTypical said:

Just had a leadership meeting with Elder C. Scott Grow.  Very funny, practical guy.  I would say that he was irreverent in presentation, but I can't because he professed the reality and divinity of Christ with just about every other breath.  That said, I really like his presentation style.

* He promised to take our SP's suggestion to rename the Stake High Council's name to "the get members to the temple brigade".  

* He called the Stake High Council a 'bunch of losers' because they hold no priesthood keys (and then pointed out the scripture that places them even with the authority of the 12 apostles).

* He dreams of a day when he could attend a church that never used the phrase "Well brethren it's the third week of the month..."

 

Did someone show him this?

Edited December 12, 2016 by Just_A_Guy

[Guest]

4 hours ago, NeuroTypical said:

Just had a leadership meeting with Elder C. Scott Grow.  Very funny, practical guy.  I would say that he was irreverent in presentation, but I can't because he professed the reality and divinity of Christ with just about every other breath.  That said, I really like his presentation style.

* He promised to take our SP's suggestion to rename the Stake High Council's name to "the get members to the temple brigade".  

* He called the Stake High Council a 'bunch of losers' because they hold no priesthood keys (and then pointed out the scripture that places them even with the authority of the 12 apostles).

* He dreams of a day when he could attend a church that never used the phrase "Well brethren it's the third week of the month..."

 

I am acquainted with his family and teach his grandkids. Nice people.

[zil]

24 minutes ago, Eowyn said:

I am acquainted with his family and teach his grandkids. Nice people.

Seeing as how he doesn't grow, do they?

[bytebear]

"Before the Missionary Training Center in Provo was built, missionaries would spend a week at the Mission Home located across the street from Temple Square prior to leaving for the mission field.   While there they had the privilege of meeting in the Salt Lake Temple Assembly room where a member of the First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve or Temple Presidency would speak to them.  When I left on my mission, Elder Christiansen who was an Assistant to the Twelve and President of the Salt Lake Temple spoke to us in the Assembly room and answered questions.  Elder Bednar of the Quorum of Twelve,  indicated that it was President Lee who spoke to them in the Assembly room prior to his departure into the mission field."

https://askgramps.org/assembly-room-salt-lake-temple/

Edited December 13, 2016 by bytebear