As I eagerly anticipate conference continuing this weekend, I thought I
would share a few experiences I have personally had with some of the
apostles. All of my experiences have
been pretty brief and pretty insignificant to anyone else, but they are all very
cherished experiences for me and are part of the reason why I love our leaders
so much and have such a strong testimony of their callings.
Elder Henry B. Eyring.
Many years ago I attended the wedding reception of my niece whose new husband
just happened to be a neighbor to the Eyrings. The reception was held at the
Joseph Smith Memorial Building and Elder Eyring came. He knew my father and so
he went over to visit with him. I was sitting nearby and kept hoping my dad
would invite me over and introduce me to him, but he didn’t and so I finally
worked up the courage to just go over, interrupt them and introduce myself.
This was at a very difficult time in my life. I was going
through a personal crisis and had just lost a very dear friend to cancer. When I approached Elder Eyring, he turned
toward me and took my outstretched hand in both of his. He kept cupping my hand
in both his hands for the few minutes he talked with me. I can’t even begin to tell you how
much I appreciated that kind gesture. While he stood there, looking down at me
(he is a very tall man) holding my hand in both of his, and visiting with me, I felt warmth, comfort, and love as if directly from our Heavenly Father, and I knew I was going to be
okay.
Elder Richard G.
Scott. On another occasion I had the opportunity to visit with Elder Scott.
My parents were being set apart as president and matron of the Guatemala City
Temple, and Elder Scott had been invited to set apart my mother. She had
a lot of concerns about leaving her family for three years to go off to
Guatemala and had expressed those concerns a few times to her family, but did
not share any of them with Elder
Scott. However, when he gave her a blessing, he mentioned every single fear and
concern my mother had. It was amazing to me to hear the prayer and know that
Elder Scott had received inspiration through the Spirit to know EVERY THING my
mother needed to hear.
Elder Dallin H. Oaks. We met Elder Oaks when he interviewed my husband and myself to be mission
president and companion in Mexico. I had never met him before but he was president
of BYU for part of the time I was there, so I was aware of his many
accomplishments and I was completely intimidated
by him! I really thought he would be a serious hardliner, but instead found him
to be very friendly, down to earth, and completely delightful.
Before our interview I teased my husband that I was going to
ask him how he met his wife Kristen. I had heard a story from my sister who
heard it from her friend, who heard it from her cleaning lady, so I was pretty sure there was a lot of fiction in the story by the time it got to me. So I
really, really, wanted to get the truth, but I knew it wouldn’t be
appropriate to ask. (And my husband had threatened me.:-)
As we began visiting he asked me where I was from. I told
him Orem, and that my father had been a BYU professor. He asked who my father
was, and when I told him he said, “Oh, I know your father! In fact my wife is a
cousin of his.” (I did know that—which was part of the reason I was so
interested in their story.) He then asked, “Do you want to know how we met?” I
about fell off my chair! Yes!! I did!! And the next ten minutes I listened
carefully as he told us their story. I loved it. When we walked out the door
after the interview I said to Wes, “God loves me!”
I had another opportunity to see Elder Oaks while we were
serving in Mexico. He attended one of our Mission Presidents Seminars and did
some of the training. While our Area President, Daniel Johnson, was speaking,
Elder Johnson asked us a question that I raised my hand to answer. When I sat
down from giving my answer I noticed Elder Oaks leaning forward in his chair in
front of me and giving me a “thumbs up” sign. Yeah, that pretty much made my
day/week/year!
Elder Christofferson Just
a year into our mission, Elder Christofferson came to visit and address our
missionaries. We combined with another mission and filled the building! I found
him to be very nice, humble and friendly as well. I also loved his wife who was
very kind and gracious. But my favorite moment of the entire conference came at
the very end. Elder Christofferson had just completed his training when he
turned to me and asked if there was anything I wanted to add. I was a little
surprised. I know protocol has it that no one speaks after the presiding
authority and I was positive I didn’t have anything to add to the remarks of an apostle! BUT I was completely impressed that he asked me. He cared enough about my feelings and my thoughts to ask me if I had anything to share. That really impressed me and certainly put him near the top of
my hero list .
President Russell M.
Nelson. President Nelson grew up a few doors down from my father and they were
childhood friends. I had seen him a time or two before in my youth when he and
my father served on the General Sunday School Board together and I had read his
first autobiography that he sent as a gift to my father. But I had never really
had any occasion to visit with him personally.
Just before our last Christmas in the mission, President
Nelson came to visit Guadalajara and spoke to the two missions there. Meeting
with General Authorities always made me just a little nervous and I was even more intimidated at the thought of meeting with President Nelson. What
completely surprised me though and caught me totally off guard, was when I shook his hand and looked into his eyes I felt complete and total
Christlike love which drew me in and made me want to always stay there. At that
moment I knew I was standing before a man of God in whom there was no
guile. The love I felt coming from his eyes was pure and all encompassing. And
I felt that if I were to meet the Savior personally, it would probably feel a
lot like it did standing next to President Nelson.
Feeling our Savior’s love, feeling appreciated and valued as
a woman, knowing our leaders are inspired and guided by the Spirit are just a few of the reasons why I know these men are men of God and prophets, seers and revelators today. I know their messages and teachings are true and specifically for us to help us through the challenges of our lives today. How grateful I am for them, and for the great blessing we have of General Conference.
Bring it on!
Lori Smith Wagner
One Mormon Voice
