General Conference Experience October 2012

 

            This past general conference presented a unique situation in that we had many empty seats to fill in sections 4 and 5 due to non-ticketed seats.  Thirty minutes prior to the start of the sessions of conference I found myself standing near the escalators inviting people to follow me down to seats nearer the front of the auditorium.  Everyone was excited to be closer to the general authorities of the church.  It was fun to see people have this opportunity. 

            As one woman with four children was approaching the escalator I felt that I should invite her family to sit in some of the available seats at the front.  She was very pleased to have this opportunity.  After she was seated one of her daughters need to use the restroom.  As she passed me she thanked me for the “great seats”.  She mentioned that her husband had recently died and that this meant a lot to her.

            After the session was over, Gwynne Nichols told me that after the meeting as the woman was leaving the session she stopped and gave her (Gwynne) a huge and thanked her again for the great seats.  She went on to explain that her husband was the pilot that died in a plane crash in Nephi about a month ago.  (The news had reported that he was the pilot who was helping a pilot from Canada learn how to fly a plane he had just bought.  He was unfamiliar with that type of aircraft and needed to learn how to fly it so he could take it back to Canada.  Her husband was just being a nice guy and helping a stranger get home, when the plane went down and both men lost their lives.)  This woman had brought her family to conference hoping to receive some strength and comfort by being in the presence of the prophet and the other general authorities.  She felt like she was truly blessed to be in such close proximity to the brethren.  Could she have felt the Spirit just as strongly in balcony?  Yes, I am sure.  But more importantly, the Lord was aware of her and her individual situation and wanted her family to have a “special” experience at conference.  It strengthened my testimony that the Lord knows each of us individually and desires to bless our lives.

Dave Roberts

Blessings Come Through Service

As I told you we served a mission in Brazil.We met with a member of the Area Presidency every month, so we became close to President Soares. As we did our Church Hosting we would see our friends from Brazil, but President Soares usually came in and sat on the stand and did not come out into the audience.  The April Conference after our girls were diagnosed with cancer, President Soares came out into the audience and came on my aisle. We spoke for a moment about his family, and then he asked about mine. I told him my sad news with a heavy heart. He immediately asked the girls names, wrote them down, and said he would place them on the First Presidencies Prayer Roll. As he left, her said, ""I will make sure they are on the roll for two weeks." I felt that again my Heavenly Father had blessed us for our service in Brazil and our service as Church Hosts. He doth require that ye should do as He hath commanded you; for which if ye do He doth immediately bless you; and therefore He hath paid you.

Robert and Eleanor Newman

The Tabernacle Organ

One evening we worked an event at the tabernacle that my son, working security for the church, had also been assigned to.  He met us after the event and as we stood talking I noticed a gentleman come in from the back of the rostrum and walk over to turn on the organ.  I recognized him as Bill Hesterman whom I had served a mission with.  I went over to the organ to talk to him and found out that he was there practicing for an upcoming stake conference.  As he started to warm-up, I asked if I could try playing something.  He moved aside and allowed me to play a few notes.  He then went back to practicing and I went back to visiting with my wife and son.

Paul Bredthauer

Playing the Bells

One Thursday night we were working a rehearsal at the conference center with the Duncans. Lee and I went backstage so I could show him the entrance to the kitchen. As we got behind the rostrum, we saw several cases of bells on a table.  After looking at them for a while I commented that it sure would be fun to play them, but someone was sure to hear and we didn’t want to get in trouble.  We continued to talk about how much fun it would be to play the bells as we started to walk back down the hall. On our way we saw the director of the bell choir coming toward us. I saw our opportunity and asked her if it would be possible to play the bells.  Much to our delight, she agreed and took us back to show us how the bells work and how they are replaced. She then let us take some of the bells from their cases and showed us how to play them, and for the next couple of minutes we made beautiful music with the bells on temple square.

Paul Bredthauer

Meeting President and Sister Callister

For the April 2008 conference I was asked if I would work with the H group to assist in getting conference attendees to the right entrances.  On Saturday morning I was out on the plaza directing people to the correct doors when I saw a couple looking around for the right entrance.  As I approached them to offer my assistance, I recognized them as my son’s mission president and his wife.  I went up to them and asked, “How can I help you President and Sister Calister?”  President Calister looked at me, surprised, and said, “Do we know you?”  I explained that I had met them the previous October when my wife and I picked up our son from his mission.   He then looked at my name badge and recognized me as Elder Bredthauer’s dad.  After we chatted for a few minutes he mentioned that it would be good to talk to my son again.  I called home and had my daughter get him out of bed to come to the phone.  President Calister talked to him for a few minutes then hung up the phone so they could get into one of the very long lines. I led them to the shortest one and moved them to the front so they would make it into the building on time. That same day, President Calister was put into the second quorum of the seventies.

Paul Bredthauer

Priesthood Blessings

Today I experienced one of the great spiritual blessings that come through service to the Lord.  As we were loading the auditorium for music and the spoken word, Kathy Hilton came on the radio and asked if I had the plastic bag that I usually carry.  When I responded that I did she directed me to our Danish guests.  I went to the row where the guests were located and was told that their daughter, who I guess was about 16, was not feeling well.  I was told that she started feeling sick on their way to the broadcast.  I gave her the plastic bag.  As I was walking away Susan told me that this brother wanted to give his daughter a blessing.  I led them from the plaza to the media room where we could give that blessing.  As we walked into the room the speakers were on and we could hear the choir practicing.  The brother, speaking with a strong Danish accent, said that he had never given a priesthood blessing with musical accompaniment.  He asked if it was ok to give the blessing in Danish.  As he began the blessing the room fell silent, a tender mercy.  I listened to the Danish words and felt the love of the priesthood expressed through the love of a faithful father.  I understood  enough to know that he blessed her to be well during the choir broadcast. I returned them to their seats and then took a seat behind them letting them know I was available if needed.  Several times during the broadcast this loving father checked on her.  She nodded that she was ok.   During God be with you I noticed the mother wiping away tears. 

 Mike Parker

My First Conference

My first conference as a GSM was October 2007.  The Friday night before conference I got a call from my sister who lives in Colorado.  She asked if I was going to be working at general conference.  I said that I was.  She then asked if I knew where I was going to be working.  I said that we would know our assignments in the morning.  She told me that my niece and her roommates had gotten tickets from there ward in Provo and would be at the morning session.  I got my assignment in the morning and was assigned to help get people into doors nine and ten by having their tickets ready and passing out buckets to put metal items in.  Just before 8:30 AM I went outside and started giving out the buckets.  As I went up the line about 15 people there was my niece.  She was excited to tell her roommates who I was and then called her mom to tell her that she had seen me before she had entered the conference center. 

Paul Bredthauer

The Taxi

I was working the west gate at Temple Square with Gene Low looking for bus tours to arrive.  A taxi cab pulled up and out stepped a man.  I approached him and asked if there was anything I could help him with.  He responded by saying, “What do I have to do to be a Mormon?”  I got on the radio and asked if anyone knew where I could find a sister missionary to help him.  I was told that they were in a meeting.  I looked at the information office at the west gate and two sisters were in there.  I told them about the man and they told me that the other sisters were in prayer meeting and would be available after 9:00 am after their sacrament meeting.  Gene took the man into the north visitor center and waited with him until the sisters had arrived.  Gene told me that he waited and as the sisters came into the visitor center he felt he needed to wait for the right one to come in.  After several sisters had entered he felt that one of them was the correct one to talk to the man.

Paul Bredthauer

Medical Emergency in Section 5

Prior to the October general conference all GSMs were required to attend a security training in the Conference Center.  As part of the training, G Group was assigned positions to serve as part of the emergency scenarios.  My position was on the front rope between sections four and five.  No one knew what situations would be thrown at us.  We were instructed what do to and then left to our own vigilance.  It so happened that one of the scenarios was a medical emergency.  An individual across the aisle and two rows up from my position suffered a heart attack.  We all reacted as trained and evacuated the row in front and the row behind the emergency.  After security was on scene, we returned to our positions. 

I learned from that training the importance of being aware of what was happening around us.  I took it seriously that we were to maintain vigilance during our service.  Little did I know how close the training would be to a future reality!

During the last session of the April 2012 general conference.  I sat scanning the crowd, listening to Elder Ballard.  As he began to speak, I noticed a brother on the end of the aisle across from me switch seats with his young daughter.  As he sat back down he leaned over to the brother next to him and said something.  Immediately the brother he was concerned about collapsed onto his shoulder.  I stood and quickly approached to lend assistance.  He said he needed help to assist the brother from the conference.  I looked to the security brother three rows down and indicated that we needed help. Security came and began to administer aide. Susan, who was sitting directly in front of the situation had simultaneously become aware and began to evacuate the seats in front of their row.  Lee, who was seated by the front rope, also came up the aisle to evacuate the row directly behind us.  Paul was seated several rows back and also came forward; he got on the radio and reported a medical emergency.  The brother who had passed out regained consciousness as security spoke to him.  With five of us standing in the aisle, I decided that I needed to sit down and let the team do their work.  The brother was assisted from the plaza before medical personnel had time to respond.  The aisle cleared and I was left alone.  As I contemplated what had just happened I noticed that the second rope was still down.  I moved from my seat to Susan's position which was by the second rope and put the rope back up.  Minutes later the security brother stationed at the top of the aisle came down to take the position that had been vacated.  The guest service missionaries and security had responded efficiently as a team, just as we had been trained. 

Mike Parker

Linda Stewart

I had an experience Sunday at MSW.  When we were loading the building a member of the Choir staff came down looking for the parents of the little three year old boy who had been drowned the past week in the Weber River.  The news of this little boy had been all over in the news because they couldn’t find the body, and they had called a large volunteer search crew out all week looking for him.  I can’t even imagine how hard it would be to loose a child or a grandchild.  That is something that I hope I never have to go through. 

She also mentioned that they didn’t know what this couple looked like and wanted to know if they were on our official choir guest list.  They were not there.  A mention was made that there were two primary songs being sung in preparation for the choir’s new CD, and one of them would be sung at this little boy’s funeral.  I was curious to know if we would see any of these people.  Just by chance, our sweet usher inside Door 18 (Anita) was talking to a couple of women, and she introduced them to me as the composer and author to the primary song “I Know That My Savior Loves Me”, a song that was written and used in the 2010 Children’s Sacrament Meeting Program.  They had been invited to come because Ryan Murphy had written a new arrangement of the song so that the Choir could perform it on their new CD.  It was such a sweet experience speaking with these sisters for a moment.  They also mentioned that this song was sung at the Powell Boys funeral a couple of months ago.  They were just glowing and so proud and happy to be there.  Ryan Murphy greeted them. 

The next guest to show up was Brother and Sister McMaster.  Brother McMaster is the son of Clara McMaster, who many years ago wrote the well-known primary song “Teach Me To Walk In The Light”.  Brother McMaster asked if he could sit in the back because he had to sit on the stand for his Stake Conference which was being held in the Assembly Hall at 10:00 a.m. that morning, and if he sat with the Official Choir Guests, it would necessitate his leaving during the broadcast.  It was such a privilege to be able to welcome and speak with Sister McMaster the daughter-in-law to Clara McMaster.  I had served in primary music for many years and heard her speak many times.  She was one of my idols.   

As we serve at Temple Square we never know who we will meet or what kind of an impact they can have on our lives and what kind of an influence we can be on their life.  What a blessing it is for us to serve together as Guest Service Missionaries. We love our calling!!!

Linda Stewart

Tabernacle Acoustics

We were assigned to seat patrons in the balcony of the tabernacle.  We took our positions and waited for the doors to open.  While we waited we spent the time talking to another GSM couple.  Three of us were standing and the other was sitting on the hard bench.  As we talked we heard a very loud noise reminiscent of a tuba warming up.  However the orchestra was not performing that night.  We all pretended not to notice the noise but it did reinforce the idea that we should be careful what we do and say in the tabernacle, because the acoustics are amazing!   Mike Parker

Spanish speaking brethren at priesthood session

One of my fondest memories happened during our first general conference. During the priesthood session I was assigned to work in the aisle at the bottom of section twelve. Several brethern came in right after the doors were opened,and took seats on row one of section twelve. A young brother, in his twenties, called me over and asked if they could save some seats for his father and brother. I noticed his Spanish accent and asked him, in Spanish were he was from. He told me that they were from Mexico and that this was their first time in the Conference Center. When his family arrived I noticed that they didn't speak English but they didn't have the translation sets. I went back over and let them know that the devices were available. Since the section was full and the session was about to start I ran up and got five devices so they could enjoy conference in Spanish. After the session they all gave me a hug and thanked me for my help. The next morning I was assigned scanning tickets at door six. This same brother from the night before came through my door. As soon as he saw me he came rushing up and gave me a big hug as we met again as brothers in the gospel. It literally brought tears to my eyes to think that the Gospel has such a power to create feelings of brotherhood in an instant. Mike Parker

Homeless man

We were assigned to cover the balcony during the Mormon Youth  reunion.  The first brother to enter the balcony was unkempt and appeared to be homeless.  I welcomed him to the tabernacle and and told him that the balcony was my favorite place to sit.  I told him I loved the pioneer surroundsound that you only experience in the balcony.  He told me he had a friend who lived on the street with him, that had been in the Mormon Youth Symphony.  Somehow someone, in Mormon Youth, had tracked his friend down and convinced him to play with them at the reunion concert.   He then asked me how people got into the choir and orchestra.  I told him they were members of the church.  Surprised, he asked if they all had to be members.  I assured him that they were all members of the LDS faith.  Apparently he had no idea that his friend was a member of the church or that he had been a part of Mormon Youth.  After the concert I asked him how he enjoyed the concert and his seat in the balcony.  He beamed as he told me of his experience.  I will never know the end of the story, but I am sure he and his friend were inspired and touched by the spirit during the concert. I can also imagine the conversation when he and his friend from the orchestra discuss the fact that he is a member of the church.        Mike Parker

Hello fellow group G missionaries! Happy Cinco de Mayo! We have been asked to compile a history for group G and we need your help. We don't really get to see each other very often so we thought it would be fun to create a blog so that we could easily share some of  the experiences we have had while serving on Temple Square.  We are asking each of  you to write some of the experiences you have had while serving as a guest service missionary.  You could include spiritual experiences, funny experiences, some of the highlights of your service, experiences with the Brethren or other special guests, just about anything that you would like to share. We will wait anxiously to hear from you. It is an honor to serve with you and we appreciate your examples of Christ-like love.