Ya, I'd say that's a perk of the job

This morning at work the other interns and I were playing a fun little game of apostle one-upsmanship. “My cousins, sister’s, great-aunt, once removed, saw Elder Nelson across the Conference Center pavilion 3 years ago.” “Well I took a class from Elder Hollands son.” “Well I went on a date with Elder Oaks grandson.” “Well President Monson smiled at me once from across the room.” And so on and so forth.

Then promptly at 9:30 Amy, Emily and I went on our daily “smoke break” to the Church Office Building for doughnuts. I know, a habit that must be broken but…why? Well, it was colder than the dickens outside so we took the not-so-secret tunnels part of the way. But since we’re apparently not super important people around here we only really have access to the underground parking. As usual we passed the “General Authority” parking lot underneath the Church Administration Building with its arsenal of Toyota Avalons, but never once have we seen a General Authority walk out of there.

After eating our doughnuts and chattin’ it up with the other “smoke break” regulars, Richard Bennett, Jeff Johnson, and Jeff Cannon (Joseph Smith Papers people) we started walking back. Emily had class so it was just Amy and I. We walked past the GA parking lot and started down the long walkway to the stairs leading up to street level. Our conversation consisted of the normal talk about boys and tv shows like Alias and CSI. Amy was to the right of me and we left the space to the left of me for other walkers.


Then, just as Amy was telling me all about how CSI: Las Vegas is the best one, she stopped talking. I looked over at her and her eyes were following a cart that had just passed us. So naturally I looked at what she was looking at. Is…that…President UCHTDORF?!!! I asked Amy, “was that…?” “Ya! That was the whole First Presidency!” I whirled back around to get a look at the others. By this time all I could see was the back of President Monson and Eyrings heads. But, hey, I SAW them! And they passed right by me! We watched them go all the way into the tunnels where only cool people are allowed access. And I’m pretty sure the security guard on the back was laughing at us with our mouths hanging open. Whatev.

So for my next round of apostle one-upsmanship – “I got passed up by the First Presidency in a cart!” Oh wait, gotta make it sound cooler… “I shared the same walkway with the First Presidency!” No, “The First Presidency looked at ME (cause I’m sure they had to have when as they were coming up to us on the walkway right?)”