Apostolic Encounter

About 4 years ago, a young man, Akoni Ganir, and his family, moved to the Peninsula and wound up in the Prunedale Ward, which Ward I presided over as a High Councilman. I got to know Akoni and it turned out that he had been hired on as part of the maintenance crew at Cypress Point Golf Club. We talked of a possible invite for myself to play the renowned and famous layout but after I was released from the High Council the matter was put on the back burner. Late last month the call came and I was able to play with Akoni and two of his LDS friends. All was well and good. I shot 80 with a triple on the infamous par 3 16th and a double bogey on the 17th hole. We had a great time. Actually, all was not well and good. I had completely and totally forgotten that Brother Ron Miller had previously invited me to play Stevinson Ranch on that same day. He called on the eve of my Cypress Round and asked if I was ready for tomorrow!!!. What could I say. I was ready to cancel at Cypress, but Ron being the gracious person he is, told me I must play Cypress in that "You don't get too many opportunities to do so."

The following week I got a phone call from President Jacobs, our Stake President. He told me that President Steven E. Snow of the Presidents of the 70's, who was scheduled to be our visiting authority for Stake Conference to be held August 15th, was going to stay over an extra day and play Pebble Beach Golf Links. President Jacobs asked if I wanted to join Elder Snow for the round of Golf. Oh and yes, President threw in what he called a 'caveat'. Elder Bednar was going to fly in and join the group also!!!!!! So far so fantastic. Ron Miller, who works for the Pebble Beach Corporation as a golf marshal at Spanish Bay Golf Course, arranged the tee time for 8:40am on the 16th. Ahh, but as with all caveats, the gauntlet was thrown down. The cost for the round of golf would be $495!!! This is the going rate for Pebble and Ron was not able to get any 'comps', plus he had to pull some strings to even get the tee time in the first place. President had invited Ron and I to play, but Ron was balking at the cost, as I did. I told President I would confer with Jan and call him back the next day. My conferring partner agreed the cost was indeed prohibitive. Then I remembered our ace in the hole, Brother Ganir at Cypress Point. I called President Jacobs the next day and offered my own caveat. I assured him that if the details could be worked out, Elders Snow and Bednar would have no problem with the switch. It was fun explaining to President Jacobs, a non-golfer, the history of Cypress Point and that it was one of the top 5 overall courses in the world!!!! He called back several days later and reported that Cypress was a go!!! He conveyed the gist of the conversation with Elder Snow as follows. When President mentioned Cypress Point there was a pause on the line, and the Elder Snow said, "Do you realize that Cypress Point is the 'Holy Grail' of Golf?" Needless to say, all parties were thrilled, and the price would be just right. The round would be free and only $100 per player would be needed to pay caddy fees (No carts allowed).

Playing Cypress changed the dynamics of the foursome however, as Brother Ganir would join Elders Snow and Bednar. Who would be the fourth? Well, the choice was an easy one to make. Seeing as I had 'stood up' Brother Miller the week previous, and that he was going to have to cancel the Pebble Beach time, and that he could afford the $100 vs. the $500, Ron became the fourth member. I had just played Cypress, and my back was in one of its' spasms anyway, so...it was agreed that I would be the official escort to the foursome. I would walk but not play.

Conference came and was wonderful. It was a feel-good time as Elder Snow gave excellent counsel. We were admonished to remember the foundational spiritual building blocks, Family Home Evening, Prayer, Scripture Study and Church and Temple attendance.

Monday morning arrived early-5:15am. I used my cell phone as an alarm clock by the side of my bed (you see I am not so techno challenged). I had previously readied the car to transport our guests to the golf course-vacuuming the 'fishies' and various food remnants from our just held Family Reunion from the floor of the passenger seats, and placing Elder Bednar's clubs in the back of the car. He had flown into SF from a week of assignments in Texas and the Midwest and in so doing didn't even have a chance to grab his own clubs in SLC. Wow! Cypress is hard enough to play with your own 'sticks' let alone playing with those rented. Getting his clubs in the car was an interesting experience, one almost forgotten!!! I had acquired the rental clubs from Fairways Golf course and had driven there in our other car. I forgot to transfer the clubs and only after going to the car to retrieve my golf shoes did I discover the clubs still in the 'other' car. I was a bit nervous on Monday morning, so it probably would not have been a stretch of the imagination to think I would have left Elder's Bednars' clubs behind. As it was, I forgot my cell phone by the side of the bed!!!! I discovered this fact halfway to San Benancio Canyon school where I was to pick up Brother Miller at 6am. Methought I did not need my cell phone, but alas, when I arrived at the meeting point, no Ron Miller. I returned to Hwy 68 and to a closed market on the corner that had an old payphone on the outside. I was going to call Jan and wake her up so she could call Ron on my cell phone located at the side of the bed and ask him where he was!!!. Wouldn't you know it, the payphone was out of service!!! (What a lousy business to get into anyway!!!) I returned to San Benancio School once more, but no Ron. It was 6:08 and I was supposed to be at the Comfort Inn across from Del Monte Shopping Center at 6:15 to pick up Elders' Bednar and Snow. I realized that Ron was just going to have to fend for himself, so I drove back to Hwy 68 and there was Ron across the Hwy waiting at the entrance to the old Slama property. We talked briefly and I realized that Ron was a little discombobulated, as I was. We drove back to the school and packed his gear into my car. We took off and I asked if I could use his cell phone. He had left it in his car!! We u-turned and got his cell phone. He turned it on and I started to call Jan and the battery went dead!!!!!!!! It is now 6:12 and we are still on San Benancio Rd. Elder Snow has my cell phone number and I have no way of communicating with him. All I can think about is Jan getting a 6:20 call from one of the Presidents of the 70 wanting to know where her husband is!!!! And I can't even call her to let her know!!! What fun. Then Ron informs me that we have to stop at an ATM located in Stoneridge Shopping Center on HWY 68 so he can get some money to pay the necessary caddy fees. We did so and then hustled the remaining distance arriving at the Comfort Inn at 6:29am. Elder Snow had just dialed my cell phone and hung up when he saw us pull in. So there I was face to face and shaking hands with two General Authorities, one an Apostle. Elder Bednar's demeanor is at once recognizable. He is a supremely confident individual but in no way overbearing. Elder Snow is 'every ones Grandfather', a warm friendly personality with an easy-going manner.

Ron Miller, Akoni Ganir, Elder Bednar, Elder Snow

Playing golf with others gives a unique opportunity to get to know someone quite well. I can't say that I made lifelong friends, but I do know that we all enjoyed each other's company as we walked one of the most famous and beautiful golf courses of the world. Many pictures were taken and some good light hearted fun was had among all. Elder Bednar is a fairly good player and he conceded when asked that he was once a single digit handicap. He, in fact, recorded three birdies on the day. Not bad for a lefty. Elder Snow is too a 'lefty' and plays to about a 13 to 16 handicap. Whenever their assignments overlap, they get together and play other courses around the country. Elder Bednar did say that when he heard Elder Snow was on assignment in Monterey California, he called him to make arrangements to fly in and join Elder Snow for a round on the Peninsula.

Me, Akoni, Ron, Elder's Bednar and Snow on the

16th tee.

We had a wonderful five hours together. We spoke of family and assignments and other topics, but not too much else in the way of Church. Elder Bednar has 3 boys and 9 grandchildren, all spread out over the country, same as Jan and I. Elder Snow has 11 Grandchildren, most living close to the home front in Utah. One humorous story did emerge right off the first tee. Elder Bednar looked over to Elder Snow and mentioned something to him which made them both laugh. He then related to us that on the morrow, Tuesday, at 10 am both he and Elder Snow would be in SLC attending the monthly meeting of the Quorum of the Twelve, The First Presidency, and the President's of the 70's!!!. Elder Bednar had mentioned to Elder Snow that he didn't see how they could keep from having chuckles on their faces at that meeting knowing where they had been and where they had played the day previous.

And then the round was over. We returned the Elders to the Hotel so that they could check out and get to the SF airport for a 6pm flight back to SLC. I shook Elder Snow's hand and gave Elder Bednar a hug and just said to him, Thank you for being who you are! In the days subsequent, I have reflected again and again about the warmth and peace I felt from both of these great servants of the Lord, and I wondered if those feelings were due to the recognition of and respect for the mantel upon them or simply the spirit they carry with them. I have come to realize that it is a combination of the two. The Lord has prepared them and blessed them, but they are truly disciples of Christ and conduct themselves as such. They have chosen to do so for many years. In the same way, Patriarch Ririe carries that same spiritual aura, even with his advanced years, now 88.

Well, so ends the story of my Apostolic encounter, probably the closest I will have in this life. I was indeed blessed to be in the company of one of the Lord's special witnesses, and to get to know him through the wonderful game of golf, a game which brought me to the Lord's doorstep some 40 years ago this next month.