Remarkable Experiences in the Life of Elder Glen L. Rudd #9 - Elder Rudd Corrects Some General Authorities

 (Compiled by Dennis B. Horne)  

             [Editorial Note: I was able to question Elder Rudd and learn the (deceased) names of the fine general authorities he found himself correcting (which is a nicer word than rebuking) on these exceedingly rare occasions. I inserted them in bracket. Most modern readers won’t recognize those names. Elder Rudd told me that almost the only reason he was able to correct these good brethren without fear of reprisals was because President Lee covered his back. Any time one of the brethren didn’t like something Brother Rudd did and got after him for it, he would call Elder Lee and let him know, and Elder Lee would make sure nothing happened to Brother Rudd. These were the years before Elder Rudd became a general authority himself, and was serving on the church welfare committee.]

            One of the powerful General Authorities [Elder Thorpe B. Isaacson] with whom I traveled was a very interesting man. He was high strung and was easily upset, but he always treated me with great dignity and honor.

            I enjoyed being with him very much, but on one trip, out of the state, we were stranded in the airport because our connecting flight to another city was cancelled. I remember my friend raising heck with the man at the check-in stand. I was standing next to him when he lost his temper and began to berate this poor man who was checking us in and who had nothing to do with the cancellation. The situation became so bad I walked away because I did not want to be so close to this man who had raised his voice so loud that everyone in the airport was watching.

After a little while, he came and found me and said, "Glen, did I embarrass you?" I said, "You sure did. You shouldn't have yelled at that poor man—he was not the cause of our problems. The hardest thing I can think of would be to have an assignment now to try and convert that man to the Church." He said, "Well I wasn't that bad was I?" And I said, "Yes, you were just as bad as you could be, and I had to leave because I was embarrassed." He then apologized to me and promptly went back and apologized to the man.

            Very few of the Brethren were kinder or better to me than he was, and I have the warmest and kindest feelings toward him even though I did chastise him at a high risk.

             [Editorial Note: For those wanting to know more about Brother Thorpe B. Isaacson, who is almost totally unknown in the Church today, copy and paste into your browser the following link to watch a general conference message from him: https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets?id=be78ba2f-0d4a-41ab-b9dd-4f027e3c2d81&crate=0&index=0 ] 

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            Another high risk: The only other General Authority I ever reproved was also a close friend [Elder S. Dilworth Young]. On one occasion in the first meeting with the stake presidency [while planning a stake conference], he made some comments that offended them. The stake presidency finally got up and walked out of the meeting.

            I then turned to my good friend and said, "You just offended those fine men and they walked out on us. Let me go get them and bring them back. When they come back, you apologize to them, and we'll start all over."

            So I went out into the parking lot, and sure enough, the three of them were so upset that they were ready to leave the whole conference to the General Authority and his companion. I explained to them that my companion was one of the greatest men in this world and didn't mean to offend them.

            I said, "Let's go back and start all over." They agreed. When we were back in the room, my friend said to them, "I have just been severely chastised and rebuked by Brother Rudd." He then very humbly and properly apologized to them. We had a little word of prayer and went on with that meeting and had a wonderful conference. He honestly did not realize that he had offended them until I got after him. I think I did some good that day. 

            [Editorial Note: Those wishing a better look at Elder S. Dilworth Young can see him deliver a general conference message by copying and pasting the following link into their browser: https://catalog.churchofjesuschrist.org/assets?id=2dd5a036-4dda-4fa2-99b7-cb7cc0309d50&crate=0&index=0 ] 

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            [On another occasion, Elder Moyle got after some priesthood leaders in a stake in Arizona, giving them a really hard time in a training meeting; so hard that Glen let Elder Moyle know that they were no longer welcome to return to that stake; he had offended them too much  on that occasion with his overbearing teaching style.]