How would they announce my name if I were a general authority?

Let’s pretend I am a general authority. Yeah, yeah, I know. But let’s just pretend.

There seems to be a cultural phenomenon of including a middle initial when announcing a general authority’s name (i.e. Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, Boyd K. Packer, etc).

Now, how would they announce my name? Would they use just one initial? If so, which one, the first, second or third? The second would technically be the middle initial. At the same time, others don’t just use their middle initials, but also their second initials. I guess either way, my name would still be “Elder Kim J. Siever”.

Then again, other general authorities presumably have all their initials (since many simply have one) announced. In that case, would I too have all my initials announced? Would my name be announced as “Elder Kim J. J. B. Siever”?

Or would they avoid the issue and simply go back to the good ol’ days and refer to me as “Elder Kim Siever”? Better yet, would they ask for my preference?

Well, this exercise is likely moot anyhow.

23 thoughts on “How would they announce my name if I were a general authority?

  1. I find the whole initial thing pretenious and unnecessary, but I that’s my problem. I would hope that you could pick which initial to use. I would if you would receive any pressure if you choose to use no initial at all.

  2. Funny, the only middle initials I know are US Presidents, General Authorities and serial killers….

  3. …yet.

    You can feel free to attach that tongue-in-cheek remark to any of the previous categories. :P

  4. Never say never, Kim…

    …that’s what the mishies keep telling me. :)

  5. Is it common for a Candian to have that many names? Hispanics will have lots middle names but Anglos usually have only one.

  6. I thought the whole point of the initial was to distinguish between people with the same first and last names. Be they religious leaders, serial killers or presidents, it is best not to mix them up.

    Besides, we couldn’t really call him George Bush the Lesser can we?

  7. It would be George Bush the Younger.

    George Bush the Hero

    George Bush the Warrior.

    Kim Siever would be announced as

    Current Husband of Mary Siever.

  8. Uh…current husband of Mary Siever? Let’s just say only husband, ever, of Mary Siever. However, no, Kim is his own man and has never been, nor ever will be described strictly as “husband of Mary Siever”. He is Kim Jason Joseph Benoit Siever, better known as Kim.

  9. Besides that, Mary Siever is not his middle name. He has his own names, I have my own names. The one we share is Siever.

  10. maybe “most” Canadians have only one name but not MOST French Canadians and that is more important :)We are so great that one name could not hold all of our glory!!

  11. why would you think that? You are destined to be a great and powerful leader leading others to follow you. Haven’t you ever listened to your blessings?

  12. My blessings have mentioned being a leader among my peers, not being a great and powerful one, and not a leader for everyone.

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