Special Dinner Guest

General Conference is just around the corner again!  I've posted about our preparation in the past but wanted to share something we tried this time around.  (I was inspired by this idea.) Every few nights over the past month we've had a "special dinner guest".  Each time I would try to have something special on the table that represented the man we were highlighting.  For instance, when Elder Robert D. Hales was our special guest our centerpiece showcased his love of baseball and the fact that he was a jet fighter pilot.

Then during our dinnertime discussion we played a little game of "guess who?"  I would state facts and everyone else had to guess who our special dinner guest of the evening was.  Some nights I helped the boys find out facts and they would teach the rest of the family.

Every night we tried to have food that somehow represented our guest as well.  Some nights it was a stretch and some nights I couldn't come up with anything but I will share what we ate and perhaps it will help you brainstorm!

Thomas S. Monson: I read somewhere in my searching that President Monson likes tomato soup . . . so tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches were on the menu that night.

Henry B. Eyring: President Eyring likes to make breakfast with his family so we ate pancakes, bacon, and fruit.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf: He grew up in Germany so we had German pancakes.  I know they aren't really German but my kids don't know that!

Boyd K. Packer: Because President Packer has a love of birds, I had Mr. A color some pictures of birds to set at everyone's place.

L. Tom Perry: He was stationed in Japan during WWII so we had some mochi (Japanese ice cream) for dessert.

Russell M. Nelson: I had one of my boys learn about Elder Nelson and draw pictures as hints.  We set one at each place at dinner and had to guess our "special dinner guest" for the evening.  The table was also decorated with hearts since he was a heart surgeon.

Dallin H. Oaks:  In his bio it mentioned that he enjoys fishing with his kids.  So we had some salmon for dinner.  We also listened to the music of Jenny Oaks Baker--his daughter.

M. Russell Ballard:  Elder Ballard served his mission in Great Britain.  We have ancestors from England so I used an old family recipe for English Tea Buns which we ate after dinner.

Richard G. Scott:  Served as a mission president in Argentina.  (One of his missionaries was Elder Christofferson).  My friend makes incredible empenadas . . . so I begged her for the recipe so that I could make them for dinner.

Robert D. Hales: Elder Hales was the starting pitcher on his high school varsity baseball team so we had "baseball food"--hotdogs, popcorn, etc.

Jeffrey R. Holland: While Elder Holland was serving in the British mission his parents were called to serve in the same mission!  So we ate Hobnobs for dessert.

David A. Bednar: Elder Bednar was the President of Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho).  We had a baked potato bar--since nothing says Idaho quite like potatoes.

Quentin L. Cook:  Served his mission in Great Britain . . . and was companions with Elder Holland.  We had curley wurley bars for a treat.

D. Todd Christofferson:  When Elder Christofferson was young his mother had surgery that left her unable to to many of the things she did before.  He knew that she loved homemade bread but that it would be difficult for her to make it herself so he had his grandma teach him how to make bread.  He made bread often for his family until the time he left for college.  So we had some homemade bread and soup for dinner.

Neil L. Andersen:  Served as a mission president in France.  I asked a friend who had lived in France for ideas and she gave me a great potato dish: Gratin au Dauphinois.  

After each meal we hung our guest's picture on the wall where we pass by often.  Occasionally I will stop the boys and quiz them.  It's fun to see what they remember from year to year and the new things that we learn.  We are so excited for General Conference this coming weekend!