Newly called Seventy feels immense pressure to use initial instead of first name

A few General Authorities with the 'initial' name

SALT LAKE CITY - Wilford F. Pieper, newly called member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy, says that since his call to the quorum in April he has felt pressure to drop all the letters in his given name following the first one.

"It's interesting because it's not as if anyone has come up to me and said, 'Hey you should go by W. Fredrick Pieper!' It's more of an undercurrent, kind of like background noise. When people see me in the lunch room they'll say 'Hey W, how's lunch today?' or when they leave notes on my desk they write 'Sorry we missed you W. I'll catch you later.' It's strange."

Elder Pieper grew up in the church so he's aware that many general authorities have used an initial for a first name, he's just not sure why he's getting pressure to do the same.

"I wonder why they don't coerce someone else? There's a few other guys I can think of off the top of my head that would benefit from a name shortening. Take Jaythen Scott Woodruff for example. He's a great guy and I'm not picking on him but honestly, would you rather hear a talk on getting your house in order from a guy named 'Jaythen Woodruff' or 'J. Scott Woodruff'?"

Church spokesman Bruce McDunnough declined to comment on this story.

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