Elder David B. Haight - who as a youngster growing up in Oakley, Idaho, dreamed of one day playing professional baseball for the New York Yankees - was honored on his 90th birthday at a reception Sept. 2.

The open house honoring Elder Haight, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, was held in the lobby of the Huntsman Corp. offices in University of Utah Research Park in Salt Lake City. He and his wife, Ruby, greeted about 1,200 guests. The reception was given by Elder and Sister Haight's two sons and a daughter and their spouses, D. Bruce and Angela Haight, Menlo Park, Calif.; Robert P. and Dorothy Haight, and Karen and Jon Huntsman, of Salt Lake City.Among well-wishers at the reception were President Gordon B. Hinckley, President Thomas S. Monson, President James E. Faust, members of the Quorum of the Twelve and other General Authorities, and their wives. In addition, close friends and community, business, government and civic leaders also attended. About 100 of those attending came from the Palo Alto, Calif., area where Elder Haight served as stake president and mayor prior to his call as president of the Scottish Mission.

The oldest living General Authority, Elder Haight reflected the day after his birthday: "You never anticipate being so blessed by living this long, but as I look back on my life, it's been a wonderful, rich experience, one in which I'm learning something new every day."

While Elder Haight's priorities as he grew up changed from baseball to family and the gospel, his feelings of what makes a "great moment" also changed.

One of the "great moments" in his life came when his family was in the Los Angeles Temple as one of his sons was being married. "I knew then the great moment of my life was there, because all I had that was really important was in that room," Elder Haight later told the Church News.

For Elder Haight's 90th birthday celebration, held two days before their 66th wedding anniversary, he and his wife had all of their family with them, consisting of their children, 18 grandchildren and 41 great-grandchildren. "Including spouses, our posterity now numbers 80," said Elder Haight, "with three more on the way," he quickly added.

The entire family met two days before, on Aug. 31, for a family birthday get-together at the Huntsman home to honor Elder Haight, who was ordained an apostle Jan. 8, 1976. Previously he served as an Assistant to the Twelve for nearly six years.

"Ruby and I have had such a blessed marriage, with our children and their children," said Elder Haight. "We're living in the glow of a life that we hope has been somewhat productive.

"I've done only a small portion of the things I hope to accomplish. I have to work fast now to make up for any lost time," he quipped. "There are always so many things on your agenda - people to see, people to talk to, people to encourage, and to testify to of the goodness of our Heavenly Father's plan of salvation."

Elder Haight said that he and his wife have lived in many places in the world during their married life, and have been involved in many things. "We've found good people wherever we've lived; outstanding people who have blessed our lives. We've been blessed with many, many friends and opportunities to serve all over the world - and have good health on top of all of this," Elder Haight reflected.

"So we enjoyed seeing a lot of friends last night, many who surprised us, traveling long distances. It was a wonderful occasion," he said.

Elder Haight was born Sept. 2, 1906, in Oakley, Idaho, a son of Hector C. and Clara Tuttle Haight. He married Ruby Olson Sept. 4, 1930, in the Salt Lake Temple.

He is chairman of the Church Missionary Executive Council, a member of the board of Deseret Management Corp., and a member of the Church Board of Education and the board of trustees of BYU, BYU-Hawaii, Ricks College and LDS Business College.

Elder Haight joins a small group of other General Authorities who reached age 90. Those who lived to be 90 and older while serving in the First Presidency or Quorum of the Twelve were President David O. McKay, 96; Elder LeGrand Richards, 96; President Joseph Fielding Smith, 95; President Ezra Taft Benson, 94; President Charles W. Penrose, 93; President Hugh B. Brown, 92; and President Wilford Woodruff, 91. Those living to 90 were President J. Reuben Clark, President Spencer W. Kimball and President Marion G. Romney.

"Elder Haight represents the kindness and warmth of which the Savior always spoke," his son-in-law, Jon Huntsman, told the Deseret News. "That love and warmth is so uncommon in today's world."