Elder Stevenson would like to meet with you and your wife!

On September 21, 2021 Paul received a call. "Elder Stevenson would like to meet with you and your wife." 

We were leaving in a few days to go to Tennessee to see Derek, McKenna and Shiloh for 2 weeks, so the appointment was set for Wednesday October 6th. It was a longggggg 2 weeks! 

The time had finally come, Paul arrived home around 12:30pm and I all of a sudden was very nervous!! I asked Paul if he was nervous and he said he had been since he woke up that morning. We both were fasting and around 12:50pm with much anticipation and emotions we drove to Salt Lake City to the Church Office Building and met with Elder Gary E Stevenson.

We arrived at the Church office building, parked our car then went to the underground entrance of the building, met with security and told them we were here to see Elder Stevenson. The security guy gets on the phone then looks at us and says, Elder Stevenson is ready to see you. He directed us down a very long hallway. We rode the elevator up to the 3rd floor and waited in the foyer of his office. We visited with the assistants, talking high school football.  Soon Elder Stevenson’s door opened and he invited us in. He motioned to a long desk that had chairs all around it and asked Paul to sit next to him.

Elder Stevenson was warm, personable and kind. He appeared to be referencing a file on his computer and knew quite a bit about us already and told us that we had been highly known and recognized by others, even members of the quorum of the twelve and was told he too would LOVE The Anderson’s!! Wait, what??  You think I was nervous before, well now those nerves have gone through the roof!! (haha)  He asked me to pray before we began, Seriously!! Imagine praying in the presence of an apostle, I was so honored yet nervous!  

After the prayer, he asked me to tell him about myself up until the time Paul and I met and then Paul was to do the same. Then together we were to tell him about us from the time we met until today. I don't remember breathing much, but I do recall how tense I was and how tightly Paul and I were squeezing each other’s hand. After we were finished he asked us specifically about our children, going through them 1 by 1 and getting all kinds of information on them and their families. He asked us about our health, and about our parents.  

The initial part of the visit was all around just getting to know us.  He alluded several times that this was not about a calling, just about getting to know us and our family.

About half way through the visit, the questions changed from just getting to know you to if we were to leave home for 2 or 3 years could we do so? Could we leave our family and they be fine? What about leaving work and your home? If anyone knows us well, it’s Elder Stevenson. I felt as though he could see right through me when asking all those questions.

As the meeting was coming to an end (we were privileged to meet with him for about 1hour and 10 min). He said he wanted to leave us with his testimony and his blessing.  He left us with his blessing (an apostolic blessing) on us, our children, and our grandchildren and not only for now but through the eternities. What a wonderful blessing it was to have that blessing given to us, our children and grandchildren.  I wish I could remember the details of the blessing. He then shared his personal testimony with us. As we were leaving he said he’d like to continue the relationship and asked that we schedule a time with his assistant, Stacie, next August to meet.

We shook hands and left Elder Stevenson’s office, once again getting in the elevator, walking the long hallway and getting in our car and left.  As we got into the car we were both a little emotional and didn't quite know what to think.

We truly felt Elder Stevenson's love and will be eternally grateful for the visit with him. We love Elder Stevenson!