Elder Stevenson - Apostle of the Lord - Post from 11/14/2016

Wow this week was amazing. Specifically Saturday.
Saturday we went down to Altoona to meet with an Apostle of the Lord
(Elder Stevenson), A president of the Seventy (Elder Hallstrom), and
an Area Authority (Elder Kunz).

We were all sitting in the chapel silently waiting for all of them.
They came and we all stood. Elder Kunz walked down, then Elder
Hallstrom, and finally Elder Stevenson.  When they walked by the
spirit was so strong and I was so excited. President Johnson announced
that we were all going to be able to shake their hands. Boy oh boy was
I excited. We all went up. Boy oh boy. I got up and Elder Stevenson
grabbed my hand with a big ol' smile. I told him my name and he asked
where I was from and he then said nice to meet you, with a pat on the
shoulder... haha. So sweet. I was so giddy about it.

Then the training began.
Elder Stevenson is indeed an Apostle of God. I went into the training
with questions and they were answered. I had deep questions of my
heart answered that I was not even focused on. He was receiving
revelation during his whole training. It was inspiration after
inspiration after revelation. The veil was breaking through him. I
cannot  write the correct words to express what happened other than
saying he is an Apostle of Christ. He spoke with such great power. He
testified with even more power. He literally was giving me the EXACT
words I needed to hear at that specific time. Exactly! It's amazing. I
can continue and continue to keep saying these describing words but
there isn't enough nor good enough way to describe it. He is an
Apostle. He testified and gave us Apostolic blessings that brought
every single missionary, even president and sister Johnson and the
other general authorities, into tears. The spirit was in that room in
such abundance that ANYBODY could have known that this was all coming
from somewhere unearthly. It was beautiful.

I testify to you that the keys to the priesthood have been restored. I
testify that they are all held by Thomas S. Monson. I testify that
those called to be an Apostle hold the Apostolic keys that were lost
in the great apostasy. This is the church of Jesus Christ. He loves
us. We are children of a Heavenly Father, who also loves us. They weep
of joy when we are faithful (3rd Nephi 17:20-21). I know this. I feel
it everyday if I seek for it. You can too. In the name of Jesus
Christ, amen.

That scripture, 3rd Nephi 17:20-21, I read this week and it brought
me happiness. It caught my eye that if we are faithful then Jesus
Christ's joy will be full. We can make His, the Savior of the
universe, happiness or joy. His joy is dependent on us, sinners, and
our faithfulness because He loves us. We sometimes don't deserve it,
but it's a truth that you cannot remove. He loves us. How touching
that it to me you know not. I matter to Him. I, a puny 20 year old
kid, a sinner, a fool, a child, can determine whether this King of
Kings has joy-even tears of joy. Oh it is wonderful. In the name of
Jesus Christ, amen.