A. Walter Stevenson's Premature Birth and Survival through Patriarchal Blessing

“When my spirit came to this earth it was given a premature body, which was very frail. There was a hole in the top of my head, I had no finger nails, and my ankles were not fully developed; and no one thought I had enough vitality to live more than a few hours at the most. The doctor said that I could not possibly live, and that I should die at any minute. Although he was not a Latter-day Saint, he knew those people had their children blessed according to the plan instituted by the Savior, and he asked that some one be sent for to bless me before it was too late. . . My grandfather, a bishop in the Church, was sent for, and I was wrapped in cloths and put into the oven in an effort to keep me alive until his arrival. When he came he took me in his arms and gave me a blessing indeed, — a blessing which startled those present. With calm assurance he uttered, among other words, this promise: 'You are a child of destiny. You have a mission to perform in this life. You will grow to manhood and be called to the nations of the earth and preach the Gospel, and bring to a knowledge of the truth those souls who have been appointed to receive it at your hands.' — Millennial Star 85:27”