Life as a Mormon
Patriarchal Blessing - Part 4

 

Speaking of Patriarchal Blessings... It's been quite a while since I read mine. I'll just consider this "time" to be "sharing time". I received it on March 3, 1988 (just 2 months shy of my 21st b-day...and a few weeks short of my MTC {where I "celebrated" by 21st b-day} stop b/4 spending 2 years in Portugal) - here 'tis:

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Brother MJJ, by authority of the holy Melchizedek priesthood, which I bear, and in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, I lay my hands upon your head to give you a Patriarchal blessing. And brother J, your Father in Heaven is pleased that you are worthy and ready to hear what He wants you to hear tonight, and He has many, many blessings in store for you, especially as you keep yourself clean and worthy, as you obey the word of wisdom, and strive to obey the Father's commandments always.

He was with you in the spirit world, before you came to this earth to obtain a body. And He sent you to be in a wonderful home, there to experience love and training and challenges of various sorts that have helped guide you and develop you into a fine young man. And you have been a good person all of your life, often needing to repent, but you have known your Heavenly Father from a young age, and have often delighted in the spirit. Your Father in Heaven wants you to continue to soften your heart and to deeply love others, wherein that you serve them, you serve Him. And as you continue to please Him, you will be blessed in many, many ways, you and your family.

Your lineage is through the tribe of Ephraim, in the house of Israel, and the great and wonderful blessings that were promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their descendants, are also promised to you through that lineage. As you study and pray, you will learn better how these blessings and that lineage are important to you and your family. One of the important parts of that particular lineage is missionary work. For Ephraim and Manasseh are indeed called to lead the gathering of Israel. And you will play an important part in that on your full-time mission and throughout your lifetime, in that you will be a good example and be able to open your mouth and speak with authority, and in a way that will be natural and easy for you, although at times, it will take some work, some preparation. You will have an influence on many people, lifting many, and others will join the church because of you, and you will baptize many yourself. But you won't take excessive pride in that, in that you and your Father in Heaven will work together, and you will give Him the credit, you will be eternally blessed. If you are faithful and true to the covenants that you make, and if you are true to the callings that you have in the priesthood, you will receive many great and important callings in the church, to preside, and to teach. Especially will the young men look up to you, and receive important training, but also, older men. Because you have a smooth hand and a wonderful personality, you will be able to stand in the place of your Heavenly Father in retrieving the lost, and strengthening the weak knees. And you will be blessed many times over as you rededicate yourself to the work.

[Page 2 of 2] Now, I bless you with a successful career, the career that you choose. And you have many options open to you, because of your diligence and your preparation, but anything you do, will involve your leadership of people. You will enjoy, and do enjoy, working with people, and this will be part of your life's work. But also, you will bring much learning and competence to your work, so that you can make individual contributions as well. And you will not want for material things in this life, but will seek mainly after serving your Heavenly Father and your family.

Now, I bless you with a celestial family. There waits for you a fine and fair young lady. And she and you will prepare yourselves, and be worthy and go to the house of the Lord, there to be sealed for time and all eternity in a glorious ceremony that you will never forget. And that great blessing of the temple will spill over into your own family, that she and you will head. Many children, with delightful eyes, to be taught and led by you and her, and by your grandparents and others who will help you. And I admonish you to see that they are trained properly from their very youngest days, that will draw you together as a zion family. And I admonish you to set your goals together with your wife and your family in council, that you may grow together. Train them to want to go on their missions, and serve in ways that will be so helpful to them, and so pleasing to them.

You have a calling to work on your family file, the genealogical records of those who have passed before you, some need to be corrected, others need to be extended, because there are hearts that reside in the spirit world that are anxiously waiting for work to be done for them, and you should take a lead in this, and it will be your good fortune to see much of that work unfold during your lifetime. Prepare yourself, continue to study the scriptures, and you will observe that they become richer to you as you go along, and become more of a delight as you become a scriptorian. And you will teach seminary, and in other ways, inspire others to seek the very spiritual blessings that you know and will know.

Now, you have an important role to play in your mother's and father's family, as an advisor, one who loves and serves others, and they will rely on you and love you forever.

You will bear the priesthood honorably and will do so to various parts of the world, and sometimes be challenged for what you believe. And if you will keep yourself free from the sins of this world, you will be able to answer always with a sturdy hand and a clear voice, and a tender heart, and succeed in ways that will be correct and righteous.

And if you are true and faithful, I bless you to come forth in the morning of the first resurrection, with your family and loved ones drawn about you, to be caught up with your Heavenly Father, to rule and reign forever. And I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen

Signed - Woodrow Wilson Bledsoe, Patriarch