15 – Is Your Patriarchal Blessing Still Relevant?featured

Did you get a Patriarchal Blessing?

What prompted you to get it? 

How did you feel?

WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT THAT DAY?

Some people had very distinct and personal spiritual experiences on the day they received their Patriarchal Blessing. Some felt the Spirit, but to the same extent as with other spiritual experiences. Some can’t remember feeling anything particularly different at all. Whatever your experience was that day, it may be that your best spiritual experiences with your Patriarchal Blessing are still to come.

I was 19 and working on my mission papers. I had never thought much of going for my Patriarchal Blessing, but the bishop, in working on the checklist of things a missionary needs to do before going, signed a piece of paper and told me to call the number and go get my Blessing. My younger sister and I went with our parents and each got our blessings on the same day. Ever since that day, I have had a deep respect for those whom the Lord calls to serve as Patriarchs. As I write this post I am even more in awe of how Heavenly Father uses those very human individuals to give us direction that can apply in very personal ways as years go by.

I WISH THEY HAD ALL GOTTEN ONE

As a bishop I filled out Patriarchal Blessing recommends for many of the youth. The youngest was a dynamic and awesome young lady who, as I recall, was 11. At the time I was not sure about sending someone so young and tried to get her to wait for as long as I could. I am not sure if that trepidation was from the Spirit or just my personal feelings, but once she did go, she had an awesome experience. That was her nature though – she had such an inspiring zest for life that made everyone smile. The combination of her attitude and that Blessing can help her stay close to the Lord through any trial life will give her. 

I wish I could have helped each and every one of my youth get their Patriarchal Blessings, whether they stayed active or not. Some have since drifted away from the Church, and I wonder if they might have found something there to help them as they walk their own way for a time without the Church. I hope those that did not get one at the time will come back and receive theirs one day.

SOME TEACHINGS ON PATRIARCHAL BLESSINGS

In the April 2023 General Conference of the Church, Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita stated:

“Let’s consider two purposes for a patriarchal blessing:

1. A patriarchal blessing contains personal counsel from the Lord to you. 
2. A patriarchal blessing declares your lineage in the house of Israel.

Your patriarchal blessing is a message from your Heavenly Father and will likely include promises and inspired counsel to guide you throughout your life. A patriarchal blessing is not going to map out your life or answer all your questions. If it doesn’t mention an important life event, do not take that to mean you won’t have that opportunity. Likewise, there is no guarantee everything in your blessing will come to pass in this life. A patriarchal blessing is eternal, and if you live worthy, promises that are not fulfilled in this life will be granted in the next.”                  

-When to Receive Your Patriarchal Blessing April 2023 General Conference

WHAT ABOUT YOURS?

Where is your Patriarchal Blessing today? 

Have you read it recently?

Do you feel it is still valid as you go through this Church Discipline?

Elder Yamashita goes on further to quote President Dallin H. Oaks who said a Patriarchal Blessing:

“is given under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and should be read and interpreted under the influence of that same Spirit. The meaning and significance of a patriarchal blessing will be taught line upon line in the course of time by the power of the same Spirit that inspired [it].”

            -Patriarchal Blessings Worldwide Leadership Training Mtg: The Patriarch Jan 8, 2005

FAITHFUL OR WORTHY?

The words faithful and worthy come up frequently when studying Patriarchal Blessings.

Being faithful simply means trying to do the right things with hope and belief that you are following God’s will and that those actions will have a desired consequence. Worthiness is a related, but not synonymous, concept which entails that, as you live faithfully, you will reach benchmark standards that will unlock the opportunity for things like blessings, callings and ordinances. Being faithful takes effort and, as President Nelson has told us, the Lord loves effort. Worthiness, however, encompasses having been faithful long enough that we have been changed by it to the degree that we now qualify for some specific blessing or ordinance. Being faithful is taking steps along the Covenant Path while being worthy is reaching significant points on that path pertaining to the thoughts, intents, actions and the desire of our hearts.

Elder Yamashita points out that, some promised blessings will require a certain level of worthiness to receive – whether in this life or the next. There is also a measure of worthiness required to understand your Blessing, but that is not the same level of worthiness required to get baptized or enter the temple. You just need to be worthy enough to allow the Spirit to enlighten your mind as you read it and thereby receive personal revelation from the process. This level can be attained as you simply look to the Lord and make efforts to follow Him now in your life. As was discussed in Blog 9, you CAN still have the Spirit in your life while undergoing Church discipline.

While you don’t have to be temple worthy to still read and benefit from your Blessing, it may require some work to find that comforting and helpful counsel Heavenly Father has just for you.  If a Blessing is meant to help you to know who you truly are and to understand God’s plan for you through the pitfalls of mortality, then surely He has provided counsel in yours to help you in just this moment of your life. There is more there for you than just words on a sheet of paper if you apply the effort to feel the Spirit. 

The instruction is that an individual is to be worthy to RECEIVE a Patriarchal Blessing in the first place. Nowhere have I read that the Blessing becomes invalid once you sin, or that there is a degree of sin you can attain where it now does not apply. On the contrary, your Heavenly Father knows and understands your journey and what you would need to hear in the most challenging times of your life.  He will be able to tell you, through your blessing, those things that will provide direction, remind you of who you are, and what you still have to accomplish in His kingdom.   He has likely prepared counsel for you for such a time as you are experiencing now.

Have you re-read it seeking the “same Spirit” that initially influenced it? If you are just looking at the words on a page you likely won’t find it, if you are looking and feeling with the Spirit, I believe you will.

MY BLESSING HAS OPENED TO ME MORE AS I GO THROUGH THIS

I have one line in my Blessing that for over 30+ years was lost on me. I did not understand why it was there or what it meant. I had decided years ago it was something I would not really worry about because I had no idea how to take it. Then one day last year, as I was studying the Come Follow Me lesson of the week, it hit me. The Spirit opened my understanding and I saw the connection to my life. It was something Heavenly Father put in there that I would not need until I was going through the experience that I am now.

I was floored!!! Not only was my Patriarchal Blessing still valid – it had personal content for when I would be outside the Church for a time – content to help me as I strive to make it back into the Church! I would have not found that had I not been studying the Come Follow Me curriculum and the scriptures. I would not have made the connection had I not been still reading and pondering my Blessing.

That is why I can confidently say that some things in a Patriarchal Blessing cannot be understood until you reach the point in your life it was intended for. But I still had to faithfully put in the effort with patience, scripture study and prayer to be sufficiently worthy for the Spirit to teach me. 

My Blessing wraps up by talking about what is available to me if I “live faithfully”. I now understand better that I am to simply keep putting in the effort. As I do put in the effort I will hit the worthiness milestones on the Covenant Path that will bless me abundantly. I know this is something that I can do.

I have used this experience as motivation to look deeper into my Blessing and found even more comfort and personal direction through the Spirit. Things I thought I understood before have turned out to be even more relevant to me now than at times previous. I am filled with gratitude and wonder as I read and ponder my Patriarchal Blessing!

I HAVE NO DOUBT HEAVENLY FATHER HAS GIVEN US EACH A PERSONAL TREASURE

 This experience has increased my understanding and testimony of our Heavenly Father. He is real and He is aware of me! He loves me despite my faults! He has given me very real help. As simple as reading words on a page are, I have to put in the work to find the reason and meaning behind those words. I have found comfort and guidance in that Blessing that has helped me beyond what I expected. I am so grateful I did not give up on seeking to make use and understanding of it through this most challenging time in my life!

I wonder what personal revelation Heavenly Father has in your Patriarchal Blessing that would benefit you as you walk your path? 

I have no doubt that as you faithfully seek the Spirit, you will find assurance that He still loves you and has some pertinent direction waiting for you – especially in your current situation. I hope you will go seek for it!