"A patriarchal blessing literally contains chapters from your book of eternal possibilities."
--- Thomas S. Monson (Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; 1927 - 2018)
I want you to reflect on this, "What is my relationship with Heavenly Father like?". I hope you know how much He loves you and wants you to succeed and be happy. I hope you feel a deeper appreciation of Heavenly Father's Plan of Happiness. Patriarchal Blessings offer us a glimpse at the big picture Heavenly Father has in store for us specifically, as unique individuals. Who wouldn't want that? Seeing things as God sees them is something that we can and should practice more.
**NOTE: If you wish to get in contact with missionaries of the Church to learn more, you can do so at https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/requests/missionary-visit
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THE STUDENT
When looking for people to teach as a missionary, seeking inspiration came in a variety of ways. We often felt we’d be blessed more if our goals were specific. This meant prayerfully seeking inspiration from the Holy Ghost to know where we should be at what time (See "A Still, Small Voice"). We'd occasionally tell Heavenly Father, "We are going to look for [specifically sized families]" or "[the color of the house we would knock]", or even "[a specific feature that that person would have such as a hat or a type of shirt]". Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t. But I believe this principle is true in all walks of life: You can get something a lot faster if you know what you want.
Sometimes, I'd start at the end and work backward (so-to-speak), envisioning others as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and what their lives might be if I gave them the chance to learn about the restored gospel. For extra inspiration, I might consider what the Ward or Branch (local congregation) lacked most whether that be another priesthood holder or a person who could play the piano in Sacrament meeting then I’d pray and ask to find that kind of person (See "Priesthood", "Sing!", and "Sabbath Day Observance"). It wasn't like those were the only kinds of people I'd look for, but it did help me to “See others as they [could] become”.
One day, Elder Mullins and I were on the pecera on our way back to San José (See "6th Area: San José, Reynosa" and "P-Days & Peceras"). I’d grown accustomed to the deafening crowded peceras speeding along the atrociously bumpy roads. I happened to be seated on one of the extremely uncomfortable plastic seats when the pecera came to a speedy halt to let on a herd of students in school uniforms who had just gotten out of school. Some filled the remaining seats while the rest clenched onto the rails in the aisle, conversing about anything and everything common to young adults. The bus doors smacked shut and the overcrowded vehicle instantly went from zero to a hundred, sending many passengers flailing backward as they did their best to brace themselves from falling on top of each other. The young man in the seat next to me was distracted and momentarily fell on my lap. As he’s getting back up, he says, “Sorry”, in English. Immediately, I’m pretty excited at the fact that here is someone who just spoke to me in English (albeit basic English) not knowing that English is my first language. Furthermore, I’m excited that it’s a young man. The San José Ward only had maybe six Young Men at the time and we definitely would have loved more.
He’s now looking at something on his phone which coincidentally is also in English. I can’t pass up this opportunity. I lean over and ask, “How do you know English?” in English. I already know that English class in Mexico is a requirement (although most don’t achieve great proficiency in it), but I wanted to break the ice, sue me. It takes him a moment to realize I’m talking to him. I learn that he lives in our Area and that his name is Mario. A good start. Then I learn that he studies music and plays the piano. I thought it was perfect! No one in our Ward played the piano. Hermana Monson played every Sunday but she wouldn't be around forever.
But it didn’t stop there. I learn that he’s met missionaries before. As a matter of fact, he had cousins who were serving Missions themselves. But the real icing on the cake was learning that his uncle was the Stake Patriarch!
PATRIARCHS
NOTE: To familiarize yourself with some terminology here, you may want to review my blog post "Church Organization".
For those who may not know, "Patriarch" is a special assignment in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It used to be that one of the twelve living Apostles would assign and ordain Patriarchs, but as Church membership grew, the responsibility fell upon Stake Presidents to prayerfully submit a name for recommendation and then to ordain them once approved. Unlike almost all other Church assignments, Patriarchs usually serve in this position for the rest of their lives. Similarly, in comparison to other assignments, Patriarch is a relatively rare one; whenever possible, there is only one Patriarch assigned to a Stake. As a point of reference, at the end of the year 2020, there were 3,463 Stakes in the world. Therefore, in places with a lot of members of the Church, you would expect more Patriarchs but if you go places where there aren't as many members of the Church, the Patriarch for that location might live a ways away.
To be a Patriarch is different from other Church assignments in a number of ways, the first being that it is an Office of the Priesthood like "Deacon", "Teacher", "Priest", and "Elder" (See "Church Organization" and "Priesthood"). You can think of priesthood offices as the category of responsibilities men with the priesthood fall under. Instead of being "set apart" as you would in a Church calling (See "Set Apart and Setting Out" and "Prophets and Callings"), as an Office of the Priesthood, becoming a Patriarch is a priesthood ordination. Whereas any man at least 18 years old or older becomes an "Elder" when he receives the Melchizedek Priesthood, most men will never be ordained to the office of "Patriarch" in the same way most men will never be ordained to the office of "Apostle". So to recap, Patriarchs don't have more priesthood but they have unique duties.
As mentioned, Patriarchs usually serve as such for the rest of their life. Even so, although it's not a requirement, most Patriarchs tend to be older in age. Some reasons why Patriarchs may be relieved from their duties as Patriarch would be reasons that he is no longer able to give Patriarchal Blessings due to worsening health, age-related conditions, and so forth. Even when such is the case, the person will retain the office of "Patriarch" until death and another may act in his stead.
PATRIARCHAL BLESSINGS
Patriarchs are able to receive divine revelation through the Holy Ghost to give worthy members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints what is called a “Patriarchal Blessing”.
A Patriarchal Blessing, like other Priesthood Blessings, is given by the laying on of hands by one with the appropriate Priesthood authority (In this case, it's almost always the Patriarch). However, unlike other Priesthood Blessings, such as those administered to the sick and afflicted (See "Administering to the Sick and Afflicted"), Patriarchal Blessings are almost always a one-time thing. Like all priesthood blessings, it is given after prayerful preparation on part of both the Patriarch and the recipient because it is a sacred personal experience. In a spirit of supreme humility, reverence, and faith, somewhat similar to other Priesthood Blessings, the Patriarch pronounces by the Holy Ghost what the Lord wants the individual to know—things specific to him or her. It has been said that a Patriarchal Blessing is like a page from our personal book of eternal possibilities.
Every Patriarchal Blessing is different and unique to each person because it includes revelation specific to that person and their life. Because it is so sacred and personal, we are counseled to not openly share what our Patriarchal Blessing says, although we may do so as the spirit prompts us to, like with immediate family members; keeping it personal is the rule, not the exception. The Church's official website says that it should not be interpreted by others, "Not even the patriarch or bishop or branch president should interpret it".
In the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, the prophet Lehi and his family were provided a means to lead them towards "the more fertile parts of the wilderness" until they reached the promised land (1 Nephi 16:16). This instrument was called, "The Liahona" and was a "round ball of curious workmanship; and it was of fine brass. And within the ball were two spindles; and the one pointed the way whither we should go into the wilderness" (1 Nephi 16:10). And "the pointers...did work according to the faith and diligence and heed which [they] did give unto them" (vs. 28). Our Patriarchal Blessing has a similar purpose and serves us only as we strive to live by the spirit. It is a conditional compass.
Consider the Patriarchal Blessing as additional information about Heavenly Father's Plan of Happiness for you, as the blessing is coming from Him who knows you perfectly. The blessing serves as a sort of map or instruction manual, generally expressing things that the person should do, or not do in order to receive certain blessings. It includes promises that are conditional upon our worthiness and choices. It is not a prediction of the future. If we are true and faithful to our covenants, all the promised blessings will be ours, whether in life or in the eternities. Ultimately, we have our agency to choose what our lives will entail, but a Patriarchal Blessing can provide direction, counsel, strength, peace, hope, and inspiration. It’s essentially a page from our book of life; it is not exclusive, that is to say, that even if something isn't specifically mentioned, it doesn't mean it won't happen.
Another important part of the Patriarchal Blessing is the declaration of lineage. This refers to which of the 12 tribes of Israel the person is a descendant of (whether by blood or "adoption"). This will make more sense to you if you understand the Abrahamic Covenant (See "Great Sacrifice"). The House of Israel, in this context, refers to God's covenant-making people. As a member of the House of Israel, if we keep our covenants we will receive all the blessings promised to Abraham which is Eternal Life which includes: 1) Promised Land (Celestial Kingdom), 2) Priesthood (Power of God), and 3) Posterity (Eternal Family). The exact meaning and role of the declaration of lineage as it pertains to us might have more significance in the next life rather than in mortality.
What an awesome thing to meet one of the Patriarch’s relatives, and in such an unusual way too! We hadn’t even met the Stake Patriarch prior to this experience. Hoping to take this as a sign, we asked if we could come by and visit Mario someday. He warned us that he was almost never home because of school and such but if we wanted to come by, we could try to find him. The only means of finding him that he gave was that he lived in an orange house, not too far from where he was getting off the bus, and the general direction to walk from there.
Well, it took us a few weeks but we eventually found an orange house one evening with people chatting outside. We walked up and introduced ourselves to the two men there who were heating up the grill in preparation for a birthday party. They immediately recognized who we were. To our great pleasure, the first man we met just so happened to be the Stake Patriarch himself! He was very kind but a bit confused as to why we were there of all places. He almost didn’t believe us when we told him that his nephew said that we could come by.
Unfortunately, Mario wasn’t home, and true to his fair warning we never could find him, but just the same he didn’t sound so much as interested in our visits as he was being kind to us in the first place.
Nevertheless, the faith of this Patriarch is the same I see in all Patriarchs. They are truly men of God who live to always be worthy to receive revelation from heaven. They are holy men. What makes them this way though is their humility and their devotion to God. It’s not something that results from "the job", so to speak; it is present before they ever become Patriarchs which is what makes them qualified for such a sacred calling. Even though we never ran into Mario again, the Stake Patriarch told us that he was "working on him" by means of family activities and so forth. I have no doubt that this Patriarch’s posterity will be blessed greatly for his faith and service as do all who stay on the covenant path. And what a wonderful thing to have Mario's cousin who was leading an example too as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Heavenly Father has a perfect plan for us. He loves us and wants us to reach our full potential. He created the world for us! As such, we can see His hand in everything for everything is a creation of His hands.
THE POTTER
Finding people sitting down who wouldn’t go anywhere was always a plus. After walking for so long every day, sitting down was such a much-needed treat for us. Elder Mullins and I met such a person in one of the desolate parks just a couple blocks south of where we lived. He had an impressive collection of handmade pottery sprawled out on the grass like an elegant picnic feast without food. We joined him on the ground under the shade of a tree, inquired about his experiences as a potter, and snuck in a short message that didn’t stick with him. He was kind nonetheless while claiming he was too busy for future home visits from us.
I was taken back by the skill and time he must have put into his craft. Ceramic pots, plates, and ornaments of all shapes and sizes surrounded me. Gorgeous handcrafted objects of smooth clay. He said it only took a few hours to shape the clay but that the glaze and paint took longer because it required more intricate care. They were beautiful and each was unique. I purchased one—a mutually beneficial action if I do say so myself. I wanted something small enough that I could fit in my luggage and bring home to my family that was authentic and this hand-crafted Mexican creation was as good as any. I selected a colorfully decorated mug for $20 pesos (1 U.S. dollar). I thought it was a steal considering the sheer time that went into making it. Back home it would have sold for much more than a dollar but I didn’t complain. He was content and so was I. Immediately after the purchase he packed up and left and I never saw him again. These days, I still use that mug to keep my keys and loose change in.
I’ve never had much experience with pottery but it's a common enough object lesson. Says Isaiah, “But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand” (Isa. 64:8). The Bible says, "God formed man of the dust of the ground..." (Gen. 2:7) and "unto dust shalt thou return" (Gen. 3:19). The Hebrew for Adam, Adamah, means ground or earth. Although not considered scripture in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, it's interesting to note similarities in other accounts, symbols even, of "mankind's creation" like that of the writings by K'iche people in ancient Guatemala called the "Popol Vuh" where the Mayan Gods' first attempt at making man was out of mud until they were destroyed by a great flood (We read the Popol Vuh in my Spanish class at BYU). Like clay, our Heavenly Father takes us in His hands and shapes and molds us not only in His image, but ALSO in His likeness (Gen. 1:27). As His children, we have innate divine potential (See "Eternal Life: As God Is"). We may be different pots and plates and ornaments but each is beautiful in its own right. Each takes time to make and to fill the measure of its creation.
After we are sculpted, I'd go as far as to say that we are baked in His refiner’s fire (Mal. 3:2-3). A refiner’s fire has reference to metallic purification but the idea of applying heat and pressure to produce a stronger end-product is the same. When a clay object is baked in a kiln, the moisture is removed and the result is rigidity. If air bubbles are left in the clay, the heat will cause it to expand and will damage the pottery. The process of removing the air by working and pounding the clay repeatedly is called “wedging”, like tenderizing a steak before it’s cooked. Sometimes I feel like life is like that; unless we endure a bit of pounding and kneading to remove all our air bubbles, the refiner's fire will be our demise, not our source of strength.
Maintaining an eternal perspective with faith gives purpose to all our opposition. A person lacking perspective or faith may allow their trials to get the better of them until they cave in with grief or anger, like ceramic with air bubbles. Those who handle life’s fire with faith become firm, even strong and immovable (Alma 1:25). They become "tough-skinned", so to speak.
Heavenly Father sees us as polished pottery. The crowning creations of the master of all creation itself. We shine. We serve a purpose. Our bodies are temples (1 Cor. 3:16), vessels of the spirit, even “Tabernacles of Clay” (Mos. 3:5). Heavenly Father is the potter, and if we keep our covenants, and follow under the tutelage of the master, we can be potters someday too.
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