In this episode, I share a personal Aha Moment I recently had  about Patriarchal Blessings. 

Key Ideas

1.  A Patriarchal Blessing is a revelation given through the Lord’s authorized agent, the Patriarch. It is God’s word directly given to us for our benefit and use, and as a guide throughout our life.

When moved upon by the Holy Spirit, we may desire to share a particular part of our blessing with someone in our family or a close, personal friend. But our blessing should never be made common knowledge for all to hear. 

2.  We are meant to be agents who act, not agents to be acted upon.
 
This concept led me to one of my greatest Aha Moments! Of the year so far. 

It was kind of “the perfect storm” for me, as far as Aha Moments go …. And when it struck, my first reaction was, “Well, duh! How did I miss THAT little golden nugget all these years … decades? Three things came together simultaneously:

1. In my Book of Mormon study, I was reading 2nd Nephi, chapter 2. 
2. In our CFM study, I was reading D&C section 58. 
3. I had pulled out my Patriarchal Blessing and read it.  

I always believed my PB was God’s way of telling what would happen TO ME during my life. One passage from my Blessing said my voice would become strong in bearing my testimony of the Restored gospel of Jesus Christ, the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, and the power it has to make us better.
 
I was talking to my daughter, Raechel, about this 18 months ago, lamenting that this blessing had not occurred yet. I translated that passage into something like: I would be asked to speak at Women’s Conference, or be sought after to speak at Time Out For Women or EFY or Education Week. Those were the only venues I could think of where my voice could become strong in bearing my testimony to a large audience of people.

That was when Raechel suggested I start a podcast.  And although I took her advice, I overlooked a very important lesson! Until the morning of the perfect storm!

3. Our Patriarchal Blessing IS an INVITATION from the Lord to ACT.
 
The Spirit whispered to me, "Mindy, “It is not meet that I should command you in all things ….. you should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of your own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in you, wherein you are an agent unto yourself--

--Your Patriarchal Blessing IS THE CALL. But you need to ACT, not wait to be ACTED UPON.”

This sudden realization filled me with an  incredible, enabling power.

Then another little golden nugget bopped me on the noggin: My voice IS becoming strong in bearing my testimony of the truthfulness of the Restored gospel! It’s happening through this podcast! I am fulfilling one of the things I was called to do in my PB--because I chose to act of my own free will on one of the invitations. 

Perhaps you’ve known this all along. And if that’s the case, I’m a little bummed that you didn’t tell me about it sooner!

DO ONE THING

Go through your PB and make a list of everything you are INVITED to do or become. Rewrite them as CALLINGS. Then design a plan.

Resources

"Your Patriarchal Blessing..." Thomas S. Monson
"The Lord Blesses His Children..." Richard D. Allred
"Priesthood Blessings..." James E. Faust