RFM and Bill take a look at Patriarchal Blessings looking at what these are and what they are not and even take a look at multiple Patriarchal Blessings from the same patriarchs attempting to untangle inspiration from the rote and mundane.

OVERVIEW AND ELDRED G. SMITH

Patriarchal Blessings are to declare lineage, and then to give direction, counsel and promise predicated on worthiness.

Patriarchs in every stake now; but the Church Patriarch Office has been done away with.

Brief Clip from Eldred G. Smith in 1976 General Conference so we can remember what it used to be like when we had a Church Patriarch.

We will also be talking more about him later.

ELDRED G. SMITH (April Gen Con 1976—Who is Jesus?

Emeritus General Authority

(6 Oct 1979 – 4 Apr 2013)

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1976/04/who-is-jesus?lang=eng

TIME STAMP 0.00-0.24

Eldred was a frequent speaker in general conference, and spoke about patriarchal blessings but only before 1971 when they started putting up the general conference talks at the church’s website.

At least this gives a sample of what he sounded like.

II.               OVERVIEW OF PATRIARCHAL BLESSINGS

1.    Saints Unscripted with Patriarch on the Show!

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It is revelation from God; all the promises will be fulfilled; it is personal scripture to the recipient.

2. October 1986 General Conference—Thomas S. Monson—Second Counselor in First Presidency

YOUR PATRIARCHAL BLESSING: A LIAHONA OF LIGHT

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1986/10/your-patriarchal-blessing-a-liahona-of-light?lang=eng

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Who is this man, this patriarch, through whom such seership and priesthood power flow? How is he called? The Council of the Twelve Apostles has special responsibility pertaining to the calling of such men. From my own experience I testify that patriarchs are called of God by prophecy. How else could our Heavenly Father reveal those to whom such prophetic powers are to be given? A patriarch holds an ordained office in the Melchizedek Priesthood. The patriarchal office, however, is one of blessing—not of administration.

NOTE: WHY IS IT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE APOSTLES TO CALL A PATRIARCH WHEN IT IS DETERMINED BY LINEAGE?

NOTE: WHY DOES PRESIDENT MONSON FEEL COMPELLED TO ADD THE LANGUAGE,  THAT THE PATRIARCHAL OFFICE IS ONE OF BLESSING, “NOT ONE OF ADMINISTRATION”?

3.    PATRIARCHAL BLESSINGS NOT TO BE SHARED

Gospel Topics Essay on Church Website under “Patriarchal Blessings”

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/patriarchal-blessings?lang=eng

Patriarchal blessings are sacred and personal. They may be shared with immediate family members, but should not be read aloud in public or read or interpreted by others. Not even the patriarch or bishop or branch president should interpret it.

4. BACK TO THOMAS S. MONSON TALK FROM 1986.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1986/10/your-patriarchal-blessing-a-liahona-of-light?lang=eng

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A patriarchal blessing is a revelation to the recipient, even a white line down the middle of the road, to protect, inspire, and motivate activity and righteousness. A patriarchal blessing literally contains chapters from your book of eternal possibilities. I say eternal, for just as life is eternal, so is a patriarchal blessing. What may not come to fulfillment in this life may occur in the next. We do not govern God’s timetable. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:8–9).

NOTE: WE ALREADY GET THE APOLOGETIC FOR WHEN PATRIARCHAL BLESSINGS DO NOT COME TO PASS.

TIME STAMP 11.14-12.49 (NOTE-WE ARE JUST GOING TO DO THE FIRST FOUR SENTENCES OF THIS NEXT QUOTE; ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS ESTABLISH THAT THE ISSUE OF BRIEF OR LENGTHY PBs IS ADDRESSED)

Your patriarchal blessing is yours and yours alone. It may be brief or lengthy, simple or profound. Length and language do not a patriarchal blessing make. It is the Spirit that conveys the true meaning. Your blessing is not to be folded neatly and tucked away. It is not to be framed or published. Rather, it is to be read. It is to be loved. It is to be followed. Your patriarchal blessing will see you through the darkest night. It will guide you through life’s dangers. (NOTE: ORIGINAL SAYS “IT WILL PROTECT YOU.”) Unlike the struggling bomber of yesteryear, lost in the desert wastes, the sands and storms of life will not destroy you on your eternal flight. Your patriarchal blessing is to you a personal Liahona to chart your course and guide your way.

NOTE: QUESTION ABOUT LENGTH OF PATRIARCHAL BLESSING OBLIQUELY ANSWERED; BECAUSE OF THE IDEA THAT A LONGER BLESSING IS A BETTER BLESSING.

5.    PATRIARCHAL BLESSINGS DURING THE PRIESTHOOD BAN

Digest of the minutes of the meeting of the patriarchs of the church with the General Authorities

held in Barratt Hall, Salt Lake City, Utah, Saturday, October 11, 1958, at 8:00 A.M.

From Later Patriarchal Blessings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, pgs 559-563.

Compiled by H. Michael Marquardt, published by The Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City, 2012

http://www.fullerconsideration.com/PatriarchalBlessingRevelator/patriarchmeeting1958.php

Joseph Fielding Smith speaking

Now here is a problem which to me is serious. A patriarch gave a blessing to an individual who had Negro blood in his veins and said you are of the House of Israel and entitled to all the blessings of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. A Negro cannot hold the priesthood and not holding the priesthood they cannot, until the Lord removes the restriction, enter into the exaltation of the kingdom of God and that would not entitle them to all of the blessings of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. That is a very serious matter and we should be extremely careful to know the Lord is speaking to us because Negroes cannot receive the fullness. A Negro may come into the Church and we can do more for him than any other church on the face of the earth. If he is baptized and is faithful and true, he can enter the celestial kingdom, but he does not get exaltation, but as I understand it, the Lord will, in due time, remove the restrictions. Not in this world but the time will come, if the Negro receives the gospel and is true to the end, he may go to the celestial kingdom and when the right time comes the restrictions will be removed and he may receive all of the blessings. Now the reason as stated by President Brigham Young and some of the other brethren that the Negro cannot receive the priesthood is two fold. One is their own fault because of their attitude in the spirit world. They were not valiant for some cause which the Lord does not explain, and they were barred from receiving the priesthood but they were not barred from birth into this world, and were not denied the right to have a body. If he is faithful in his second estate, the time will come when these restrictions will be removed.

*****

Q. We have a young man who joined the Church and there is a question as to his lineage. Is there any reason why they couldn’t call upon the patriarch to see if he could give it to them, to see whether or not they have colored blood?

A. A patriarch has the right to have inspiration in a case of that kind. In a case where there might be a person suspected of having Negro blood, but it is not certain, they could go to a patriarch. He has the right to inspiration. In such a case the bishop should have the right inspiration too. There are some cases where I suppose no one could tell but the Lord.

6.    President James B. Faust gave 3/30/1980 BYU Talk on Patriarchal Blessings

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Elder Faust says that if not fulfilled in this life, will be fulfilled in the next

THEN gives example of his father’s patriarchal blessing that said he would be blessed with “many beautiful daughters,” but had five sons.

Moral—Even when the blessing doesn’t come to pass, it comes to pass.

Heads I win, tails you lose.

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LINEAGE

Apologetic for why it is people in same family are of different tribes.

7.    SPENCER W. KIMBALL ON REPETITIVE BLESSINGS

Digest of the minutes of the meeting of the patriarchs of the church with the General Authorities

held in Barratt Hall, Salt Lake City, Utah, Saturday, October 11, 1958, at 8:00 A.M.

From Later Patriarchal Blessings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, pgs 559-563.

Compiled by H. Michael Marquardt, published by The Smith-Pettit Foundation, Salt Lake City, 2012

http://www.fullerconsideration.com/PatriarchalBlessingRevelator/patriarchmeeting1958.php

You would do well, since you have no counselors, if you took two or three of your blessings occasionally to your stake president and say, “Would you kindly glance over these blessings to see if you have any suggestions for me.” Sometimes we get in ruts. Sometimes when we give so many blessings, we use the same phraseology over and over until it has little meaning. Each blessing is individual; each person only receives one blessing in their lifetime; therefore you don’t give them routine. Every blessing is very special to that individual.

8.    Patriarch Robert Patterson—BYU—2000

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He goes over the main failsafes to patriarchal blessings; that just because a blessing isn’t stated, it doesn’t mean it won’t happen; and if a promise is stated, it doesn’t mean it will happen.

Talk about a rigged system!

“Unknown to me . . .”  this from a patriarch!  LOL!

Heads I win.  Tails you lose. Maven.)