Bless Thee With Blessings

To my daughter, 

                Near the end of the book of Genesis, Jacob (who was renamed Israel), gave blessings to each of his sons. We only have brief descriptions of what he said, but the one to Joseph is fairly long. He said, “Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:) Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren” (Genesis 49:22-26). In that we see the word bless or blessing six times, and Jacob was promising great blessings to Joseph who would be given strength by God and have a great posterity. I want you to know that we are the posterity of Joseph, and we can likewise see the fulfillment of that same promise to have the strength of “the stone of Israel” (Jesus Christ) to bless and help us fulfill our mission on earth. You were reserved to come to the earth at this particular time to fulfill a great mission for the Lord as the posterity of Joseph, and you can become a great force for good if you choose to keep your covenants with Him.

                This blessing that Joseph received was a patriarchal blessing, and when you so choose you have the great opportunity to receive a similar blessing uniquely for you. The Church website describes a patriarchal blessing this way: “Every worthy, baptized member is entitled to and should receive a patriarchal blessing, which provides inspired direction from the Lord. Patriarchal blessings include a declaration of a person’s lineage in the house of Israel and contain personal counsel from the Lord. As a person studies his or her patriarchal blessing and follows the counsel it contains, it will provide guidance, comfort, and protection.” It is an incredible opportunity for you to hear the word of the Lord uniquely for you. You only receive a patriarchal blessing once, but it is yours for your whole lifetime to guide and comfort you. The patriarch, who has been given the authority to give blessings within the stake, will place his hands on your head and in a spirit of prayer and fasting will pronounce the words that the Lord gives him for you specifically. He will declare your lineage and help you understand better your purpose on earth and the great blessings that can be yours as you strive to be faithful throughout your life. The Lord may speak to you about your future marriage in the temple, your children, your choices in the premortal world, and your talents. He may give you counsel important uniquely for you. Most importantly, if you receive this blessing with a spirit of humility, you will feel the great love that your Father in Heaven has for you and receive a witness that He knows you personally. You can learn more fully what the Lord has in store for you in your life.

Love,

Dad