Usurping Patriarchal Blessings

[Uncle Ted]

Yeah, but I'd venture a guess that most people stop reading, or caring, about their PB once they get decently far along in life. I don't think I've read mine in probably over 7-8 years and frankly haven't even thought about it since then either.

Yeah, it is only the OW'ers that pull out old PB's...

[Levin]

Our family members have a wide range of belief and activity in the Church, but everyone is leading good, productive lives, we remain very close as a family and everyone loves to get together (of course, Levin may disabuse me of this notion, but I'm blissful in my naivete). As I've mentioned before, it'd be nice to gather around the altar of the temple, but we think it may be even more important that all of us love to gather around the kitchen table.

PAC -- in addition to being the best and most natural writer on this board (sorry, SU!), it's self-evident that you are a wonderful father, and always have been. My mean posts took the teasing too far, and I wish your son a happy, productive, and STD-free life, which I have no doubt he will have. And even if he gets an STD, I hope it will have been worth it, and there's medicine nowadays anyway.

[PaloAltoCougar]

PAC -- in addition to being the best and most natural writer on this board (sorry, SU!), it's self-evident that you are a wonderful father, and always have been. My mean posts took the teasing too far, and I wish your son a happy, productive, and STD-free life, which I have no doubt he will have. And even if he gets an STD, I hope it will have been worth it, and there's medicine nowadays anyway.

We'll be visiting the kid this weekend and we're coming equipped with a panel of tests for STDs, drugs and sexual orientation. I'm through leaving anything to chance. And I don't want to start a discussion on the point, but while I take some pride in what I write occasionally, I'm not nearly as good a writer as several here, and I'd have to include that bastard SU among my betters. But I suspect that future analysts will determine that his work was largely derived from other writings unique to his time.

[Green Monstah]

Still a thing. I enjoy mine quite a bit. I think there's been an emphasis to keep them private for various reasons. Quite frankly, my wife had a crisis of faith over her great-grandfather's PB (he was promised that he'd build a temple in Missouri before his life was over), and I wonder if the idea of privacy is to avoid creating conflict, crisis, or the appearance of false prophecy.

[BigPiney]

Still a thing. I enjoy mine quite a bit. I think there's been an emphasis to keep them private for various reasons. Quite frankly, my wife had a crisis of faith over her great-grandfather's PB (he was promised that he'd build a temple in Missouri before his life was over), and I wonder if the idea of privacy is to avoid creating conflict, crisis, or the appearance of false prophecy.

This reminds me. You can request the PB of your ancestors from the church and they will mail them to you. If your family has been in the church a long time it would be really interesting to read some of those.

[old_gregg]

Still a thing. I enjoy mine quite a bit. I think there's been an emphasis to keep them private for various reasons. Quite frankly, my wife had a crisis of faith over her great-grandfather's PB (he was promised that he'd build a temple in Missouri before his life was over), and I wonder if the idea of privacy is to avoid creating conflict, crisis, or the appearance of false prophecy.

generally a pretty good way to avoid the appearance of false prophecy is to hide the evidence of false prophecy

[Katy Lied]

Where do we write? I'm willing to bet there aren't many records for my poly ancestors.

[Commando]

Where do we write? I'm willing to bet there aren't many records for my poly ancestors.

https://history.lds.org/article/chl-pb?lang=eng

[LVAllen]

Do it online: https://apps.lds.org/pbrequest/reque...ESTOR?lang=eng

[Harry Tic]

I remember that Bruce R. used to say that if you don't like your PB, just open up the scriptures and write your own.

I might just give that a try, starting with the Song of Solomon.

[Sullyute]

I wish your son a happy, productive, and STD-free life.

I swear I've seen that on a Hallmark graduation card.

[TripletDaddy]

This reminds me. You can request the PB of your ancestors from the church and they will mail them to you. If your family has been in the church a long time it would be really interesting to read some of those.

I've requested all the Patriarchal Blessings from my line going all the way back to Adam and Eve.

[fusnik]

My GP is a patriarch.

He told me they are expressly told not to mention being alive during the last days or give specific examples that can be interpreted as prophetic.

Also his blessings are frequently audited to make sure they are general yet not repetitive.

[BigPiney]

I've requested all the Patriarchal Blessings from my line going all the way back to Adam and Eve.

[Donuthole]

I think I've mentioned this here before, but one of my missionary companions had a very "specifically vague" patriarchal blessing. I don't remember the exact words, but it was regarding his career, and was very specific to a career with water. But it was vague, so you weren't quite sure what it was saying he would be. I remember having the impression that he would be some sort of water-related engineer. You know, a pretend scientist like Dwight or JL. He ended up being a high school history teacher. About 5 years ago, he made a career chance and is now . . . a worker a cruise-ship tour guide trainer. Totally water related! I am almost positive that he sees this as some sort of fulfillment of his patriarchal blessing.

I think I'll email him right now and ask him what the specific language was in his blessing. To be continued . . .