Patriarichal Blessings

[falafel]

Personally, I don't get them. Some are incredibly detailed, while others a not more than a paragraph. How literally to people take them? I used to take mine very literally. I feel like I've lived up to my obligations so far (i.e. if stuff hasn't happened in there, I don't think its because I've fallen off the wagon).

Anyway, I've begun to think that not everything in there should be taken literally. For example, I've got a very specific portion in my blessing talking about my children. Without going into details, let's just say that at this point, it looks like there is NO WAY that portion of the blessing can come true. Mostly because of the prevailing attitude around my house. I'm cool with it, I just find it interesting and I wonder what other's thoughts were.

[Surfah]

Personally, I don't get them. Some are incredibly detailed, while others a not more than a paragraph. How literally to people take them? I used to take mine very literally. I feel like I've lived up to my obligations so far (i.e. if stuff hasn't happened in there, I don't think its because I've fallen off the wagon).

Anyway, I've begun to think that not everything in there should be taken literally. For example, I've got a very specific portion in my blessing talking about my children. Without going into details, let's just say that at this point, it looks like there is NO WAY that portion of the blessing can come true. Mostly because of the prevailing attitude around my house. I'm cool with it, I just find it interesting and I wonder what other's thoughts were.

Not all blessings occur in this life.

[Donuthole]

My patriarchal blessing is pretty vague. Disappointingly so, it seemed at the time. However, one of my mission companions' was so ridiculously detailed that it was downright wacky. Telling him he'd go on to "engineer ways to further the betterment of water storage and purification" blah blah blah. Paragraph after paragraph of detailed wackiness like that. FTR, the guy is now a high school history teacher.

I especially like the theory about how, if you get your patriarchal blessing too early, it won't be as detailed as if you get it later in life. Makes perfect sense. :S

[falafel]

Not all blessings occur in this life.

Well, okay, thanks. I guess I'm just interested in how those things can be interpreted. Or if they're even more just like "here's a smattering of potential blessings, see which ones you can collect." Like Blessing Bingo. We're not going for blackout here.

[falafel]

I especially like the theory about how, if you get your patriarchal blessing too early, it won't be as detailed as if you get it later in life. Makes perfect sense. :S

That fits my situation and my wife's. She got hers super early, and its filled with non-committal blessings like "a righteous family" and "many opportunities to serve." I don't know if those are actually in there, but its something like that.

[Donuthole]

That fits my situation and my wife's. She got hers super early, and its filled with non-committal blessings like "a righteous family" and "many opportunities to serve." I don't know if those are actually in there, but its something like that.

But what is the reasoning for the theory? Will someone's foreordination change from the time they are 14 (generally considered a very early age to receive a patriarchal blessing) to the time they are, say 18 (generally an acceptable age to receive the blessing)?

[wuapinmon]

I have two patriarchal blessings.

The patriarch didn't declare my lineage...I didn't say anything because my Dad got his right before mine so I assumed we were the same (we were). He came to my ward building about six weeks after I got the first one and did the second one.

When I got the first one he said "The Lord is well-pleased with the decisions you've made in your life up to this time."

That's nowhere to be found in my written blessing.

[Gidget]

Mine is good. I like it. It fits with me and my life pretty accurately but more specifically particular downfalls and temptations I have (that are specifically spot on)

The best theory I have heard - Surfah's doing mind you - is that if a patriarchal blessing doesn't say "you will be blessed to come forth in the morning of the first resurrection," than you won't. We always have a good laugh about that because every patriarchal blessing he has ever heard says that, including mine, but his does not. Ha!

[Fiyero]

I had a mission companion with several disorders such as neurosis and high anxiety, and he had a three-page blessing. He had it laminated and would read it twice a day. Literally. As much time as companions spend together, I would see him read it every morning and evening, start to finish. I can only assume he needed extra information.

Mine is short and vague. Less than a page. In fact I only look at it every year or two because it essentially says only three things. I used to think that meant I had little in store, until a fireside when President Faust said his is only half a page and right to the point.

I had an institute teacher (take this fwiw) who said his family just moved out of state when he received his; neither he or his dad had met the patriarch beforehand, yet the patriarch described the dream he (my teacher) had the night before, interpreted it, and gave him a detailed blessing telling him why specific events in his past had happened.

That same teacher said when he was president of the Salt Lake North mission he had an elder and a sister whose blessings said their eternal companion had already been selected and it would be revealed to them at the right time. Then at a zone conference, they laid eyes on each other for the first time, knew, went out into the hallway to introduce themselves and began planning their wedding.

fwiw

[falafel]

But what is the reasoning for the theory? Will someone's foreordination change from the time they are 14 (generally considered a very early age to receive a patriarchal blessing) to the time they are, say 18 (generally an acceptable age to receive the blessing)?

Well, since I'm already on the record as reducing the blessing to a "general guideline," I'd say its because less is known about the 14 year old and what will happen to them. I got mine right before my mission. It speaks about my language ability on my mission, etc. etc. I think there was more context for the blessing than had I received it when I was 14.

[Fiyero]

I had a mission companion who was zone leader, whose blessing said that he would be called to leadership as a missionary. When he was a greenie he told our mission president about that blurb, and a few transfers later he was zone leader.

Inspiration?

[falafel]

That same teacher said when he was president of the Salt Lake North mission he had an elder and a sister whose blessings said their eternal companion had already been selected and it would be revealed to them at the right time. Then at a zone conference, they laid eyes on each other for the first time, knew, went out into the hallway to introduce themselves and began planning their wedding.

fwiw

THAT'S the kind of detail I'm looking for. However, with that level of detail, I'm surprised the blessing didn't plan the wedding for them.

[wuapinmon]

Well, since I'm already on the record as reducing the blessing to a "general guideline," I'd say its because less is known about the 14 year old and what will happen to them. I got mine right before my mission. It speaks about my language ability on my mission, etc. etc. I think there was more context for the blessing than had I received it when I was 14.

Mine also says "keep yourself in as good of shape as is possible." I've always viewed my shape as round.....a perfect circle is tough to do though.

It says "be careful of those individuals who you chum around with, because good friends will be a strength to you as you go down life's rocky road."

I love Southern Patriarchs.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

I had a mission companion with several disorders such as neurosis and high anxiety, and he had a three-page blessing. He had it laminated and would read it twice a day. Literally. As much time as companions spend together, I would see him read it every morning and evening, start to finish. I can only assume he needed extra information.

Mine is short and vague. Less than a page. In fact I only look at it every year or two because it essentially says only three things. I used to think that meant I had little in store, until a fireside when President Faust said his is only half a page and right to the point.

I had an institute teacher (take this fwiw) who said his family just moved out of state when he received his; neither he or his dad had met the patriarch beforehand, yet the patriarch described the dream he (my teacher) had the night before, interpreted it, and gave him a detailed blessing telling him why specific events in his past had happened.

That same teacher said when he was president of the Salt Lake North mission he had an elder and a sister whose blessings said their eternal companion had already been selected and it would be revealed to them at the right time. Then at a zone conference, they laid eyes on each other for the first time, knew, went out into the hallway to introduce themselves and began planning their wedding.

fwiw

Institute teachers sound like a real hoot, unfortunately I never got to experience them very much because I grew up outside of Utah and went to BYU and never went to Institute once. BTW, aren't Cemetary teachers and Institute teachers sometimes one and the same

My experiences with these people are confined to my BYU religion classes. My personal favorite was some guy who told us that having sex change prevented someone from getting baptized. He then told us that the church frowned upon interracial marriage- and there was a black girl in my class. I guess the guy figured the girl still had about 25 dating options in the school of over 30,000.

[Donuthole]

Well, since I'm already on the record as reducing the blessing to a "general guideline," I'd say its because less is known about the 14 year old and what will happen to them. I got mine right before my mission. It speaks about my language ability on my mission, etc. etc. I think there was more context for the blessing than had I received it when I was 14.

I'm not disagreeing with you at all. In a way, I guess i'm just wishing that leaders would come out and say "The more the Patriarch knows about you, the more detailed he can be without being completely wrong in his quasi-predictions" instead of the age and preparedness spin they give the issue.