“Helping Youth Prepare to Receive a Patriarchal Blessing,” Liahona, Feb. 2024.
Helping Youth Prepare to Receive a Patriarchal Blessing
Patriarchal blessings can help youth understand their eternal identity and stay on the covenant path.
Two members of the Seventy—Elder Randall K. Bennett and Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita—felt inspired to speak about patriarchal blessings in the April 2023 general conference. Elder Bennett received a patriarchal blessing at age 12, saying it “was critically important” to him when he was young. It helped him understand his eternal identity and know that he was “loved by my Heavenly Father and my Savior and that They were personally involved in my life.”
As he studied it, it helped him feel the Holy Ghost and inspired him to study the scriptures, pray daily, and follow the prophets’ teachings. “It was vital for me to receive my patriarchal blessing while I was young and while my testimony was still growing.”1
Elder Yamashita received his patriarchal blessing at age 19, two years after he was baptized. Elder Yamashita taught that patriarchal blessings reveal our lineage in the house of Israel, reminding us that “we are children of the covenant. We receive the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant as we obey the laws and ordinances of the gospel.” He also taught that preparing to receive a patriarchal blessing will help youth increase their faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.2
Because patriarchal blessings can be such a strength in the lives of younger members of the Church, parents and leaders can discuss some of these questions with youth as they prepare to receive a patriarchal blessing.
Questions and Answers
What is a patriarchal blessing?
A patriarchal blessing is a special blessing given to a worthy member of the Church by an ordained patriarch. It includes counsel from Heavenly Father to guide the person throughout her or his life. It lets the member know what tribe of Israel he or she belongs to. “Your tribe isn’t necessarily related to race or nationality. Instead, it’s related to a set of spiritual responsibilities and promised blessings.”3 It reminds the member that, as the Savior taught, “ye are the children of the covenant” (3 Nephi 20:26).
“A patriarchal blessing from an ordained patriarch can give us a star to follow, which is a personal revelation from God to each individual. If we follow this star, we are less likely to stumble and be misled. …
“… Our patriarchal blessings indicate what [God] expects of us and what our potential can be.”4
Do members need to be a certain age to receive a patriarchal blessing?
The person receiving the blessing should be “mature enough to understand the significance and sacred nature of the blessing. Ideally the member should be young enough that many important decisions in life are still ahead.”5
There is no minimum age requirement other than making sure youth understand the sacred nature of the blessing, and new members “should understand the basic doctrine of the gospel.”6 Receiving a blessing at a relatively young age can help them make important life decisions in their teenage and young adult years.
What counsel will be given in the patriarchal blessing?
“[A patriarchal blessing] is a sacred guideline of counsel, promises, and information from the Lord; however, a person should not expect the blessing to detail all that will happen to him or her or to answer all questions.”7
It might address some but not all the important aspects of the member’s life. If it doesn’t mention something (like marriage or a full-time mission, for example), that doesn’t mean the person can’t do those things, of course.
But a patriarchal blessing is specific guidance for the person directly from Heavenly Father. President Thomas S. Monson (1927–2018) said that a patriarchal blessing “contains chapters from your book of eternal possibilities” and that it is “ a personal Liahona to chart your course and guide your way.”8
Will all blessings in the patriarchal blessing be fulfilled in this life?
President James E. Faust (1920–2007) promised: “Our patriarchal blessing will be an anchor to our souls, and if we are worthy, neither death nor the devil can deprive us of the blessings pronounced. They are blessings we can enjoy now and forever.”9
Receiving the promised blessings depends on our effort and righteousness. If we strive to choose the right, all the promised blessings will be ours. But some blessings may come in the eternities.
How do youth receive a patriarchal blessing?
They first set an appointment to meet with the bishop or branch president. He will conduct an interview and give a Patriarchal Blessing Recommend. They then make an appointment with the patriarch. Close family members may attend the blessing.
At a future date following the blessing, the recipient will be given a copy of the blessing. It can also be accessed at ChurchofJesusChrist.org under “Tools.”
For those in specific situations, like serving in the military or on a mission, the General Handbook gives more details about how to receive a blessing.10
Can parents share parts of their own patriarchal blessings with their children?
The General Handbook says: “Church members … should not share them except with close family members. Patriarchal blessings should not be read in Church meetings or other public gatherings.”11
Parents and grandparents can help their children and grandchildren prepare to receive a patriarchal blessing by sharing how their own patriarchal blessings have inspired and guided them.
The Blessings of a Patriarchal Blessing
A patriarchal blessing can be a wonderful resource in the lives of our youth. It can help them navigate life’s challenges. In times of trial, it can give them hope and help them find strength in the Savior. And it can help them throughout their lives to understand the truth about who they are and who they can become.
Elder Bennett taught: “Frequently studying my patriarchal blessing increased my desire to withstand temptation. It helped me have the desire and courage to repent, and repentance increasingly became a joyful process.”12
President Monson counseled: “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.”13
As your children begin thinking about receiving their patriarchal blessings, help them understand the blessing’s sacred nature and purpose. Encourage them to prayerfully decide for themselves when to receive one. Don’t underestimate their capacity to learn and grow from their patriarchal blessing even at a young age, especially with your help.