The Power of a Patriarchal Blessing

It was June 9^th 2002 and a beautiful spring afternoon. My husband Manuel, was ready and excited to receive his patriarchal blessing as was I. It was five years prior to this date when I was fifteen years old that I had received my own patriarchal blessing. I had remembered from my own experience the personal revelation I had received and specific promises and blessings that I was given if I remained faithful to the gospel. What a strength that was to me as a young teenager with all the influences and decisions that surrounded me. The blessing I had received at such a tender age would be a bright light guiding the course of the rest of my life. I wanted to strongly to live a life pleasing to the Lord so that I could have these blessings. Many of those promises have since come to pass, and knowing this made me ever so excited for my sweet husband to experience this for himself.

I’ll never forget the peaceful and humble feeling that surrounded us as we entered the home of our stake patriarch, Brother Hamblen. We had never met him before and what a blessing it was to meet him as well as his sweet wife who was wheel chair and home bound at the time. His radiant white hair and clear eyes were full of light and love that day, and there was a strong warmth about him that I can only compare to the feelings felt in the temple.

As he began the blessing I immediately felt a shower of warmth flow down from the top of my head to my feet which I know was the presence of the Holy Spirit. It was as if the heavens had opened and God’s love and power was entering through the ceiling of Brother Hamblen’s home. I knew that this righteous patriarch truly was blessing my husband by the power of God and that God’s words and all that He wanted Manuel to know were being spoken through the lips of the patriarch. What a powerful, testimony building experience this was for me.

Though we had prepared spiritually for this moment and special day for quite some time I soon realized how unprepared I was for what was to come. As the Patriarch began to tell my husband about the life he lived before coming to Earth and special responsibilities he had as well as decisions he had made in the pre-existence I saw my husband in a new light. My love for him grew ten times that day. I believe my spirit remembered what was being spoken and it was testified to me that these things were true.

As he proceeded on he began to mention specific prayers that my husband had prayed quite recently. The Patriarch mentioned each of these prayers specifically and said that Heavenly Father had heard them and was aware of his desires. He then mentioned that each prayer would be answered and each desire would be fulfilled and that the Lord loved him. I could not hold back the tears as I heard the patriarch speak of these prayers that only God would know about. I knew God had heard Manuel’s prayers and that what was important to Manuel was important to Him. It was an amazing yet indescribable feeling to know the God truly does hear all of prayers and He knows what is in our hearts.

As he went on to talk about very specific things in Manuel’s past, and goals he currently had and so many other specific and personal things that the Patriarch himself had no way of knowing it was another testimony to me that God is aware of everything in our lives. He knows us each individually from our favorite colors to our innermost fears. He has known us since the beginning of our existence and he knows what we are truly capable of.

Finally the patriarch spoke of Manuel’s future and all the blessings that were in store for him and our future family which we did not have at the time. He was given a specific guideline to follow in order to receive these wonderful blessings and was promised that all his desires would be fulfilled and all his goals would be achieved as long as lived worthy of these and other blessings. Of course these are very personal and not to be discussed publicly on the internet, so I will end there.

I can’t tell you how much my precious spirit learned that day. It was as if I had begun and completed a four year educational program all within 15 minutes, very overwhelming but undeniably powerful. I knew that God had a purpose for us and for Manuel individually. I could not deny that. I was excited for the rest of our life here on earth together and for what was to come in the hereafter. This knowledge and experience has truly shaped the relationship I share with my husband and the love and respect I have for him.

We both keep our blessings in a safe place within our home where we pull them out often to read and reflect on our progress and what we need to be doing. They truly have been a roadmap and compass in our lives. As we have followed their guidance and counsel from the Lord we have personally witnessed very specific promises and blessings come to pass in the last seven years. This of course has been motivation to remain strong in the gospel and continue to live worthily of all the blessings we have been promised. We are very happy because of this knowledge and testimony.

In a world of darkness and confusion it can be very easy to get lost in the chaos and calamity of day to day life. It’s important that we know who we are, what we are here for and where we are going. Without this knowledge we are left vulnerable to the precepts of man, and the temptations, sorrows and deceiving of Satan. We are given several tools in this life such as scriptures, prayer, prophets, leaders, priesthood keys and so many others that if used righteously will give us these answers and the guidance we need.

Let this experience that I have shared with you be a personal witness in your life that God is real and He does know you and love you. In fact He loves you so much he has placed you on this earth at this time for very specific reasons. He has given you a very specific purpose and has arranged certain people to come into your lives at certain times to bless you in certain ways. He has also arranged for you to do the same for others. Nothing happens by chance in this life, it was all orchestrated before we came here. God has a plan for every one of us and he desires for us to seek this plan and receive eternal happiness, a happiness that doesn’t end with death but goes on forever. I know this to be true and because I have witnessed this in my own life it is my strongest desire to share it with you. Having this knowledge changes the way you see yourself, those you love, the decisions you make, your experiences whether good or bad, and your attitude and outlook on life. What a powerful knowledge and a blessing that God desires all to have.

I want to thank you for reading this entry today and letting me share something so personal and dear to my heart with you. I pray that this message touches you in more ways than one and leave a promise with you that if you pray to the Lord about these things that you have read He will give you the answers you are seeking. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Please comment below if you have questions or anything to share. You never know who you might touch and whose words may have special relevance for you.

For more information on Patriarchal blessings and how to receive one visit Patriarchal Blessings