Patriarchal Blessing

"Heavenly Father provides divine guidance to us in many ways—through prayer, the scriptures, the words of living prophets, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Your patriarchal blessing is another important tool that can provide you with spiritual direction, counsel, and assurance as you face the uncertainties and challenges of life." (From Patriarchal Blessings in the Gospel Library)

Preparing for Your Blessing

A person receiving a patriarchal 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. However, older adults are also encouraged to receive their patriarchal blessings." (General Handbook Section 18.17)

When you are ready, we invite you to review the following material with your parents or another trusted adult as you prepare to receive your patriarchal blessing:

• Appendix A: For Parents--Preparing Your Children for a Lifetime on God's Covenant Path, found in the back of the Come, Follow Me manual

• Gospel Study Guide: Patriarchal Blessings in the Gospel Library, especially focusing on the scriptures and conference talks linked in the study guide

The Weeks Before

When you are ready to receive your patriarchal blessing, please complete the following steps:

• Contact your Ward Executive Secretary to let him know you would like to schedule an appointment with your Bishop to receive a recommend for your patriarchal blessing

• Meet with your Bishop to discuss your preparation and worthiness to receive your patriarchal blessing; your parents are welcome to join you

• Soon after receiving your recommend, call the patriarch to schedule a time to receive your blessing

Note that your recommend is only valid for a short time; please schedule soon after your bishop’s interview so that your recommend doesn’t expire before you receive your patriarchal blessing

On the Day of Receiving Your Blessing

After you have scheduled a time to receive your patriarchal blessing, discuss with your parents what you can do to invite the spirit of revelation to be with you and the patriarch as you receive your blessing. For example:

• Consider who you will invite to join you for your blessing; because of the sacred and personal nature of the blessing, we recommend only inviting a few close family members, such as your parents

• Consider fasting on the day you receive your blessing; likewise, consider inviting those who will be with you to join you in the fast

• Consider what you can do beforehand to create a harmonious environment as you receive your blessing; for example, if there is discord between you and your parents who will be joining you, pray and seek God's inspiration about what you can do to make it a positive experience so that the Spirit can be present

• Afterwards, take a moment to record your experiences of the day

We hope that receiving your patriarchal blessing provides personalized guidance for you along God's covenant path.