What is a Patriarch?

Take brother Bowman how come he is a Patriarch? Well he is just a regular guy with plenty of faults. His wife can testify to that.  He has learned in life that when the Lord calls us to a position or to do a job, If we will be willing to accept and work at it and do the best we can the Lord will do the rest.

A servant of the Lord called brother Bowman in and laid his hands on his head and ordained him a Patriarch and set him apart to be the Patriarch to the Dublan Stake in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. In that act he gave him the Authority to receive the Patriarchal Blessings from the Lord for those persons that come to him with a valid recommend from their Bishops.

That is what makes the Patriarch. That ordination and setting apart to work in that particular Stake. Without that ordination he cannot be the Lord's mouthpiece in giving Patriarchal Blessings.

If he holds the Priesthood he can give Father's Blessings to his children and give Priesthood Blessings to others when called upon to do so.

The Patriarchal Blessing is the only blessing that is recorded and written up. One copy is given to the person who receives the blessing and the other is taken to the family History Center and there is filed to become part of the History of the Church. Because they are written and recorded in the History of the Church they are also recorded in heaven and become part of the Lambs book of Life out of which we shall be judged in that last Judgment Day.

All of the promises and Blessings that the Lord gives in a Patriarchal Blessing are for this life and extend through out eternity. They are always based upon our faithfulness to the Savior and to his church. The Lord is eternal and what he says and does is eternal and spiritual. He can see the beginning from the end and loves and knows each of us his children and can give us what we need in our Blessings.

THE PATRAIRCHAL BLESSING IS WHAT THE LORD USES TO HELP PREPARE HIS CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO FULFILL THEIR GREATEST POTENTIAL IN THIS LIFE AND THE ETERNITIES.

KNOWING WHO YOU ARE

PART OF THE PREPARATION IS TEACHING YOU WHO YOU REALLY ARE AND HOW SPECIAL YOU ARE TO YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER. YOU WERE KNOWN AND LOVED AND PREPARED BEFORE THIS WORLD WAS. YOU WERE NOT JUST ANOTHER NUMBER AMONG THE MILLIONS. YOU ARE A SPECIAL SON OR DAUGHTER WITH A SPECIAL MISSION AND POTENTIAL.

The Lord our Heavenly Father knows the beginning from the end. He can give us directions promises and blessings to guide us in this  our journey of life. He can warn us of the dangers and caution us to not stray from the straight and narrow path. Mostly his blessings are of a positive nature telling us what we can accomplish and what we can do in our lives.

When our family used to go on our Summer pack trips into the Sierra Madre mountains we loved to go to Trout Creek to camp and fish and enjoy that beautiful place. We would all go in the van as far as the road would take us, then from there we would catch up our Animals. We would pack up our camp on pack mules and saddle up the horses and mules we were going to ride. Before leaving I would tell the family about the trail and what was ahead until they learned the trail as well as I did.

I would tell  them where the trail goes down a steep hill into the first canyon about half way down there is a hollow Oak Tree that has a big nest of fire bees in it. If you pass by quietly without hitting the tree you will be all right. Avoid disturbing those little yellow and black bees because when they sting you will know why they are called fire bees.

Stay on the trail especially on the steep side hills because there you will be safe and your riding mount can go along easily. When you get down into the beautiful meadow of the canyon don't wander off the trail because you may lose your way and not find the trail going up out of the canyon.

About half way there is a cold clear stream of spring water that crosses the trail and a nice open place to stop and drink of that very good water.

There are places where you cannot hurry because the trail winds along on the steep side of the mountain and a false step can send you and your horse sliding and rolling down to the depths below.

After going down the last steep trail you will cross the creek into our beautiful camp where you can rest and fish and enjoy the beauties of the Canyon.

On one trip we had about 15 explorers and their leaders. I think Brother Chato Bluth was helping me on  this trip. We got everyone mounted up and I was busy packing the last mule. When I got through I realized that most all of them had gone on ahead. I hurried after them realizing that I had not given them any instruction or warnings about the trail ahead.

I came to the steep trail down into the canyon and could see a disaster area below in the canyon. I slipped quietly by the angry little fire bees that were returning to their nest. When I got down to the bottom I found that someone had disturbed the Fire Bees nest and they had come out and had begun to sting the boys and the animals. One pack mule was down on his back in the creek where he had fallen when he was bucking with his pack another was standing with his pack under his belly waiting to be rescued. Some of the boys were sitting on the bank of the creek. One had his eye swollen shut and another with a lip that was three times it's regular size. Some had been thrown from their horses because the horses had been stung many times by those angry little black and yellow Demons. It took us another hour to repack and adjust the saddles and comfort the injured boys. Finally we were on our way again. This time Brother Bluth was leading the way to keep them safe.

When  the Lord gives a Patriarchal Blessing he can see the beginning from the end and he knows each person and what they need to help them in their lives. IN THE BLESSING HE GIVES GUIDANCE FOR THE TRAIL AHEAD AND WHAT WE CAN FIND AS WE COME INTO THAT BEAUTIFUL SAFE CAMP. HE MIGHT EVEN GIVE WARNINGS OF THE DEMON FIRE BEES ALONG THE WAY AND HOW TO AVOID GETTING LOST BY WANDERING OFF THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW WAY.

BROADENING YOUR CONCEPT OF FATHER'S PLAN

WHAT IS A CONCEPT? THE SUM EXPERIENCE OF ANYTHING IS OUR CONCEPT OF THAT THING. OUR CONCEPTS ARE MADE DURING ALL OF OUR LIVES. EVERY TIME WE STUDY ABOUT A PRINCIPLE OF THE GOSPEL IT BROADENS OUR CONCEPT OF THAT PRINCIPLE. NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES WE READ THE SCRIPTURES. EACH TIME BROADENS OUR CONCEPT OF THE THINGS WE ARE READING ABOUT.

LINEAGE GIVES YOU THE ASSURANCE OF PROMISED BLESSINGS IF YOU LIVE FOR IT.

WHEN YOU RECEIVE YOUR LINEAGE YOU ARE PROMISED THAT YOU HAVE AS AN INHERITANCE ALL OF THE BLESSINGS OF ABRAHAM ISAAC AND JACOB. WHAT ARE SOME OF THESE PROMISES?  

ABRAHAM 2:8-9, 11.  "MY NAME IS JEHOVAH AND I KNOW THE END FROM THE BEGINNING; THEREFORE MY HAND SHALL BE OVER THEE.

AND I WILL MAKE OF THEE A GREAT NATION AND BLESS THEE ABOVE MEASURE,AND MAKE THY NAME GREAT AMONG ALL NATIONS. AND THOU SHALT BE A BLESSING UNTO THY SEED AFTER THEE , THAT IN THEIR HANDS THEY SHALL BEAR THIS MINISTRY AND PRIESTHOOD UNTO ALL NATIONS.

AND I WILL BLESS THEM THAT BLESS THEE AND CURSE THEM THAT CURSE THEE; AND IN THEE (THAT IS, IN THY PRIESTHOOD) AND IN THY SEED (THAT IS THY PRIESTHOOD) FOR I GIVE UNTO THEE A PROMISE THAT THIS RIGHT SHALL CONTINUE IN THEE, AND IN THY SEED AFTER THEE (THAT IS TO SAY, THE LITERAL SEED OR SEED OF THE BODY) SHALL ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH BE BLESSED, EVEN WITH THE BLESSIGS OF THE GOSPEL, WHICH ARE THE BLESSINGS OF SALVATION, EVEN THE BLESSING OF ETERNAL LIFE".

THROUGH YOUR LINEAGE YOU CAN CLAIM THE BLESSINGS OF ABRAHAM ISAAC AND JACOB.

THE LORD EXPLAINED THAT THE BLESSINGS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF HIS PRIESTHOOD ARE YOURS BECAUSE OF YOUR FAITH, WORKS AND LINEAGE----THE LINEAGE DECLARED IN YOUR PATRIARCHAL BLESSINGS. YOU "ARE LAWFUL HEIRS"  (HEIRS TO THE BLESSINGS AND PROMISES OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB.

READ D.& C. 132: 19-20      

Patriarchal blessing gives you a broader concept of marriage and the necessity of preparing for an eternal marriage IF YOU AND YOUR PARTNER HAVE AS AN ETERNAL GOAL TO ACHIEVE AND ETERNAL FAMILY THEN DIVORCE IS NOT EVEN AN OPTION NOR EVEN THOUGHT OF.

IF YOU HAVE NO WIFE YOU'LL HAVE NO ETERNAL LIFE.