How can a patriarchal blessing help me?

Prepare Yourself Spiritually

A patriarchal blessing is personal revelation for our lives. It helps us understand our potential and the blessings we can receive if we are faithful. It may contain promises, admonitions, or warnings to guide our lives. It also helps us know that Heavenly Father knows and cares about us personally.

Resources to Help You Prepare

These resources are to help you prepare for the “Learn together” section of the meeting.

Alma 16:16–17; 3 Nephi 17:2–3 (We should prepare our hearts to receive instruction from the Lord)
3 Nephi 20:25–27 (The house of Israel blesses families of the earth)
Doctrine and Covenants 82:10; 130:20–21 (Blessings are conditioned upon obedience)
Henry B. Eyring, “Help Them Aim High,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2012, 60–67
Julie B. Beck, “You Have a Noble Birthright,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2006, 106–8
“About Patriarchal Blessings,” New Era, Mar. 2004, 32–35
“Patriarchal Blessings,” True to the Faith (2004), 111–13
“Face to Face: How can I get comfort from my patriarchal blessing?” (video)

Questions to Ponder before You Teach

If you have received a patriarchal blessing, how has it guided your life? How has it helped you in times of adversity? How has it inspired you?

In what ways can a patriarchal blessing be a guide in the lives of the young women you teach? Why is it important for them to know their lineage in the house of Israel? How can you help them prepare to receive a patriarchal blessing?

What can the young women do to prepare to learn? For example, they could read a talk, watch a video, or study a scripture related to this doctrine.

Teaching in the Savior’s Way

The Savior knows the young women in your class, and He knows who they can become. He finds unique ways to help each of them learn and grow. How can you teach the young women about the Savior’s love for them as you talk about patriarchal blessings?

Meeting Outline

1. Counsel Together and Share Experiences

Led by a member of the class presidency; approximately 5–10 minutes

Lead a discussion about items such as the following:

Our class: Who is missing today? What visits do we need to make? Who should we invite to an upcoming activity? Who needs our help and prayers?
Our responsibilities: What assignments do we need to make? What assignments have we fulfilled? How have we invited others to come unto Christ, and how can we invite others now?
Our lives: Remind the class of the discussion from the last meeting. What experiences have we had with applying what we learned? What experiences have we had in the past few weeks that strengthened our testimonies of the gospel?

If possible, discuss these items beforehand in a class presidency meeting.

2. Learn Together

Led by a leader or teacher or a member of the class; approximately 25–35 minutes

After studying the above resources and following the inspiration of the Spirit, you may select one or more of the activities below to help class members understand the doctrine.

Invite one or more young women to share their experiences receiving a patriarchal blessing (or share your own experience). How have their patriarchal blessings helped them? (Remind the young women that the specific content of patriarchal blessings is sacred and should not be shared.) Cut a copy of the article “About Patriarchal Blessings” into pieces, one for each question and answer. Invite the young women to take turns selecting one piece of the article and sharing the question and answer with the class. What other questions do the young women have?
With the bishop’s permission, invite the stake patriarch to talk to the young women about patriarchal blessings. Encourage the young women to ask any questions they have. As an alternative, you could show the video “Face to Face: How can I get comfort from my patriarchal blessing?”
Ask the young women to write down any questions they have about patriarchal blessings. As a class, look for answers in True to the Faith, pages 111–13.
As a class, read sections of Julie B. Beck’s talk “You Have a Noble Birthright” and President Henry B. Eyring’s comments about his patriarchal blessing in “Help Them Aim High.” After reading each section, invite the young women to write a statement that summarizes what they learn about patriarchal blessings.
Invite the young women to read the scriptures suggested in this outline and share what they feel each scripture teaches about patriarchal blessings.

3. Plan to Act

Led by a member of the class presidency; approximately 5–10 minutes

Ask the young women to discuss any feelings or impressions they had during the meeting. What was meaningful to them? Is there something they can do personally or as a class to apply what they have learned?
Give the young women a few minutes to record what they will do in the coming weeks to act on their impressions. Invite them to share their ideas.
Remind the young women that they will have the opportunity to share their experiences at the beginning of the next meeting.