If you’re Mormon, did you know that you can request to receive copies of your ancestors’ patriarchal blessings from lds.org? In January the Church announced that a new online tool for requesting and reading patriarchal blessings was available to all members of the Church. Not only can you now request your own (should you have misplaced it), but you can request the patriarchal blessings of any of your deceased direct relatives.
If you’re not Mormon, a patriarchal blessing is a special blessing given by an authorized and set apart patriarch. This blessing is different from standard LDS priesthood blessings in that it’s given only once and includes both personal counsel from the Lord concerning your life and a declaration of your lineage from the House of Israel. Mormons who receive these special blessings are advised to only share them with others when they feel moved upon by the Spirit of God, as these blessings are highly personal and often sensitive. It’s very common for actively practicing Mormons to receive these blessings at an early age. I received mine when I was 18, just a few weeks before I entered university.
When I saw the announcement of the new tool, I immediately began requesting patriarchal blessings from as many of my maternal ancestors as possible. With each blessing I received, I was found insight into my family members’ lives that I otherwise would not have ever known. Among other things, I learned that my great-great-grandmother in Sweden was afflicted with an unknown illness that was serious enough to deserve mention in her blessing. Another great grandmother was told that she would be a leader of women in her lifetime. Many of these blessings on my grandma’s side were given by the same patriarch in Cowley, WY, meaning that they lived in close physical proximity. All very interesting stuff.
If you’re a member of my Olson family that would like a transcribed (and even translated) copy of these blessings, please let me know. I would be very happy to share these so that everyone in our family can come to know the members of our family that have passed on.