She's Back.....

Ashley arrived home safely after going from coast to coast, literally, in less than a week. She returned from her trip to Washington, DC at 11:30pm on Monday night. I met her in the parking lot with her camp bag and a sack lunch for the next day. She headed home with her bestie, Keely, so that her family could get the girls to the north stake center before 6am. Talk about T...I...R...E...D. But when you're 14, you have the stamina and where withall of a young ox. Or is it oxess? I thought girls' camp was only four days long and she would catch up on sleep on Saturday. I got a call on Wednesday telling me that she wouldn't be home till Saturday afternoon. Oh well. It was all good since I didn't have to go pick her up in Ellensburg, our house was quieter, and she was having a great time with great people.

She's starting high school in a few weeks and I want her to be ready for all the fun and growth that is coming her way. She's a gifted student that is every teacher's dream. But life is getting more and more base by the day and it really does feel like you send your kids off to a den of iniquity called school. I like to think that I'm less of a sheltered parent as I was as a child, but what I see only makes me want to resist the world's influence and control on my kids even more. It has nothing to do with preventing their participation or involvement in traditional activities, but more of giving them some extra tools they will need to get through their challenges with their innocence and respect intact.

And as parents, you want to arm your child with every possible protection against the garbage and evil that has circumvented every aspect of our lives. The Lord also desires this for His children and has prepared others with spiritual gifts to help us get through this world successfully, and spiritually intact. The heavens are not sealed, we should cherish the opportunity to receive a special priesthood blessing, given only once in a person's lifetime, by one chosen and ordained by priesthood authority. Those blessings are called Patriarchal Blessings.

The scriptures refers to many of the priesthood leaders by their titles. Prophets, priests, evangelists, apostles. They all have roles to play in the kingdom. The Prophet Joseph Smith said: “An Evangelist is a Patriarch. … Wherever the Church of Christ is established in the earth, there should be a Patriarch for the benefit of the posterity of the Saints, as it was with Jacob in giving his patriarchal blessing unto his sons.” The father is a patriarch to his family and can and should give father’s blessings to his children. The scriptures speak of three kinds of patriarchs: fathers of families, the prophet leaders of ancient times, and the stake patriarch, an ordained office in the Melchizedek Priesthood.

"Until a few years ago, every stake patriarch was called and ordained by a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. When the number of stakes increased, this responsibility was delegated to the stake president.Like the other offices in the Melchizedek Priesthood—elders, high priests, Seventies, and Apostles—the stake patriarch is ordained rather than set apart.The stake president submits a name to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Each name is carefully and prayerfully considered. Once approved, the patriarch is sustained in stake conference, then ordained. He then, with prophetic insights, will pronounce blessings upon the heads of those who come recommended by the bishop of their ward." Elder Boyd K. Packer, Quorum of the 12 Apostles http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2002/10/the-stake-patriarch?lang=eng

A patriarchal blessing is the only priesthood blessing that we are given that is recorded, transcribed, and kept as a treasure and document for us to refer back to throughout our life. Elder Packer, referring to receiving his own patriarchal blessing, stated: " I did not know then, as I know now, that a patriarch has prophetic insight, that his blessing would be more than a guide to me. It has been a shield and a protection."

Getting her blessing has been on her mind for several months now. And after the storm of life settled down, she decided to set a goal and a date to get one. Three weeks ago she met with the bishop to get her recommend to go and we made the appointment. And then waited until today. After a fantastic steak dinner, we headed over to Patriarch Ogezawalla's house in Liberty Lake. He interviewed her for a few minutes before we were also invited to join her in the front room to start. He laid his hands on her head and gave her a beautiful blessing, declaring her lineage and birthright. He outlined some of the great experiences that will come to her through her faithfulness and obedience...namely, an advanced education at a university--of which, she will use throughout her lifetime, an opportunity to be a missionary--called and otherwise, leadership positions in numerous presidencies with the youth and sisters, eternal marriage to a companion of her choice, doing a great service in her family history endeavors and work; amongst numerous other promises. She was oft reminded that she need to be loving and kind to everyone.

"These sacred blessings also strengthen the personal testimonies of those worthy persons who are the recipients of such blessings, provided those recipients live so as to merit the blessings pronounced therein. A patriarchal blessing is a very unique and remarkable privilege that can come to the faithful members of the Church having sufficient maturity to understand the nature and the importance of such blessings. These privileged blessings are a powerful witness of the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ in bringing exaltation to each of us.
Like many blessings, they must be requested by the person or by the family of the one desiring the blessing. The responsibility for a patriarchal blessing rests primarily upon the individual and family.Our testimonies can be strengthened and fortified and our lives given greater purpose every time we read and reread our patriarchal blessings. By their very nature, all blessings are qualified and conditional, regardless of whether the blessing specifically spells out the qualification or not. Each blessing is absolutely qualified and given upon the condition of the faithfulness of the recipient of the blessing." Elder James E. Faust http://speeches.byu.edu/reader/reader.php?id=6757

Jeff put his arm around me when her wonderful parents were mentioned in the blessing. In our conversation together, the patriarch said to us many times that she is a very sweet and good girl. It was definitely a choice experience to sit in on and be reminded what a powerful and elect individual Ashley is. In her interview with the bishop, he said something to her that stuck with her, about her future leadership roles. He pre-empted his comments by saying he didn't know why he was telling her this. She chuckled when the same comment was made in the patriarch in the blessing today. She had her eyes opened to how the Lord personally knows our strengths and abilities, where they will be best suited. And if we give ourselves up to Him, we will see His hand helping to shape of our lives, into a greater masterpiece then what we could have done on our own.

After we shared those sweet moments together...I knew she realized that her spiritual eyes are opening to the future of righteous possibilities. And as her mother, I reiterate what President Monson said:

Patriarchal blessings are received as our personal scripture to navigate a righteous course through our own lives. It's a reminder that we aren't earthly beings having a spiritual experience...but are spiritual beings having an earthly experience.