Brother *****, as a servant of the Lord I place my hands upon your head, and through the authority of the Holy Melchizedek priesthood I give unto you this patriarchal blessing. And we seek inspiration from thee, our Father in Heaven, and ask for thy blessings to be upon *****, that he might understand more fully of thy plan of happiness for him and of the great love which thou hast for him as thy son. We ask a blessing upon him that he might grow in knowledge and in strength and in power, that he might fulfill his mission in life and accomplish those things which will bring great peace and joy within his soul. We also pray that thy spirit will attend him, that he might become an instrument in thy hands to do much good and to help thee to accomplish thy purposes.

*****, you were a faithful and valiant spirit in the premortal existence. Because of this you were privileged to be born upon the earth in the latter days. Before coming to the earth you made special covenants with God that you would serve him and keep his commandments, that you would marry in his holy temple, and that you would rear a family in righteousness. God will help you fulfill these important responsibilities and to receive the wonderful blessings associated with honouring these covenants if you are but willing to put your faith and trust in him. So live worthily so the Holy Spirit can be your guide to prompt and direct you in your actions; you will enjoy those sweet whisperings of peace which will come into your mind and that joy which will come into your heart, and you will advance and grow both spiritually and temporally.

*****, your Father in Heaven knows of the goodness within your soul. You have the power within to do much good and to bring to pass much righteousness. As you seek to serve God and your fellow men you will find a great sense of fulfillment in your life; you will come to know more fully who you are and of the role which you can play in assisting God in blessing the lives of many of his children. Remember that through small things great things can be accomplished. So I bless you that you might be diligent in your efforts to let the spirit guide you in being of service to others, that you might look for opportunities to use your talents and abilities to be a light and source of strength unto those who are in need.

Be humble and prayerful, abounding in good works; seek to do those things which are wholesome and righteous; let your disposition be one of cheerfulness and happiness; and you will become and individual who has no desire to anything which will grieve the spirit or that which is evil in the sight of God. God will bless you abundantly for the intents of your heart and for your faithfulness.

Seek especially to be Christlike in your actions. Be a person of integrity, honest and upright. If you do these things the Holy Ghost will be your companion to direct you in your life; he will teach you and illuminate the pathway which leads to your eternal progression; and he will comfort you in times of need. With the spirit as your guide you will experience increased confidence and have assurance that the pathway you are pursuing is in harmony with the mind and will of God; power will be given unto you from God so you can advance and grow personally, and so you can become an effective servant of the Lord.

I bless you that you might develop the gift charity. As you are kind and share yourself with others, you will feel within a deeper sense of love for God and for those around you, especially family members. Remember that you have been blessed to be born into a goodly home with parents that love you, and with a family which is striving to live in accordance with God's will. Be a good family member yourself; seek to build relationships of trust and bonds of friendship; offer assistance and contribute when needed so you together can be an eternal family unit. Through your family experiences and particularly through the example of your parents you will have many of the important teachings and resources so you can raise a family of your own; and if you make a dedicated effort you will be blessed to bring a spirit of love and peace and of the temple into your home. In your home there will be family prayers and scriptures study; there will be kindness and a spirit of sharing. Your children will grow up in an environment of righteousness and with a desire to serve the Lord; they will honour and respect you and call you blessed because of your faithfulness and love for them and the gospel.

*****, seek to make the temple an important part of your life, for there you will be privileged to make sacred covenants with God, opening doors towards your eternal progression. Choose with wisdom and love a companion who will be worthy to attend the temple with you so you can be sealed together in the manner prescribed by the Lord. Speak kindly to each other and foster a spirit of love and harmony in your relationship; you will come to enjoy a rich companionship not only during this mortal existence, but also through the eternities, even to be blessed with eternal increase. Through your faithfulness you will be privileged to rise in the morning of the first resurrection, to return back to live in the presence of God and to receive that mansion which is prepared for you and your family.

Continue to strive to build upon that testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel which has been given unto you as a gift from God and which abides within your soul. Nourish this testimony; learn more about God and his ways. As you seek to make the Savior your anchor and follow his teachings, this will be as if it were a fountain of living water springing up in your soul; you will be blessed to taste the delicious fruits of the gospel, and you have a great desire within your soul to share these with others. So I bless you with a missionary spirit, that you might share your feelings and testimony with others, even to bear testimony of the truths of the gospel with the spirit as your guide, to be an instrument in the hands of God in helping to bring souls unto Christ. Serve faithfully with an eye single to the glory of God, and you will find joy in the service of the Lord in this important and sacred labour of love.

Remember to fill your mind with good and wholesome thoughts. Seek learning by study and also by faith. God will impart unto you added knowledge and wisdom as you seek learning from good books. Read and ponder the scriptures and make them a part of your life. The Book of Mormon will become especially meaningful in your life. You will draw strength from the experiences of the prophets and their writings; seek to emulate those attributes which made them truly great, and in particular those attributes associated with being Christlike.

You will find joy within your soul as you develop a love for the beautiful and good things of the earth, of those things which are refining and uplifting, including music and other things which will bring a balance to your life. As you seek learning and become involved in the many activities of life, remember to balance the secular with the spiritual; let your attitude be one of gratitude and let the affections of you heart be placed upon the Lord.

You are entitled to partake of those wonderful blessings as one who is of the household of Israel, for you are of the choice lineage of Ephraim. You will have an important role to play in exercising the priesthood; you will become a pillar of strength among the priesthood of God as you faithfully serve and assist the Lord in establishing his kingdom, even to help in the building and strengthening of Zion and in helping others to receive blessings associated with ordinances eternal in nature.

*****, your Father in Heaven desires me to express to you again of the great love which he has for you. He promises to bless you if you are willing to stay close unto Him. So remember to say your prayers on a regular basis. Pour out your soul unto him in humility and sincerity; express your appreciation, and ask in faith for those things which you are in need of which are expedient for you, and he will hear and answer your prayers. You will also be blessed as you seek for inspiration and guidance in fulfilling your callings and responsibilities in the church, and in helping to fulfill your responsibilities as a good citizen and community member.

Now I bless you with those things which are needful so you can accomplish your mission in life, so you might enjoy that happiness which God has ordained for you. I bless you with power against the adversary that you might overcome evil, and with discernment that you might detect those things which are not of God. I bless you that you might overcome obstacles which stand in the way of your eternal progression; that you might grow in spiritual insight and wisdom.

These blessings and others which God has in store for you will be given unto you and upon your family in accordance with your obedience and diligence, and through your faithfulness in honouring those covenants which you make with him.

May God's choice blessings be upon you. May you always remember who you are, and then act accordingly. You are a son of God, of divine nature, with eternal potential, with power within your soul to do much good and to bless the lives of many.

These blessings I pronounce upon you, and I do so in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.