*****, by the power of the holy Melchizedek Priesthood which I hold and as Patriarch in the _____ Stake, I lay my hands upon your head and give you a patriarchal blessing. You have sought this blessing as a guide and help as you continue on in your progress toward exaltation. You have been given a period of time here upon the earth where you can experience mortality and repent of those mistakes you will make, that you might prepare yourself for exaltation in the Kingdom of God. I counsel you to read this blessing often and determine how it might help you as you face the challenges that come your way as you go through life. This is a special blessing for you from your Father in Heaven given through a patriarch that you might be able to know His will concerning you. You should know that He loves you personally and is concerned about your progress here upon the earth. He has promised you, through covenants that you have made with Him, that He will help and guide you and give you the strength that you need to go from day to day.

Remember the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ that He made in order for you to repent and keep your life true and strong and straight. Remember Him in the things that you do and the life that He lived as an example for you to follow. You have been faithful to this point in your life in keeping the covenants that you made at baptism and you have determined that you want to continue serving Him by teaching and preaching the gospel to those of the world who are seeking the truth. I bless you at this time with the ability to continue in that quest and to be able to prepare yourself for this great experience. Know, *****, that you will be strengthened and helped and you will be the recipient of many blessings as you fulfill this assignment. You will be able to gain a stronger testimony of your own where you can know for a surety that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that prophets are amongst us today. This is the knowledge that you will take to those who are seeking. Be sure that you live your life in a manner exemplary to others, that you might be found worthy to direct them.

I bless you with health and strength, that you might be able to meet the rigors and challenges of the mission field. Remember that you must be diligent in the work and faithful in keeping the rules of the mission, in order to receive the whisperings and promptings of the Holy Spirit.

As you go through your life, remember that the priesthood and the authority to act in the name of God has been given to you and you should honor this sacred responsibility. Satan spends his entire time trying to convince society that sacred things are no longer important in the eyes of God. He teaches that infidelity, immorality and vulgarity are all acceptable. As you live among the peoples of the world and see the evils about you, I give you a blessing of the power of discernment, that you might be able to recognize right from wrong and that you will have the strength to choose the right. Read the scriptures often and learn the words of the prophets, that you might know the things that you should do. Pattern your life after those who have been faithful and strong in the eyes of the Lord.

Seek friends who are desirous of lifting and helping you live the principles of the gospel. When the time comes to seek an eternal companion, be sure that you are worthy to enter the House of the Lord and seek one who is worthy and willing to take the covenants that are given there which will last throughout eternity. By doing this, you will receive a family which is entitled to the blessings of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This is one of the greatest gifts that the Lord has for you. Read the scriptures often and apply them to your life. Say your prayers daily, that you might keep the lines of communication open between you and your Father in Heaven and He will lead you by the hand and give you utterance to your prayers.

You descend through one of the choice families of the Lord, that of Ephraim, son of Joseph. As a member of this tribe you inherit one of the responsibilities given him to prepare the world in the latter days for the coming of the Messiah. You will see many things happen in your lifetime as Israel is gathered and the world is prepared for this great event. You will be given opportunities in the church to lead and inspire people to be righteous. Take every opportunity that is given you to serve the Lord in these capacities and you will find that it will bring joy and happiness into your own life and that of your family. Follow the example of your parents and your brothers and sisters who are desirous that you follow the Savior. You have a great responsibility as one of the oldest members of your family to set an example for your siblings.

As you prepare yourself to provide for a family through temporal learning, I bless you that you might have the wisdom that you need to make these choices and that you might be successful in finding ways to provide adequately for them. Remember, as you seek this learning, to be sure to keep the spiritual side of your life strong and healthy. Keep your testimony strong and bright and all these other things will come to you.

You have been blessed with a kind and gentle spirit and one who is malleable in the hands of the Lord. Maintain this spirit and always be willing to follow His direction and that of your leaders. Take counsel from your Bishop and Stake President and the prophets that are placed to guide and inspire you. If you are willing to do all these things throughout your life and constantly from day to day strive to improve and work toward your exaltation, you will come forth in the morning of the first resurrection, crowned with honor and glory and blessed with the blessings of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

These blessings I seal upon you at this important time in your life, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen