Our dear brother, *****, I lay my hands upon your head as an ordained patriarch in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to give you a patriarchal blessing at your request.

Brother *****, you are a descendant of Joseph through the loins of his son Ephraim. The children of Ephraim have a prominent role in the church. Ephraim holds the birthright in the House of Israel, and as such, has responsibility for gathering out his brothers and sisters from the far corners of the earth. It is to the children of Ephraim that the Lost Tribes of Israel will bring forth offerings in righteousness, and undoubtedly will receive at the hand of Ephraim the saving and eternal blessings of the temple.

It is important that you prepare yourself for the day when you can enter the temple of the Lord and receive your own endowment. The temple will be a special place in your life, Brother *****. You will have to work to visit the temple. Nevertheless, as you visit, your heart will be turned to your ancestors and your desire to understand the contributions that your ancestors made in the communities where they lived will become important. You will find as you search out your ancestors that there will be many special experiences wherein records will be made known to you and information made known to you that was seemingly hidden or difficult to find. You will bear testimony of the influence of your ancestors in your own life in doing this work. You should know that they are looking out for your well-being and anxious for you to do this work.

Brother *****, you have a growing testimony of the gospel. You are anxious to stay close to the Lord and to receive his inspiration and direction. The blessing you seek come only through the righteous principles of the priesthood, through patience and long-suffering, through valiant efforts, courageous acts, and faithfulness in serving Him and your fellowman. In your studies there will be times when you will be challenged and your testimony tested. You will be blessed if you seek the counsel of your priesthood leaders. They will listen as you converse with them about your feelings and how you see it. Know that they will offer wise and just counsel, for in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we pursue the truth of all things. We do not fear the truth; in fact we seek it out. As you receive counsel from wise priesthood leaders, remember that you may put it to the test to ask the Lord to confirm it in your heart, and thus your testimony will grow. Your mind will be cleared of the theories of man and you will know the truth of all things.

You will be blessed in your efforts in college. Your exploration of the topics of your chosen field will be extensive and you will be recognized for your efforts. In some cases you will have overcome great difficulties but you will be satisfied with your efforts and your preparation. Do not hesitate to defend the church and your testimony. Because of it you will form friends and associations that will last throughout your life. You will draw others close to the Gospel and they will find their way into the church. And others will simply be your friends and become friends of the church because of your example.

Now Brother *****, you will be blessed with health and strength in your efforts. Do not fail to keep your body healthy and strong, for in the last days you will be called upon to use its strength in the defense and for the well-being of your family.

You will be blessed in finding a companion equally yoked and desirous to serve the Lord similar to your own feelings. As you prepare for a mission, seek the counsel and the direction of the Lord. The Book of Mormon offers the greatest explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You will be tempted in your studies, in your personal examination of the gospel, to explore some of its mysteries, things that we do not know. But always return to the principles of faith and repentance, for these are the principles, they key efforts that the Savior spoke of, and in fact, which affect our lives most profoundly. The knowledge of facts and other things will not bring as much joy to your life as the exercise of faith in behalf of yourself and your family and others in the church.

Now Brother *****, in your efforts to serve the Lord, remember to serve your fellowmen in the community in which you reside. By reaching out to them and being involved, you can influence them for good and righteousness. Remember that in the last days the great powers of Satan will be loosed upon the children of men and you will be called upon to distinguish the principles and actions of the Gospel and the imitation of righteousness by Satan. Seek to guide others in righteous principles and they will gather to you in leadership and look forward to the example of your leadership and influence in their lives.

Now Brother *****, you will be called to preside in the priesthood. You will be called to serve with many great leaders who will be an example for your leadership as a presiding officer. As you preside, remember that this is the Lord's church and it is important to follow his directions and not that which we have learned from the outside world. I admonish you to walk in the bright light of the gospel at all times, to avoid the shadows where there are objects over which you can stumble.

These blessings I seal upon you through your faithfulness to the commandments of God. This I do through the power of the office of the Melchizedek Priesthood and the holy name of Jesus Christ. Amen.