Patriarchal Blessing of Stuart Alma McDonald (March 26, 1972)THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
Little Cottonwood Stake No. 47 Date: March 26, 1972 Murray, Utah
A BLESSING given by Don M. McMillan, Patriarch, upon the head of Stuart Alma McDonald, son of Russell Thomas McDonald (father) and Marjorie Tate McDonald (mother), born July 25, 1955 at Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah.
Brother Stuart Alma McDonald, as an ordained patriarch in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and by the authority of the Holy Melchezidek Priesthood I place my hands upon your head and give unto you your patriarchal blessing that it might be a guide and an influence for good in your life here upon the earth and throughout the eternities.
You are a choice spiritual child of our Heavenly Father, and because of your faithfulness you have been privileged to come into a home where the spirit of the gospel dwells, where you have been taught the principles of truth. It is important that you remember these principles. Make them a part of your life, for they are essential to our attaining exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom of God.
You have been reserved by your Heavenly Father to come to the earth at this particular time when the gospel is here in its fulness that you might be an instrument in His hands in fulfilling His work in establishing the Kingdom of God here upon the earth.
You are of the lineage of Ephraim in the household of faith and are entitled to receive those blessings promised through the patriarchs and the prophets of old. You have the responsibility of leadership to lead by example, to let your light so shine that others, seeing your good works, will want to follow in your footsteps.
You shall have the opportunity to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ. I bless your mind that it will be receptive to truth, that as you attain to a testimony of truth you will have the power to discern between truth and error and that you shall be able to retain those things of a temporal and a spiritual nature which will be of importance to you.
I bless your mind that it will be receptive to knowledge pertaining to the things of the world which will be helpful to you as you are establishing yourself in a life's profession, that you shall have the ability to attain to righteous goals as you work out your educational opportunities as they are given to you.
Exercise the principle of prayer and always be humble before the Lord. As you are called to teach our Heavenly Father's children it will be necessary for you to live closely the commandments given to us by our Heavenly Father. Inasmuch as Satan is anxious to destroy the work of our Heavenly Father I seal you up that he shall not have power to overcome you but that you shall have the power to resist as temptations come into your life. In order to do this it is necessary that you exercise the principle of prayer.
You shall be called by those in authority to positions of responsibility and trust within the organizations of the church. You shall be called to go into the world to teach the principles of the gospel to those spiritual children of our Heavenly Father who are waiting to hear the truth. The Lord is mindful of the many problems and responsibilities which you will have and he will see to it that you will have the ability to take care of any assignment which may come to you if you will but live according to His way of life.
I bless you that you shall have physical strength, that you shall always be mentally alert and that you shall receive spiritual awakening in your life through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. You will be called to be in leadership positions, especially among the young people of the church. Be sure that you teach them by precept and example.
You shall have the opportunity of going into the house of the Lord, there to take upon yourself the blessings of the gospel in its fulness. In due time you shall choose a companion, one who will be worthy, along with you, to receive the blessings of the marriage covenant in the House of the Lord. You shall have the responsibility of bringing children into the world. Remember that these are choice spiritual children of our Heavenly Father and they need to be taught these same principles which you have been taught.
You shall have the ability to reach into the hearts and the minds of those with whom you associate and to be an influence for good in their lives. You shall also be an influence for good in the lives of those of your family. Remember that this is your responsibility, to show them the proper way of living.
You shall have the opportunity of coming forth in the morning of the first resurrection to be crowned with glory and to be among those other children of our Heavenly Father who have been promised this blessing. These blessings can be yours, Stuart, if you are true and faithful to the covenants which you have made with your Heavenly Father in the waters of baptism and to those which you will make with him in the future. This blessing is sealed by the power of the Holy Priesthood and according to your faithfulness, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Don M. McMillan, Patriarch