[Patriarchal Blessings] Flora Jacobs. (Given by Joseph Smith, Sen.)
"Our father in heaven we stand in thy presence thy eyes are constantly upon us thy Servant feels his weakness & claims assistance look on this thy handmaiden if any sins lurk about her heart forgive her let her Soul be pure let her name stand on thy book of life let her name stand in heaven I pray for thee in the name of Jesus Christ By the authority of the holy Priesthood I lay my hands on thy head and confer on thee a blessing which shall reach thy Posterity I bestow on thee a fathers blessing Thou shalt have power to instruct thy children thou shalt be faithful in the discharge of thy duty for strength shall be given thee thou shalt have power over thy children Power over their hearts and conduct power over them in sickness thou shall have authority to lay thy hands on thy children when the Elders cannot be had and they shall recover diseases shall stand rebuked The Lord will give thee long life thou mayest be afflicted mayest be brought down in sickness yet thou shalt be
able to get up by the power of faith ask God to strengthen thee and make thee faithful in life Thou shalt have a place in a stake of Zion shalt have many Servants & maid servants shalt have the power of God shall see the glory of God thou shalt have the gift of speaking in tongues Shall have the interpretation of tongues Thou shalt do a great work in Zion among the Lamanites shall instruct their daughters in the principles of righteousness and in the principles of domestic life All the righteous desires of thy heart shall be granted thee if thou hast desired to tarry in the flesh to see the winding up scene of this generation that desire shall be given thee if thou hast desired to see thy Savior it shall be granted thee If thou will have faith in God and his promises thou mayest lay down thy life or thou mayest hold it thou mayest have thy choice Thou shalt have a celestial {mansion} Salvation I seal all the blessings of heaven and earth on the [sic] head Thou art a daughte
r of Israel a daughter of Ephraim art of the blood of the Covenant thy children shall be gathered with the house of Joseph this is thy blessing I seal it on thy head It is given thee on conditions of keeping the commandments and the word of wisdom I seal thee up to eternal life Amen." (From typescript; William Smith Patriarchal Blessing Book, pages 177-178, RLDS Archives.) [Age, 24; Scribe, ?] (1)
[Patriarchal Blessings] Hannah Augusta Cheesbro. (Given by Joseph Smith, Sen.)
"Sister--with feeling and in the name of Jesus Christ the Son of God, I lay my hands on thy head and bestow on thee a Father's blessing. I perceive sister that thy heart is sorrowful--thy heart is tender--thou hast knoweth truth and hast obeyed the Gospel. Thy mind at times has been darkened. Thou must humble thyself before God and pray much. The Lord is willing to bless thee and thou shalt be blest. If thou wilt faithfully keep the commandments of God thou shalt be blest more than thou canst conceive. God will send an angel to comfort thee. Thou hast pondered many things in thy heart-
-Let thy heart be comforted--let thy soul lay hold on faith. Thy mind has taken a stretch and hast surveyed many things. Let thy mind expand--let thy soul be enlarged--thou must increase thy faith. Ask great things of God in the sincerity of thy heart and God will give them to thee. I bless thee with a Father's blessing. It is possible that thou mayest have posterity--I do not say that thou wilt. Thou art a daughter of Abraham--art of the covenant--a child of the covenant. The Lord looks upon thee and loves thee--
Thou hast suffered in some things--all losses shall be made up to thee. Let all the doctrines which thou hast learned of mine [half of line unclear]
The angels of heaven shall tell thee of thy heart. Thou shalt be saved with the great family of God. Thou mayest stand when the Saviour comes if thou wishest it--if thou dost desire it in thy heart--no good thing shall be withheld from thee--all the just desires of thy heart shall be given thee. If thou art faithful the heavens shall open to thee and thou shalt look within the vail--for the vail of heaven shall be opened to thee, that thou mayest see--
not one jot of this blessing shall fail--it is given thee on condition of keeping the commandments and 'Word of Wisdom!' I seal it on thy head and I pray my Heavenly Father to seal it in heaven. By the power of the Holy Priesthood I seal thee up to Eternal Life. Amen." (From typescript; P8 f19, RLDS Archives.) [Age, 46; Scribe, ?] (1)
Footnotes:
1 - Selected LDS Patriarchal Blessings, New Mormon Studies CD ROM, Signature Book, 2009, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
LDS History Chronology: the Word of Wisdom
Mormon Timeline: the Word of Wisdom
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
