-- 1836: 15 December
[Patriarchal Blessings] Lorenzo Snow. (Given by Joseph Smith, Sen.)
"Brother Snow, in the name of Jesus Christ and by the authority of the Holy Priesthood I lay my hands upon thy head and give thee a Father's blessing.
I ask God to have mercy upon thee, who art but a youth. Thou hast been diligent in thy application to learning. God has looked upon thee from all eternity and has been bountiful in gifts; has given thee intelligence, talent and great faculties of mind that thou mightest be useful in His cause. Thou hast a great work to perform. God has called thee to the Ministry; Thou must preach the Gospel unto the inhabitants of the earth. Thou shalt become a Mighty man. Thou shalt have great faith, even like the brother of Jared. Thou shalt have power to translate thyself from one planet to another; and power to go to the moon if thou so desire; power to preach to the spirits in prison; power to rend the veil and see Jesus Christ at the right hand of the Father; power, like Enoch, to translate thyself to heaven,--there shall not be a Mightier man on earth than thou; thy faith shall increase and grow stronger, till it shall become like Peter's:--thy shadow shall restore the Sick; the diseased shall send to thee their aprons and handkershiefs and by thy touch their owners shall be made whole. Thou shall have power over unclean spirits; at thy command, the powers of darkness and devils shall flee away.
If expedient the dead shall rise and come forth at thy bidding, even those who have long slept in the dust. Thou shalt have long life; live to the age of Moses yet not be old; age shall not come upon thee; the vigor of thy mind shall not be abated and the vigor of thy body shall be preserved. Thou shalt have power to stand in the flesh and see Jesus come in the clouds. No power shall be able to take thy life so long as thy life shall be useful to the children of men. Thou shalt preach the Gospel so long as there is an ear to hear or a heart to believe. Thou must open thy mouth and the Lord will fill it with arguments. Thy voice shall cause the earth to tremble. Thou must pray for thy kindred and be diligent and they shall all receive a celestial glory.
Thou art of the seed and lineage of Abraham, through the loins of Joseph and Ephraim and thou art entitled to the Priesthood. God will give thee a companion of thy hearts desire and thou shalt have posterity. Thy sons shall be large and mighty men, even large in stature. Thou shalt sit in counsel with the hundred and forty-four thousand, and be able to sing the song.
This is thy blessing and in the name of Jesus Christ, I seal it upon thy head, and by the authority of the Holy Priesthood I seal thee up to eternal life. Amen and amen." (From typescript; Ms 1330, LDS Archives.) [Age, 22; Scribe, ?] (1)
-- Apr 3, 1837
Lorenzo Snow: Ordained elder before 3 April 1837 by Alva Beman. (2)
Endnotes:
1 - Selected LDS Patriarchal Blessings, New Mormon Studies CD ROM, Signature Book, 2009, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
2 - Cook, Lyndon W., The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith: A Historical and Biographical Commentary of the Doctrine and Covenants, Seventy's Mission Bookstore, Provo UT, 1985, http://amzn.to/RevelationsofJosephSmith
LDS History Chronology: Lorenzo Snow
Mormon History Timeline: the life of Lorenzo Snow
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
