My hair is a wreck and I’m wearing a too-big shirt that’s a hand-me-down from Ben’s eldest brother which I don’t even know how I acquired, and there’s entirely too much white in this picture but I don’t even care.
My Personal Progress books came today!! \o/ I’m downright giddy.
Let the concrete tracking of progress BEGIN.
I got a Deseret Book catalog in the mail this week.
It made me feel some weird kind of Mormon pride. I don’t even know how I got on the mailing list but it’s awesome. I’m so excited about it. <3
Patriarchal Blessing
I got my patriarchal blessing on Wednesday. It was one of the most amazing things that I have ever experienced. I could never have imagined some of the things it contains, but I know that they can be my reality if I stay faithful. It blows my mind. It answered so many questions and mentioned so many things I never expected. My head was reeling when we left the patriarch’s house. I am so grateful for this experience and for the fact that I got to share it with Ben.
After you receive your blessing (for those of you who don’t know and/or haven’t received a patriarchal blessing), you receive a copy of the transcript of the blessing in the mail. (Another is sent to Salt Lake for records/safekeeping so that you can request another copy if something happens to yours.) This should take about a week.
As soon as my blessing was over I was anxious for the transcript to arrive because I wanted to review every detail. However, I’m leaving town tomorrow. I’ll be three hours south of home for three whole weeks spending Christmas with Ben and his family. I’m really excited about it, but I’ve been bummed that I won’t get my blessing until I get back in January.
Today I went to check my mail before I leave, in case one of the packages my mom sent me (more things that have to wait until January :/) miraculously arrived early. AND MY BLESSING WAS IN MY MAILBOX!!! I literally screamed when I saw the church envelope. I was not expecting that at all. [It arrived a mere three days after I visited the stake patriarch, for those of you keeping track at home.]
As I was reading it, it dawned on me how extremely blessed I am. The things it says about me personally… I never would have spoken so highly of myself. And as for the things it says about my future… I’ve got a lot to work toward and so much to look forward to. I’m kind of in a rough transitional period in my life right now and this was exactly what I needed. On the day of my blessing I was a little worried that I wasn’t ready. I was so grateful when the patriarch said he knew I was going to have an especially good blessing. He was far beyond correct. I know that by following the subtle (and some not so subtle) promptings of the Spirit, I got my patriarchal blessing exactly when I was meant to receive it. I know by its contents and by the Spirit that I’ve felt when receiving and reviewing my patriarchal blessing that it is truly from the Lord. Patriarchal blessings are truly gifts and I know that they give true and personal guidance for our lives if we follow them and stay on the path of righteousness. I leave this testimony with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
