How can Joseph's trial help you in your times of trial?
"20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive." (Genesis 50:20)
"19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: foramI in the place of God?
20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them." (Genesis 50:19–21)
"The word of the Lord to Joseph Smith the Prophet, while a prisoner in the jail at Liberty, Missouri. This section is an excerpt from an epistle to the Church written around March 22, 1839.
1–4, The ends of the earth will inquire after the name of Joseph Smith; 5–7, All his perils and travails will give him experience and be for his good; 8–9, The Son of Man has descended below them all.
1 The ends of the earth shall inquire after thy name, and fools shall have thee in derision, and hell shall rage against thee;
2 While the pure in heart, and the wise, and the noble, and the virtuous, shall seek counsel, and authority, and blessings constantly from under thy hand.
3 And thy people shall never be turned against thee by the testimony of traitors.
4 And although their influence shall cast thee into trouble, and into bars and walls, thou shalt be had in honor; and but for a small moment and thy voice shall be more terrible in the midst of thine enemies than the fierce lion, because of thy righteousness; and thy God shall stand by thee forever and ever.
5 If thou art called to pass through tribulation; if thou art in perils among false brethren; if thou art in perils among robbers; if thou art in perils by land or by sea;
6 If thou art accused with all manner of false accusations; if thine enemies fall upon thee; if they tear thee from the society of thy father and mother and brethren and sisters; and if with a drawn sword thine enemies tear thee from the bosom of thy wife, and of thine offspring, and thine elder son, although but six years of age, shall cling to thy garments, and shall say, My father, my father, why can’t you stay with us? O, my father, what are the men going to do with you? and if then he shall be thrust from thee by the sword, and thou be dragged to prison, and thine enemies prowl around thee like wolves for the blood of the lamb;
7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.
8 The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?
9 Therefore, hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee; for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever." (Doctrine and Covenants 122)
And here's the commentary entitled: "God can help me find meaning in my trials." :
"Though it may not have been clear while he was going through it, Joseph was eventually able to look back on his adversity in Egypt and see that “God meant it unto good” (Genesis 50:20). If you could have visited Joseph while he was in the pit or in prison, how would you have comforted him? How can Genesis 50:19–21 help you in your times of trial?
As I remember how Joseph kept his faith as he faced his trial, it will help strengthen my own faith in my times of trial. God will help me find meaning in my trials just as He helped Joseph. Everything is happening for a purpose under God's divine plan. Despite the setbacks, Joseph prospered because God was with Him. If God is with me, who can be against me? Everything is happening for my own good when I am choosing to keep my faith, no matter what, as Joseph did.
What words and phrases in your patriarchal blessing turn your thoughts to Jesus Christ?
"22 ¶ Josephisa fruitfulbough,evena fruitful bough by a well;whosebranchesrunover the wall:
23 The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:
24 But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thenceis the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)
25 Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:
26 Theblessingsof thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto theutmostbound of the everlastinghills: they shall be on the head ofJoseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren." (Genesis 49:22–26)
"12 Behold, I say unto you, that the house of Israel was compared unto an olive tree, by the Spirit of the Lord which was in our father; and behold are we not broken off from the house of Israel, and are we not a branch of the house of Israel?" (1 Nephi 15:12)
"4 For behold, thou art the fruit of my loins; and I am a descendant ofJosephwho was carriedcaptiveinto Egypt. And great were thecovenantsof the Lord which he made unto Joseph.
5 Wherefore, Joseph truly saw our day. And he obtained a promise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of his loins the Lord God would raise up a righteousbranch unto the house of Israel; not the Messiah, but a branch which was to be broken off, nevertheless, to be remembered in the covenants of the Lord that the Messiah should be made manifest unto them in the latter days, in the spirit of power, unto the bringing of them out of darkness unto light—yea, out of hidden darkness and out of captivity unto freedom." (2 Nephi 3:4–5)
"25 Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph." (Jacob 2:25)
"44 Wherefore, I am in your midst, and I am the goodshepherd, and the stone of Israel. He that buildeth upon this rock shall never fall." (Doctrine and Covenants 50:44)
"8 ¶ Judah, thouart hewhom thy brethren shallpraise: thy handshall bein theneckof thine enemies; thy father’s children shallbowdown before thee.
9 Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?
10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
11 Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:
12 His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk." (Genesis 49:8–12)
"5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;" (Revelation 5:5–6, 9)
"14 And at that day shall the remnant of ourseedknowthat they are of the house of Israel, and that they are thecovenantpeople of the Lord; and then shall they know andcometo theknowledgeof their forefathers, and also to the knowledge of the gospel of their Redeemer, which was ministered unto their fathers by him; wherefore, they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer and the very points of his doctrine, that they may know how to come unto him and be saved.
15 And then at that day will they not rejoice and give praise unto their everlasting God, their rock and their salvation? Yea, at that day, will they not receive the strength and nourishment from the true vine? Yea, will they not come unto the true fold of God?" (1 Nephi 15:14–15)
"59 For the Lord shall be in their midst, and his glory shall be upon them, and he will be their king and their lawgiver." (Doctrine and Covenants 45:59)
"46 And it shall be said:Whois this that cometh down from God in heaven with dyedgarments; yea, from the regions which are not known, clothed in his glorious apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength?
47 And he shall say: I am he who spake in righteousness, mighty to save.
48 And the Lord shall be red in his apparel, and his garments like him that treadeth in the wine-vat.
49 And so great shall be the glory of his presence that the sun shall hide his face in shame, and the moon shall withhold its light, and the stars shall be hurled from their places.
50 And his voice shall be heard: I have trodden the wine-press alone, and have brought judgment upon all people; and none were with me;" (Doctrine and Covenants 133:46–50)
"My patriarchal blessing helped me understand my true eternal identity—who I really was and who I could become.
I was raised by wonderful parents who loved and faithfully taught us, their children, the gospel. Sadly, my beloved parents struggled in their marriage for years. I was a Primary child when I was told that they would likely divorce someday and my siblings and I would need to choose which parent to live with. As a result, for years I experienced significant anxiety; however, a gift from my Heavenly Father ultimately helped change everything for me—my patriarchal blessing.
At age 11, increasingly worried about my parents’ relationship, I deeply desired my patriarchal blessing. I knew that my Heavenly Father knew me perfectly and knew my specific circumstances. And I also knew I would receive direction from Him. Immediately after my 12th birthday, I received my patriarchal blessing. That was more than half a century ago, but I vividly remember the details of that sacred experience.
Gratefully, we have inspired direction about patriarchal blessings in the Church’s General Handbook:
“Every worthy, baptized member is entitled to receive a patriarchal blessing, which provides inspired direction from Heavenly Father.”
A member should be “mature enough to understand the significance and sacred nature of the blessing” and “understand the basic doctrine of the gospel.”
“Ideally the member should be young enough that many important decisions in life are still ahead. … Priesthood leaders should not establish a minimum age for a member to receive a patriarchal blessing. …
“Each patriarchal blessing is sacred, confidential, and personal. …
“A person who receives a patriarchal blessing should treasure its words, ponder them, and live to be worthy to receive the promised blessings in this life and in eternity.”
Our beloved President Russell M. Nelson has repeatedly taught about the importance of a patriarchal blessing, that it gives each recipient “a declaration of lineage back to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” and that each blessing “is personal scripture to you.”
My patriarchal blessing was critically important to me when I was young for numerous reasons. First, through the power of the Holy Ghost, my patriarchal blessing helped me understand my true eternal identity—who I really was and who I could become. It helped me know, as President Nelson has taught, that I was “a son of God,” “a [child] of the covenant,” and “a disciple of Jesus Christ.” I knew that I was known and loved by my Heavenly Father and my Savior and that They were personally involved in my life. This helped me desire to draw closer to Them and increase my faith and trust in Them.
A dear friend who joined the Church as a young adult shared: “When the patriarch placed his hands on my head and spoke my name, everything changed, … not just then but for the rest of my life. I immediately sensed that—through the power by which he spoke—I was known intimately and deeply. The words he spoke penetrated my entire being. I knew that Heavenly Father knew me, inside and out.”
Knowing who I really was helped me understand and desire to do what God expected of me.
This led me to study the covenants I had made and the promised blessings in God’s covenant with Abraham. It gave me an eternal perspective that inspired me to more fully keep my covenants.
I studied my patriarchal blessing frequently and, as a youth, often daily, which helped me feel the comforting, guiding influence of the Holy Ghost, who helped reduce my anxiety as I followed His promptings. This increased my desire to actively invite light, truth, and the Holy Ghost by studying my scriptures and praying daily and trying to more diligently study and follow the teachings of God’s prophet and apostles. My patriarchal blessing also helped me desire to be more submissive to the will of my Heavenly Father, and that focus helped me experience great joy, despite my personal circumstances.
I received spiritual strength each time I studied my patriarchal blessing. When my parents finally did divorce, my patriarchal blessing, as President Thomas S. Monson taught, had for me become “a precious and priceless personal treasure,” even “a personal Liahona.”
Now, please don’t misunderstand. I wasn’t perfect. I made all sorts of mistakes. My eternal companion would confirm that I still do. But my patriarchal blessing helped me and continues to help me desire to do better and be better. Frequently studying my patriarchal blessing increased my desire to withstand temptation. It helped me have the desire and courage to repent, and repentance increasingly became a joyful process.
It was vital for me to receive my patriarchal blessing while I was young and while my testimony was still growing. And I am forever grateful that my parents and bishop understood that my desire indicated I was ready.
When I was 12, the world was far less confusing and distracting than the world today. President Nelson has described today as “a most complicated time in the history of the world,” a world that is “sin-saturated” and “self-centered.” Fortunately our youth today are much more mature than I was at 12, and they too have critically important decisions to make while they are young! They also need to know who they really are and that God loves them and is perfectly aware of them!
Not everyone will desire their patriarchal blessing when I did. But I pray that members who have not yet received their patriarchal blessing will prayerfully seek to know when they are ready. I promise that if you prepare spiritually, your experience, like mine, will be sacred to you. I also pray that those who have already received their patriarchal blessing will study it and treasure it. Cherishing my patriarchal blessing while I was young blessed me with courage when I was discouraged, comfort when I was fearful, peace when I felt anxious, hope when I felt hopeless, and joy when I needed it most. My patriarchal blessing helped increase my faith and trust in my Heavenly Father and my Savior. It also increased my love for Them—and it still does.
I testify that patriarchal blessings do provide inspired direction from Heavenly Father. I bear my witness of the living reality of our Father in Heaven and His Son—our Savior, Jesus Christ—who know us, love us, and desire to bless us. I also know with certainty that President Russell M. Nelson is God’s prophet on the earth today. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen." (Your Patriarchal Blessing—Inspired Direction from Heavenly Father By Elder Randall K. Bennett Of the Seventy)
And here's the commentary entitled: "Jacob gave his family prophetic blessings." :
"Jacob’s blessings to his posterity contain vivid imagery, but they aren’t easy to understand. Thankfully, the restored gospel gives us some help. When you read the blessing to Joseph in Genesis 49:22–26, read the following verses too, and see what insights they provide: 1 Nephi 15:12; 2 Nephi 3:4–5; Jacob 2:25; Doctrine and Covenants 50:44.
Reading these blessings might inspire you to review your patriarchal blessing—or, if you don’t have one, to receive one. What words and phrases in your blessing turn your thoughts to Jesus Christ?
Members can access their patriarchal blessing from the Home section of the Gospel Library app when signed in using their Church Account.
These are the words and phrases that turn my thoughts to Jesus Christ, from just the first paragraph of my patriarchal blessing:
Blessing
Promise
New Life
Eternal Destiny
Firm Observance
Steadfastness
Covenant
Comittment
Duty
Fulfill
Will of God
Please the Lord
Savior
Cheerful Heart
Diligence
Answer the Lord's Calling
Work for the sacred plan
These are the majority of the words in just one whole paragraph! There are 10 paragraphs in my entire patriarchal blessing! Every one of those paragraphs contains words and phrases that I could list here as well. This blog will be very long if I list them all. This means my entire patriarchal blessing actually turns my thoughts to Jesus Christ. Yours is most likely doing the same thing. Our patriarchal blessing is truly a scripture to us, as well.
