Soliciting Priesthood Blessings?

[jayanna]

This is an older thread, but I have found it very interesting, recently my hubby told me that the church leadership, through the area seventy, SP, and on down to him, as expressed an urge to exercise priesthood by giving blessings more. They have been told in their meetings that there is a lack, maybe just in this region, of giving blessing where they are needed.

I do live in an area, though, that has a signficiant amount of adult converts and new members/ investigators. Many times investigators don't know what a blessing is, or if they have read about it in the Bible, they may not know that one can be performed by the Elders, their home teachers (which they have never had before) or the other men they have met at church. A few have asked if they need to see an apostle for a healing blessing, not knowing that most adult men in the ward have the M. preisthood and can perform one for him/her.

My hubby was explaining this when he was going to do such things on a much increased basis. I'm glad to see him go out and do these things. I am much comforted that blessings are given more frequently now, some people go years without them unnecessarily.

[drjackcv]

It is not surprising to know that this increased focus on priesthood blessings is being felt in Salt Lake. I just 5 minutes ago sent an email memo to several of my fellow ward and stake leaders on this subject.

I'll quote it here:

At the risk of being tedious, I add this which was just pointed out to me:

Elder Dallin Oaks, May 1987 Ensign

"In a priesthood blessing a servant of the Lord exercises the priesthood, as moved upon by the Holy Ghost, to call upon the powers of heaven for the benefit of the person being blessed. Such blessings are conferred by holders of the Melchizedek Priesthood, which has the keys of all the spiritual blessings of the Church (see D&C 107:18, 67).

"There are many kinds of priesthood blessings. As I give various examples, please remember that priesthood blessings are available for all who need them, but they are only given on request."

To reiterate, my point is not to downplay the privilege and responsibility of each of us to respond to the voice of the Spirit and, on rare occasions, to solicit the opportunity to give a blessing. I am grateful for [our stake president's counsellor recently] observing that there are great benefits we are missing as a people by failing to call often enough upon the Lord for formal priesthood blessings.

We all want to sustain our leaders by unitedly teaching true doctrine and correct principles. In searching and discussing this issue, I find no objections to asking a sufferer, "Have you had a priesthood blessing?" President Kimball asked Henry Eyring that question in the hospital. As we search out the poor and needy to bless them, I doubt that there can any policy against taking the opportunity to teach a sufferer about the Divine love and power that are so often demonstrated through priesthood blessings. This question and this teaching both turn the heart of the faithful toward heaven, but fall short of soliciting, I think. Beyond that...?

Although I believe the Lord values charity and integrity far above precision, still "God is in the details", as Elder Neal Maxwell said. As we develop precision in temple and other ordinances, their beauty and power are revealed to us in greater and greater detail; we see the face and learn to know God and Jesus Christ as they are, and become one in them.

That's the way it looks from the rock I'm sitting on, and that's my goal

[drjackcv]

Just for the record

I finally took the first step -- I looked up the word solicit. It doesn't mean ask, as I thought. Solicit means "to seek to obtain by persuasion, entreaty or formal application", and 2nd "to petition (a person) persistently; entreat; importune." As usual in the scriptures and official statements of doctrine: precise semantics. Important words, carefully chosen.

So, asking "Would you like a blessing?" is not soliciting. On the other hand, forcefully teaching a sufferer about priesthood blessings could well be considered soliciting. So I was wrong on both points...with regards to soliciting blessings.

By the way, the word vitally has to do with life and death, and concerned in this context means anxiously engaged. Important words, carefully chosen.

Whether or not the Holy Ghost will more than rarely inspire a priesthood holder (or anyone else) to actually act in direct opposition to established policy is still a question in my mind. Of course it can happen -- he commanded Nephi to cut a helpless drunk's head off once.

I am confident, however, that a mistake in wording or order, or even the absence of what many would consider crucial components does not invalidate the ordinance. And so, it finally becomes clear, this question about asking is a matter of style, not principle. The ordinance is valid even if imperfectly performed.

In matters of style, go with the flow. In matters of principle, stand like a rock.

While precision increases the impact and effect of an ordinance, what the Lord requires is the heart and a willing mind.

If ye are not one,

ye are not mine.

(Jesus the Christ)