Priesthood blessing requests?

[Hyena]

I still don't fully understand the scope of the priesthood and its blessing ability. I know that you can get a healing blessing if sick, can have the holy ghost bestowed upon you, and get a patriarchal blessing which is more like a revelation or fortune telling(?) to my knowledge?

But what about other things?

Specifically, there is a woman I am acquainted with that I have become rather smitten over. We get along well enough, but I was wondering if it is possible to be blessed by a priesthood holder to help know if she is someone I should indeed pursue avidly or if there is a blessing to help promote romantic feelings or growth together? Maybe a blessing to help me seem more appealing to her in that which she would like for a romantic partner?

I'm just uncertain what the rules for blessings and such are and figured I'd ask here in anonymity instead of embarrassing myself asking a real ward priesthood holder lol.

Thank you.

[applepansy]

First, Patriarchal blessings aren't fortune telling. They are a statement of blessings you can qualify for IF you live worthily. The blessing can provide direction for your life.

Priesthood blessings also include comfort blessings and healing blessings cover more than just illness. Priesthood blessings include Father's Blessings for their children. Many Priesthood bearing fathers give their children blessings at the beginning of each school year as well as at other times. Even blessings for direction are appropriate.

We do not have "specific" blessings or wording for specific things. So asking for a blessing to make you more appealing to a specific woman will probably not get the response you want. As baptized and confirmed members of the church we are entitled to inspiration from the Holy Ghost. If you want to know if a specific woman is the right one for you, get on your knees and ask Heavenly Father. He will answer, but he won't tell you "Yup! she's the one and only." What you will get is more along the lines of "yes that could work out if you both put forth the required effort in the relationship." We have our agency and Heavenly Father will not infringe on it especially where our choice of spouse is concerned.

Have you spoken with your priesthood leaders about the priesthood and specifically about your questions? I would think this would be a good discussion for Priesthood meeting or maybe a one-on-one interview with your Elder's Quorum President.

[Dravin]

It should also be noted that the blessings voiced during a priesthood blessing are, ideally, those blessings that the priesthood bearer is moved upon by the Holy Ghost to voice. This is not to say that desires of those involved are irrelevant, but if say you want a blessing that an affliction be healed immediately but the Holy Ghost may direct the priesthood bearer to give you a blessing of patience and strength in your struggle with your affliction.

[BadWolf]

One thing in my own life that I have learned is to be exceedingly careful in what I ask for.

Here are some possible examples

- Make me more appealing... What if said lover was born to be the caretaker of someone who is unable to care for themselves? Their perfect person is actually a quadrapalegic or stroke victim? Or what if the lessons she needs to learn require a spouse who is incapable of making decisions, forcing her to? Or any of 1,000 things which would fundementally alter who you are & what you like about yourself & your life? Do you really know her well enough to understand what you are asking God to do?

Asking to be made right for someone else is a VERY dangerous request to make.

You can look at most requests backwards. If someone asked x of you, and you COULD grant it, how would you go about that?

- Braver? Means a series of increasingly scary things.

- Thinner? Well, you could give them a disease, or take away their income, or cause them such grief they cannot eat well if at all.

- More desireable? To a stalker, a cop, a reporter looking for a hard luck story?

...

In general, if I can do it myself, I try to avoid asking for divine intervention. And if I can't do it myself, I also tread lightly. Because my general feeling (and experience) is not "What if God doesn't... But what if He DOES??? Am I willing to pay any price asked?

In most things, the answer is no. I am not.

In most things, I actually CAN "do something" in the "trust in God & do something" scheme.

Im just inherently lazy, and don't want to be uncomfortable.

Its easier by far to ask God to send the perfect person for me (or vice versa) to my doorstep... Than to do the leg work of actually being secure enough in myself so that Im fine being alone and not so desperate as to fear rejection or be hurt by rejection. And am out & about meeting / dating/ rejecting/ getting rejected/ learning/ moving on.

If it were ME... Instead of asking for romantic feelings... Id be doing things that creat romantic feelings. Not as a game / ferreting out THEIR innermost desires and creating them, but inviting them along on my own. Otherwise, how are THEY supposed to know if they like ME??? Because, hard lesson learned, if Im not sharing myself... Im lying. Im painting a false picture of myself to someone else. You come join me in what I enjoy & I'll come join you in yours. We'll see if those line up. Be ause, guaranteed, after 5 years of marriage, no sleep for a week with a crying baby, bills stacked, etc... We revert to survival mode. Raw, basic, getting by. Who is she? Who are you? You REALLY don't want to be depending on butterflies & romantic feelings clouding your judgement 5 years earlier to mean that NOW you are the worst combo possible.

Not that I don't pray, ask, thank, chat, kvetch... But Ive also learned to THINK, and rather carefully, before I bite off possibly a great deal more than I want to chew, much less swallow.

Im not a priest, I don't give blessings or know the rules, either... This is just my own experience.

[Guest LiterateParakeet]

You can ask for a blessing when you feel like you need some extra guidance from the Lord. As an example, I get a blessing a couple times a year.

I wouldn't ask for a blessing about whether or not to date someone (but it's up to you), on the other hand, I definitely would ask for a blessing if I were considering marriage.

I remember a young woman that my husband and I are acquainted with, asked my husband for a blessing when she was considering marriage. The Spirit and the blessing confirmed that this would be a good choice for her. The Spirit was so strong. It was a sweet experience for all of us.

On the other side of the coin, when my husband was single and dating, there was a girl he was serious about. They were at the stage of thinking about marriage but he had not proposed yet. One day she asked him for a blessing, and while he was giving it to her, he felt the Spirit tell him that they should both date other people. They were disappointed, but obedient...thank goodness for me!!!

So yes, when considering marriage, a blessing is a great idea.

Other times you might get a blessing....life changes, like a new calling, back to school, new job, a big move, when you are discouraged.

In other words it is up to you, but personally I have always felt like a couple times a year is sufficient. I guess what I am trying to say is that I treat it as something special, but certainly not out of reach.

Hope that helps. Oh, and good luck with that girl.

[Leah]

You can ask for a blessing when you feel like you need some extra guidance from the Lord. As an example, I get a blessing a couple times a year.

I wouldn't ask for a blessing about whether or not to date someone (but it's up to you), on the other hand, I definitely would ask for a blessing if I were considering marriage.

I remember a young woman that my husband and I are acquainted with, asked my husband for a blessing when she was considering marriage. The Spirit and the blessing confirmed that this would be a good choice for her. The Spirit was so strong. It was a sweet experience for all of us.

On the other side of the coin, when my husband was single and dating, there was a girl he was serious about. They were at the stage of thinking about marriage but he had not proposed yet. One day she asked him for a blessing, and while he was giving it to her, he felt the Spirit tell him that they should both date other people. They were disappointed, but obedient...thank goodness for me!!!

So yes, when considering marriage, a blessing is a great idea.

Other times you might get a blessing....life changes, like a new calling, back to school, new job, a big move, when you are discouraged.

In other words it is up to you, but personally I have always felt like a couple times a year is sufficient. I guess what I am trying to say is that I treat it as something special, but certainly not out of reach.

Hope that helps. Oh, and good luck with that girl.

Talk with your home teacher or your bishop about blessings. My bishop has counseled me on more than one occasion that I should be getting blessings AT LEAST once a month from my home teacher. I was recently asked to meet with the stake presidency and they were prompted to offer similar counsel. Receiving a blessing need not be a rare once or twice a year thing.

[Hyena]

Thanks everyone. I'm still very confused on many facets of our faith. I was too embarrassed to ask my ward members for fear of looking like a putz. I'm thankful for everyone's insight and explanation. In truth is really like zero chance I'll end up that girl anyway. I guess I was just hoping some divine intervention might illuminate things and give me a hint as to take a chance or just focus on more important things and just stay friends. I think ultimately I know my answer. Focus on the church, my calling, and helping my ward family in any capacity I can. Maybe that's what the bible meant about church being a bride.

Love, if and when it comes, we come when God is ready for me to have it.

[BadWolf]

Don'tcha just loooove online forums for "putzable" questions?

Although, for the record, I don't think your Q was here or IRL.

Hey, though!

What's this "giving up" I hear?

You like this girl enough to be thinking about asking for a Blessing (cap B ) but without one are just going to drop it?

Noooooooo.

At least ask her out.

Doesn't even have to be a date. Invite 4 or 5 people over for pizza & boardgames (including her) if you want to diffuse the situation into a friend-no-pressure-thing.

But ask her out.

Do the footwork.

Fortune favors the bold/ God helps those who helps themselves/ gotta have some skin in the game.

Ask her, ask her, ask her!!!!

Heck, consider it practice.

[Hyena]

Lol thank you. I appreciate the advice. I just am a "thinker" I always wonder about things.

I'm sure when the time is right she will let me know.

For now I just want to ensure I'm living the Gospel as best I can.

:)

[skippy740]

Sometimes thinking about things just gets in the way.

If it's a good, righteous impulse, follow it.

If it isn't... well, I think you'd know what to do.

[Hyena]

Still a little confused...

So when you ask for priesthood blessing you don't ask for anything specific?

The priest administering the blessing is the one that follows the spirit And just gives you a random blessing based off of what the Spirit tells him is that correct?

[Dravin]

Still a little confused...

So when you ask for priesthood blessing you don't ask for anything specific?

The priest administering the blessing is the one that follows the spirit And just gives you a random blessing based off of what the Spirit tells him is that correct?

No, tell him what you are seeking the blessing for. Just keep in mind that they aren't a vending machine the spits out the particular color of Skittles you want. If you want a blessing but the spirit directs otherwise you aren't getting that particular blessing but what the spirit directs.

[Iggy]

Lol thank you. I appreciate the advice. I just am a "thinker" I always wonder about things.

I'm sure when the time is right she will let me know.

For now I just want to ensure I'm living the Gospel as best I can.

:)

Don't OVER think things. If you don't act, then how can good things happen to you.

She could be thinking*... that When the time is right, HE will let me know.*

Ask her out to a show and dinner- let her pick the show then you pick the restaurant.

Hyena, you HAVE got to give yourself more credit than what you have been doing so far. It is my understanding that you are over the average weight - well Bucko, personally, this gal here has always favored over average weight fellas. I married wrong the first time (he was an atheist, skinny and oh so vain), then Father made sure that I married correctly the second time (he is LDS, secure in his own standing in the world & life). Yep, he is way over average weight!

Your Ward knows you are new to the faith. And honestly the only stupid questions are the ones you ask just to get attention from. If you feel more comfortable with a more private setting, invite your Home Teachers over and ask them. Go to your Bishop and ask him.

Continue to come to the Forum asking your questions.

With love in the Gospel, your sister in Zion, Iggy

Edited April 29, 2013 by Iggy
spelling

[NightSG]

So when you ask for priesthood blessing you don't ask for anything specific?

Ask for clarity and understanding. Accept what the Spirit directs.