how do I know if I am a descendant of a tribe using the patriarchal blessing?

[SMARTchaser]

How do i know If i AM adopted or a descendent?

[Just_A_Guy]

Welcome, @SMARTchaser.  To my knowledge there is no theological reason why it would matter.

[Sunday21]

@SMARTchaser You are unlikely to know in this life but if you would like to know more about your heritage you could have a DNA test

 

[SMARTchaser]

Thanks for the answers 

[bytebear]

Generally if you are Ephram, you are adopted as that is the adoptive tribe.  All others are not.

[mordorbund]

14 hours ago, bytebear said:

Generally if you are Ephram, you are adopted as that is the adoptive tribe.  All others are not.

Do you have any sources for this?

[Guest]

15 hours ago, bytebear said:

Generally if you are Ephram, you are adopted as that is the adoptive tribe.  All others are not.

Nope.  A lot of us are literal descendants of Ephraim.

[Just_A_Guy]

As I understand it, there’s a certain point in time (and I forget exactly when it is, but IIRC it’s surprisingly recent—no earlier than 500 BC, I think) where, if a person who lived then has any living descendants in 2017; everybody living in 2017 is actually a descendant of that person.  Our ancestors were surprisingly good at distributing their genetic material far and wide.

What this tells me is that the declaration of lineage that comes via a patriarchal blessing is a lineage of covenant/authority, not a lineage of biology.  

There is, within Mormonism, an idea of “believing blood” that supposedly causes literal descendants of various scriptural luminaries to accept the Gospel more readily; but once one has actually accepted the Gospel, been baptized and received the Holy Ghost—at that point, it really doesn’t matter how you got here; what matters is that you’re here.

[Sunday21]

@Just_A_Guy

Yes, I have heard  the ‘we are all descendants of’ explanation as well.

[bytebear]

9 hours ago, mordorbund said:

Do you have any sources for this?

For Latter-day Saints, identification of a person's lineage in latter-day Covenant Israel is made under the hands of inspired Patriarchs through patriarchal blessings that declare lineage. Elder John A. Widtsoe, an Apostle, declared, "In giving a blessing the patriarch may declare our lineage-that is, that we are of Israel, therefore of the family of Abraham, and of a specific tribe of Jacob. In the great majority of cases, Latter-day Saints are of the tribe of Ephraim, the tribe to which has been committed the leadership of the Latter-day work. Whether this lineage is of blood or adoption it does not matter" (p. 73; cf. Abr. 2:10).

The patriarchal blessings of most Latter-day Saints indicate that they are literal, blood descendants of Abraham and of Israel. Those who are not literal descendants are adopted into the family of Abraham when they receive baptism and confirmation (see Law of Adoption). They are then entitled to all the rights and privileges of heirs (TPJS, pp. 149-50). This doctrine of adoption was understood by ancient prophets and apostles (e.g., Rom. 11; 1 Ne. 10:14; Jacob 5; cf. D&C 84:33-34).

http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Ephraim

Edited December 31, 2017 by bytebear

[Guest]

5 hours ago, Just_A_Guy said:

What this tells me is that the declaration of lineage that comes via a patriarchal blessing is a lineage of covenant/authority, not a lineage of biology.  

1

Some yes, some no.  I'll say it again.  My patriarchal blessing specifically talks about it being in my biology.

[mordorbund]

On 12/30/2017 at 10:41 PM, bytebear said:

For Latter-day Saints, identification of a person's lineage in latter-day Covenant Israel is made under the hands of inspired Patriarchs through patriarchal blessings that declare lineage. Elder John A. Widtsoe, an Apostle, declared, "In giving a blessing the patriarch may declare our lineage-that is, that we are of Israel, therefore of the family of Abraham, and of a specific tribe of Jacob. In the great majority of cases, Latter-day Saints are of the tribe of Ephraim, the tribe to which has been committed the leadership of the Latter-day work. Whether this lineage is of blood or adoption it does not matter" (p. 73; cf. Abr. 2:10).

The patriarchal blessings of most Latter-day Saints indicate that they are literal, blood descendants of Abraham and of Israel. Those who are not literal descendants are adopted into the family of Abraham when they receive baptism and confirmation (see Law of Adoption). They are then entitled to all the rights and privileges of heirs (TPJS, pp. 149-50). This doctrine of adoption was understood by ancient prophets and apostles (e.g., Rom. 11; 1 Ne. 10:14; Jacob 5; cf. D&C 84:33-34).

http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Ephraim

This explains that some are adopted (not solely into Ephraim). Do you have something that states that the majority of Ephraim is adopted?

[bytebear]

I was taught in church all growing up (near 50 years now), that Ephram was specifically the tribe of adoption.    This makes sense since (as stated above) it is the tribe dedicated to the work of the restoration.

 

Edited January 1, 2018 by bytebear

[CACO12]

A little late to the party..

But The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints maintains that you have the actual lineage of that tribe in your blood. Most everyone has multiple tribal bloodlines in them, the one that is chosen is the one which you will receive your blessings from. If you have no blood of any tribe it would be specifically stated that you will receive your blessings through the abrahamic covenant. Those are the ones who are adopted into the covenant. 

So yes, it is a literal bloodline 

if you have no blood of any tribe, you will be adopted into the abrahamic covenant and receive your blessings through it. 

Knowing which tribe you are of is important because it lets you know what your work and purpose in the house of Israel is and who you are in the family of Heavenly Father. 

We know the Abrahamic Covenant is the THE birthright of God given to Jesus Christ who will, if we have been worthy and received the endowment/made and kept temple covenants, make us equal partners in that birth right receiving and becoming all that Heavenly Father is. So it makes sense that we have to be of his family/house which is Israel. 

[Iggy]

I just re-read my PBlessing -

Quote

In God's greater family, Sister_______, you are of the seed of Abraham, of the house of Israel, of the tribe of Joseph and Ephraim. This is a royal priesthood lineage, the lineage of the prophets in these latter days.

My two eldest Sisters' PBlessings specifically states that they are adopted into . . .  Then my little sister's youngest grandson's states that he is of the tribe of Daniel. Yet his parents are of . . .  of the tribe of Joseph and Ephraim.

Unfortunately my mother never received hers. She was baptized when she was 52, two years after my father passed. She received her Endowment in 1987 - when she was 65. WHY my three sisters didn't see that she also received her PBlessing, well - I will have to ask my surviving older sister now won't I? I didn't, because I was inactive at the time and didn't know anything about endowments and patriarchal blessings.

 

[mikbone]

We are all descendants of God.

Some patriarchs specify with the words literal or addoptive.  

Otherwise it is up to the person who receives the blessing to decide.

In my opinion, it does not matter.  And no one should ever be offended for being in a house that they did not anticipate.  

None of the Latter-Day Saints are muggles.