How to Request a Copy of Your Ancestor's Patriarchal Blessing

A patriarchal blessing is like a spiritual roadmap for our lives, offering guidance and perspective. But did you know that you can also request to receive a copy of the patriarchal blessings that your direct-line ancestors received? In this article, we'll discuss what a patriarchal blessing is, why someone would want to read an ancestor's blessing, and how to request a copy of an ancestor's patriarchal blessing that has been recorded.

Click here to go directly to the steps for requesting a blessing.

What Is a Patriarchal Blessing?

A patriarchal blessing is a special blessing that contains inspired direction from Heavenly Father for a specific person. In the blessing, a person receives a declaration of lineage in the house of Israel, personal specific blessings, as well as counsel for the person's life and future. These blessings and counsel, if prayerfully considered and followed, can provide guidance, comfort, and protection.

When a patriarchal blessing is received, a patriarch (a person with God's priesthood authority and power to give these blessings) places his hands on the head of a person and offers inspired blessings, promises, and counsel from God, as received by revelation. Patriarchal blessings are unique to each individual. They are considered sacred and personal, generally only shared with close family members.

Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita taught that, “A patriarchal blessing is eternal, and if you live worthy, promises that are not fulfilled in this life will be granted in the next” ("When to Receive Your Patriarchal Blessing," Liahona, May 2023, 89). The promises contained in a patriarchal blessing are not automatic, but they can be received through following the counsel given.

History of Patriarchal Blessings

Receiving patriarchal blessings and father's blessings is an ancient practice that can be found in books of scripture, like the Bible and the Book of Mormon. For instance, the ancient patriarch Jacob gave blessings of inheritance to his descendants, Ephraim and Manasseh. Lehi, one of the first prophets spoken of in the Book of Mormon, gave blessings to his children before he passed away. As he blessed them, he spoke of their future and the paths they should take in life. In the 19th century, the prophet Joseph Smith helped restore this practice to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Initially, Joseph Smith renewed the practice of fathers giving blessings to their children, sometimes calling these patriarchal blessings. The office of patriarch began in 1834 when Joseph Smith Sr. was ordained as the first Church patriarch. His responsibilities were to provide patriarchal blessings to the fatherless. In 1837, local patriarchs began to be ordained in addition to Joseph Smith Sr., to administer blessings to a growing Church membership.

Today, Latter-day Saints can request a patriarchal blessing from an ordained patriarch. This blessing is traditionally recorded and saved in the Church's historical archives. A copy is also given to the individual.

Why Request a Copy of Your Ancestor's Patriarchal Blessing?

Reading the patriarchal blessings given to your ancestors can be a source of comfort and encouragement. You may be able to see how promises were fulfilled in your ancestors' lives. Your understanding may be deepened that we are all beloved children of God.

Who Can Receive a Copy of a Patriarchal Blessing?

Due to the personal and sacred nature of the blessing, requests for a copy of a patriarchal blessing can be made only by the person who received the blessing or, in the case of someone who is deceased, a direct descendent or close living family member, such as a spouse.

Steps to Request a Patriarchal Blessing for a Direct-Line Ancestor

Here are the steps for requesting a copy of an ancestor's patriarchal blessing:

• Find an ancestor you are directly descended from. A direct-line ancestor is someone from your direct ancestral line, such as a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent. This does not include aunts or uncles, cousins, foster parents, or in-laws. One way to see if someone is a direct ancestor is to look at your ancestors using a family tree. Log in to FamilySearch.org/tree, and view or start your family tree there. You can see and keep track of your ancestors easily, and, as FamilySearch uses a shared tree model, you may also find information about your ancestors you didn't know. On each ancestor's page, you can also look at biographical information and memories to see if there is any mention of that ancestor being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If your ancestors were members, they might have received a patriarchal blessing.
• Check your ancestor's birth and death dates. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints restored the practice of patriarchal blessings in 1834. Although the Church didn't begin mandatory record-keeping of them until the 1920s, you can still request and sometimes receive blessings that were given in the 1800s or early 1900s. When looking at your ancestor's birth and death dates, check to see if they were alive during the 1830s or beyond. They could have received a patriarchal blessing at any age.
• Gather necessary information. Once you've identified a direct ancestor that might have received a patriarchal blessing, gather all the required information you need to make your request. This includes:
  
  • Your relationship to the ancestor
  • The ancestor's full name, birth date, and death date
  • The names of that ancestor's parents
  • As much information about your lineage as you can provide, to show how you are connected to that ancestor.

• Request the blessing. Once you've gathered all the necessary details, you can submit your request here.

  To request a patriarchal blessing, you will need to have an account on ChurchofJesusChrist.org. You do not need to be a member of the Church to have an account. (Click here to recover your account, or sign up to create an account here.)

• Wait for your blessing. Depending on the volume of worldwide requests, family blessings can take up to 3 months to receive. Check the progress of your request  here. 

Patriarchal blessings for ancestors are considered sacred in nature, similar to a personal patriarchal blessing. When you receive a copy of an ancestor's patriarchal blessing, you can consider sharing it with other direct-line descendants, but please do not share it as a public FamilySearch Memory or in any other place where it might be widely distributed.

For more information about requesting patriarchal blessings, you can check out this helpful FAQ page.

To learn more about patriarchal blessings in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, click here.