Patriarchal Priesthood

Section 124 of the Doctrine and Covenants is the longest section in the book and filled with tons of great information, just there for the taking. One of the “nuggets” I discovered has to do with Hyrum Smith and his calling to the office of Patriarch.

Section 124:91 And again, verily I say unto you, let my servant William be appointed, ordained, and anointed, as counselor unto my servant Joseph, in the room of my servant Hyrum, that my servant Hyrum may take the office of Priesthood and Patriarch, which was appointed unto him by his father, by blessing and also by right;

92 That from henceforth he shall hold the keys of the patriarchal blessings upon the heads of all my people,

93 That whoever he blesses shall be blessed, and whoever he curses shall be cursed; that whatsoever he shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever he shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

94 And from this time forth I appoint unto him that he may be a prophet, and a seer, and a revelator unto my church, as well as my servant Joseph;

95 That he may act in concert also with my servant Joseph; and that he shall receive counsel from my servant Joseph, who shall show unto him the keys whereby he may ask and receive, and be crowned with the same blessing, and glory, and honor, and priesthood, and gifts of the priesthood, that once were put upon him that was my servant Oliver Cowdery;

96 That my servant Hyrum may bear record of the things which I shall show unto him, that his name may be had in honorable remembrance from generation to generation, forever and ever.

Joseph Smith Sr. was the first Patriarch of the Latter Day Church and was ordained to that office on December 18, 1833 in Kirtland, Ohio. In Nauvoo in 1841, Hyrum Smith was called by the Lord to fill the office of Patriarch which was left vacant by the death of his father. I believe that there is great symbolism to be discovered when one considers the role of the Patriarch.

First let us consider the term Patriarch as synonymous with the word Father. Think of the symbolism that occurs in just that alone; Father Smith being the type and shadow for the Father, and Joseph Smith being a type and shadow for the Son. Recognizing this symbolism helps us gain added insights into the separate nature of the Godhead.

Next, it is interesting to see the description that is given to the powers that coincide with the Patriarchal office as those which “bind in Heaven that which is bound on earth”. These powers are associated with the sealing keys. Hyrum Smith was given this authority, as was his father before him, long before the sealing power was officially being used in the Latter Day Temples. I believe it takes the blessing of the Father to “seal” that which is entered into on this earth.

Finally, Joseph Smith termed the priesthood as “three grand orders”, Aaronic, Patriarchal, and Melchizedek. As we consider the ascension pattern taught through our Temple ordinances, I believe we see that the progression goes from Aaronic to Melchizedek, and then finally to the crowning authority of Patriarchal Priesthood, which is given as a couple is “sealed” in the Temple. This Patriarchal Priesthood is given to both man and wife, authorizing them to “create” families, or worlds, of their own. This is the essence of Eternal Life or “the perpetuation of powers of creation and procreation” known as eternal increase. The father of this union is the holder of the Patriarchal key for his family and becomes a type and a shadow for our Heavenly Father. United in obedient love, with the Lord, this new unit is given power, by covenant, to become a king and queen, rulers united in their own kingdom.

The Patriarchal Priesthood was outlined by the Lord as the ultimate goal that could be reached; it was the “pot of gold” at the end of the rainbow. The teaching of it is contained in all four of our standard works, but more concisely is given in Section 2 of the Doctrine and Covenants.

Section 2:1 Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

2 And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers.

3 If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.

The “fathers” that are referred to above are the grand Patriarchal line of Fathers that our priesthood blessings are received through such as Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham etc. When we enter into the Temple and become sealed to our spouse, we enter that grand order, or Patriarchal line, and receive the same blessings and promises they did.

I believe that just as we refer to the “Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God, as Melchizedek Priesthood out of respect or reverence to the name of the Supreme Being”, the Patriarchal priesthood is one referencing the sacred nature of the priesthood which is after the Order of the Father. It only seems natural to me. In fact, as a couple is sealed in the Temple it is done by the “power of the Holy Priesthood”(the title Melchizedek is missing from this pronouncement) and is one of two covenants entered into in the name of all three members of the Godhead separately, the other being baptism.

It is amazing to me that with this understanding our Patriarchal Blessing become a literal “Father’s Blessing”, sealed upon our heads by His authority. This teaching provides one with a greater reverence for the office of Patriarch, whether he is ordained to that position as an official calling, or given that position by rightful lineage as head of the family unit, it still represents the Priesthood of the Father and is highly sacred.

We can come to better understand the qualities and powers of our Heavenly Father as we learn more fully about Him through the teachings and symbols He has provided for us to do just that. I am grateful for this Patriarchal order and the insights we can receive from it.

My Pioneer Father

Perhaps I am the only girl in the whole wide world that hates shopping. That said, occasions like Father’s Day are particularly hard for me when it comes to the gift buying and giving category. It is not that I don’t want to do it; I am simply at a loss as to what to buy the men in my life who seem to have everything they could need, and certainly are at a point in their lives where they could buy whatever they want. That leaves buying gifts very challenging. Beyond cooking them a special meal, I always feel at a loss for ways of showing my gratitude to them. Typically they both receive electronics or maybe even clothing. This year in lieu of my usual offering, I have decided to pay tribute to them with words from my heart. Today is the post for my Father, and tomorrow is the one for the Father of my children. So until next year, where I will probably be found at Best Buy or The Mens Wearhouse, Happy Fathers Day.

Typically the development of the Father/Child relationship might be something like this:

4 years: My Daddy can do anything!
7 years: My Dad knows a lot…a whole lot.
8 years: My father does not know quite everything.
12 years: Oh well, naturally Father does not know that either.
14 years: Oh, Father? He is hopelessly old-fashioned.
21 years: Oh, that man-he is out of date!
25 years: He knows a little bit about it, but not much.
30 years: I must find out what Dad thinks about it.
35 years: Before we decide, we will get Dad's idea first.
50 years: What would Dad have thought about that?
60 years: My Dad knew literally everything!
65 years: I wish I could talk it over with Dad once more.

I guess I have always been a sixty year old at heart because I have always understood that my Dad knows literally everything.

Growing up, if anything was ever broken or needed fixing in the house my dad became a MacGyver. He could fix anything. He would even make parts out of the treasures he would find in his garage for the broken items when no parts were available to buy. Having felt the blessings of this talent my whole life, after I was married the first time my husband suggested we call a repair man for a broken item I almost died. I had never realized that not everybody was as talented in that area as my Dad was.

By the standard set by President David O. McKay when he taught, “No other success can compensate for failure in the home”, my Dad would be deemed highly successful. He showed my brother and I unconditional love, while at the same time he taught us the meaning of the word respect. This foundational teaching has stayed with us our whole lives, and has helped us to teach our children that same reverence and respect that many others have failed to learn. He taught us to respect things that are Holy, to respect other people, to respect property, and mostly to respect ourselves. Many times I have been tempted to do something I knew wasn’t right, but the thought of disappointing my dad was the one thing that made me ultimately choose the right.

My Father loves my Mother. That is the greatest gift he could have ever given to his children. His support for her and loyalty to her sets a standard for all of us. When my father became unable to work because of an injury he received on his job, he and my mother switched roles for awhile. During this time in his life, it became necessary for my grandmother to receive constant care. My mother’s mother moved in with them and my father took care of her everyday. Although it was not easy, my fathers example of love and service to my mother and grandmother is something I will never forget. In the last few years that my mother worked as a school teacher my father went to work with her everyday, helping her in her classroom. Those Kindergarten children were blessed to have not only the expertise of my mother, but the influence of my father in their lives as well. I am sure that the role of both a mother and a father was one that was rarely seen by the children my mother taught. How lucky they were to have been influenced by that great model of parenting.

Courage, perseverance, and strength are three words that I would use to describe my dad. As a child growing up, my father faced many challenges. His childhood memories are not the most pleasant. He always made sure that my brother and I had the best of everything. My father showed courage when he decided to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints against the wishes of his family. He persevered in his commitment to the gospel despite many who opposed him, and married my mother in the House of the Lord, for time and all eternity. He had the strength to effect change in his life so that his future generations would be the beneficiaries of that mighty change. I boastfully think of him as my pioneer ancestor. He forged a path for the rest of us to follow, and I will be eternally grateful.

How thankful I am to have been blessed with such a man as my father in my life. Because of him I have come to understand my Heavenly Father better and to feel the love He has for me. I know that when I am broken he can heal me. I know I have Heavenly parents that love each other and that I am their daughter and respect the blessings that go with that knowledge. I understand that courage, perseverance, and strength are needed if I am to return to live with Him someday. These things I know because my father taught them to me by the way he lives his life.

May my own father rejoice in the fruits of his labors which is the firm testimony of Jesus Christ, which his children and his grandchildren have today. For generations his name will be known for good among our household of faith. The love I have for my righteous father will be a light that pierces all darkness, unto me forever.

Thank you for being the best father you could be... Dad I love you.

Fathers and The Patriarchal Key

The priesthood is the eternal power and authority of God. The way that power is governed is through keys. Jesus Christ holds all the keys of the priesthood, and although all His apostles have been given the keys necessary for governing His Church, only the Prophet alone has the authority to exercise them. It is through these administrative keys that His Kingdom is governed on the earth.

Priesthood keys are given to worthy priesthood holders as they are called to serve in presiding roles of responsibility. These keys are in essence temporary permission granted to exercise authority in priesthood duties of those the leader has been given stewardship over. When a person is released from the specific leadership position, the keys that were once turned in their behalf are no longer necessary, but are passed on to another who is called to serve in the Kingdom in their place.

There is one key however that is eternally given, never to be relinquished. That key is the patriarchal key, given to fathers by the Father, to further the work of the Lord within the walls of their own home. President Harold B. Lee said, “The most important work you will ever do will be done within the walls of your own home,” and President David O. McKay cautioned that “no other success can compensate for failure in the home.” This key when exercised in righteousness has a power that is eternal in its focus. “That joyful work and calling is to do whatever is necessary to chart a course for you and your family to unitedly return and live with Heavenly Father.” (Durrel A. Woolsey)

In a talk titled, An Eternal Key, Durrel A, Woolsey explained the important role a father must play when he stated, “Dad, you need to be a hero in your family. They need a hero. They will have strong peer pressure and temptation to adopt the so-called heroes of today who are not worthy of their attention and most certainly not their emulation. The heroes or superstars in the sports and entertainment world, and there are many, frequently become examples of dishonesty, instability, and infidelity. They flagrantly and indifferently flaunt those weaknesses of character and immorality before a doting and accepting world, as Korihor said, ‘according to the management of the creature.’ (Alma 30:17.)”

He then outlined the following commitments that a father must make to become the hero of the home.

1) Give a generous amount of time to your family.

2) Complete fidelity, loyalty, and faithfulness to your companion are absolute essential.

3) Rely on the scriptures for guidance and instructions.

4) Follow the living prophet.

In summary he states, “You must become the family hero, worthy of not only their attention but their emulation. This will require your constant investment of sufficient time, complete emotional and physical fidelity, with unity of purpose between you and your eternal companion. This will require your constant dependency upon the Lord, demonstrated through scripture study and prayer. This will require that you follow the Brethren in every sense of the word—hearing, understanding, and doing. This simple formula will unite and strengthen your beloved family and bring countless blessings from our Father.”

To the fathers of the world, this Patriarchal key is given and “where much is given much is expected.” Our Heavenly Father is the perfect example of one who exercises righteous dominion regarding this sacred key. Only by applying the blessings of the Atonement of Jesus Christ can one come to know the Father and His will for them in this life. This personal journey of righteous living is part of the process that is essential for the salvation of the family unit. A righteous father is of eternal importance. I am thankful that our Father organized the plan for my happiness in this beautiful way.

Thank you to the two important Patriarchal key holders in my life, my own father and the father of my children. Through the righteous example they show to me I have come to understand the role of my Heavenly Father more completely and the love He has for me individually.