DiscussMormonism.com

Last Wednesday evening, I was invited over to my non-member neighbor's house to give him a blessing prior to a medical procedure he was scheduled to undergo the following day, dealing with his resurgent colon cancer.

I was very humbled by the request, and dressed in church clothes, white shirt included.

I wanted to tell my neighbor a little bit about the Priesthood and why it was I would be saying things like "by the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood" in the blessing.

In order to do this, I had to talk a bit about Jesus Christ, the apostasy and the restoration through Joseph Smith. I referenced a picture on the wall of our home the neighbor had seen while visiting, with three sets of hands laid on Joseph Smith's head, and explained the meaning behind it.

So as not to be offensive or sound preachy, I couched everything I said in terms of, "We believe that . . .."


I then anointed him with oil and also gave him a blessing (with just me; no other priesthood holder was there under the circumstances).

The reason I am posting about this is not because of a miraculous recovery (that remains to be seen), but because of the sweet and unmistakeable presence of the Holy Ghost in their home by the time the blessing was over, and which continued to be with me as I went back to my house.

It was as welcome as it was unexpected. (I do not recall ever feeling the presence of the Spirit during or after a blessing, either one given or one received.)

When the blessing was over, his non-member wife was in tears. I have seen him several times since, and he has not failed to mention the blessing and how touched he was by it.



I don't know if anybody here has had similar surprising spiritual encounters, but I would be glad to hear of them, together with any other thoughts you might have.

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

I was usually WAY too nervous that I was going to screw up the blessing to really feel the spirit on the few occasions that I gave a blessing.

However, I hope your friend has a full and speedy recovery.

Thanks, Scottie.

This brings up the whole theological basis for blessings.

One predominant school of thought seems to be that we try to divine God's will and then bless accordingly.

Although that makes sense to me on the surface, I am not sure what the point of a priesthood blessing would be if we are just trying to pronounce what would happen anyway.

The only way a priesthood blessing makes sense to me is if we are going to change what would happen without the blessing.

This was encapsulated when I told my 23-year old daughter (by phone) about the blessing.

She asked me what I said in my blessing.

I laughed and told her I don't bless people to get worse.

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

consiglieri wrote:Last Wednesday evening, I was invited over to my....


I don't know if anybody here has had similar surprising spiritual encounters, but I would be glad to hear of them, together with any other thoughts you might have.

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

Sounds like you had a wonderful experience. Good for you!!

Hoops wrote:Sounds like you had a wonderful experience. Good for you!!

I really did, and I thank you for your largeness of soul to allow room for me to have an experience with God's Holy Spirit during a Mormon priesthood blessing.

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

[/quote]I really did, and I thank you for your largeness of soul to allow room for me to have an experience with God's Holy Spirit during a Mormon priesthood blessing.[/quote]

Ummm... you're welcome? Why wouldn't I? Or anyone else? I don't really follow, but, glad it was significant for you anyway.

I gave a blessing to a troubled young man with non-descript symptoms while on my mission. He was a gay man, trying to live the gospel and very emotionally troubled. I didn't ask about what prompted the request, and proceeded to give the blessing. After opening, I paused for some inspiration - and proceeded to tell him that his heavenly father knew him and loved him. He broke down - and the shared feeling in the room was overwhelming. It was clear from the rest of the blessing that those first few words were the ones he really needed to hear at that time.

Hoops wrote:
Ummm... you're welcome? Why wouldn't I? Or anyone else? I don't really follow, but, glad it was significant for you anyway.

You know no evangelical Christians who would deny God's getting within three miles of a Mormon priesthood blessing?

Baker wrote:I gave a blessing to a troubled young man with non-descript symptoms while on my mission. He was a gay man, trying to live the gospel and very emotionally troubled.

I think that is a wonderful experience and thank you for sharing it, Baker.

Did you know at the time you gave the blessing he was gay?

Not that it would make the blessing any more or less significant.

I was just wondering . . .

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

consiglieri wrote:

Baker wrote:I gave a blessing to a troubled young man with non-descript symptoms while on my mission. He was a gay man, trying to live the gospel and very emotionally troubled.

I think that is a wonderful experience and thank you for sharing it, Baker.

Did you know at the time you gave the blessing he was gay?

Not that it would make the blessing any more or less significant.

I was just wondering . . .

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

We only suspected it at that time.