Since long before I received my patriarchal blessing, I’d been told that patriarchal blessings were like a personal liahona. I was so fascinated with the liahona and patriarchal blessings after hearing this. In my mind’s eye I pictured somebody in the wilderness holding up a piece of paper reading where to turn next — like those printed out MapQuest directions we don’t use anymore.
It turns out that isn’t exactly how it works.
However, in so many respects, a patriarchal blessing can serve as a personal liahona. It gives personal direction for our individual circumstances, and the Lord will often highlight a specific phrase at one point in our lives or another depending on our needs. We know that the blessings it points us to “did work for them according to their faith,” (Alma 37:39) and thus are predicated on our faithfulness.
Earlier this year as we studied Lehi’s family, I found myself reflecting on a period during my mission when I was serving in a YSA ward. We were working with a lot of people and had several converts who were all interested in preparing to receive their patriarchal blessings. As a result, my companion and I studied about patriarchal blessings a lot. At this time I’d also just started reading 1 Nephi again.
One of the key chapters I read through again and again was 1 Nephi 16. This whole chapter refers to the type of direction they received during their journey through the liahona. And as I read verse 16, the Spirit struck me with a powerful thought and I couldn’t believe it hadn’t come before.
And we did follow the directions of the ball, which led us in the more fertile parts of the wilderness.
I always saw the liahona as a tool which got them from point A to point B, but it was so much more. As they were faithful, it led them to “the more fertile parts of the wilderness” along the way. It didn’t just route them on the quickest or least treacherous path by default. Instead, the Lord deliberately led them to the places along the way where they would find the most success.
And it’s exactly the same in our lives.
Our patriarchal blessings teach us about our individual pathway back to our Heavenly home, but sometimes it seems like my focus is so much on the destination that I lose sight of the journey. But when we’re faithful to the commandments and the specific direction we receive in our patriarchal blessing, it will lead us to “the more fertile” parts of our journey. We’ll grow, succeed, and thrive along the way. And, just as Nephi did, we’ll be able to recognize it!
What other parallels have you found as you’ve studied about the liahona?
