A Blessing

When the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, the Lord, through the Prophet Joseph Smith Jr., directed, “Every member of the church of Christ having children is to bring them unto the elders before the church, who are to lay their hands upon them in the name of Jesus Christ, and bless them in his name.” (D&C 20:70). This ordinance is similar to circumcision and christening in that as the elders of the Church bless the child, they also give him his name. But unlike circumcision and christening, the child is neither circumcised nor baptized. And the ordinance of blessing a child also serves the functional purpose of enrolling the child on the records of the Church.

I give this background because today I had the privilege of blessing my son. Because I am an elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (all worthy, adult male members of my Church are), I was able to perform the ordinance.

My wife, daughter, son, and I returned to Utah last night. And since the majority of our family lives in Utah, we decided to bless my son here. Although not everyone could come, it was good to see so many of our family.

My son was adorable in a white, mini-tuxedo with tails which my mother-in-law insisted that he wear. He had just nursed and was asleep when my dad, a Bishop in the Church in Tooele, Utah, invited me to stand and perform the blessing.

I held my son while the men of my family who were present placed their right hands under him while they rested their left hands on the shoulder of the person to their left. My heart pounded before I began, but when I started the ordinance, I felt the power of the Priesthood flow through me. The blessing was simple and sacred, and I would share the details of it if I could. All I can say is that I felt the power of God bear witness that the things I promised my son would come true.

How blessed I feel to be a father!