Dear Family,
As we telephoned around, I have a new calling in the Church. Today I was ordained a Patriarch to work in the University 7th Stake which is a singles stake and indeed the one I served on the High Council for 3 1/2 years, It is a large stake and ever growing. Paul H. was the Bishop of the ward I was assigned to in that Stake.
I did not see this calling coming and was surprised and humbled. It is a calling that only involves Blessing and not counseling or administration. It is a calling that is not discussed in the High Council. The Stake President sends his recommendation to the Twelve and they approve. The Stake President is then authorized to do the ordination.
There does not seem to be much training. I received some materials tonight which included the thinnest Handbook in the Church; all of- five pages.
My Father was a Patriarch and indeed the first Patriarch of the New York stake when it was originally organized. Once a Patriarch, you keep this office all your life. Dad became one when he was 45 and was active also in Utah when we moved there. He was often called on to give Blessings to members from different countries where there were no Stakes. They would be visiting for conference and assignments were made. Now just about every stake has someone filling this office.
This assignment has implications for the family because as Patriarch, I can give blessing to my grandchildren no matter where they live. Now I just have to live long enough to take care of this for the 68 grandchildren.
There is such a humbling feeling associated with this call. I watched my Dad fill his office and noted how seriously he performed it and watched him prepare for it. He gave me my Blessing as well as my cousins. Mom and I used to hang around the Patriarchs back East. George Romney was one in Michigan and we were close to them. Many of the Patriarchs were our close friends and we used to go on our Friday night double dates with them. They were all solid good men and I hoped some of what they had would eventually rub off.
I was pleased that several of the family came for this. The picture shows Doug, Stake President Walter Plumb, Oma and Opa, Becca, Emily, Cathy, Mike, Cheryl and Paul. They all drove through a snow blizzard to get there. There was a great Spirit there. I am a bit loss for words tonight but grateful for this opportunity.
Love, Dad
10 comments:
That sounds wonderful, President! And how exciting for all of the grandkids!
Dad- we are so proud of you! It definitely takes a special person to be ordained to this calling. It was well worth driving through a blizzard to be there!
Love,
Becca
Congratulations! This is a wonderful calling, that I have seen many people love. :)
Congratulations President! In Hungary we have had a stake for 3 years, but we haven't had a patriarch yet. And I am sorry for the members, who don't have the opportunity yet, to receive their blessing.
Ich wünsche Ihnen alles Gute bei dieser wunderbarer Berufung.
Krisztina
Dad, it was great to be there! We are so proud of you!
Sounds like an awesome responsibility! I am so grateful for my patriarchal blessing and read it a lot. I know those words were meant for me.
Congratulations President.
Hi Heidi and Hi Krisztina
This may be harder than anything I have done before.
Actually did not realize that the blog is being read in Hungary. Wie geht's Krisztina?
I know this will be a great experience. I like the family history details about your father. I didn't know he was a patriarch as well. (It was fun seeing your home in Queens today).
You will do great in this new calling! I'm sorry we weren't there for your setting a part but look forward to opportunity for you to bless our children!
What an amazing and humbling calling, as you will now be able to literally bless all of your posterity! Our stake patriarch was called right after he and his wife had downsized and were preparing to go on a mission. He and his wife were a little sad because it meant they couldn't leave. Just a few months later the stake split and we were put in a new stake that already had a patriarch, so they were able to serve a mission after all. Patriarch Rock is currently in the Temple Square mission presidency. When they return, we'll have 2 patriarchs in our stake instead of one.
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