1. Lesson 29-30 - Genesis 46–49 Blessings

2. I am Israel Come up when I call you, my “sons”, and I will give you a blessing.

3. Who got the best blessings? Judah – 49:8 – “thy father’s children shall bow down before thee” – Judah’s seed will be the seed of kings King David King Solomon Shiloh (the King of Kings) – Matthew 1:1-17

4. Who got the best blessings? Joseph Gen 49:22 – “whose branches run over a wall” “Joseph’s peculiar blessing, which I have just read to you, was that he should enjoy possessions above Jacob’s progenitors to the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills. This would seem to indicate a very distant land from Palestine. The seed of Joseph came to the land of America at the time Lehi and his family departed from the Mediterranean world. The land of America is specifically designated by the Lord as the land reserved for “a remnant of the house of Joseph” -Orson Pratt

5. Ephraim and Manasseh Gen 48:8-14, 17-20 – Joseph brought his sons, put older at Israel’s right hand – Israel crossed his hands, gave Ephraim the birthright. The sons were probably too young to be deserving or underserving. So why the switch? Even Joseph was “displeased” with it at first

6. Priesthood Blessings How do we know these are priesthood blessings? – The Priesthood was part of the Abrahamic covenant, passed to Jacob from his father, Isaac. What is a priesthood blessing? When is it appropriate to receive a priesthood blessing?

7. Dallin H. Oaks http://broadcast.lds.org/visual-resources/old- testament/2011-03-018-priesthood-blessings- 1000k-eng.mp4

8. My Experience 3 things happened – Personal Pronouns – Emptying out – Words I had not prepared It was the Lord speaking, not me

9. “The Vessels of the Lord” D&C 133:5 – “Be ye clean that bear the vessels of a Lord” What is a vessel? – Holds a substance Why keep it clean – So the substance stays pure Does this apply to men only?

10. Our challenge 1.Be worthy to give spiritual blessings 2.Be worthy to receive spiritual blessings

11. Notebook Ideas Recall a time when you were given a priesthood blessing. What were the feelings you experienced from it? What was the result of it? What do you feel is your responsibility to carry on from your parents? What is your spiritual “inheritance”?