Lineage of Ephraim

Brother Ryan Luke Jevne, in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, by the authority of the holy priesthood which I bear, and by further authority of having been ordained patriarch in the Asheville stake of Zion, I now place my hands upon your head and give you your patriarchal blessing.

Brother Jevne, our Heavenly Father is pleased that you have come this day to receive further guidance through your patriarchal blessing. He is pleased that you have accepted the calling that you have in the church, that you are doing your best to help reactivate members who at this time are not active in the church. Many are not living the gospel, but as you and others in the elders quorum do your best to get these people to come back to church you will have success in this great endeavor. You will be blessed with other callings in the church in your life.

I bless you to know that your Heavenly Father is also pleased that you have come to this area of the country which those of us here call the mission field. Sometimes you will find great difficulty as others that are not of our faith say that we are not Christians, and some go out of their way to make life difficult for us. But I bless you to have the strength and the spiritual values necessary to overcome these problems as they come up and to be able to share the gospel with anyone who will listen. You were valiant in the pre-existence and your Heavenly Father gave you many instructions and guidance. You were told you would be born into a wonderful family and you would be raised in that beautiful area of the country where you were born. He is so pleased that you have done your best to overcome any difficulties which presented themselves in your moving to this area of the vineyard.

You were also told that the area in which you were born is one of God's favorite places. The beauty that surrounds it is overwhelming and I bless you to share stories of your youth, the area in which you were born, with people in this area, many of which have never seen this great beauty.

Our Heavenly Father explained the gospel plan to you in the pre-earth life and you were one of his valiant servants. You have maintained the spirituality which Heavenly Father blessed you with at the time and you have overcome difficulties which were placed before you. I bless you to know that there will be many more throughout your life for they have been promised and are for your growth and your strength. But our Heavenly Father through his guidance and His Spirit, will uplift you, strengthen you and guide you as long as you put your faith in Him.

I bless you to know that you are of the lineage of Ephraim. Ephraim, son of Joseph, favorite grandson of Jacob of Israel, was given the birthright, tribal status and many other wonderful blessings at his grandfather's hand, many of which we are not allowed to know. But we do know that he was promised that through his lineage the gospel of Jesus Christ would be spread around the earth to every kindred, tongue and people. Eventually his lineage would be responsible for restoring the blessings of those tribes which would become lost. I admonish you to learn as much as you can about your lineage that you might understand the obligations which are yours and the blessings which you can and will receive, including exaltation and eternal life.

You have been blessed with a wonderful wife and I hereby bless you to soon be sealed to Katie in the temple of our Lord, taking upon yourself those solemn obligations which will bind you together as husband and wife for the eternities as long as you live righteously and do Heavenly Father's will. As you keep the commandments you will be blessed for each one you keep and you and your dear wife will be able to raise the children Heavenly Father will send you. They will be healthy, happy children and they will be able to see Christ in the lives of their parents. You will have much joy through your family and you will bring your children up in the manner which will influence them throughout their lives and into the life to come.

I bless you to be a good priesthood holder, a good husband and a good father to your children. I bless you that as you do so your wife will sustain you and help you in all your righteous endeavors and you will be blessed according to your personal and individual righteousness. I bless you in all your work, your schoolwork, and other studies as you endeavor to gain more knowledge throughout your life. We are told in the scriptures that knowledge is one of the few things we are able to carry with us when we leave this life and that in the life to come those with more knowledge will be that much farther ahead. The other thing that you can take with you is your sweet spirit, and we are told in the scriptures that the spirit we allow to control us in this life will have power to govern us in the next. So develop your sweet spirit that you might be a blessing in the lives of many while here in mortal probation.

Let your light so shine before your fellowman that others will see Christ in you, will ask questions about the happiness you have and will accept the answers you give them about the church as you bear your testimony of its truthfulness and of the gospel.

I further bless you to serve your fellowman throughout this earthly life, not only in sharing the gospel and teaching others about the Savior, but as you do your temple and family history work and other things which have been admonished by your church leaders to do. As you develop your knowledge and your teaching skills you will be preparing yourself to share the gospel in this life and in the next.

There will be opportunities for service throughout your life in the church and outside of it. Know that the service you render will be service to your Heavenly Father who loves us all. At times you will be serving with a listening ear, others times you will be teaching gospel principles. Still at other times you will be doing physical work or helping others monetarily as needed. Know that all of these things will give you strength and will be a blessing in the lives of others.

Our Heavenly Father is pleased with your righteous endeavors and your daily service, and He will guide and direct you throughout your life that Satan may have no hold over you or your family. Satan will do his best to pull you down, most especially at times when you are in Christ's service, and you will find temptations placed all around you. Do not allow these to cause you to stray from the path which leads back to our Heavenly Father and our Savior. As you are in the service of your fellowman and seeking guidance from the Holy Spirit you will be blessed with those things which you need including spiritual strength.

There are other blessings in your life which will not be mentioned at this time along with the tribulations which will come, but know that our Heavenly Father is mindful of you. He hears your prayers and He will guide you as needed.

I bless you to come forth on the morning of the First Resurrection with your family and loved ones prepared to return to be with Heavenly Father again someday in His celestial glory as a family together. I now seal upon you these blessings along with any others Heavenly Fathers sees that you stand in need of now or in the future. This I do most humbly not of my will, but through the will of our Heavenly Father, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and in the name of our Savior, our Elder Brother and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, amen.