Jeannie and the Priesthood.

Jeannie is my newborn daughter. She is nearly three months old now, and today we are going to observe a tradition that is part of the faith to which I belong. We are going to use the authority of the holy priesthood to give her a name and a blessing. You may be thinking, "didn't you just say her name?" That's not what I meant. She's had a name since a few moments after she was born, when we realized she was a girl and not the boy the doctors had said was coming. The ordinance of naming and blessing a child is about ceremonially bestowing upon the baby the name you have chosen for it and sealing that name upon her head - a name by which she will be known throughout her life and on the records of the church. Whether this ordinance is binding in eternity, I don't know. I know the priesthood by which it is performed has the authority to bind on both sides of the veil, but the scriptures speak of a new name. Replacing earthly names may be one of it's functions. It is not the only one, I know that.

The ceremony - or ordinance, rather - involves worthy priesthood holders who have been invited to participate taking the child collectively in their arms and, with the father usually voicing, praying over the child, bestowing the name and pronouncing blessings according to the will of the Lord as dictated by the Holy Ghost. Jeannie is my third child (all girls) so this will be the third time I have performed this ordinance. It is most sacred.

The name we will give her is the same as her legal name: Jeannie Alice Noelani Figueira. There are no mystical cult-like code names or pretended mysteries involved. It is straightforward and purposeful. Yet the effects are far reaching.

I do something for my daughters which I would have very much liked to have had done for me. I make a recording of the blessing and then transcribe it. In this way, when they are older, my girls will be able to read the blessing they were given as a baby. I do this in hopes that it may guide them and inspire them throughout their lives.

As far as the blessing goes, I won't know exactly what to say until the moment comes. The Lord fulfils his promise to give "in the very hour" the words which I should speak. I say this to illustrate that it is not a prepared speech. It is a blessing from God, given through the mouth of a father who by proper ordination possesses the authority to act in His name. This authority is called the priesthood - in this case the Melchizedek Priesthood - and man does not control it.

I hold this priesthood because I was given it by my father who received it from another in authority, and this genealogy of priesthood ordinations can be traced back to the prophet Joseph Smith, who received it from the resurrected apostles Peter, James, and John, who in turn received it from Jesus Christ himself. So when one acts by the authority of the priesthood, he acts in the name of Jesus Christ and therefore has the responsibility to do and say what Christ himself would do and say were he personally present. As you can see, this is not a thing to be taken lightly, and a man who holds this honor must live constantly in a manner to be worthy of exercising the gift should the need arise.

The priesthood holds more authority than only the blessing of babies. Through the Melchizedek Priesthood a man may baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; bestow the Gift of the Holy Ghost, confer the priesthood on others deemed worthy, receive revelation for those in his stewardship, bless and heal the sick and afflicted, cast out devils, preach the word of God, perform marriages for time and all eternity, dedicate graves, and do any number of other good works always according to the will of God. Some of these works, such as marriage for eternity, are restricted to those who hold a certain office in the priesthood while others, such as healing the sick and preaching the gospel, need only the occasion to call for them. Still others, like baptism, can be performed by any worthy priesthood holder, but must be done under the direction of one who holds the keys of the authority, such as a bishop. My office is Elder.

This was not intended to be a dissertation on the priesthood, but since the information is useful I will not remove it.

This was intended to be about how my heart is full at the prospect of blessing my child. I pray the Lord will grant me faith and cleanse me before Him, that I may be worthy to receive His word, and speak those things which are beneficial to my daughter and pleasing in the sight of God. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Testimony

I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of the world. I know that Joseph Smith is a true prophet of God. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the one and true kingdom of God on the Earth. I know that Jesus Christ will come again in glory to redeem his people and claim the Earth, which is his right. And I know that, inasmuch as I am faithful, I will be prepared to meet him at that day with gladness. How do I know these things? I have learned them of God, and not of man. I know them by the power of the Holy Ghost. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.