I have a very difficult time asking for a priesthood blessing when I need one. It isn’t helped by the fact that I’m single and live alone, so there is not the convenience of a priesthood holder right here, nor do I have home teachers (or if I do, I’ve never seen any evidence of their existence). But I do have LDS friends from work, and in the past I’ve turned to them, and they’ve graciously agreed to my requests.

I know the priesthood, combined with faith, creates miracles; I’ve experienced miracles in my life and seen it happen to others. I do not doubt the reality of priesthood power.

I currently feel like I need a blessing (eardrum ruptured this weekend, very unpleasant, really don’t recommend it), so in an attempt to psych myself up to ask someone, I’ve been doing some reading.

Raising Up A Family To The Lord, Gene R. Cook

A priesthood blessing is an ordinance that can greatly help individuals and families. I don’t know of anything that can bring the Spirit more quickly than when a child asks for a blessing. Sadly, however, most members of the Church probably do not take sufficient advantage of priesthood blessings. How long has it been since you sought one? We are not told how often to have one, but wouldn’t it be appropriate to have a blessing during times of stress or trouble or decision throughout the year? Some members of the Church, including mothers and fathers, go for many years without having a blessing. Sometimes we wait until we’re in a crisis before we ask for one. But sometimes there is a benefit in just asking for a blessing to see if the Lord has any additional direction for us.

…I believe parents should teach their children to ask for priesthood blessings fairly regularly when they have a need. We probably need a blessing many more times than we ask for one. Perhaps we don’t want to bother anyone, or we aren’t humble enough to ask. Maybe we have thought: “I can handle this. I don’t need the Lord on this problem. I can take care of it.”

Children learn to ask for blessings if they see their parents having blessings. They learn to ask for blessings if parents, through faith, teach them the importance of having a blessing. Then the Lord will help them more because of their faith. If your children can see the results of a priesthood blessing, you will not have to tell them to ask for one.

President Kimball Speaks Out, Spencer W. Kimball

We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelations, visions, healing. . . .” (Article of Faith 7.) As the Savior sent out his apostles to proselytize the world after his ascension, he gave them this commission:

“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

“. . . and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” (Mark 16:15-18.)

The Lord was promulgating an eternal principle that where his priesthood is and where faith is found, there will be the signs of power—not for show, but for a blessing to the people. This eternal principle was understood by the disciples of the Lord in early days. James said:

“Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

“And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up. . . .

“. . . The effectual prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:14-16.)

…The use of oil in administration and blessing seems to have been a practice from earliest times. Jacob poured oil on the stone he used for a pillow when he had spiritual manifestations. Oil was used in the anointing of kings. When Saul was called by the Lord to be king over Israel, he was anointed by Samuel of the tribe of Benjamin.

…The need for faith is often underestimated. The ill person and the family often seem to depend wholly on the power of the priesthood and the gift of healing that they hope the administering brethren may have, whereas the greater responsibility is with him who is blessed. There are persons who seem to have the gift to heal, as indicated in Doctrine and Covenants, section 47, and it is understandable why a sick one might desire a blessing at the hands of a person who seems to have great faith and proven power, and in whom the recipient has confidence, but the major element is the faith of the individual when that person is conscious and accountable. “Thy faith hath made thee whole” was repeated so often by the Master that it almost became a chorus. Though he was the Redeemer and “all power is given [him] in heaven and in earth,” yet his oftrepeated statement was, “Thy faith hath made thee whole.” “As with your faith, so shall it be unto you.”

The Belonging Heart, Bruce C. Hafen

The world has long tried to convince men that it is not manly to be refined, kind, or spiritually sensitive. This suggests that the hands of a “real” man would be out of place holding the hand of a child, soothing the fevered brow of a sick wife, or being placed on someone’s head to give a needed blessing. But when we think of the hands of Joseph Smith or Brigham Young, Moses, Peter, or the Savior himself, we see strong, masculine hands in the posture of blessing, serving, and loving in gentleness and tenderness. When we think of the hands of an Elder (as well as Doctor) Russell Nelson, we feel a deep gratitude for hands so finely trained that they can perform surgery on the heart of a prophet of God and also be worthy to be placed on that same prophet’s head in a blessing of the priesthood. We pray that our own sons will have such trained, strong, worthy, and gentle hands.

And just as it is good for a man to have tender feelings, it is good for a woman to have a thoughtful, probing, and educated intellect. Masculinity has no monopoly of the mind, and femininity has no monopoly of the heart. There are many desirable characteristics that have nothing to do with gender. As Elder Boyd K. Packer noted, “All virtues listed in the scriptures—love, joy, peace, faith, godliness, charity—are shared by both men and women.” fn Consider these descriptive, gender-neutral terms: teacher, child of God, loving parent, trained professional, student of the scriptures, faithful follower of Christ, devoted companion, loyal employee, trusted friend. Consider also the word parent. Women can aspire to no greater role in life than that of wife and mother; and men can aspire to no greater role than that of husband and father. Some modern critics underestimate the value of parenthood for either gender, because they overemphasize the materialistic and self-centered assumptions of careerism and competitive getting ahead—for both genders.

The Church in War and Peace, Stephen L. Richards

While the Priesthood is a principle of force and action, it nevertheless makes a man humble. The realization of the responsibility entailed in this partnership with God in the exercise of His powers, the very nature of the grant itself, tends to subdue natural human egotism. When one blesses the sick, he knows that it would be futile to rely on his own talent, his own influence or fine words in the presence of distress and suffering and the imminence of death. His native powers seem as nothing. He realizes that it is only through faith and with a pure heart and with a power superior to his human faculties that he can pronounce a blessing that will be efficacious.

Measure of Our Hearts, Marvin J. Ashton

You have need to repent of your hardness of heart, of your indifference and of your carelessness. There is not that diligence, there is not that faith, there is not that seeking for the power of God that there should be among a people who have received the precious promises we have. Instead of the sick being healed, why, it is as much as you can do to get faith to believe that the administration of an elder will be attended with effect. There is not that seeking for the gift of healing and for the gift to be healed that there ought to be among the Saints. And so with other gifts and graces that God has placed in His Church for His people. I say to you that it is our duty to avail ourselves of the privileges which God has placed within our reach. If we have done wrong, repent of our wrong and feel after God, and not be satisfied till we have found Him, and He hears and answers us, and He speaks by His divine power in our hearts, bearing testimony to us in such a manner as cannot be doubted that He hears us, that He is near to us, and that He is watching over us and ready to bestow upon us all the blessings that are necessary for our happiness here and hereafter.