Sift you as wheat

When I was 14 years old I recieved what is called, in the LDS church, a Patriarchal Blessing.  This blessing is given by a man who is set apart and given Priesthood Keys to give these special individual blessings.  This blessing is given to an individual and is specific to them.  I talks of blessings that can be recieved through living righteous things, it may talk of talents we should develop, perhaps, even an idea that we will get married and have children.  It is always filled with counsel from the Lord that will help us with our struggles in this life.

This blessing is personal and private and it is up to the individual who has been given the blessing to choose, wisely, with whom they will share their blessing.

In my blessing there were two parts that always stood out to me.  The first part I just loved and the second part I just wasn't sure what it meant.  So, today I was thinking mostly about the second part and thought I would share both on my blog.

The first is my favorite, it says "Trust in the simplicity of the Gospel".  I love this because there are times in my life when I feel like I need to do everything to be perfect and when I do this I lose track of the basics.  The basics for me include: saying my personal prayers, reading my scriptures, finding joy in my calling, and looking for ways to better serve others around me.  It is a good reminder for me.

The second part is a little more complex and very symbolic.  It says, "Satan desires you that he might sift you as wheat".  This particular phrase sat in my mind for years until one General Conference season I prayed that I might learn what this phrase means.  I must not have had very much faith that this prayer would have been answered especially because I prayed about just a few days before the conference but, miracle of miracles Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave a talk that answered my question specifically.

Dallin H. Oaks

Here is the excerpt from the talk he gave that defined this for me.

"Unfortunately, some Latter-day Saints seem to forego unselfish service to others, choosing instead to fix their priorities on the standards and values of the world. Jesus cautioned that Satan desires to sift us like wheat (seeLuke 22:31; 3 Nephi 18:18), which means to make us common like all those around us. But Jesus taught that we who follow Him should be precious and unique, “the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13) and “the light of the world,” to shine forth to all men (Matthew 5:14, 16; see also 3 Nephi 18:24)."

I was amazed and so grateful for the answer to my prayer.  The world would have us be like everyone else but, God has made us each an individual with unique talents and gifts given to us by a loving Heavenly Father.  I am not common or the same as all around me and I thank God for that.