The Magical Legacy

FAITH 1

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - PRESENT DAY

Faith perched nervously on the edge of the floral sofa, rubbing a thumb over the surface of her perfectly polished nails as she watched her parents cross the room.

Her father extended his right arm and enthusiastically shook the hand of the white-haired gentleman they were there to meet. Both men wore dark suits with neckties in muted tones. Her mother stood next to her dad, smiling brightly. Faith watched as she reached up to pat her neatly sprayed blonde hair into place. Then suddenly, almost in concert, all three adults turned together, and gazed in Faith's direction.

"Are you ready for this, Young Lady?" The patriarch spoke in a grandfatherly tone, and Faith grinned at him as she smoothed her skirt, getting to her feet, and nodding in response.

"Your mother assures me you have been fasting all day in preparation?"

"Yes, that's right." She smiled as she met the three adults in the middle of the unfamiliar living room, and Faith's mother placed a reassuring arm around her shoulders.

"Good. I have, too." The elderly man grasped Faith's right hand and shook it firmly. "And I have prayed to Heavenly Father for guidance and direction before performing this most significant event in your life."

Faith gazed into his cool blue eyes and felt a calmness come over her as he continued.

"Please follow me to my office." The patriarch took the lead, heading down a small hallway, and as they entered the modest room, he motioned toward two stuffed chairs positioned opposite an oak desk. "Mom, Dad?" And Faith's parents sat down; then all eyes fell on Faith.

The room became uncomfortably quiet, and Faith could feel her heart beating rapidly in her chest. She inhaled deeply to balance herself as she watched the older gentleman pull a leather office chair away from the desk and turned it to the side. "Faith?" He motioned for her to sit, which she did, quickly glancing at her parents. They each smiled weakly at her, and her father grabbed her mother's hand.

The patriarch reached for a cassette tape recorder on the desk's surface, then turned to the others in the room. "I'll need this when I type up your blessing and send it off to the church office building, so your blessing can be printed and mailed to you for safe-keeping."

He turned back around and stepped in front of Faith. Looking up into his aged face, she noticed the corners of his mouth curving to crease his soft-looking, wrinkled cheeks. The patriarch pushed wire-rimmed glasses up onto the bridge of his nose and glanced at her parents, who both bowed their heads in response. He then raised his hands together, palms down and toward her forehead, nodding once at Faith. She tucked her chin obediently, hands clasped loosely in her lap.

The Patriarchal Blessing was a rite of passage for all Latter-day Saint youth, and Faith had been looking forward to this event with great anticipation. She viewed it as a kind of psychic foretelling about what God had planned for the rest of her life. The blessing was supposed to offer exclusive insights and personalized guidance. And Faith fervently believed this man was chosen by God, and endowed with supernatural powers of vision and prophecy for performing such a rite.

And Faith loved the idea of magical abilities!

So, as the patriarch gently laid his hands upon Faith's head, she waited, with bated breath, to hear what God had in store for her.

"Faith Renae Portner, by virtue of the holy Melchizedek Priesthood and office of Patriarch which I hold, I lay my hands upon your head, and as the Lord shall direct, give unto you your Patriarchial blessing to be a comfort, benefit, and guide to you throughout your life in accordance with your faithfulness."

Faith sat quietly, listening intently, as God's spokesperson uttered words specifically for her. The hands on her head radiated warmth through the top of her head, and she was surprised to find the heat beginning to spread downward, through her neck and engulfing her entire chest cavity. It wasn't a suffocating kind of feeling; in fact, it filled her mind and body with a golden glow that was completely and utterly relaxing and peaceful.

"You are heir to your inheritance blessings through the lineage of Eve, Daughter of the Most High God. They are choice blessings and shall continually be increased unto you throughout your life as you prove yourself worthy."

Suddenly, a bolt of brilliant light shot into Faith's mind and the man's words became background noise, as she was mentally transported, through time and space, to another realm. She found herself standing across a great hall; three massive thrones positioned across the expanse of a wide dais were visible at the far end of the room. The thrones on either side of the central seat were blurred out. But Faith sensed two powerful male beings seated upon each. The personage in the middle, however, was clearly visible. An ornate crown sat upon her brow, and long, flowing, golden hair framed her luminescent face. The size of this goddess's head was much larger and more elongated than a typical human face. Two brilliant blue eyes dominated her features, with her nose and mouth so diminished as to be almost non-existent. She was wearing full-length robes of white and royal blue that draped her body, and much of the throne, then fell to cover her feet. The next thing Faith knew, she was lying in this goddess's arms, gazing up into her face. The goddess was speaking, but her mouth wasn't moving; she shared her message telepathically.

"My daughter, you are an angelic being of light. You are blessed, and you are loved. Now your journey begins."

The vision began to fade, and Faith immediately returned to the present. She could hear the patriarch's voice, but it sounded like it was coming from the far end of a tunnel. She opened her eyes and blinked rapidly.

"These blessings I seal upon you by virtue of the Priesthood vested in me..."