Tech Forum

A member in our ward mentioned that when we give someone a blessing, we shouldn't say that we seal those blessings upon the person we're blessing. He said the word seal should only be used in four specific situations - (1) When a person is sealed to his/her spouse in the temple (2-4) I forgot what else he mentioned :p. I told him that I'd look that up in the Church Handbook, but I haven't found anything regarding this. Can someone shed some light on this/guide me to the applicable section the handbook?

Ordinances and blessings can be found in three sources. They are Handbook 2, Chapter 20; Family Guidebook, pages 18–25; and Duties and Blessings of the Priesthood, Part B, pages 42–47.

I would highlight that none of the officially published instructions on performing priesthood ordinances specify to use the term "seal" in any of the regular blessings we perform. Rather, with the exception of a baptism, they all instruct simply to close in the name of Jesus Christ. I'm sure the Lord will still honour the blessing regardless of how a worthy elder chooses to word his closing, but when you consider other settings where the term "seal" is appropriately and authoritatively used, I would personally try to avoid the casual use of that sacred term in a regular blessing. If you're still in doubt, though, you should speak to your bishop or stake president.

See page 24 of Family Guidebook, or section 20.6.3 of Handbook2: "Sealing the Anointing The one who seals the anointing: ... 2. States that he is sealing the anointing by the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood." So we definitely Seal an Anointing!

Whether the Priesthood Holder additionally uses the term Seal when pronouncing a blessing, I consider to be a matter of personal preference (or inspiration).