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missiondho1 (Elder Oaks ** )

President and Sister Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency

Tuesday devotional,  December 10, 2019


1/ Sister Oaks

  • You must be very special missionaries to have TWO apostles come on the same night!  I want to introduce both of them to you.
  • Elder Ballard:
    • His parents didn’t join the church until after his mission.
    • He attended church by himself as a young man.  He collected fast offerings at the home of Elder James E. Talmage.
    • He served in the British Mission from 1948 to 1950.  He preached in Nottingham Square.  He was bold and confident.
    • He planned and he succeeded.
    • He married Barbara Bowen and they had seven children.  She passed away in 2018.  The plan of salvation is sacred to Elder Ballard.
    • He and his wife presided over the Toronto mission from 1974 to 1976.  Be obedient to your mission president!
    • He was called to the apostleship in 1985.
  • President Oaks:
    • He lost his father at age 7.  He has always had a great understanding of the gospel.  He had hair and a motorcycle as a young man.
    • He married June Dixon in 1952.  He was unable to serve a mission due to the Korean War.
    • He was the 8th president of Brigham Young University.
    • He served in the Quorum of the Twelve from 1984 to 2018, and was then called into the First Presidency.  He served as the Area President over the Philippines while serving as an apostle.

2/ Elder Oaks

  • I am always strengthen when I meet with dedicated servants of the Lord such as yourselves.  You may not appreciate how valuable you are in the Kingdom of God.  You lift me!
  • Our first responsibility as missionaries is to testify of Jesus Christ.
  • An 1831 revelation to Joseph Smith referred to the church as the “only true and living Church upon the face of the whole earth.”  The world, however, believes that all churches are true.  Are all churches the same, are they all true?  No, but the anti-Christ wants people to believe they are.
  • Korihor and his experiences in Alma 30 are examples of the situation that exists in our world today.
  • We can offend others by stating that we are the only true church on the earth.  We shouldn’t be arrogant.  It is true that all churches have elements of truth in them.
  • In what ways is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the only true and living Church?
    • We have a fullness of Christ’s doctrine
      • We understand the purpose of mortality.
      • Other churches have some truths regarding this and are sincere
      • We are indebted to those who kept the flame of faith alive through the Great Apostasy and the Dark Ages
      • We say to others: “Come and see what we can add to your faith.”
      • Much of truth was lost during the Apostasy.
      • The restoration began with the First Vision.
      • We stress the importance of covenants and ordinances.
      • We are family centered, both during mortality and in the next life.
      • We believe that we can achieve exaltation.  Exaltation requires eternal marriage.  Marriage between a man and a woman is a necessary requirement to fulfill God’s plan.  This knowledge gives us a very unique perspective.
      • Many forces today want to confuse gender or homogenize sexuality.  We resist these forces.
      • The Atonement can save all the works of His hands.
    • We have the authorized power of the priesthood
      • This priesthood authority is conferred by the laying on of hands.  This authority doesn’t come by religious studies or individual desires alone.
      • One must be called to the priesthood.
      • The true and full power of the priesthood is found in this Church and none other.
      • Priesthood ordinances are essential for exaltation.
      • Priesthood keys entitle President Russell M. Nelson to receive God’s will.
      • When the church is described as ‘true and living’, that word living refers to the fact that we having living prophets leading this Church.
    • We have a unique but true testimony of the Savior
      • This church possesses the revealed truth about the nature of the Father and the Son.  That knowledge separates us from the rest of Christendom.  Our first Article of Faith states that the members of the Godhead are separate and distinct beings.  The Father and the Son are glorified, exalted beings with tangible bodies.  The Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit.
      • Joseph Smith clearly saw two personages.  The Savior at that time said the existing creeds were abominations unto Him.  The prevailing concepts were and are false.
      • The Book of Mormon is a second witness of the resurrected nature of Jesus.
      • Our testimony of the nature of the Father and the Son is based on revelation.
      • What can we affirm regarding Christ?  He is the Only Begotten of the Father, He is the creator of the world, He is a master Teacher.
      • Because of Christ, all will be saved from mortal death, and sincere repentance and obedience brought about by His Atonement make cleansing and righteousness possible.  This is the central doctrine of our Church.
      • Our 3rd Article of Faith makes it clear that all mankind can be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
      • I know these things to be true.  You too CAN and MUST know!  Take this message to all parts of the world!

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