The guilty parties were not hard to spot because they continued whispering all through the class. What we get from a bookespecially a sacred textis mostly dependent on what we take to its readingin desire and readiness to learn, and in attunement to the light communicated by the Spirit of the Lord. The Book of Mormon teaches that every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God. For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil;Links:Our General Conference talk schedule: https://kristenwalkersmith.com/conference-on-the-go-episode-list/The Conference Talk checklist: https://bit.ly/3eHJGEIThis weeks phone wallpaper: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1z9cJGCePDNy9ccHnDzVrzkxkf4UXnJ4_/view?usp=sharingHelping the Poor and Distressed by Dallin H. Oaks By Intellectual Reserve, Inc.This material is neither made, provided, approved, nor endorsed by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I begin with our personal conduct, including the teaching of our children. on Dallin H. Oaks Quotes From Every General Conference, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about the Angel Moroni, Come Follow Me 2023: New Testament Resources. I will leave it in his hands. . Did Herod the Great Claim to Be the Messiah? October 2022 conference featured 35 messages over the five sessions. I am listing below all President Dallin H. Oaks talks, not just those that he gave when he was as a General Authority of the Church, but also those given by him before, with the links to the text, video, or audio available. 1015]. Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible (JST), President Nelson Quotes from Every General Conference. Our Savior gave Himself in unselfish service. . Our obligation to tolerance means that none of these behaviorsor others we consider deviations from the truthshould ever cause us to react with hateful communications or unkind actions. We are called to live with other children of God who do not share our faith or our values and who do not have the covenant obligations we have assumed. Recall the survey data I mentioned earlier, suggesting that about three-quarters of all college seniors believe thedifference between right and wrong is relative. We give thanks for commandments. Someone has said that you cannot slice cheese so fine that it doesnt have two sides. Our tolerance and respect forothersand theirbeliefsdoes not cause us to abandon our commitment to the truths we understand and the covenants we have made. After the crowd who intended to stone her had departed, Jesus asked her about her accusers: Hath no man condemned thee? (John 8:10). But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? judge; for judgment is mine, saith the Lord (Mormon 8:20). . Professor Parry observed: Quite literally, they were measured by their own standards and found wanting. The character of transgression remains the same. We know from these inspired words that even the most extreme acts of servicesuch as giving all of our goods to feed the poorprofit us nothing unless our service is motivated by the pure love of Christ. Whether or how we might seek to obtain laws that would compel or influence behavior that we deem desirable because of our belief in God and His commandments is too large a subject for adequate treatment in the concluding few minutes of my talk. If given in the right way and for the right reasons, that service will reward us beyond anything we have given. Copyright 2017-2023 Kurt Manwaring, All Rights Reserved. . . A recentEnsignarticle by an anonymous victim of childhood sexual abuse illustrates the contrast between judging situations and judging persons. There is a doctrine underlying the subject of gospel judging. We sing: Tho the heavens depart and the earth's fountains burst,Truth, the sum of existence, will weather the worst,Eternal, unchanged, evermore.1. . kristen meredith mcmain oaks agered gomphrena globosa magical properties 27 februari, 2023 . This is essential whenever we attempt to act upon different standards than those of others with whom we must associateat home, at work, or in the community. Lord, I would follow thee. President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, waves while holding his wife Sister Kristen Oaks' hand inside the Conference Center during the Saturday evening session of the 192nd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. 4. Letter to Dallin H. Oaks, 14 May 1998. I am a survivor of childhood physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. As believers, we must always speak with love and show patience, understanding, and compassion toward our adversaries. A gospel teacher does not focus on himself or herself. BYU Studies sponsors FromtheDesk.org as part of its mission to publish scholarship informed by the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I kept glaring at them, hoping that they would take the hint, but they didnt seem to notice. We do not need to judge nearly so much as we think we do. . When she answered no, Jesus declared, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more (v. 11). . Lee had another teaching about magnifying the priesthood: If anybody magnifies their priesthoodthat is, makes it bigger than they first thought it was and more important than anyone else thought it wasthat is the way you magnify your priesthood.. The change has come from inside memy attitude. I am not to blame for what happened to me as a child. He taught that each of us should follow Him by denying ourselves of selfish interests in order to serve others. This philosophy of moral relativism denies what millions of believing Christians, Jews, and Muslims consider fundamental, and this denial creates serious problems for all of us. President Oaks said religious liberty faces serious challenges around the world, such as secularism, authoritarianism, political correctness and deteriorating attitudes toward religion. 272. I cannot change the past. I close with this assurance and this testimony: The Bible teaches that one of the functions of a prophet is to be a watchman to warn Israel (see Ezekiel 3:17; 33:7). He holds the reins of judgment in His hands; He is a wise Lawgiver, and will judge all men, not according to the narrow, contracted notions of men . Dallin H. Oaks discusses the parable of the sower and warns of attitudes that prevent the word of God from growing in our hearts and bearing "fruit." Video Collections; Broadcast and Live Event Recordings; General Conference; April 2015; Saturday Morning Session April 2015; Copyright 2023 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. By falling short of righteous standards, we place ourselves in jeopardy of being judged by incorrect or unrighteous standards ourselves. do not doubt the overriding importance of listening to the Lord,[but]does the listening have to be done during dinner preparations? There was a conference talk by Elder Dallin H Oaks a few years back about making good choices. Remember that God loves His children and will surely do what is best for each of us. Alsosee other collected talk by Church Leaders. We would even apply the wrong standards. He declared, I have many things to say and to judge of you (John 8:26) and For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see (John 9:39). Whenever possible we should refrain from judging people until we have an adequate knowledge of the facts. . Whats Really in the Journal of Discourses? Satan says we are not. Third, to be righteous, an intermediate judgment must be within our stewardship. For example, I know of an LDS family with an older teenage son who has become addicted to smoking. In one of the monthly General Authority fast and testimony meetings, I heard President James E. Faust say, The older I get, the less judgmental I become. That wise observation gives us a standard to live by in the matter of judgments. On the foundation belief in right and wrong, there is an alarming contrast between the older and the younger generations. Perfect love casteth out fear. He can make the judgments and the punishments. The doctrine of the gospel of Jesus Christ is for everyone. Our Master, whom we seek to serve, is, as the scriptures say, a God of love (2 Corinthians 13:11). 11819]. The desires we act on determine our changing, our achieving, and our becoming. President Oaks talks cover topics like desire, repentance, and trust in the Lord. For them, almost anything goes. Page last updated 30 Sep 2021. N. T. Wright on the New Testament in Its World, Ann Madsen Reflects on Isaiah, Jehovah, and the Temple. April 2022. All of the humanitarian efforts of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints seek to follow the example of a righteous people described in the Book of Mormon: And thus, in their prosperous circumstances, they did not send away any who were naked, or that were hungry, or that were athirst, or that were sick, and they were liberal to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, whether out of the church or in the church (Alma 1:30). . That approach to differences will yield tolerance and also respect. . That is how we qualify for the promised blessings. 12. These subjects were not chosen because they are uniquely your concern as young adults, like the dating, hanging out, and marriage I described to this audience some years ago. They all come through the mercy and grace of the Holy One of Israel, after all we can do (2 Nephi 25:23). We are willing to receive all truth, from whatever source it may come; for truth will stand, truth will endure.2, The existence and nature of truth is one of the fundamental questions of mortal life. . Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The best known of these is Judge not, that ye be not judged (3 Nephi 14:1, Matthew 7:1). Angels will stand with us, and He will send His Holy Spirit to guide us. Each of us is part of a great family, the human family, sons and daughters of God, and therefore brothers and sisters. Jointly published by the Deseret News and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, its content supports the doctrines, principles and practices of the Church. No sect or religious denomination in the world possesses a single principle of truth that we do not accept or that we will reject. But the rebuke would not have come had Martha not prompted it. When believers enter the public square to try to influence the making or the administration of laws motivated by their beliefs, they should apply some different principles. 8, 11). . The Saviors Golden Rule says we are. 7. First,when believers in Jesus Christ take their views of truth into the public square, they must seek the inspiration of the Lord to be selective and wise in choosing which true principles they seek to promote by law or executive action. See Heidi S. Swinton,To the Rescue: The Biography of Thomas S. Monson(Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2010), especially chapters 25 and 28 and pages 46263. Tolerance is defined as a friendly and fair attitude toward unfamiliar opinions and practices or toward the persons who hold or practice them. Forgiveness is a companion principle to the commandment that in final judgments we judge not and in intermediate judgments we judge righteously. Login . President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, spoke during the Saturday morning session of October 2022 general conference. Trust Him." As our confidence in God goes up, our fear goes down. In all of this we should not presume to judge our neighbors or associates on the ultimate effect of their behaviors. The kingdom of God is like a leaven, Jesus taught (see Matthew 13:33). They should always remember the Saviors teaching that we bless them that curse [us], do good to them that hate [us], and pray for them which despitefully use [us], and persecute [us] (Matthew 5:44). Recently, the Church of Jesus Christ reported for the first time the extent of its humanitarian work worldwide; 2021 expenditures for those in need in 188 countries totaled $906 million, with members also volunteering over 6 million hours of labor. How should we react toward and communicate with them? . [William George Jordan, Sitting in the Seat of Judgment,The Crown of Individuality(New York: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1909), pp. 10. (See John 18:3738.). Learn more about the Dallin H. Oaks biography, In the Hands of the Lord. According to survey data of two decades ago, 79 percent of American adults [believed] that there are clear guidelines about whats good and evil that apply to everyone regardless of the situation.4In contrast, a more recent poll of college seniors suggests that three-quarters of [them] believe that the difference between right and wrong is relative.5. Let us be good neighbors, kind and generous and gracious. Required fields are marked *. In case you want to follow along, here are the quotes we're discussing today: Quote #1: "Despite all that our Church does directly, most humanitarian service to the children of God worldwide is carried out by persons and Your email address will not be published. . We should be strong in keeping the commandments and our covenants, and we should repent and improve when we fall short. [The Supreme Charity of the World,The Kingship of Self-Control(Old Tappan, New Jersey: Revell, n.d.), pp. The key is to understand that there are two kinds of judging: final judgments, which we are forbidden to make; and intermediate judgments, which we are directed to make, but upon righteous principles. I have chosen to speak about truth because teachers in schools, colleges, and universities are teaching and practicing relative morality. We call this quality of life spirituality. Unfortunately, some who believe in moral relativism seem to have difficulty tolerating those who insist that there is a God who should be respected and certain moral absolutes that should be observed. President Oaks gives a powerful talk about service, and all of the amazing good works going on around the world. What does this scripture mean for our day and how can it be applied by Latter-day Saints? Did you enjoy these Dallin H. Oaks quotes? Let us be involved in good community causes. We can speak of principles rather than personalities.17. With the love and mutual respect taught by divine commandments, President Oaks said. Several times during the hour, I was tempted to ask them to take their conversation outside if they felt it was so urgentbut fortunately something kept me from giving vent to my feelings. Our tolerance and respect for others and their beliefs does not cause us to abandon our commitment to the truths we understand and the covenants we have made. Profanity is profoundly offensive to those who worship the God whose name is desecrated. What Did the Founding Fathers Think about the Bible? But where believers are in the majority, they should always be sensitive to the views of the minority. It is significant that when we partake of the sacrament we do not witness that we take upon us the name of Jesus Christ. Elder Uchtdorf introduces the revised For the Strength of Youth pamphlet while bearing powerful testimony of Jesu. 50 of The Best Talks of All Times From The General Conference of First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ Calls 164 New Mission Leaders 95 Best Quotes From The Laws of Human Nature, Top 45 Best Quotes from Grit by Angela Lee Duckworth, 34 Best Quotes From Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman, Top 30 Quotes From Start With Why by Simon Sinek. It was taught when a lawyer asked the Savior, Which is the great commandment in the law? (Matthew 22:36). The Book of Mormon tells of the resurrected Lord visiting some of the people of the Americas. The question posed by the second commandment is What is our ultimate priority?. Christian believers are under command to love their neighbors (see Luke 10:27), to forgive (see Matthew 18:2135), and to do good to those who despitefully use them (see Matthew 5:44). President Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was invited to speak at the Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit on July 20. I have been puzzled that some scriptures command us not to judge and others instruct us that we should . Like a sword, sharp and powerful, it uncovers what is hidden, divides truth from error, and goes to the heart of religious belief. Because of a short-term memory loss, this elderly sister innocently answered no. Wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God. . I dont need to entertain thoughts of revenge. In all our judgments we should apply righteous standards. 14. Our scriptural accounts of the Saviors mortal life provide the pattern. April 2022. Any content or opinions expressed, implied or included in or with the material are solely those of the owner and not those of Intellectual Reserve, Inc. or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.Music courtesy of bensound.com, Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher. I do not need to destroy myself with anger and hate. But I can change the future. Top 26 Quotes from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Top 41 Best Quotes from Daring Greatly by Bren Brown. 218 University Press Building Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. President Thomas S. Monson has provided an excellent example of the practice of these twin virtues. This greater exposure to diversity both enriches our lives and complicates them. Sometimes urgent circumstances require us to make preliminary judgments before we can get all of the facts we desire for our decision making. And we must all oppose violence and thievery. The following is a summary of what he said. In an essay titled Sitting in the Seat of Judgment, the great essayist William George Jordan reminded us that character. Oh Say, What Is Truth?Hymns,2002, no. 4 May 1971 Naming of a New President BYU Devotional - Oaks Inauguration. He has been an officer or member of the board of many business, educational, and charitable organizations. The scriptures not only command or contemplate that we will make intermediate judgments, but they also give us some guidancesome governing principlesin how to do so. A loving Heavenly Father gives us those feelings to impel us to help His children. As I face this audience of committed youngpeople, I know that some of you may be wondering why I am speaking about what is obvious to you and what, you might assume, is obvious to others. What does tolerance mean to us and to other believers, and what are our special challenges in applying it? Speaking to an audience of institute students three years ago, he said: The wordtolerancedoes not stand alone. Tony & Tacky: Campus Confidential, Taste,The Wall Street Journal,5 July 2002, W11. And whosoever will not repent of his sins the same shall not be numbered among my people. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Dallin H. Oaks quotes cover more than 30 years. The bishop answered, You do nothing. As an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, I seek to help you make right choices in a world that is increasingly polarized between belief and disbelief, between good and evil. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, spoke during the Saturday morning session of October 2022 general conference. He simply told her that he did not condemn herthat is, he would not pass final judgment on her at that time. . Jesus told the Roman governor Pilate that He came into the world to bear witness unto the truth., What is truth? that unbeliever responded. Martha received Jesus into her house and worked to provide for him while her sister Mary sat at Jesus feet and heard his word. He was set apart as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in April 7, 1984. Living together with mutual respect for one anothers differences is a challenge in todays world. [Moroni 7:18]. An apostle's responsibility is to be a special witness of Jesus Christ . A Relief Society worker visiting a sister in her ward asked whether the womans married children ever visited her. Similar reasoning forbids our presuming to make final judgments on the outcome of any persons lifelong mortal contest. This is a vital matter on which we who believe in a Supreme Being who has established absolute right and wrong in human behavior must unite to insist on our time-honored constitutional rights to exercise our religion, to vote our consciences on public issues, and to participate in elections and debates in the public square and in the halls of justice. From all of this we see that final judgment is the Lords and that mortals must refrain from judging any human being in the final sense of concluding or proclaiming that they are irretrievably bound for hell or have lost all hope of exaltation. cannot be judged as dress-goodsby a yard or so of sample unrolled from a bolt on the counter. Elder Dallin H. Oaks Opposition in All Things. The Law of Reproduction: (#13) The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by Top 50 Quotes From The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Top 23 Best Quotes from Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. Show Timeline. And behold, I am the light and the life of the world (3 Ne. Profanity consistently used in our presence is an appropriate cause for us to communicate the fact that this is offensive to us. fatal car accident knoxville tn today young and the restless recap today As president of Brigham Young University from 1971 to 1980, he oversaw the creation of the J. Reuben Clark Law School and the graduate business school. Her 1986 memoir, Goodbye, I Love You, is considered a landmark in discussions of homosexuality and Mormonism. . 9. So it was that, at the conclusion of His ministry, Jesus prayed to the Father, Not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil (John 17:15). This is a harder question for those who affirm the existence of God and absolute truth than for those who believe in moral relativism. The Lords way of final judgment will be to apply his perfect knowledge of the law a person has received and to judge on the basis of that persons circumstances, motives, and actions throughout his or her entire life (see Luke 12:4748, John 15:22, 2 Nephi 9:25). But our obligation to truth has its own set of requirements and its own set of blessings. We discuss the talks given by President Dallin H. Oaks and Hugo Montoya about service and love and wish you all a wonderful Christmas this year!Music acknowledgementsMusic: In Dulci Jubilo by J.S. [The Journey to Healing,Ensign,September 1997, p. 19]. November 04, 2022. You might say, That is a matter for senior Church authorities to handle. I describe these principles to you young adults because you are current members and future leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ, and you will need to decide these kinds of questions sooner than you think. Search for people biographies, memoirs and profession matching the query: Dallin H. Oaks. During class discussion a member asked, What if you see an unworthy person partaking of the sacrament? When practiced by those around us, it can be private behavior or something we are asked to condone, sponsor, or facilitate. He also said religious freedom is the DNA of The Church of Jesus Christ. Often the command to forgive (see D&C 64:10) seems almost more than one can bear, but this eternal principle can bring lasting peace. Ensign, Nov. 1998, 70-72 Dallin H. Oaks, "Priesthood Authority in the Family and the Church," Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2005, 24-27 Richard G. Scott, "To Heal the Shattering Consequences of Abuse," Ensign or Liahona, May 2008, 40-43 LDS Family Services courses Strengthening Marriage and Strengthening the Family He has an eye trained for the imperfections, the weaknesses. In this way diversity increases the potential for conflict and requires us to be more thoughtful about the nature of tolerance. Dallin H. Oaks was a member of the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when this fireside address was given at BYU on 1 March 1998. King Benjamin taught: Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just. He was president of Brigham Young University from 1971 to 1980, and a justice of the Utah Supreme Court from 1980 until his resignation in 1984 to accept his calling to the apostleship. Provo, Utah 84602. Consider where society would be if we did not have religious freedom, says President Oaks, President Oaks general conference addresses, Read more October 2022 general conference coverage, President Oaks was a law clerk to Chief Justice Earl Warren at the U.S. Supreme Court and served as a. His or her total concentration will be on the needs of the sheepthe good of the students. The parents have insisted that he not smoke in their home or in front of his younger siblings. We misinterpret motives, do not know facts, and judge from wrong standards. President Gordon B. Hinckley expressed this idea for Latter-day Saints: Each of us [from various religious denominations] believes in the fatherhood of God, although we may differ in our interpretations of Him. See the complete list of abbreviations here. Subscribe for free and get daily or weekly updates straight to your inbox, The three things you need to know everyday, Highlights from the last week to keep you informed. Sometimes it even takes a tragedy to teach us that there's more to our lives than what's going on . Here I remember a conversation with an LDS newspaperwoman who described what happened when she reported that the Prophet Joseph Smith received the golden plates in 1826a mistake of one year from the actual date of 1827. In such circumstances we do the best we can, relying ultimately on the teaching in modern scripture that we should put our trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do goodyea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously (D&C 11:12). For example, even though religious beliefs are behind many criminal laws, and some family laws, such laws have a long-standing history of appropriateness in democratic societies. . I used the principle of forgiveness to strengthen me.[Journey to Healing, p. 22]. Would it have hurt Mary to have joined us in serving, then we all could have sat down to hear the Lord together? . If we apply unrighteous standards, our judgment will be unrighteous. Many of our challenges are different from those faced by former pioneers but perhaps just as dangerous and surely as significant to our own salvation and the salvation of those who follow us. . This wise author also treats the importance of forgiveness. The ripples in my pond will spread through future generations. President Dallin H. Oaks stated, "The Lord is all powerful. bid her therefore that she help me. . The Relief Society has great significance for every member of the Church. Surely Latter-day Saints do need to be more wise and skillful in explaining and pursuing our views and in exercising our influence when we have it. Opposition permits us to grow toward what our Heavenly Father would have us become. . In our eternal journey, the resurrection is the mighty milepost that signifies the end of mortality and the beginning of immortality. "Brother's Keeper". 4. Some things are better than good, and these are the things that should command priority attention in our lives. It will refrain from declaring that a person has forfeited all opportunity for exaltation or even all opportunity for a useful role in the work of the Lord. There is no middle ground. 15. We are taught many small and simple things in the gospel of Jesus Christ. What can one person do to promote world peace? Faith is essential for healing by the powers of heaven. I am responsible for my actions and what I do with my knowledge. I no longer view myself as a victim. 2021. The effect of one mortals attempting to pass final judgment on another mortal is analogous to the effect on athletes and observers if we could proclaim the outcome of an athletic contest with certainty while it was still underway. Talks by Dallin H. Oaks. We need to be reminded that in total and over a significant period of time, these seemingly small things bring to pass great things.