Dallin H. Oaks, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and former president of Brigham Young University, addressed a crowd that filled the Marriott Center for a devotional Feb. 10.
Students arrived as early as 7 a.m. to hear the president speak. A total of 18,324 people gathered in the Marriott Center with doors closing an hour before the devotional, with many more watching online.
President Oaks opened his remarks by reminding audiences of the Savior’s love for them. He continued by sharing his belief in BYU's destiny as the great university of the Lord.
He then shared that, likewise, Heavenly Father also wants something for each of us.
“And that is to be or become active members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, proceeding forward on the covenant path into the eternities,” President Oaks said.
However, echoing the counsel of President Nelson, he warned audiences that doing so would require the power of the Holy Ghost.
“One of the many reasons you will need the constant influence of the Holy Ghost is that you live in a season where the adversary has become so effective at disguising truth that if you don’t have the Holy Ghost, you will be deceived,” President Oaks said.
He explained that the disguising of truth can turn into doubt. President Oaks shared that drawing closer to Jesus Christ can help overcome these doubts. He shared four ways to draw closer to Jesus Christ.
“First, strengthen our faith in Him. Second, increase our humility. Third, seek help from others. And fourth, be patient,” President Oaks said.
President Oaks explained, “strong faith requires more than strong desire,” and that it is possible through prayer and scripture study.
When discussing humility, President Oaks shared that humility is needed to become what one was created to become.
“Like faith in God and meekness, humility is a master virtue, given to help us learn other virtues necessary for us to become what our Heavenly Father and His Only Begotten Son created us to become,” President Oaks said.
President Oaks shared his appreciation for both secular and spiritual learning but warned that relying exclusively on secular learning could limit one’s horizons, emphasizing the need for both types of learning.
“There is no ultimate conflict between knowledge gained by these different methods because God, our omnipotent Eternal Father, knows all truth and beckons us to learn by both methods,” President Oaks said.
To withstand the many different voices in today’s world, President Oaks also discussed the importance of seeking help from others for spiritual strength.
“Seek friends and associates who are striving to follow the Lord, with whom you can feel the Spirit and reinforce your faith,” he said. “Surround yourself with people who believe.”
President Oaks then invited audiences to be patient with themselves and others.
“We need to be patient with one another, and occasionally, even with ourselves. Overcoming doubt — resolving conflicts between the evolving understanding of science and the sometimes-incomplete teachings of religion can be a lengthy process, like building faith or acquiring humility,” President Oaks said.
President Oaks concluded his remarks by sharing his testimony of the truthfulness of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
