Elder Oaks

Hurray for Elder Oaks!!! There are Apostles on the Earth and one has spoken!!

 

For those who aren't aware, last week Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve was the speaker at a devotional for BYU-Idaho students and faculty. His message was one of truth and power for a struggling world. And, of course, those who are trying to destroy all the good there is in our lives were offended by his words. Reminds me of the Book of Mormon verse that says:

"…wherefore, the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center." (1 Nephi 16:1)

Truth is unbending in its force and no amount of persuasion by man or beast can cause a change.

 

I suppose my biggest concern is that most people who comment on Elder Oaks talk seem to focus on the Prop. 8 business. That is only a subset of what he is teaching: he was not trying to speak about gay marriage as the main topic. His biggest concern is the drifting of society from a religion based foundation to one that is anti-religious. This shift is lessening the protections religion has had in the past and could result in a loss of freedoms that have been preserved since the founding of this nation. The adversary is behind this and those who are doing his work are pushing as hard as they can to collapse the ideals offered by religion.

 

Here's how I think Joseph Smith would respond to those who think they can eliminate God and His Kingdom from this earth:

…the Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear; till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.

Joseph Smith Jr.—Letter to John Wentworth

 

I am confident that the work of God will continue to move forward. I am certain that the power of the Book of Mormon will be offered to all mankind and those who accept will find something that has been missing from their lives. I have no fear of man or the things they can do to this work. Only ONE matters when it comes time for judgment. I answer to Him and look for the day I will be with Him.

 

Rage on O' worldly ones,

Let your fires burn and scar.

There is a Light that shines on us,

Because of ONE afar.