[0:04]We thank thee, O God, for a prophet We thank thee, O God, for a prophet We thank thee, O God, for a prophet We thank thee, O God, for a prophet We thank thee, O God, for a prophet We thank thee, O God, for a prophet
[2:30]Good morning, brothers and sisters. Thank you for being here and joining us for this special devotional. We are privileged to have President Dallin H. Oaks, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as our speaker today. We extend a special welcome to his wife, Kristen M. Oaks, seated to his side on the stand, as well as their family and friends who have joined us. We also extend a welcome to Elder Clark G. Gilbert, Commissioner of the Church Education System, and his wife Christine, who are on the stand. Thank you for joining us. It's wonderful to see the arena full today. It's an honor for us to welcome President and Sister Oaks to our campus. Not many campuses are as privileged as ours.
[3:25]I would like to point out today that a prophet of God will address us. What a blessing it is to have the opportunity to hear from our prophet. I bear testimony of President Oak's apostolic calling as a special witness of the Savior Jesus Christ. We are grateful for the time he has dedicated to being with us and the inspired counsel he will share. We remind you that next week there will be no devotional due to Monday instruction after the President's Day holiday. We invite you to join us next Tuesday for a campus forum where we will have the opportunity to hear from another speaker. We thank Samuel Cole, a senior organ performance major from Shelbyville, Kentucky, for playing the prelude music and for accompanying us in the opening hymn. We thank Rebecca Amis, a graduate student in choral conducting from Houston, Texas, for leading us in the opening hymn. The invocation will be offered by Katy Ward, a Master of Public Health student from San Diego, California, and great-granddaughter of President Oaks. After the prayer, we will hear a special number performed by the BYU Concert Choir and a BYU School of Music brass and percussion instrumental ensemble.
[4:52]They will be led by Brent Wells, a member of the School of Music faculty, with Andrew Fellows, a graduate student in choral conducting from Stafford, Virginia, accompanying them on the organ. Now, for the prayer by Sister Ward.
[5:10]Our Heavenly Father, we are so grateful for the opportunity we have to be gathered on this beautiful campus, to hear the words and the spirit that is here. We pray that President Oaks will be guided to say the things that will answer the questions we have brought before thee today. We are grateful for the preparation that has gone into making this happen. We are grateful for the opportunity we have to be students, friends here at BYU. We pray that each of us will receive the help we need to succeed this semester and grow closer to thee as we follow along. We are also grateful for the sacrifice each of us has made to hear the words of thy prophet. And we pray that the revelation will come to us that we seek in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
[6:33]All creatures of our God and King. Lift up your voice and with us sing. Hallelujah, hallelujah, Oh, praise him, hallelujah, hallelujah. Thou rushing winds that are so strong, ye clouds that sail in heaven alone. Hallelujah, hallelujah, oh praise him, hallelujah, hallelujah. Thou rising sun with golden beam, thou silver moon with softer gleam. Hallelujah, hallelujah, oh praise him, hallelujah, hallelujah. Thou flowing water pure and clear, make music for thy Lord to hear. Hallelujah, hallelujah, oh praise him, hallelujah, hallelujah. Thou burning fire so masterful and bright. O praise him, hallelujah, hallelujah, oh praise him, hallelujah, hallelujah. Let all things their creator bless and worship him in humbleness. Hallelujah, hallelujah, oh praise him, hallelujah, hallelujah. Oh praise him, hallelujah, hallelujah.
[1:00:00]You should try to get up after that.
[1:06:50]We express our gratitude to the concert choir, to Brothers Wells and Fellows for that beautiful special number that has set the tone for this meeting.
[1:48:00]My dear brothers and sisters, it is a joy to be here. You are an audience very beloved by the Lord, and He desires that all of you return to His presence.
[1:50:41]Since my service as president of Brigham Young University in 1971, I have spoken to many BYU audiences, but never before as a leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
[1:59:00]As your prophet and current leader, I have prayed for inspiration about what I should say to you and to the large audience that we include with current technology.
[2:07:05]You are celebrating BYU's 150th anniversary.
[2:08:00]I was president of BYU when we celebrated the centennial.
[2:11:00]That second century has reached its halfway point. What has BYU become to achieve those prophetic challenges?
[2:16:00]And what have you become with the experience gained during the second century?
[2:29:00]To reinforce the spiritual impressions that I have previously conveyed to the leaders of your university, I firmly believe that the destiny of Brigham Young University is to become what past and present prophets knew it could become, with the consecration and leadership of this community, BYU will become the great university of the Lord, not in the way of the world, but in the way of the Lord.
[2:44:00]Now I address an audience in BYU, but what I have to say applies to all who follow the words of a prophet.
[2:55:00]I want to thank the many friends and members who have prayed and expressed their support for me in my new calling. The frequent references to the mantle of office that rests upon me have led me to initiate this message with some observations on the meaning of that term.
[3:17:00]The word "mantle" is used in the Bible to describe the mantle of the prophet Elijah, which descended upon Elisha as a symbol of the passing of prophetic authority.
[3:32:00]The term "mantle" arose in the history of the restored Church through numerous accounts during the meeting in Nauvoo about who should succeed Joseph Smith after his assassination. Many of those present recorded their experience that Joseph's mantle fell upon Brigham Young.
[3:59:00]Those experiences took various forms. Some had visual experiences, others heard Joseph's voice, and many had a feeling, just as each of us receives revelation differently.
[4:12:00]When Russell M. Nelson was called as our prophet, I had a similar experience. I had sat next to this apostle in Quorum of the Twelve meetings for 34 years, but when the prophet's mantle fell upon President Nelson, I felt his prophetic gifts magnified. We have all witnessed his profound leadership.
[4:41:00]Upon President Nelson's passing, I experienced another meaning of the mantle. For those who observe it, it symbolizes a transfer of priestly authority.
[4:54:00]For the person who receives that authority, it is very different and real. Within minutes of learning of our president's death, I felt the heavy responsibility fall upon me, along with important impressions of what was required of me now.
[5:20:00]As your prophet and leader, I pray for what our Heavenly Father desires for each of us: that we be or become active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, moving forward on the covenant path toward the eternities.
[5:40:00]We need each other's prayers. I feel the positive effect of your prayers and I am grateful and love you. I feel compelled to emphasize the warning that President Russell M. Nelson gave us: that in future days it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, orienting, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Spirit.
[6:09:00]One of the many reasons why you will need the constant influence of the Holy Spirit is that you live in a time when the adversary has become so effective in disguising the truth that if you do not have the Holy Spirit, you will be deceived.
[6:30:00]There are many obstacles ahead. Distractions will be many. Even active members sometimes may have concerns about some historical, doctrinal, or social issues related to the church. I want to help all our members to overcome current or future doubts.
[7:00:00]Whatever those doubts may be, the way to overcome them is to draw closer to our Savior Jesus Christ. Time and time again, He has taught us that He is the way.
[7:13:00]I present to you four impressions that will bring us closer to our Savior. First, strengthen our faith in Him. Second, increase our humility. Third, seek help from others. And fourth, be patient.
[7:31:00]The first is to focus on developing our faith in God and in the mission of His Son, Jesus Christ. A firm faith requires more than a strong desire. It means striving daily, step by step, with prayer and the study of the scriptures.
[7:53:00]We increase our commitment to the principles of the first article of faith which says: We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit.
[8:06:00]These principles strengthen our faith in God and will keep us anchored to the truth of the gospel and the example of service of our fellow men, of our Savior.
[8:20:00]Second, greater humility brings us closer to Jesus Christ.
[8:31:00]This will help us overcome questions about the Lord's doctrine. When we are humble, we listen more clearly to the voice of the Lord. We all need help to learn humility.
[8:44:00]I will tell you a previous personal experience that helped me to return to the path of humility.
[8:50:00]In my first year as a law school professor at the University of Chicago, a famous faculty member died, and the dean asked me to teach his classes for several weeks until a substitute professor could be found. I was not familiar with the legal subject matter. It was challenging, and I finally felt the desire to congratulate myself for having completed the assignment.
[9:12:00]Then a student told me what I thought was going to be a compliment. He said, Mr. Oaks, I was in the class where you replaced Professor So-and-so, and I must tell you that I was very impressed. One day, you will be a great professor.
[9:39:00]What did this experience help me with? I had too much confidence in my abilities as a teacher, and that student gave me a perspective that has blessed me to this day.
[10:00:00]President Ezra Taft Benson gave us a great teaching about humility. He did so as part of his memorable teachings about pride. The antidote to pride, he taught, is humility. Meekness, submission, humility responds to the will of God, to the fear of His judgments, and to the needs of the people around us.
[10:19:00]Let us choose to be humble, he implored. I say to all of you, as this wise stake president told this young man: Seek out friends and colleagues who strive to follow the Lord, with whom you can feel the Spirit and strengthen your faith.
[10:36:00]Surround yourselves with people who believe. A great prophet in the Book of Mormon taught this truth: Believe in God, believe that He exists, and that He created all things both in heaven and on earth.
[10:50:00]Believe that He has all wisdom and all power, both in heaven and on earth. Believe that man does not comprehend all things that the Lord can comprehend. And also, believe that you should repent of your sins and abandon them, and humble yourselves before God.
[11:05:00]Protect yourselves through the weekly renewal of your covenants by partaking of the Holy Supper, and by striving constantly to live according to those sacred covenants. Those who have been invested must include regular attendance at the temple.
[11:27:00]In short, remain on the covenant path. These simple practices will protect and strengthen you. We are all a work in progress. We are all in different places on what the President called the covenant path. We must be patient with each other, and on occasion, even with ourselves.
[11:43:00]Overcoming doubt, resolving conflicts between the ever-evolving understanding of science and the sometimes incomplete teachings of religion can be a long process, like building faith or acquiring humility. Hold fast to the first article of faith, even when other things are uncertain, and while you wait, wait in the Lord, which includes trusting in His timing, as well as in His promises. And as we wait, we must dedicate ourselves to service. Time and time again, Jesus taught and demonstrated the power of service to others. My dear brothers and sisters, I testify that Jesus Christ, as apostles, we are instructed to testify of His name, of His sacred work throughout the world. I testify of the truth taught by the restored Church, and I share with you and testify to the Church of the things I have said today in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
