President Dallin H. Oaks and Sister Kristen Oaks have 29 grandchildren, 73 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren. With a large family and many Church responsibilities, the prophet and his wife strive to be intentional about nurturing relationships with their grandchildren.
Here are some sweet traditions that the Oaks have cultivated to help their grandchildren feel loved and cherished.
1. “Grandchild of the Month”
To help communicate that each grandchild is special, President Oaks has a tradition of honoring a “Grandchild of the Month.” Each month, he displays a picture of a different grandchild in his office at Church headquarters and then sends them a personalized letter.
“It was so special when it was your turn to be the grandchild of the month to get that letter from Grandpa in the mail,” shared Tiffany Oaks Bratt, a granddaughter who lives in Florida. “We cherished our letters from Grandpa.”
His daughter TruAnn Boulter says she carries on the tradition with her own grandchildren.
“I have a [photo of a] grandchild on my piano, and I write them birthday cards,” Truann explained to the Church News. “About every two weeks, it changes so that [all of] my grandkids are on the piano. And I teach violin, so my students and people … in my living room [are] seeing that all the time as I teach.”
2. Family Dinners
President and Sister Oaks also prioritize connecting with their grandchildren through family activities, including festive outings, sleepovers, and dinners.
For example, President and Sister Oaks host a special dinner twice a year for their family members. These gatherings are held after the last Sunday session of general conferences in April and October.
At these post-conference dinners, the prophet and his wife hold a family meeting to discuss themes they noticed from the conference sessions and share testimonies.
“The thing that I treasure the most is when he bears testimony, because he doesn’t ever let an opportunity go to counsel his family,” shared Trent Boulter, a grandson who lives in American Fork, Utah.
3. Spiritual Initiatives
According to Trent, Sister Oaks leads many of the family initiatives. She and President Oaks work together to design activities and traditions to help connect the family and encourage everyone to turn to Christ.
“We are so grateful to have [Kristen] as part of our family,” Trent said. “She is constantly putting together programs and challenges and things that she and my grandpa are endorsing to the family.”
For example, the Oaks once invited their grandchildren to memorize “The Living Christ” as part of a family challenge. To help younger grandchildren and great-grandchildren learn the words, they created accompanying visuals in spiral-bound notebooks. Those who completed the challenge even received a signed certificate.
Visit the Deseret News to learn more about how the prophet and his wife minister to their grandchildren.
More articles for you:
▶ Why Pres. Oaks has kept this painting in his office for over 40 years
▶ 21 special Christmas gifts your grandkids won’t soon forget
▶ This beautiful art book is helping families talk about Christ
