During his first devotional at Brigham Young University as the prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Dallin H. Oaks taught four ways we can come closer to Jesus Christ.
He emphasized the late President Russell M. Nelson’s familiar quote: “In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.” President Oaks expounded:
“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. Many obstacles lie ahead. The distractions will be many.”
To help us navigate these obstacles, the prophet offered loving words of counsel, saying, “I want to help all our members overcome present or future doubts. Whatever those doubts, the way to overcome them is to get closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ.”
President Oaks offered four ways we can draw closer to our Savior: strengthen our faith in Him, increase our humility, seek help from others, and be patient. Here are a few powerful things he said about each invitation.
1. Strengthen Your Faith in Him
“Strong faith requires more than strong desire. It means daily trying, one step at a time, with prayer and scripture study.”
2. Increase Your Humility
“When we are humble, we can more clearly hear the Lord’s voice.”
“Humility, faith, and trust in the Lord are the remedies for wavering.”
3. Seek Help from Others
“Don’t be persuaded by false or inaccurate information. Discuss your concerns with faithful, well-informed friends, and always take those concerns to the Lord.”
4. Be Patient
“We are all a work in progress. We are all at different places on what President Nelson called the ‘covenant path.’ We need to be patient with one another and occasionally even with ourselves.”
“Hold on to the First Article of Faith, even if something else is uncertain. And while you wait, wait upon the Lord, which includes trusting in His timing as well as His promises.”
You can watch the full devotional here.
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