Dont wait for happiness to be thrust upon you. Aaron Zitner, America Pulls Back from Values That Once Defined It, WSJ-NORC Poll Finds, Wall Street Journal, March 27, 2023. We need to work for a better way a way to resolve differences without compromising core values. He reiterated that the church teaches that the feeling of romantic attraction to someone of the same sex is itself not a sin, but church members are not to act on those feelings. Elder [D. Todd] Christofferson has reminded us that Putting the first commandment first does not diminish or limit our ability to keep the second commandment. Now, in the love I feel for those concerned with such subjects, I have felt impressed by the Spirit to use this opportunity to emphasize some of the precious truths the gospel of Jesus Christ reveals to help us with such confusions. OAKS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL Attn: Office of Admissions 31749 La Tienda Dr Westlake Village, CA 91362 EMAIL: admissions@oakschristian.org FAX: 818.865.8725 Should you have any questions, please contact us by email at admissions@oakschristian.org or by phone at 818.824.9492. We can only succeed in this effort to the extent that we acknowledge and respect each others highest ideals and human experiences. Jul 14, 2022. Service Times. President Oaks also repeated President Nelsons statement that, Any identifier that is not compatible with these three basic designations will ultimately let you down. Second was to love our neighbor.11 We must do both, and that is not easy. in our audience. We have always had to work through serious political conflicts, but today too many approach that task as if their preferred outcome must entirely prevail over all others, even in our pluralistic society. Trying to please others before pleasing God is inverting the first and second commandments. Anyone who does not treat individuals who face gender identity challenges with love and dignity is not aligned with the teachings of the first and second great commandments.. Marriage is central to the I have asked one of your peers to read her words. How could He speak of cheerfulness in the midst of all of the anguish He faced? Will the actors strike impact The Chosen season 4 release date? That does not mean any of us will go unscathed, but it does mean we will not be alone, and we can go forward guided and protected from the evil around us. Artamonoff took this photograph of the Yedikule market gardens over a year after an earlier one from the same vantage.. Nicholas V. Artamonoff, Towers and walls, 1938.Robert L. Van Nice Fieldwork Records and Papers, Image Collections and Fieldwork Archives, Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection. He loves us and will guide us as we seek to follow where He leads us. He did this by compelling them to examine themselves. But even though the First Amendment obviously guarantees the right to exercise or practice religious beliefs and affiliations, that right is not absolute. We plan to start translating in French and Portuguese in fall of 2023 and will add other languages based on demand and our translating capacity. Tuesday's devotional was another in a long line of recent statements by him and other senior church leaders condemning racism. Life becomes better as our marriage becomes connected to something greater than ourselves and closer to our Savior. 7. I find wisdom in the observation of Professor (later Dean) Martha Minow of the Harvard Law School. President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, reaffirmed the churchs positions on same-sex relationships and gender identity and reiterated that followers of Jesus Christ are commanded both to love God and his law while loving those who experience gender dysphoria and same-sex attraction. Rather, it appears to have perpetuated, if not exacerbated, the divisiveness in our relationships. President Dallin H. Oaks and his wife, Sister Kristen Oaks, speak to young adults of the church during a worldwide devotional from the Conference Center Theater in Salt Lake City on Sunday, May 21, 2023. The average age of Latter-day Saints when they first marry has been rising for the past 45 years. A date must pass the test of three Ps: (1) planned ahead, (2) paid for, and (3) paired off. Submit $500 non-refundable registration fee. Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency and Sister Kristen M. Oaks will deliver a special message to young adults around the world. Similarly, those who advocate nondiscrimination should not assume that those asserting claims of religious freedom are seeking a license to discriminate. There are worthy constitutional and ethical arguments on both sides of such disputes, and, so far as possible, we should seek to accommodate them consistent with the most important interests of all sides. attractions are not sins. And never forget that his servants love you. President Dallin H. Oaks, as a special witness of Jesus Christ, has dedicated his life to the service of the Master. As Sister Michelle D. Craig has said, "Trials do not mean the plan is failing. The plan includes growth and is meant to help us seek God. All we have said here can bring I invite you to look to God and live. Now I address some issues that God loves you. I hope what I say will be helpful to those who seek a better way for the advocates of religious freedom and nondiscrimination to relate to one another as fellow citizens dedicated to maintaining a civil society. We have taught that we should diligently seek to know Jesus Christ, to feel His love, and to have faith in Him and His loving guidance along the covenant path to our eternal destiny. One participant told me that he recalls them as an effort in peacemaking, learning how to live together with mutual respect, even love. patriarchal blessings. As persons and family members experience such feelings, they should be careful with labels. He is a powerful mentor, and he has promised to help you if you but seek him in the way he has taught. We have spoken about the plan of salvationall 3 Acts that have been revealed, especially the purpose of this mortal life. Photograph by Nicholas Artamonoff, Summer 1938. Our concern includes the causes, such as the shortage of homes young marrieds can afford to buy and the growing amounts of student debt. The devotional is for young adults ages 18-30, married or single, who are encouraged to . 32 were here. A write-up with quotations from the address is found at the Newsroom, along with a video box to view the entire presentation.I'm not going to dive in the deep end, just splash around a bit with a couple of ongoing issues. Let us hope that current efforts will add another success to the troubled history of the intersection of divine and civil law. Where there is genuine conflict, one constitutional right should not be invoked to try to cancel another constitutional right. The right relationship between religious freedom and nondiscrimination is best achieved by respecting each other enough to negotiate in good faith and by caring for each other enough that the freedom and protection we seek is not for ourselves alone. You are about to access Constant Contacts (http://visitor.constantcontact.com). It means decreased opportunities to work together to build the kingdom of God. Matthew 5:44; see Dallin H. Oaks, "Love Your Enemies," Ensign, November 2020.. 4. Successful negotiation requires that neither side be unduly influenced by the extreme voices that often drive litigation, especially litigation sponsored by ideological groups. Kristen and I thought of the significance to the restored Church of this national devaluing of the importance of children when Kristens sister related a comment by her young grandson. That commandment is central to of creation is one of the most precious gifts we Its marriage time. Tonight, just like the Israelites, we are under attack for various beliefs we hold sacred. Related Links . In time, a jointly designed proposal gained traction, and its adoption at the city level prompted an effort to adopt a similar law statewide. I will illustrate some of my points with the experience of the Latter-day Saints because I believe the lessons we have learned from that experience are applicable to any who seek to obey both the law of the land and the law of their God, even in circumstances of extreme tension. 2. It was really good, really helpful. I know we are supposed to love everyone and show them respect, and I always do. We also know that court opinions in this area are rigorously policed by litigation organizations on both sides who solicit and groom additional cases to advance their causes through favorable court rulings. Bringing diverse voices to the table is hard. He teaches us through the scriptures, through His prophets, and through personal revelation. Adding to the personal power that comes Rendering to Caesar in good faith requires religious persons and associations to acknowledge what their government does for them and to be faithful in fulfilling the reciprocal responsibilities they owe to the government and their fellow citizens. President Oaks, that video about dating is really dated, but the principle remains the samedating still precedes marriage. Great Salt Lake Summit emphasizes one snow-heavy winter wont be enough, Andy Larsen: What standards should Utahs redistricting maps follow? You number nearly 60,000 students. Mutual accommodation between the Latter-day Saints and the rest of the country was achieved by adversarial parties who were able, by political means, to identify and preserve the deepest interests of the greatest number of parties. That is the essence of constructive politics, which is something to be emulated in our own day. Teachings based on faith in God however defined have always contributed to moral actions that benefit the entire nation. purpose of mortal life and what follows. Russell M. Nelson, Overcome the World and Find Rest, Liahona, Nov. 2022, 96. This requires us to accept some laws we dislike, and to live peacefully with some persons whose values differ from our own. Like President Nelson said, we do not view it like a one-act play. Relying on the teachings of the Quran, he said: We must respect this God-given dignity in every human being, even in our enemies. January 2023 Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults. Elder Holland explained: Even in the fateful atmosphere that must have prevailed at the Last Supper, Christ was still reminding His disciples of the reason for and their duty to be of good cheer. Saturday Morning at 9:30am-10:30am (Sabbath School) 10:45am-12:00pm Church Service. Marriage is central to the purpose of mortal life and what follows. Each of us has a special place in Gods heart.23, Then, just a few months ago, President Nelson again reminded us thatkeeping covenants actually makes life easier! whatever our own variations in the diversity of our Father in Heavens 7. On a broader front, what if the conflicting demands of civil and religious law are such that they cannot be resolved by negotiation? Helping church members avoid debt is a regular reason church leaders give for providing more than $1 billion in tuition subsidies and other aid to Brigham Young University, BYU-Idaho, BYU-Pathway Worldwide, BYU-Hawaii and Ensign College to help over 90,000 students around the world. Submit proof of funds for full tuition amount. I pray for that result under our inspired Constitution, as we pledge to be one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. As advocates for religious freedom, we must yield to the fact that in a nation with citizens of many different religious beliefs or disbeliefs, the government must sometimes limit the right of some to act upon their beliefs when it is necessary to protect the health, safety and welfare of all. And it really is about loving attracted to persons of the same gender. 6. Essential to our side was the principle of honoring both divine and mortal laws. | Aug. 23, 2021, 1:27 p.m. | Updated: Aug. 26, 2021, 7:44 a.m. For example, it is well-known that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints exercised its constitutional right to express its position that the traditional legal definition of marriage should be preserved. All should observe the laws and respect the values of the country that guarantees their freedoms. God has revealed again and again that He created This last act includes a literal resurrection of all who have ever lived, and a final judgment that assigns us to a kingdom of glory for which our deeds, decisions, and desires have qualified us. This portrays the average age of Latter-day Saint men and women at the time of their first marriage in the last 25 years. Download a photo or video by clicking or tapping on it. Contact Info. In Gods plan we can have it all, but not in the sequence the world seems to dictate, President Oaks said. Pray and the Lord will be with you. keeping His commandments, including love for His children. That change has not happened. Both religious and secular rule are ordained of God for the good of His children. Why does her letter strike me so profoundly? First, the Savior effectively disarmed those who sought immediate application of the law. Marriage is a built-in opportunity to learn communication and perspective. He is a native of Provo, Utah (born on August 12, 1932). They are ill-suited to the overarching, complex, and comprehensive policy-making that is required in a circumstance like the current conflict between two great values.