The Church of Jesus Christ issued the following announcement on May 17.
At an Ensign College devotional on Tuesday, President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints outlined five ways students can proclaim truth with love.
The First Counselor in the First Presidency was joined by Elder Clark G. Gilbert, a General Authority Seventy and Commissioner of the Church Educational System (CES). The duo spoke from the Assembly Hall on Temple Square to hundreds of gathered students.
President Oaks encouraged students at the Church-owned school with the following five ways to proclaim truth with love:
- Avoid overly contentious settings.
- Love others and find common ground, even amid disagreements.
- Hold to truth even when reaching out in love to others.
- Be a light to the world.
- Stay anchored in Jesus Christ.
“We should reach out positively to express our concern and love for those with whom we disagree,” President Oaks said. “We should seek to find common ground on which to stand with those who might otherwise consider us their enemies. Followers of Christ should be examples of civility. We should remember the Savior’s teaching: ‘By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another’ (John 13:35).”
“Followers of Christ should be examples of civility. We should remember the Savior’s teaching: ‘By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another’ (John 13:35).” —President Oaks
“We can trust in the great promises of the Lord. If we are prepared we shall not fear,” President Oaks added. “The Lord has prepared a way for us to accomplish what He desires us and commands us to do.”
“We hope each of you will carry the quiet strength of a disciple of Jesus Christ,” Elder Gilbert said. “You can look to the example of Jesus Christ of standing fast with love. Take the case of the Samaritan woman at the well or the calling of the publican as one of Christ’s disciples. He knew their shortcomings and their weaknesses. Importantly, they knew their shortcomings and their weaknesses. Nevertheless, He treated them with love while he taught them truth. Rather than condemning others, we should simply proclaim what we know and what we believe and invite others to follow the Savior. It is their opportunity to choose, not ours to compel.”
President Oaks spoke briefly about the importance of the family, religion and the U.S. Constitution — three topics that reinforce and strengthen each other. He said the family is “a core institution of civil society.” Religion strengthens society generally and “stands as a firewall against the adversary’s onslaughts against many other key institutions or ideas in the world.” And the Constitution’s Bill of Rights protects the good that religion can do. “It’s vital to all of us to understand the importance of these protections and our democratic form of government,” President Oaks said.
President Oaks and Elder Gilbert addressed two additional topics that require great love and concern in the modern world: race and LGBTQ issues.
Original source can be found here.
