Finding Light and Hope: Elder Oaks tells us to stand for principles

Here's the latest installment of my series Finding Light and Hope where I share the things that I found beautiful about each of the talks from the October 2013 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

You can read Elder Oak's talk here, or watch below.



Here are my favorite parts:

• Our theology begins with heavenly parents, and our highest aspiration is to attain the fulness of eternal exaltation. 

• ...we are also conscious that God’s plan is for all of His children and that God loves all of His children, everywhere. The first chapter of the Book of Mormon declares that God’s “power, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth” (1 Nephi 1:14). A later chapter declares that “he hath given [his salvation] free for all men” and that “all men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden” (2 Nephi 26:27–28). Consequently, the scriptures teach that we are responsible to be compassionate and charitable (loving) toward all men

• A teaching of President Thomas S. Monson applies to this circumstance. At this conference 27 years ago, he boldly declared: “Let us have the courage to defy the consensus, the courage to stand for principle. Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God’s approval. Courage becomes a living and an attractive virtue when it is regarded not only as a willingness to die manfully, but as the determination to live decently. A moral coward is one who is afraid to do what he thinks is right because others will disapprove or laugh. Remember that all men have their fears, but those who face their fears with dignity have courage as well."