Lex Mormonum: The Oaks Years

[Bo Diddley]

When I was a kid I thought he was cool because he had been the president of BYU and he reminded me of Yul Brynner.

He reminds me a lot of my dad in the deliberate way he chooses words as he talks.

One of my favorite talks of his was in April 2021 when he talked about the Constitution.

There are many political issues, and no party, platform, or individual candidate can satisfy all personal preferences. Each citizen must therefore decide which issues are most important to him or her at any particular time. Then members should seek inspiration on how to exercise their influence according to their individual priorities. This process will not be easy. It may require changing party support or candidate choices, even from election to election.

Such independent actions will sometimes require voters to support candidates or political parties or platforms whose other positions they cannot approve. That is one reason we encourage our members to refrain from judging one another in political matters. We should never assert that a faithful Latter-day Saint cannot belong to a particular party or vote for a particular candidate. We teach correct principles and leave our members to choose how to prioritize and apply those principles on the issues presented from time to time. We also insist, and we ask our local leaders to insist, that political choices and affiliations not be the subject of teachings or advocacy in any of our Church meetings.

I stopped judging people for voting for Trump after this talk.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Old GN would call me a stringpuller, but this is the church administration I’ve been dreading. That said, he’s a smart guy who is probably not nearly out of touch as I accuse him of being.

Bring your President Oaks-related topics here for discussion, preferably in a numbered-list format. And don’t forget to close your quotes.

There is nothing to dread here. Nothing substantive is going to change.

[Donuthole]

I did have a funny thought the other day. With all the celebrating by millennial influencers over the sleeveless garments, I think it would be high-larious if Oaks' first order of business were to announce a rollback the sleeveless garments. Mormon IG/TikTok would lose its collective mind.

[BlueK]

I thought his story of learning about the death of his father when he was a child and how his grandfather stepped up was incredibly moving.

I thought so too. Pres Oaks seemed like a softer, more personal version of himself to me in his talk instead of the serious, reasoning, lawyer/judge-like version we've gotten used to. That talk also seemed to resonate with my teenage daughter because of the family theme, I think.

[MartyFunkhouser]

I did have a funny thought the other day. With all the celebrating by millennial influencers over the sleeveless garments, I think it would be high-larious if Oaks' first order of business were to announce a rollback the sleeveless garments. Mormon IG/TikTok would lose its collective mind.

Agreed that would be funny. I think they should go further though and go back to the wrist and ankle onesies

[chrisrenrut]

Agreed that would be funny. I think they should go further though and go back to the wrist and ankle onesies

Made from scratchy wool. And convince everyone they are Woke, so the MAGA element in the church has to adopt and embrace them out of protest.

[wally]

I thought his story of learning about the death of his father when he was a child and how his grandfather stepped up was incredibly moving.

Yeah, that one choked me up a bit.

Pres. Oaks visited our ward before it got dissolved and merged with another about a year ago. He seemed very kind and wanted to attend as many different classes as possible (primary, youth and adult Sunday School) only really getting to hang out for about 10-min in each.

The funniest part about the visit was that for the Sacrament meeting it was fast and testimony, and I remember thinking, oh snap, there are gonna be a lot of "try-hards' that bear testimony today to be heard by Pres. Oaks. I totally called it. It was a marathon of dudes who never usually get up putting on an audition, with a few regular sisters sprinkled in, lol!

[happyone]

One of Pres Oaks sons was in the same mission as I was, and we were in the same zone for a couple of months

I also saw him at the symphony one night (he was sitting in the same row as Mrs Happy and I. We stood up as he got to his seats. I don't think they has been to Abravanel Hall very often, they didnt understand the seat numbering system. It was a light night and there was no one between us and him and his wife. Mrs Happy went and spoke to him about LBGT issues. He was very polite.

[BigFatMeanie]

One of Pres Oaks sons was in the same mission as I was, and we were in the same zone for a couple of months

I also saw him at the symphony one night (he was sitting in the same row as Mrs Happy and I. We stood up as he got to his seats. I don't think they has been to Abravanel Hall very often, they didnt understand the seat numbering system. It was a light night and there was no one between us and him and his wife. Mrs Happy went and spoke to him about LBGT issues. He was very polite.

Yeah, you can always tell the noobs who get hung up on the odd/even split in seat numbers.

[Goatnapper'96]

Old GN would call me a stringpuller, but this is the church administration I’ve been dreading. That said, he’s a smart guy who is probably not nearly out of touch as I accuse him of being.

Bring your President Oaks-related topics here for discussion, preferably in a numbered-list format. And don’t forget to close your quotes.

Everything is going to be OK. Both the Church and us as individuals are asymptotes. Don't spend your time worrying your pretty head over where the Church is on social issues. Just go out and do some good in the world that day. If the wandering liberals are right the Church will get there one day. If they are wrong the wandering liberals will get back to where the Church is one day. Nobody give up on themselves or God and everything will work out OK in the long run.

Kalani Sitake might even make our nipples hard along the way!

[grapevine]

Did anyone read his book life lessons learned? Dallin really took a hard liner to people that set goals based on the agency of others.

A talk at BYU talked about Gods timing. Then said a missionary can’t baptize five people this month without the agency and action of five other people. Set goals on things you can control. Being married to particular person by particular time, employed by particular place.

His dad was small town DR in Twin Falls. At that time there was either Sage brush or farms several miles south of the Snake River Canyon. Twin not as big as it is now.

There was a tb hospital in Gooding. People thought his Dad would recover. Plenty of faith that it would happen. When he learned no amount of faith can overrule Gods will.

His Moms family helped him. His Dads siblings were involved in his life too. Read where his Dads dad wasn’t well liked by some. 16 kids in family. Family search were I got that info.

Came to cousins reception shortly before I came home from mission. Great uncle that was mop knee him tried to get him to cut ahead in line. Wouldn’t do it. Chatted with fam briefly.

Uncle is composed and he knew them through some church music he composed.

Set apart previous Stake President when I was in college. We both have some radio broadcasting experience. First wife from Payson and my Grandma grew up there. Wife is third cousins.

Said not bad to watch tv, play video games, talk on cell phone or text. Takes away from better things.

Does he have son in law that’s big ngl fan? Is there grandson that is gay and disagrees with him on policies?

Are all of his children and grandchildren active or are some not active? In Sheri Dews bio of Russell said a couple grandchildren left church activity. If you have that many some will probably leave.

Korea put mission on hold. Was Chicago Stake Mission President to compensate. Didn’t do couple mission either do to calling as apostle.

Was in Stake Presidency. Regional Representative forerunner to area Seventy calling. At that time they had several stakes they were in charge of and went to them for conferences for Two or three years then got reassigned. Area Seventies go to different Stake conferences there whole tenure.

Was never Bishop or Stake or Mission President. Interesting what his presidency will be like. When he parts the veil joyous reunion with father after decades long absence.

[All-American]

Gerard Causse called to fill the vacancy in the quorum.

Darn it. I really thought I had a chance this go around.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

I hope President Uchtdorf doesn't give him too much crap about France's shoddy performance during WW2.

[Copelius]

We are singing a song about surrender for MSW this week. Coincidence? I think not.

[Moliere]

I hope President Uchtdorf doesn't give him too much crap about France's shoddy performance during WW2.

To be fair, the British didn’t fair so well either so Kearon needs to account for that.