DALLIN HARRIS OAKS Summary

BORN: 12 August 1932

PLACE OF BIRTH: Provo, Utah, United States

FATHER: Lloyd Edress Oaks

MOTHER: Stella Harris

ELDER DALLIN H. OAKS

of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Key Doctrines:

The sacrament and other basics of the gospel are common themes of Elder Oaks. He teaches us to avoid sin, the things that separate us from God, and repent quickly of them when we err. His teachings are very thorough and logical and he often speaks out against pornography and other choices that abuse agency.

He explains, “In its widest application, sin includes every irregularity of behavior, every source of uncleanliness. . . . [Some] wrongly think repentance is easy [and] a person is better off after he has sinned and repented. . . . [These ideas] are devilish lies of the adversary. . . . We don’t have to have personal experience with the effects of serious transgressions to know that they are injurious to our souls and destructive of our eternal welfare. . . . Conduct your life today so your tomorrows are not burdened with bad or embarrassing memories.” [1]

When he speaks I always know I will hear something interesting and have to do some stretching too. I also know I will have to study the print version to actually get at many of the concepts he wants to share. When he applies his skilled logic to the Atonement and other gospel principles and doctrines there are usually many layers to what he has to say and just listening through once doesn't quite dig deep enough to correlate the doctrines espoused.

I learned:

His father died of tuberculosis when he was age 8 and his widowed mother raised him and 2 siblings. His first job was sweeping out a radio repair shop. In high school he became a certified radio engineer – before age 16.

He is a hard worker and although his family claims his motto is “Work first, play never” that he just has fun at whatever he is doing. He is very devoted to his family. He says what it means is that he rarely does something only to have fun, but rather that “I just have fun at [whatever] I do.”

Elder Oaks received the Canterbury Medal, the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty’s highest honor, in May 2013. He often champions religious liberty in both secular and religious settings. He also champions many other groups and causes that need the protections of the law. As a member of the Utah Supreme Court he was responsible for interpreting and reviewing case law and decisions made by lower courts to see if the decisions were made in accordance with other existing laws, case laws, and court rulings. He encourages unity and avoiding contention.

He teaches:

“Jesus’s teachings were not meant to be theoretical. Always they were to be acted upon. . . . Following Christ is not a casual or occasional practice but a continuous commitment and way of life that applies at all times and in all places.” [2]

"The restored gospel consists of doctrines and ordinances. . . . [A] missionaries’ purpose . . .  is to save souls, to baptize converts, which is to open the doors of the celestial kingdom to the sons and daughters of God. . . . Man cannot be saved in the celestial kingdom without the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ and that the only way to lay claim to the merits of that Atonement is to follow the command of its author: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you (Acts 2:38).” [3] (My emphasis.) We are called to assist in this great effort.

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[1] Elder DALLIN H. OAKS of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, "Sin and Suffering,"Fireside, Brigham Young University, 5 August 1990, July 1992 Ensign 

[2] Elder DALLIN H. OAKS of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Followers of Christ,” 

183rd Annual  General Conference, Sunday afternoon, 7 April 2013

[3] Elder DALLIN H. OAKS of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, "Why We Do Missionary Work," September 2009, New Era