Notable quotes:

President Oaks spoke to mothers and young women during his October 2018 address:

"Children are our most precious gift from God — our eternal increase.""Mothers, beloved sisters, we love you for who you are and what you do for all of us.""As we strive to be kind, we draw closer to (Jesus Christ) and His loving influence."

Talk summary:

Being a mother is the highest priority of Latter-day Saint women and their ultimate joy. The kingdom of God cannot be complete without women who make and keep sacred covenants.

Young women are unique because of their knowledge of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and the plan of salvation.

"Your knowledge will enable you to endure and overcome the difficulties of growing up."

Be kind to others. "Kindness is something many of our youth are doing already. Some groups of youth in some communities have shown the way to for all of us. ... At the same time, we know that the adversary tempts all of us to be unkind."

It is not pleasing to the Lord "if we are cruel or mean to others."

If anyone participates in any meanness or pettiness, resolve now to change and encourage others to change.

Application:

President Oaks gave young women two items of counsel.

The first concerned cell phones. "My young sisters — and adult women too — it will bless your lives if you limit your use of and dependency on cell phones."

Second, "Be kind to others." Elder Oaks added that "our world needs your goodness and love."

Speaker snapshot:

President Dallin H. Oaks was set apart as first counselor in the First Presidency at the beginning of this year. He was set apart as an Apostle on April 7, 1984.He received an education from Brigham Young University and the University of Chicago Law School. He was also a professor at The University of Chicago.President Oaks was a law clerk to Chief Justice Earl Warren of the U.S. Supreme Court for a year.In 1980, President Oaks became a justice of the Utah Supreme Court until 1984 when he joined the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.In addition to practicing law, President Oaks was the president of Brigham Young University for nine years from 1971 to 1980.He married Sister June Dixon Oaks in 1952. After her death in 1998, President Oaks married Sister Kristen M. McMain on Aug. 25, 2000.

On the Web:

You can follow President Oaks on both Facebook and Twitter.Forty years after the 1978 revelation on the priesthood, President Oaks reflected on the announcement and its importance for today and the future.

President Oaks often uses social media to share personal thoughts and insights. Recently, his Facebook account shared a picture he took while on a morning walk, accompanied with a message about “small and simple things.”

Important topics:

President Oaks has often emphasized the importance of religious freedom and has urged Church members to defend it.In May 2013, President Oaks was awarded the Canterbury Medal from the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty.President Oaks is also known for teaching about the doctrine of the family.In a devotional in Los Angeles to young married couples, President Oaks covered the topics of Church history, LGBT issues and mental illness.