President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, spoke during the Sunday morning session of April 2025 general conference about God’s mortal helps or gifts for His children. The following is a summary of what he said.
President Oaks’ talk summary
Heavenly Father’s plan provides helps to guide His children through their mortal journeys. “By far God’s strongest mortal help was His provision of a Savior, Jesus Christ, who would suffer to pay the price and provide forgiveness for repented sins.”
The plan provides other gifts and merciful protections. One is the Light or Spirit of Christ, which is given to everyone in order to receive guidance and know good from evil.
Other great assistance and directions from the Lord to help people choose what is right are commandments, ordinances and covenants.
“Commandments define the path our Heavenly Father has marked out for us to progress toward eternal life.” On that path, one gradually achieves the needed relationship with the Savior and qualifies for an increase of His power.
“Ordinances and covenants are part of the law that defines the path to eternal life” and are required steps and essential guardrails along the path.
Other God-given helps for making right choices are the manifestations of the Holy Ghost and the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Deviations occur when members fail to pray, study scriptures, repent and take the sacrament. “Humility and trust in the Lord are the remedies for such deviations.”
Read the full text of President Oaks’ talk: ‘Divine Helps for Mortality’
Notable quotes
“By far God’s strongest mortal help was His provision of a Savior, Jesus Christ, who would suffer to pay the price and provide forgiveness for repented sins.”
“The plan of a loving Father in Heaven provides many other gifts to protect us, including protecting us from sinning in the first place.”
“Our part in this divine plan is to trust in God and seek divine helps, most notably the Atonement of His Beloved Son, our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ.”
Who is President Oaks?
- President Dallin H. Oaks was called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1984 and as the first counselor in the First Presidency in January 2018. In 2022, he became the 19th latter-day apostle to reach the age of 90.
- President Oaks was a law clerk to Chief Justice Earl Warren at the U.S. Supreme Court and served as a Utah Supreme Court justice until his call to apostleship in 1984.
- As president of Brigham Young University from 1971 to 1980, he oversaw creation of the J. Reuben Clark Law School and the graduate business school.
- President Oaks and his late wife, Sister June Dixon Oaks, are the parents of six children. She died July 21, 1998. On Aug. 25, 2000, he married Sister Kristen M. McMain in the Salt Lake Temple.
What has President Oaks done recently?
- During the October 2024 general conference, President Oaks reemphasized the Savior’s commands to forgo contention and be peacemakers.
- In November 2024, he reiterated his message on the degrees of glory in a video on social media.
- President Oaks spoke during the First Presidency’s Christmas Devotional in December 2024 of the eternal goal of the message of Christmas.
- In January 2025, President Oaks encouraged individuals to look forward to Easter.
- In an Easter video in February, President Oaks invited all to learn and teach the Savior’s Resurrection.
Read more of President Oaks’ general conference addresses, or follow him on Facebook, Instagram and X/Twitter.
