President Oaks Says to Avoid Disputes and Make Peace – Church News

In a time of toxic communication and hostility in public and personal relationships, President Dallin H. Oaks taught that followers of Jesus Christ must avoid arguments and work for peace.

President Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, concluded the Saturday morning session of the October 2024 general conference by reemphasizing what he described as “one of Christ’s most famous commandments—the most revolutionary and the most difficult to keep” and yet “the most constitutive an essential part of His invitation to follow Him.”

Quoting familiar biblical language, President Oaks said: “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who use you and persecute you despite your wishes.” (Matthew 5:44) ).

Jesus also taught: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9).

“As followers of Christ,” President Oaks told a worldwide audience of Latter-day Saints and their friends, “we teach and testify of Jesus Christ, our perfect role model. So let us follow Him, abandoning the above-mentioned disputes.

“As we pursue our preferred policies in public action, let us qualify for His blessings by using the language and methods of peacemakers. In our families and other personal relationships, let us avoid what is harsh and hateful.”

“Following Christ”

At the beginning of his remarks—titled “Following Christ”—President Oaks explained that following the Savior is not a casual or occasional practice. “It is a constant commitment and a way of life that we should follow at all times and everywhere,” he said.

God’s commandments provide a guiding and stabilizing force in life, President Oaks said.

He compared the experiences of mortal life to a boy and his father flying a kite on a windy day. When the boy suggested cutting the connecting string to allow the kite to fly higher, his father explained that the string held it in place against the wind. Losing hold on the string would cause the kite to lift and inevitably fall to the ground.

“This important cord represents the covenants that bind us to God, our Father in Heaven, and His Son, Jesus Christ,” said President Oaks. “When we keep these covenants, keep Their commandments, and follow Their plan of redemption, Their promised blessings enable us to ascend to heavenly heights.”

Reemphasizing the Savior’s teachings

President Oaks said that the Lord gives two kinds of commandments—permanent, such as the doctrine of Christ, and temporary, such as leading pioneers west. Temporary commandments are those which are necessary for the needs of the Lord’s Church under temporary circumstances and are rescinded when the need has passed away.

He stated that universal observance of some permanent commandments takes time and needs to be re-emphasized due to the circumstances in which the Church and its members find themselves. One example is President Russell M. Nelson’s recent call for the Church to be known by its revealed name, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Another teaching of the Savior that seems to need reemphasis in today’s circumstances is to avoid disputes, President Oaks said.

“This is a time of many harsh and painful words on public transport, and sometimes even in our families. Sharp differences on issues of public policy often result in acts of hostility, even hatred, in public and personal relationships, he said.

President Oaks noted that avoiding arguments was one of the first principles Jesus taught when he appeared to the Nephites.

“Although he taught this in the context of arguments about religious doctrine, his reasons clearly apply to communication and relationships in politics, public policy, and family relationships,” President Oaks said.

Avoid disputes, be a peacemaker

Reiterating the Savior’s closely related teaching on peacemakers, President Oaks quoted President Nelson, who recently urged all to choose to be peacemakers. “True disciples of Jesus Christ are peacemakers,” President Nelson said during the April 2023 general conference.

“To imitate our perfect role model and His prophet,” said President Oaks, “we must practice what is commonly known as the Golden Rule: ‘Whatever you would have men do to you, do also to them: for such is The Law and the Prophets” (Mt 7:12).

President Oaks continued: “We must love everyone and do good. We must avoid disputes and work for peace in all our dealings. This does not mean compromising our principles and priorities, but stopping harshly attacking others because of their principles.

“This is what our perfect role model in His service did. This is the example he set for us, inviting us to imitate him.”