Post 47t: In This Week's Post I am Featuring the October 2013 General Conference Speech Given by Elder Dallin H. Oaks Which is Entitled: "No Other Gods."You will be Well Instructed. Please Enjoy Your Experience!

The Following Blog Description Explains Why My Blog is named: "Four Books of Scripture Testify of Jesus Christ!

Jesus the Christ -by Del Parson

WELCOME, NEW  AND REGULAR VIEWERS OF THIS BLOG: In this and in every additional post of this blog you will be led on a carefully and prayerfully planned exciting and inspiring journey as you prepare by means of a guided study of the four sacred books of scripture I am shown holding above; which will assist you in becoming more righteously happy now and more fully prepared for eventual After-Mortality Eternal Endeavors on your part, along with your loved ones and countless other mortals who are seeking to qualify as our Heavenly Father's worthy children. 

Those enabling Books of Scripture were brought about through the love of the Heavenly Father of our immortal spirits which now inhabit our mortal bodies; and were a key part of the Restoration of the Gospel, and of the establishment of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, through the Prophet Joseph Smith early in the Nineteenth Century. Leading out in all of this, was of course, Our Heavenly Father's Only Begotten Son who is our Lord, Savior, and Redeemer, Jesus Christ (who initially was our eldest spirit brother and is the only one of us our Heavenly Father will have ever sired into mortality). 

Jesus accomplished His Infinite Atonement, the Ultimate Mortal Sacrifice, along with His infallibly witnessed Resurrection. He is our Redeemer and Savior and has opened the way for each of us to learn with certainty through those four books of scripture, and through the inspired teachings of His prophets, seers and revelators of our day and those authorized by them; that some time after our mortal deaths, because of His atonement and resurrection, and depending on the level of individual righteousness we each attain to, through His grace, we can eventually experience Eternal Life in our own resurrected bodies, which in the case of those who fully heeded all of His scriptural guidance and the guidance of His authorized living servants, there will be full possession of Godly capabilities! J. Neil Birch

To Access This Blog's Index, Please Scroll Down To the Fifth Paragraph From the End of This Post! For Those of You Who May Be In a Hurry to Access it, Here it is now: Neil Birch's Blog Index.

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TODAY'S THEME:

I, J. Neil Birch, Author of this Post as you have been informed in my Introduction have chosen this week to feature the October 2013 General Conference talk given by Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  You will now be given the opportunity of learning somewhat of Elder Oaks background:  https://www.lds.org/church/leader/dallin-h-oaks?lang=eng

Now you are invited to listen to Elder Oaks' October 2013 General Conference address which I am featuring in this blog post of mine.

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/no-other-gods?lang=eng

Now I, Neil Birch assist you in focusing on the particulars of this talk which you have just listened to by providing photos, etc. which I felt appropriately illustrate the points which were made by Elder Oaks in his general conference speech entitled:
No Other Gods

By Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Are we serving priorities or gods

ahead of the God we profess to 

worship?

The Ten Commandments are fundamental to the Christian and

Jewish  faiths. Given by God to the children of Israel through

the prophet Moses, the first two of these commandments direct

our worship and our priorities. In the first, the Lord

commanded, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me”

 (Exodus 20:3) .

Centuries later, when Jesus was asked, “Which is the great 

commandment in the law?” He answered, “Thou shalt love the 

Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with 

all thy mind” (Matthew 22:36-37).

The second of the Ten Commandments elaborates the direction

to have no other gods and identifies what should be the ultimate

priority in our lives as His children. “Thou shalt not make unto 

thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing” in the heavens 

or the earth (Exodus 20:4). The commandment then adds, “Thou 

shalt  not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them”

(Exodus 20:5). More than merely forbidding physical idols, this

 states a fundamental priority for all time. Jehovah explains,

“For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, … shewing mercy unto 

… them that love me, and keep my commandments.” 

(Exodus 20:5-6). The meaning of jealous is revealing. Its Hebrew 

origin means “possessing sensitive and deep feelings” (Exodus 20:5, 
footnote b). Thus we offend God when we “serve” other gods—when 
we have other first priorities.¹ 

Doctrine and Covenants 124:84 And with my servant Almon 

Babbitt, there are many things with which I am not pleased; 

behold, he aspireth to establish his counsel instead of the counsel 

which I have ordained, even that of the Presidency of my Church; 

and he setteth up a golden calf for the worship of my people.

I.What other priorities are being “served” ahead of God by persons

—even religious persons—in our day? 

Consider these possibilities, all common in our world:

• • 
  Cultural and family traditions
• • 
  Political correctness
• • 
  Career aspirations
• • 
  Material possessions
• • 
  Recreational pursuits
• • 
  Power, prominence, and prestige

If none of these examples seems to apply to any one of us,

we can probably suggest others that do. 

The principle is more important than individual examples.

The principle is not whether we have other priorities. The

question posed by the second commandment is “What is our

ultimate priority?” Are we serving priorities or gods ahead

of the God we profess to worship? Have we forgotten to

follow the Savior who taught that if we love Him, we will

keep His commandments? (see John 14:15)

15 ¶ If ye love me, keep my commandments. 

If so, our priorities have been turned upside down by the

spiritual apathy and undisciplined appetites so

 common in our day.

II.

For Latter-day Saints, God’s commandments are based on

and inseparable from God’s plan for His children

—the great plan of salvation. This plan, sometimes called 

the “great plan of happiness”

Alma 42: 8 Now behold, it was not expedient that man 

should be reclaimed from this temporal death, for

that would destroy the great plan of happiness.

explains our origin and destiny as children of God—

where we came from, why we are here, and where

we are going. The plan of salvation explains the

purpose of creation and the conditions of mortality,

 including  God’s commandments, the need for a

Savior, and the vital role of mortal and eternal

families. If we Latter-day Saints, who have been

given this knowledge, do not establish our

priorities in accord with this plan, we  are in danger

of serving other gods.

Knowledge of God’s plan for His children gives

Latter-day Saints a unique perspective on marriage

 and family. We are correctly known as a family-

centered church. Our theology begins with heavenly

parents, and our highest aspiration is to attain the

fullness of eternal exaltation. We know this is

possible only in a family relationship. We know

that the marriage of a man and a woman is necessary

for the accomplishment of God’s plan. Only

this marriage will provide the approved setting for

mortal birth and to prepare family members for

eternal life. We look on marriage and the bearing

and nurturing of children as part of God’s plan

and a sacred duty of those given the opportunity to

do so. We believe that the ultimate treasures on

earth and in heaven are our children and our

posterity.

III.

Because of what we understand about the potentially

eternal role of the family, we grieve at the sharply

declining numbers of births and marriages in many

Western countries whose historic cultures are Christian

 and Jewish. Responsible sources report the following:

• • 
  The United States now has the lowest birthrate in its history,²
•  and in many European Union nations  and other developed
•  countries, birthrates are below the level necessary to maintain 
• their populations.³ 
• This threatens the survival of cultures and even of nations.
• • 
  In America, the percentage of young adults ages 18 to 29 who 
• are married fell from 59 percent in 1960 to 20 percent by 
• 2010.⁴ The median age for first marriage is now at its highest 
• level in history:  26 for women and almost 29 for men.⁵
• • In many countries and cultures (1) the traditional family of a
•  married mother and father and children is coming to be the 
• exception rather than the rule, (2) the pursuit of a career 
• instead of marriage and the bearing of children is an increasing 
• choice of many young women, and (3) the role and perceived 
• necessity of fathers is diminishing.

In the midst of these concerning trends, we are also conscious that
God’s plan is for all of His children and that God loves all of His children,
 everywhere.⁶ The first chapter of the Book of Mormon declares that
God’s  “power, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants 
of the earth”

(1 Nephi 1:14). A later chapter declares that “he hath given 
[his salvation] free for all men” and that “all men are privileged
   the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden”

(2 Nephi 26:27–28).                                                                                 

                                                                                                                                                                             

                                                                                                            

The Good Samaritan -By Walter Rane

 














The scriptures teach that we are responsible to 
be compassionate and charitable  (loving) toward 
all men.  

Thessalonians 3: 12.And the Lord make  you  to 
increase and abound in love one toward another, 
and toward all men, even as we do toward you:

1 John 3:17 But whoso hath this world’s good, 
and seeth  his brother have need, and shutteth up 
his bowels 

of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love 
of God in him?

Christ's Image -By Heinrich Hofmann

Doctrine and Covenants 121:45: Let thy bowels 
also be full of charity towards all men, and to the 
household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy 
thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence 
wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine 
of the priesthood shall distill upon thy soul as the 

dews from heaven. 

IV.

We are also respectful of the religious beliefs of all people,
even of those increasing numbers who profess no belief in God.
We know that through the God-given power of choice, many
will hold beliefs contrary to ours, but we are hopeful that
others will be equally respectful of our religious beliefs
and understand that our beliefs compel us to some different
choices and behaviors than theirs. For example, we believe
that, as an essential part of His plan of salvation, God has
established an eternal standard that sexual relations should
occur only between a man and a woman who are married.

The power to create mortal life is the most exalted power
God has given to His children. Its use was mandated by
God’s first commandment to Adam and Eve.

Adam and Eve -by Del Parson

 










(See Genesis 1:28)  28 And God blessed them, and God 
said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the
earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the 
sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living 
thing that moveth upon the earth., but other important 
commandments were given to forbid its misuse
 (see Exodus 20: 14 Thou shalt not 
commit adultery.  

1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, 
even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from 
fornication:). 

The emphasis we place on the law of chastity is explained by
our understanding of the purpose of our procreative powers
 in the accomplishment of God’s plan. Outside the bonds of 
 marriage between a man and a woman, all uses of our
 procreative powers are to one degree or another sinful
 and contrary to God’s plan for the exaltation of  His
children. The importance we attach to the law of chastity
explains our commitment to the pattern of marriage that
originated with Adam and Eve and has continued through
the ages as God’s pattern for the procreative relationship
between His sons and daughters and for the nurturing of 
His children. Fortunately, many persons affiliated with
other denominations or organizations agree with us on
the nature and importance of marriage, some on the 
basis of religious doctrine and others on the basis of 
what they deem best for society.

Our knowledge of God’s plan for His children⁷  explains
why we are distressed that more and more children are
born outside of marriage—currently 41 percent of all
births in the United States⁸ —and that the number of
couples living together without marriage has increased
dramatically in the past half century. Five decades ago,
 only a tiny percentage of first marriages were preceded
by cohabitation. Now cohabitation precedes 60
percent of marriages.⁹

And this is increasingly accepted, especially among
teenagers.

Recent survey data found about 50 percent of teenagers
stating that out-of-wedlock childbearing was a
“worthwhile lifestyle.”¹⁰

V.

There are many political and social pressures for legal
and policy changes to establish behaviors contrary to God’s
decrees about sexual morality and contrary to the eternal
nature and purposes of marriage and childbearing. These
pressures have already authorized same-gender marriages
in various states and nations.

Other pressures would confuse gender or homogenize those
differences between men and women that are essential to
accomplish God’s great plan of  happiness.

Our understanding of God’s plan and His doctrine gives us an
eternal perspective that does not allow us to condone such
behaviors or to find justification in the laws that permit them.
And, unlike other organizations  that can change their policies
and even their doctrines, our policies are determined by the
truths God has identified as unchangeable.

Our twelfth article of faith states our belief in being subject to
civil authority and “in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the
 law.” But man’s laws cannot make moral what God has declared
immoral. Commitment to our  highest priority—to love and serve
 God—requires that we look to His law for our standard of behavior.

For example, we remain under divine command not to commit
adultery or fornication even when those acts are  no longer crimes
under the laws of the states or countries where we reside. Similarly,
laws legalizing so-called “same-sex marriage” do not change God’s
law of marriage or His commandments and our standards
concerning it. We remain under covenant to love God and keep

His commandments and to refrain from serving other gods and
priorities—even those becoming popular in our particular time
and place.

In this determination we may be misunderstood, and we may
incur accusations of bigotry, suffer discrimination, or have to
withstand invasions of our free exercise of religion. If so, I think
we should remember our first priority—to serve God—and, like
our pioneer predecessors, push our personal handcarts  forward
with the same fortitude they exhibited.

A teaching of President Thomas S. Monson applies to this
circumstance. At this conference 27 years ago, he boldly declared:

Thomas S. Monson

“Let us have the courage to defy the consensus, the courage to
stand for principle. Courage,  not compromise, brings the smile of
God’s approval. Courage becomes a living and an attractive virtue
when it is regarded not only as a willingness to die manfully, but
as the determination to live decently. A moral coward is one who
is afraid to do what he thinks is right because others will disapprove
or laugh. 

Remember that all men have their fears, but those who face their
fears with dignity have courage as well.”¹¹

I pray that we will not let the temporary challenges of mortality
cause us to forget the great commandments and priorities we
have been given by our Creator and our Savior. We must not
set our hearts so much on the things of the world and aspire to
the honors of men, that we stop trying to achieve our  eternal
destiny.

(see Doctrine and Covenants  121:   35 Because their hearts 

are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the 
honors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson—

36 That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected 
with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot 
be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness.

  37 That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we 
undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain 
ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon 
the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, 
behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is 
grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the 
authority of that man.

38 Behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against 
the pricks, to persecute the saints, and to fight against God.

39 We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature 
and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little 
authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to 
exercise unrighteous dominion.

40 Hence many are called, but few are chosen.

41 No power or influence can or ought to be maintained 
by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-
suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;

We who know God’s plan for His children—we who have 
made covenants to participate in it—have a clear 
responsibility. We must never deviate from our 
paramount desire, which is to achieve eternal life.¹² 

We must never dilute our first priority—to have no 
other gods and to serve no other priorities ahead of 
God the Father and His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.

May God help us to understand this priority and to
be understood by others as we seek to pursue it in a
wise and loving way, I pray in the name of Jesus
Christ, amen.

11. Thomas S. Monson, “Courage Counts,” Ensign, Nov. 1986, 41.

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As is usual for me in each of the Blog Posts I produce, 
I present in this blog post, an LDS Hymn for you and 
those who may be with you, to sing right now! I invite 
you to gather your loved ones or associates together
as soon as that is possible and have them sing with 
you this well-known Hymn which I feel will help you 
more fully capture the spirit of the General Conference
Talk you have just listened to and studied!. 

You may want to assign each of those singing with you, 
and yourself  too, or let each one volunteer, one of the 
four vocal parts: Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Base! The 
music is provided as you click on the Link to the Hymn.

True to the Faith, p. 254 http://www.lds.org/music/library/hymns/
true-to-the-faith?lang=eng
_____
DISCLAIMER This website is not owned by or affiliated with the Church 
Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS 
Church). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position 
of the Church.
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TO ACCESS NEIL BIRCH'S BLOG INDEX To Either Read the 
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Little Boy, Please, Scroll Down To our Target: No Other Gods! This 
Blog Post is Based on the October 2013 General Conference Talk of 
Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the 
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. -Post 47t
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I deeply appreciate your readership and hope you found very 
beneficial, that which was presented to you in this blog post.

If you have any questions about what you have read or 
viewed in this post or in any previous posts of mine, 
or if you even have a curiosity about the Church of Jesus 
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Neil Birch