Thinking Celestial - A ”Follow The Prophet” Series Podcast · SLCC Institute of Religion

Ep 187 S7 Gary Nelson ''Coming Closer to Jesus Christ' Dallin H. Oaks

·32 min·2 clips

President Nelson warned that people cannot "survive spiritually" without the Holy Ghost.

1. Thinking Celestial - A “Follow The Prophet” Series Podcast reviews President Dallin H. Oaks's BYU devotional, "Coming Closer to Jesus Christ." 2. The host and Gary Nelson, the Institute director, discuss Oaks's devotional as a first public message after becoming prophet. 3. The episode asks what President Oaks's talk is for: helping listeners get closer to Jesus Christ and stay anchored in the covenant path. 4. The conversation begins with Oaks's statement that Heavenly Father's plan is "fabulous" and that life choices "really matters." 5. Gary Nelson connects Oaks's invitation to attend Institute with promised blessings of peace, faith, and discernment. 6. The host adds context from Oaks's 1971 BYU talk "Strive for Excellence," where he tied education to faith. 7. Oaks's earlier counsel included making Institute, seminary, or home study part of the program for students outside church schools. 8. The speakers note that the devotional was delivered in the Marriott Center to a packed audience of young adults. 9. They also discuss the report that President Oaks changed the talk after receiving new direction before the address. 10. The conversation treats that change as evidence that the talk came with prophetic direction rather than a prepared academic presentation. 11. Gary Nelson says Oaks felt "the heaviness of responsibility" and understood the meaning of mantle within moments of President Nelson's death. 12. The episode emphasizes Oaks's line that "when we are humble, we can more clearly hear the Lord's voice." 13. The speakers dwell on a teacher story where a supervisor told Oaks, "Someday you will be a good teacher," as a lesson in humility. 14. They quote President Benson and President Kimball on choosing to be humble, teachable, repentant, and non-contentious. 15. The discussion says humility matters because it opens a person to a spiritual method of learning beyond the five senses. 16. The host and Gary Nelson call the phrase "appointed meeting" with Jesus Christ a striking way to describe mortality. 17. They spend time on Oaks's warning against speculation, false or inaccurate information, and going beyond what prophets have actually said. 18. The tone is instructional and discussion-based, with Gary Nelson answering pointed questions and citing conference talks and scripture. 19. Listeners who like Latter-day Saint devotional analysis and prophet quotations will likely appreciate it. 20. Listeners wanting a light, brief, entertainment-focused conversation may skip it.

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Thinking Celestial - A ”Follow The Prophet” Series Podcast