When asked how his service in the First Presidency had affected him, President Oaks offered three thoughts. "First," he said, "my understanding of the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ has increased enormously. As a judge, I applied mortal laws and penalties. In contrast, as I have reviewed the cases of persons who have sinned seriously and now seek renewal in the Church, I have been awed by the love of God and His merciful forgiveness of those who repent and return to Him."

"Second," he responded, "I have greatly increased in knowledge of, and appreciation for, the inspired service of the members of the Twelve, the Seventy, the Presiding Bishopric, our general officers, and our local leaders."

"Finally," he said, "I have grown in my testimony of the reality of revelation to our living prophet, President Russell M. Nelson."

In the March 2020 Ensign, President Oaks published an important article titled "The Lord Leads His Church through Prophets and Apostles." The article established the essential need for prophets and apostles to lead the Lord's Church at a time when "many seem to want spirituality or religion but think they can have it without any religious organization." He declared that a paramount function of these leaders is to "hold the keys of the priesthood," which "assure heavenly effect to the authorized actions of priesthood authority on earth." He also confirmed that "doctrine is not canonized until the body of the Church has received it by the law of common consent" and that questions "about doctrine or policy that is not clearly defined in the scriptures or handbooks are to be referred to the First Presidency."

On March 13, [2020], he spoke at the annual Church History Symposium in Salt Lake, sponsored by the Church History Department and BYU. In his address, he reviewed his Joseph Smith research over a half-century and reaffirmed a key learning from his study: "Past actions should be judged by the laws and culture of their time, not by standards of a different day."

Today, I have mentioned five ways to help you stand fast with love in proclaiming the truth: 1) Avoid Overly Contentious Settings. 2) Love Others, Even if We Disagree. 3) Hold to Truth Even in our Outreach. 4) Be a Light to the World. 5) Stay Anchored in Jesus Christ.

Despite all that our Church does directly, most humanitarian service to the children of God worldwide is carried out by persons and organizations having no formal connection with our Church. As one of our Apostles observed: "God is using more than one people for the accomplishment of his great and marvelous work. … It is too vast, too arduous, for any one people." As members of the restored Church, we need to be more aware and more appreciative of the service of others. The Church of Jesus Christ is committed to serving those in need, and it is also committed to cooperating with others in that effort.