President Oakes

We arrived at a very special time. Shortly after our arrival Pres. And Sister Oakes arrived to spend a little over a week here in the Philippines.  He was accompanied by Bishop and Sister Couse of the Presiding Bishopric and Elder and Sister Robson of the Seventies. We joined with the church employees in their devotional with Elder Oakes in our building. We participated in a mission wide zone conference, and at the broadcast of an area wide broadcast from the Buendia chapel in downtown Manila. One of the really great highlights was the cultural program presented at the MTC cultural hall. The young people of the stake presented about 10 of native dances of the Philippines. The costuming was wonderful. Several of the dances were from the primary children and were great fun.

Elder Oakes messages were timely and wonderful. For the young elders he told us he never prepares a message but speaks to concerns he has felt. He spend some time talking about those who would like to serve but whose family responsibility prohibited it. He said that “the desires of our heart” can make up for what we cannot do when we try our best, our very best He talked to the Elders about Priesthood and Priesthood keys. He said that Priesthood Keys are the right to direct Priesthood authority and this gives women certain priesthood responsibilities, such as in the temple, while in God’s plan they do not hold the keys to direct.  

In the area wide broadcast Elder Oakes counseled the Saints to establish the Gospel culture. He told them to maintain what was good in their culture but their most important culture was that of the Gospel.

Another interesting point was that Elder Oakes mentioned a scripture about the Sabbath, “that we should go to the house of prayer and offer up they sacraments upon my holy day. But he didn’t know where the scripture was found, he said he uses the topical guide to find scripture. And it made me realize that even among the apostles, men are called because of their strengths and not in spite of their “weaknesses”.  One of Elder McConkie’s gifts was his excellence with the scriptures. But Elder Oakes great gifts lead him to succinct and logical treaties on gospel doctrine. Elder Oakes also mention that he had never been a full-time missionary, Elders quorum president, a Bishop, a Stake President or Mission President. As an apostle he was called as the Philippine Area President to learn the experience of those offices.  Prior to being an apostle he had never held a position where he held priesthood keys.