By Elder Dallin H. Oaks
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
From an address delivered on June 25, 2010, at a seminar for new mission presidents.
Our first responsibility and purpose is to testify of Jesus Christ to a world that suffers to know of His divine mission. As my response to that great responsibility, I will speak about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the only true and living Church. In doing so I know I speak against the powerful tide of what is called "political correctness."
The fashionable opinion of this age is that all churches are true. In truth, the idea that all churches are the same is the doctrine of the anti-Christ, illustrated by the Book of Mormon account of Korihor (see Alma 30). That account was given to teach us a vital lesson in our day.
A revelation given to the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1831, soon after the organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spoke of those who had been given "power to lay the foundation of this church." The Lord then referred to the Church as "the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased" (D&C 1:30).
So what does it mean that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true Church?
Three features—(1) fulness of doctrine, (2) power of the priesthood, and (3) testimony of Jesus Christ—explain why God has declared and why we as His servants maintain that this is the only true and living Church upon the face of the whole earth.