President Oaks addresses the question asked through the years, are Mormon's Christians?  He addresses this question by discussing what the views of Latter-day Saints are when looking at the Savior.

• What do members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints think of Christ?
  
• Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten Son of God the Eternal Father. He is our Creator. He is our Teacher. He is our Savior. His atonement paid for the sin of Adam and won victory over death, assuring resurrection and immortality for all men.
  
• He is all of these, but he is more. Jesus Christ is the Savior, whose atoning sacrifice opens the door for us to be cleansed of our personal sins so that we can be readmitted to the presence of God. He is our Redeemer.
  
• The Messiah’s atoning sacrifice is the central message of the prophets of all ages. It was prefigured by the animal sacrifices prescribed by the law of Moses, whose whole meaning, one prophet explained, “point[ed] to that great and last sacrifice [of] … the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal.”
  

He reminds us that we partake of the sacrament each week to remember Christ and his sacrifice for each of us.

• As Latter-day Saints partake of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, we drink water in remembrance of his blood, which was shed for us.

He discusses the idea that we can earn our way to heaven by our good works or by living a righteous life.  It is by grace that we are saved and that grace is only obtained through the atonement of Jesus Christ.

• After all our obedience and good works, we cannot be saved from the effect of our sins without the grace extended by the atonement of Jesus Christ.

How the atonement works exactly is a mystery to us all.  But by the Holy Ghost, we can know the atonement is real and how it applies to our personal lives.

• To me, as to President John Taylor, the miracle of the atonement of Jesus Christ is “incomprehensible and inexplicable.” But the Holy Ghost has given me a witness of its truthfulness, and I rejoice that I can spend my life in proclaiming it.
  

President Oaks concludes with his testimony of the many things that the Savior has done for us.

• I testify with the ancient and modern prophets that there is no other name and no other way under heaven by which man can be saved except by Jesus Christ.
• I witness with the prophet Lehi that “there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah.”
• I testify with the prophet Alma that no man can be saved except he is cleansed from all stain, through the blood of Jesus Christ.
• I witness with the prophets of the Book of Mormon that the Messiah, the Holy One of Israel, suffered “according to the flesh,” the pains, the infirmities, and the griefs and sorrows of every living creature in the family of Adam.
• I testify that when the Savior suffered and died for all men, all men became subject unto him and to his commandment that all must repent and be baptized in his name, having faith in him, “or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God.”
  

I do not understand how someone can look upon the church, it's teachings, it's members, and it's declarations or gospel truths, and question if we follow Jesus Christ.  The driving force in my life is to spend my days seeking to become a better disciple of the Savior and to apply His teachings more in my life.  I am grateful for the assurances that I have been given through the Holy Ghost that the way of life that I seek is possible.  I am grateful that my simple efforts are noticed and supported by the Holy Ghost giving me assurances that I am on the right track.  The Savior is the only way to return to our Father in Heaven.

Elder Ballard speaks on the subject of fellowship within the church and in our everyday lives.  We use this term to talk about friendshipping someone into the church but it is deeper than trying to help convert someone to the gospel. Fellowshipping must be genuine and honest and should not be based on someone accepting an invitation to the hear the gospel or accept the gospel.

• I believe we members do not have the option to extend the hand of fellowship only to relatives, close friends, certain Church members, and those selected nonmembers who express an interest in the Church. Limiting or withholding our fellowship seems to me to be contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Missionaries put a great deal of effort into finding, teaching, and bringing people to Christ.  It is our responsibility to nourish those new testimonies as they enter the church and continue along the path of discipleship.

• Brothers and sisters, we must ever keep in mind the time, effort, and other resources that missionaries and others spend to find and teach one of our Father’s children. Surely, every one of us ought to be alert, looking for ways to be of service to the newcomer. We might ask ourselves how the newcomers in our wards would be treated if we were the only ones they ever met. Every member of the Church should foster the attributes of warmth, sincerity, and love for the newcomers, as the missionaries are taught to do.
  

We each can play a role in the conversion process by making our wards a place to feel comfort and a place that all people feel welcome.

• Brothers and sisters, we members must help with the conversion process by making our wards and branches friendly places, with no exclusivity, where all people feel welcome and comfortable. You bishops have been given many who can help you foster fellowship. Teach the children, youth, and adults that being warm and friendly are Christlike qualities. In your ward council meetings, consider ways to improve the feeling of fellowship in your ward. Be sure the missionaries introduce you to every investigator before he or she is baptized.
  

Elder Ballard gives some advice on how to make the ward more welcoming.

• Assign someone to greet at the doors, paying special attention to newcomers and guests. On occasion, use priesthood and Relief Society meetings to teach home and visiting teachers how to fellowship all who live within the ward. Take advantage of the flexibility you have in using high priests and stake and full-time missionaries to lead the less active and new converts into full fellowship. In the true spirit of shepherding, bishoprics can help create a friendly atmosphere by mingling with members when they are gathering together.

We need to focus on these things now so new members feel welcome and people investigating the church will want to know more because of the genuine love and support they feel from members of the church.

• Brothers and sisters, my message is urgent because we need to retain in full fellowship many more of the new converts and return to activity many more of the less active. I urge you to increase the spirit of friendship and pure Christian fellowship in your neighborhoods. A new convert or recently activated member should feel the warmth of being wanted and being welcomed into full fellowship of the Church. Members and leaders of the Church should nurture and love them as Jesus would.

Whether a person is interested in the church or not, we should show our hand of friendship, love, and support.  To follow the Savior, we need to treat all of God's children with genuine love and show our Christian faith through our actions.

• We need to reach out and extend our friendship to others regardless of whether they are interested in the gospel or not. We must not be too selective in identifying those we feel are worthy or appreciative of our attention. The spirit of true Christian fellowship must include everyone.

Our friendships should extend to people everywhere, not just within our circle of friends and family.

• We should extend our love far beyond family, close friends, and fellow members of the Church. Our hearts should be open to everyone.

It is our obligation as disciples of Christ to show love for all of God's children.  Truly, we must show the love of Christ in our action and help others find Christ through us.

• As disciples of Christ, we need to feel genuine charity for one another. As we do, new light will come into our own lives. This charity is essential in missionary work, but we must never allow ourselves to treat our neighbors only as potential converts. We have had the sad experience of seeing members of the Church who attempted to convert their neighbors and friends and, when they did not respond, withdrew their friendship and neighborliness. We must not be so anxious to share the gospel that we become insensitive to the feelings of others.

Elder Ballard offers some final words of encouragement to each of us.

• I encourage you to build personal, meaningful relationships with your nonmember friends and acquaintances. Interest in the gospel may come later as a natural extension of a good friendship. Invitations to participate in gospel-related activities often will strengthen relationships with acquaintances. If they are not interested in the gospel, we should show unconditional love through acts of service and kindness, and never imply that we see an acquaintance only as a potential convert. Members must understand that when a nonmember declines one invitation to investigate the gospel, he has not necessarily rejected the gospel.
  

To be a disciple of Christ, we need to show His love towards all of His children.  We cannot hope to have people come to Christ and remain in His presence if they feel uncomfortable, unwelcome, and unloved.  It is our responsibility to help people feel genuine the love that God has for them.  Whether a person accepts the gospel or not, our Christian duty is to love God's children and show them that God loves them through our actions.  A disciple of Christ expresses the Saviors love in all they do and say.  We can all be better disciples of Christ by showing genuine love and concern for those that are in the church and out of the church.  Being a nice person because the of the blessings we have from the Savior will show in our actions if we let it.  Today, let's show someone our testimony of the Savior by the way we treat them.  Today, I challenge you to show someone your testimony, with any words.

Elder Hales provides three things that we need to remember when we are trying to make good decisions in our lives.

• There are three important elements that will allow us to make good decisions:
  
  • First, we must have an eternal plan with objectives that we are committed to achieve.
    
    • Second, we need to study and pray on a daily basis about our decisions for feelings of spiritual guidance, courage, and commitment.
      
    • And third, we need to examine our motives each time we make a decision.

We will look at each of these items and share the key principles that Elder Hales is trying to share with each of us.

We must have an eternal plan with objectives that we are committed to achieve.

• You and I have a plan to guide us in our lives—the eternal plan that was given to us in the premortal world and that will bring us back into the presence of our Heavenly Father. During our mortal probation on earth, we will be tested with enticements and opposition in all things. But if we are obedient and faithful to the laws, ordinances, and covenants which we accept with our free agency, of our own free will and choice, we can attain eternal life.
  
• Every time we make choices in our lives, we should weigh the ultimate effect our decisions will have on our goal of attaining eternal life.
  

We need to study and pray on a daily basis about our decisions for feelings of spiritual guidance, courage, and commitment.

• We will not make the right eternal choices based solely on our pure intellectual deduction and factual analysis from our own understanding: Prayer and study must be used together to build knowledge and wisdom.
• First, we start with the intelligence with which we were born. To our intelligence we add knowledge as we search for answers, study, and educate ourselves. To our knowledge we add experience, which should lead us to a level of wisdom. In addition to our wisdom, we add the help of the Holy Ghost through our prayers of faith, asking for spiritual guidance and strength. Then, and only then, do we reach an understanding in our hearts—which motivates us to “do what is right; let the consequence follow.” The feelings of an understanding heart give us the sweet spirit of assurance of not only knowing but doing what is right no matter what the circumstances. The understanding in our hearts comes from a close interdependence of study and prayer.

Elder Hales makes clear that their in a place in this process to obtain wise counsel from those that can provide us guidance in our lives.

• When seeking wise counsel, turn to those who have exhibited obedience to the commandments and willingness to follow the promptings of the Spirit in their lives.
  
• You will know you have a true friend and counselor when the advice you are given makes it easier to live the commandments and when you are not asked to choose between a wayward friend’s ways and the Lord’s ways.
  
• As we study our problems out in our minds, patience and pondering should have an important place in our decision-making process. We should reflect on our eternal goals and not make hasty and unwise decisions.

We need to examine our motives each time we make a decision.

• We should ask ourselves, “Are my motives selfish, or is there charity in the decision I am about to make? Is this decision in keeping with the commandments, both in the spirit and the letter of the law? Is my decision basically right, honorable, and compatible with the golden rule? Have I considered the impact of my decision on others?”
• We make poor and irrational decisions if our decision is motivated by greediness: greed for monetary gain; greed that results in a conflict of interest; desire for power, titles, and recognition of men.
• Likewise, we make poor and irrational decisions if we are motivated by fear: fear of man, fear of not being popular, fear of failure, fear of public opinion.
  

Elder Hales concludes talking about two paths that we can journey.  One will lead us to the Great and Spacious Building and the other to Eternal Life.  We cannot walk down one path without turning our back on the other.  But, if we choose at times to walk the wrong way, we have a Savior who is loving and kind and willing to help us journey in the right direction when we have lost our way.

• When we stand at the crossroads of life and must make a decision whether to go to the great and spacious building of the world’s ways or to walk the straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life, we must realize that we cannot travel both roads—although sometimes we try. It is difficult to come back, but we can; and our greatest satisfaction will more than likely come from taking the lonelier road which is less traveled.
  

Elder Hales makes the gospel easy to understand.  I love the simpleness of his message and how we can make good decisions to stay on the correct path.  I am grateful for his comment about a true friends and how they will make it easier to keep the commandments.  We all need good friends and when we find one that helps us stay on the correct path, I pray that we will keep and treasure that friendship.