Jesus Christ Is Not Our Burden; He Is Our Relief

1Years ago our son came home from Primary with a small picture of Jesus Christ. His Primary teacher had given it to him, and he cherished that picture. He slept with it, protected it, and carried it with him to school.

2One Saturday morning we decided to take a family hike up a nearby canyon. Our six-year-old son carefully placed his picture of Jesus Christ into his backpack. That was it—he packed nothing else. When we stopped for lunch along the trail, he got busy finding small, unique rocks, and soon he had a large pile of them.

3He asked me if he could take all these rocks home, and I said, “Sure, but you’ll have to carry them out yourself.”

4He agreed and began filling his pack. Then he carefully placed his picture of Jesus Christ back on top and zipped it up. I lifted the heavy pack, put it on his back, and watched as he took one step forward and five steps backward until he fell to the ground. Undaunted, he opened his pack and removed three small rocks. One more try, one more fail.

5Now, thinking there might be a lesson to be taught, I lightheartedly suggested that maybe he should remove his picture of Jesus. “That should lighten your load,” I said.

6I will never forget the hurt look on his face. It seemed to say, “Dad, you really want me to take Jesus out of my pack and leave Him behind?” And then his look changed to “Dad, you’re not as smart as I thought you were.”

7The Lord promised Enoch, “Mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers shall turn from their course; and thou shalt abide in me, and I in you; therefore walk with me.”

8Like Enoch, many of our youth today are choosing to abide with Jesus Christ. They are choosing to keep Him in their lives. They are walking with Him. They are gathering in record numbers to temples throughout the world. They wake before sunrise to participate in seminary. More are serving missions, resulting in more of God’s children being baptized than ever before. Today’s rising generation has been gifted with talents to gather and attributes of empathy and understanding. More are committed to becoming lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ.

9In a recent visit to West Africa, Diane and I sat in the home of two young brothers who had recently joined the Church and were being raised by a single mother in humble circumstances. When asked what the gospel of Jesus Christ has done for their family, 16-year-old Joshua simply said, “Relief.”

10Dear amazing young men and young women: As you continue your journey from baptism forward, through your teenage years and on to adulthood, committed to becoming lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ, know that rocks found along the way will begin to collect in your backpack—some by choice and some by the very nature of your journey in this life. As the weight increases, please remember that taking Jesus Christ out of your life is not the answer. Removing Him will not lighten your load.

11The enemy of happiness wants to separate you from Jesus Christ. He will tempt you to remove the Savior from your life, enticing you to think that the road would be easier without Him, that the weight of His commandments is too great, that the path back is too long, that repentance is too hard. Know this: Satan is a liar. Jesus Christ is not the weight; He is the relief.

12To His disciples, the Lord affirmed, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

13He has overcome the world. He has taken “upon him the pains and [sickness] of his people.” He has suffered “afflictions and temptations of every kind; … that he may know … how to succor [us].” His pleading, loving, powerful invitation is to abide with Him. It is to stay with Him.

14Each morning as you begin your daily walk, please make sure that Jesus Christ is with you. Then, as you face opposing forces aimed at separating you from Him, your confidence and resolve will be anchored to His truth, to His wisdom, to Him who is all-knowing. Your capacity to understand and forgive will be deeper. Your ability to love others, and even love yourself, will be an extension of His love—His infinite love—and you will have hope, real hope, because it will be in and “through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal⁠.”

15Keeping Jesus Christ with you requires intentional, daily worship.

16You keep Him with you as you reverently, with real intent, kneel and pray to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ.

17You keep Him with you as you study the scriptures daily, especially the Book of Mormon, and reflect on the witness of Jesus Christ that it bears. As you do, He will guide you through your mists of darkness.

18You keep Jesus Christ with you as you exercise faith in Him, trust Him, and turn to Him in sincere, daily repentance.

19You keep Jesus Christ with you as you are willing to live your covenants every day and renew them every week.

20My young brothers and sisters, it is that simple.

21Abiding with Him eases your burdens. Walking with Him shapes your character and helps you become even as He is. It brings you real and lasting joy.

22In his first interview as the prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Dallin H. Oaks was asked, “If there was one phrase, or one scripture, or one image that you would want members of the Church to carry with them right now as you begin this prophetic ministry, what would it be?”

23To which our prophet responded, “Jesus Christ is the way.”

24My dear young friends, may we together continue to walk with Jesus Christ, even in our most difficult moments—when we question our worth, doubt our capabilities, or question our faith. When we feel that we are alone, when the weight of life’s challenges sends us backward, may we hold strong to our resolve to keep Him with us.

25Let us allow the Savior to ease our burdens—allow Him to help remove the rocks of addiction and the weight of our sorrows. Let Him contend with those who would contend with us. Let Him cleanse us from our sins again and again and, yes, even again. Let Him move the mountains before us and change the course of the powerful rivers in our lives that carry us away from Him.

26Jesus Christ is not the weight; He is our relief; He is our strength; He is the way. May we all walk with Him. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.