Jesus Christ Is Not Our Burden; He Is Our Relief
Open talk in Gospel LibraryContents
Before Reading
Before reading or listening to the talk, consider the following questions:
- What burdens in life might tempt people to distance themselves from Jesus Christ?
- Why does Brother Wunderli say that removing Jesus Christ from our lives will not lighten our load?
- What does it mean to abide with Jesus Christ and walk with Him daily?
- How does the Savior bring relief in times of tribulation, sin, weakness, and sorrow?
- What daily practices help disciples keep Jesus Christ with them?
Topics
Keep Jesus Christ in your backpack
Brother Wunderli begins with a family story about his young son, who treasured a picture of Jesus Christ and placed it in his backpack during a hike. After filling the backpack with heavy rocks, the boy could no longer carry it. When his father jokingly suggested removing the picture of Jesus to lighten the load, the boy’s reaction revealed a profound truth: Jesus Christ is not what makes life heavy. The image introduces the talk’s central message that Christ should never be removed from our lives when burdens increase.
Our six-year-old son carefully placed his picture of Jesus Christ into his backpack. That was it—he packed nothing else.
Then he carefully placed his picture of Jesus Christ back on top and zipped it up.
Now, 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.
I will never forget the hurt look on his face.
- What did the son choose to keep in his backpack even when it became heavy?
- What truth does the backpack story teach about Jesus Christ and our burdens?
- Why is the story an effective introduction to the talk’s main message?
- When have I been tempted to distance myself from the Savior because life felt heavy?
- What "rocks" am I carrying right now that may be distracting me from Christ?
- How can I show through my choices that I want to keep the Savior with me no matter what?
Trust Jesus Christ as your relief
The speaker teaches clearly that Jesus Christ is not an added burden but the source of relief. He points to faithful youth, temple worship, seminary, missionary service, and conversion as evidence that many are choosing to abide in Christ. He also shares the simple testimony of a young convert in West Africa, who described the effect of the gospel on his family with one word: "Relief." The message is that discipleship brings divine help, peace, and strength rather than unnecessary weight.
Like Enoch, many of our youth today are choosing to abide with Jesus Christ.
When asked what the gospel of Jesus Christ has done for their family, 16-year-old Joshua simply said, “Relief.”
Removing Him will not lighten your load.
Jesus Christ is not the weight; He is the relief.
- How does Brother Wunderli describe the effect of the gospel of Jesus Christ on people’s lives?
- What example from West Africa illustrates the idea of relief through the gospel?
- Why does the speaker say that removing Jesus Christ will not lighten our load?
- In what ways has Jesus Christ brought relief into my life or my family’s life?
- How have I seen discipleship bring peace rather than pressure?
- What can I record in my journal about moments when the Savior strengthened me?
Recognize Satan’s lie and reject it
Brother Wunderli warns that Satan seeks to separate people from Jesus Christ by persuading them that life would be easier without Him. The adversary may suggest that commandments are too heavy, repentance is too difficult, or returning to the Lord is too hard. The speaker firmly counters this deception by declaring that Satan is a liar and that Christ is our relief. This topic emphasizes spiritual discernment and the need to reject false messages that pull us away from the Savior.
The 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.
- What lies does Satan use to try to separate people from Jesus Christ?
- How does Brother Wunderli describe the adversary’s purpose?
- What truth should disciples remember when they feel that commandments or repentance are too hard?
- What discouraging thoughts have I recognized as temptations to move away from Christ?
- How can I better identify lies that make discipleship seem like a burden?
- What truth about the Savior can I remember the next time I feel spiritually overwhelmed?
Rely on the Savior who has overcome the world
The talk teaches that Jesus Christ can relieve our burdens because He has already overcome the world. Brother Wunderli cites the Savior’s promise that His disciples will have tribulation but can be of good cheer because He has overcome. He also references the Savior’s suffering for the pains, sicknesses, afflictions, and temptations of His people so that He knows how to succor them. Because of the Atonement, Christ understands every struggle and has power to help, strengthen, and save.
To His disciples, the Lord affirmed, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
He 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.
- Why can the Savior offer relief to those who suffer?
- What does it mean that Jesus Christ has overcome the world?
- How do the scriptures in this section show that Christ understands our pains and temptations?
- What current trial can I more consciously place in the Savior’s hands?
- How does knowing that Christ understands my pain affect the way I pray?
- When have I felt the Savior succor me in a time of weakness, grief, or temptation?
Abide with Jesus Christ every day
Brother Wunderli invites listeners to begin each day with Jesus Christ and to walk with Him through every challenge. Abiding with Him means staying close to Him so that our confidence is anchored in His truth and wisdom. As we do, our ability to forgive, love, and hope increases. This daily relationship with Christ changes not only our circumstances but also our inner life, giving us steadiness and spiritual resilience.
Each 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.
- What blessings come from beginning each day with Jesus Christ?
- How does abiding with Christ affect a person’s confidence, forgiveness, and love?
- What kind of hope does Brother Wunderli say comes through Christ?
- What would it look like for me to start each day more intentionally with the Savior?
- How has walking with Christ helped me love, forgive, or hope more fully?
- What daily reminder could help me keep Jesus Christ at the center of my life?
Keep Jesus Christ with you through daily worship
The speaker explains that keeping Jesus Christ with us requires intentional, daily worship. He identifies specific practices: praying reverently with real intent, studying the scriptures daily—especially the Book of Mormon—exercising faith in Christ, repenting sincerely every day, and living and renewing covenants. These simple, repeated acts keep disciples close to the Savior and invite His guidance through life’s darkness.
Keeping Jesus Christ with you requires intentional, daily worship.
You keep Him with you as you reverently, with real intent, kneel and pray to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ.
You 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.
You keep Jesus Christ with you as you exercise faith in Him, trust Him, and turn to Him in sincere, daily repentance.
You keep Jesus Christ with you as you are willing to live your covenants every day and renew them every week.
My young brothers and sisters, it is that simple.
- What practices does Brother Wunderli list as ways to keep Jesus Christ with us?
- Why does he emphasize daily worship rather than occasional spiritual effort?
- What role does the Book of Mormon play in helping disciples stay close to Christ?
- Which daily worship practice do I most need to strengthen right now?
- How can I make my prayers and scripture study more intentional and centered on Jesus Christ?
- What changes would help me repent daily and honor my covenants more faithfully?
Let the Savior ease your burdens and change you
The talk teaches that abiding with Christ not only eases burdens but also shapes character and brings lasting joy. Brother Wunderli urges listeners to hold on to Christ in difficult moments, including times of self-doubt, loneliness, and spiritual struggle. He invites them to let the Savior remove the rocks of addiction, carry sorrows, contend with enemies, cleanse sin again and again, and move mountains and rivers that pull them away. Christ is presented as strength, cleansing, direction, and transforming power.
Abiding 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.
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.
Let 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.
- How does walking with Christ affect both burdens and character?
- What specific kinds of burdens does Brother Wunderli say the Savior can help remove?
- What does the repeated invitation to "let Him" teach about our role in receiving the Savior’s help?
- What burden, sin, sorrow, or weakness do I need to more fully place before the Savior?
- How have I seen the Lord shape my character through difficult experiences?
- What does "let Him" mean for me personally this week?
Follow Jesus Christ as the way
Near the end of the talk, Brother Wunderli quotes President Dallin H. Oaks, who answered that the image or phrase he would want members to carry with them is: "Jesus Christ is the way." This statement reinforces the talk’s central invitation to continue walking with the Savior through every stage of life. Christ is not only a source of comfort but the path itself. To stay with Him is to stay on the way that leads to eternal life.
To which our prophet responded, “Jesus Christ is the way.”
Jesus Christ is not the weight; He is our relief; He is our strength; He is the way.
May we all walk with Him.
- What prophetic statement does Brother Wunderli quote from President Oaks?
- How does the phrase "Jesus Christ is the way" summarize the message of the talk?
- Why is it important to see Christ as both relief and the way forward?
- How can I more consciously remember that Jesus Christ is the way in my current circumstances?
- What decision in my life right now would be clearer if I focused on walking with Christ?
- What phrase or testimony from this talk do I want to carry with me this week?
