Simple, Easy, and Happy Life
Elder Yoon Hwan Choi
November 19, 2024 11:15 AM
"Let us stay on the covenant path so that we can carry the heavy burden together with the Savior. Let’s not add more burden to our lives by choosing something out of the covenant path. When we are out of the right path, we must carry our burden alone. "
Thank you, it was beautiful music. It touched the heart. My dear friends in Ensign College, my wife and I are delighted to have the opportunity to meet with you this morning. It is a privilege to speak to you today.
Before I go further to my main talk, I was so impressed by you holding up your memo. And many of you held up your memo and the rest of your held up your gadget. It’s nice. So I’ll just give you some guidelines while you listen to my words. Number one, if you don’t understand me, that’s your problem (laughter from the audience) not my problem. I want to (be) clear. Because you are ready to listen to the Spirit of the Lord. That’s why you have notes.You listen in your heart. Because I’m speaking not English. I’m speaking in “Konglish” which is Korean-English, but, if you open your heart, perfectly, the Lord will inspire you what you should know and what you should understand.
Number two, if there’s something you don’t like, I’m sorry, but if you don’t like—like it. That’s my second guideline. With (those) two guidelines, I’m going to speak to you.
Today, I encourage you to reflect on your life plan. Consider your aspirations, goals, and desired outcomes. What is the most important goal you wish to achieve? Do you envision securing a fulfilling career upon completing your college education? Do you aspire to financial success? Are you overwhelmed by the complexities of life? Do you seek an educational institution that drops the need for midterm or final examinations? What brings you true happiness?
I am eager to share some straightforward strategies that can facilitate your pursuit of these goals and beyond. By adopting these principles, you can transform your life into a simple, lighthearted, and joyful journey.
Life is wonderful because it is designed by God in order to make us happy. He calls His plan for us the “Plan of Happiness.” However, there are too many things to do in our life. It seems like we never have enough time to do them all. Here is the way you can do them all. You can prioritize the things you need to do and do the first thing first. The rest of the things will be done after. What is the first thing to do in your life?
Upon my conversion at the age of sixteen, I was immediately introduced to a seminary class where I received invaluable guidance on the priorities of my life. This instruction was given by President Spencer W. Kimball, then the president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and later the President of the Church. Through the teachings of Seminary and Institute instructors, President Kimball elucidated the concept of “Circles of Exaltation,”1 emphasizing the significance of prioritizing certain aspects of life in achieving the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom. He conveyed a profound message: by diligently selecting and focusing on the most important circles in our lives, we can reach to exaltation.
The first priority for the youth and young adults before their mission is the Seminary and Institute. After completing Seminary, the first priority for young single adults is a Mission. “This is a priesthood duty for all worthy young men. Young women are welcome to serve as well if they choose to serve.”2
Now, what is the first thing you need to do after your mission? When I ask this question to missionaries, many answers include “School,” “Education,” “job,” or “Work.” While these are all valid responses, you should prioritize “Eternal Marriage” above them. You may attend college or find a job to support yourself while searching for your eternal companion. However, you should not delay your marriage until you have completed your education or found a stable job. After your eternal marriage, you will have an eternal family and will be rewarded with exaltation.
President Nelson stated, “While salvation is an individual matter, exaltation is a family matter. Only those who are married in the temple and whose marriage is sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise will continue as spouses after death and receive the highest degree of celestial glory, or exaltation. A temple marriage is also called a celestial marriage. Within the celestial glory are three levels. To obtain the highest, a husband and wife must be sealed for time and all eternity and keep their covenants made in a holy temple.”3
In our lives, our priorities are essential for achieving our goals. To effectively prioritize our daily lives, we must identify our daily and weekly priorities.
It is clearly mentioned in the scriptures, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you”4. How can we seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness? Prayer, scripture study, “Come Follow Me” study, Family Home Evening, attending Church meetings such as Sacrament Meeting, Relief Society, and Priesthood meetings, Sunday School, and other church activities are all ways to do so. Additionally, taking Institute classes and attending the temple regularly are important steps.
While many of you may be aware of these principles, not all of you are practicing them faithfully. Is it because you are too busy or because these activities seem less important than your homework or job? Don’t you realize that those spiritual moments you engage in will motivate you to do more and be better in a shorter amount of time?
One of my sons returned to school after completing his mission service and military service which is a mandatory duty in Korea. He expressed his efforts but felt that his grades were not as satisfactory as he had hoped. Determined to improve, he sought a different approach. Instead of emphasizing the importance of studying harder, we encouraged him to give more time for the Lord. He doubled his time dedicated to reading scriptures, praying, and visiting the temple. Surprisingly, his grade improved significantly.
President Nelson shared a personal story about his granddaughter, Sister Olivia Nelson, who was serving her mission.
“Immersing ourselves regularly in the truths of the Book of Mormon can have a transformative impact on our lives. One of our missionary granddaughters, Sister Olivia Nelson, made a promise to an investigator that if he would read the Book of Mormon daily, his test scores on university exams would improve. He did, and they did. My dear brothers and sisters, I promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day, you will make better decisions—every day. I promise that as you ponder what you study, the windows of heaven will open, and you will receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own life. I promise that as you daily immerse yourself in the Book of Mormon, you can be immunized against the evils of the day, even the gripping plague of pornography and other mind-numbing addictions”.5
Let me present you with a brief video to help you contemplate the concept of priorities. (At This point, Elder Choi shows a video in which an actor places rice and mangoes in a glass container. When the rice is poured in first, and the mangoes placed in after that, there is not enough room for all of the mangoes. When the mangoes are placed into the container first, and then the rice, there is room for everything).
What did you learn from this video? When you put Mangos, the things you need to do first, you will accomplish all other things in your life. Do you want to be successful in the college? Do you want to be successful in your career? Do you want to have a happy family? When you prioritize living in the gospel, it becomes significantly easier to fulfill your life’s purpose as Heavenly Father desires. You will embark on a remarkable journey in life, filled with joy and happiness
What about the challenges? Many of you want to make these priorities in your life but it is not always easy to do that. Let me tell you why. It is very simple. It is because life is supposed to be difficult. That is the course we need to go through to become celestial beings like God.
Ironically, it was you and me who chose this challenging course. When we heard of this life, we “shouted for joy”6 because our life plan had the solution for our shortcomings. Our Father had His begotten son, Jesus Christ, who is our Savior, as the total solution for the challenges we would have in this life. We did not have to worry about this life, rather, we could have confidence in our lives.
Some of you are afraid of marriage. You might have seen instances of failed relationships. What you need to know is that their life was difficult but not because they were married. Whether you are married or not, you will have challenges in your life anyway. They are just different type of challenges. Whether you serve your mission or not, whether you attend church faithfully or not, whether you accept the church calling or not, you will have challenges. The difference is that there is always a total solution for the challenges when you make a choice to follow the prophet.
President Oaks spoke to the BYU Pathway Students about these challenges. “There have always been challenging times. We, the generations of your predecessors, have survived serious challenges, and so will you. The answer to all of these challenges is the same as it has always been. We have a Savior, and He has taught us what we should do.”7
Do you feel that the Savior is the answer to all your challenges? My initial plan was to gain a higher education, but I had the faith to choose to serve a mission first due to my commitment to follow the prophet. I was called to serve my mission in Busan, Korea, but after one year of my service, I was unexpectedly called to serve in the military, which is a mandatory duty for all Korean men. I had to leave my beloved mission after a year and served in the military for three years. After completing my military service, I felt a renewed sense of purpose and decided to serve another year mission. When I asked my family and friends about the additional year of my mission service, everyone said I didn’t have to. But, Sister Choi, a close friend in the church at the time, simply said, “I know that Brother Choi is the one who will serve another mission, anyway.” Her straightforward response confirmed my desire deeply within me, and I made the decision to serve another year. The prophet approved my request to serve in the Korea Seoul Mission which was a different mission from the first one. After completing my second mission, I wanted to follow the prophet and felt a strong desire to get married before pursuing any other major life decisions. I chose to marry Sister Bon Kyung Koo. After five months of dating, I proposed to her, saying, “I do not have anything—no education, no job, no money, no house, and no car. Will you marry me?” She smiled and replied, “Yes, you do not have anything in the eyes of the world, but you have everything in the Lord.” She understood that I had prioritized the Lord first, and that all other blessings would follow. So, when we would have a date, she was more than happy to treat me to meals, which was a huge relief because I didn’t have the money to buy. She paid for five whole months of our dates! Can you believe it? After that, I’ve been happily paying for my meals for over 42 years. Isn’t that amazing? Now, after 42 years of our eternal marriage, we have achieved more than we ever imagined—higher degrees, prominent jobs, ample financial resources to support our family, houses, and even cars.
However, even though we chose these priorities, it didn’t mean that we never had challenges, but there is always a way to get rid of these burdens in our lives. My wife may share how we overcome the difficult time. Sister Choi.
Thank you, Elder Choi. Dear Brothers and Sisters! It’s so great to see you all! You all look amazing. You’re radiant! I’ve had my fair share of challenges in my life, but I’ve always managed to overcome them with the help of our Savior. I’d love to share with you how I overcame these challenges. Let me introduce you to my trusty companion - my bag! I carry it everywhere I go, and it’s always a bit heavy because I’ve got a few essentials in there. I’ve got my scarf, a tissue, a handkerchief, and some items, and my phone, and even water, my lipstick, I have so many other things in it. It is heavy. Why do I carry all these things? Because I need them. When I carry my bag, my shoulder feels the weight, but when my wonderful husband carries it for me, my shoulder is light, and I still have everything I need. Our marriage has been a blessing, binding us together so that I don’t have to carry my burden alone.
When we yoke with our Savior, He can carry heavy challenges for us, so we can walk light. Challenges will still be there in our lives because we need them just like the things in my bag, but they are no longer a burden when we’re yoked with the Savior. As a child, I thought yokes were heavy and uncomfortable, but now I understand why they’re actually easy and the burden is light.
Elder Bednar taught that “Making and keeping sacred covenants yokes us to and with the Lord Jesus Christ. In essence, the Savior is beckoning us to rely upon and pull together with Him, even though our best efforts are not equal to and cannot be compared with His. As we trust in and pull our load with Him during the journey of mortality, truly His yoke is easy, and His burden is light.”8
Remember, challenges are given to us to grow so that we can be like our Father in Heaven someday. Through these challenges, we will find joy in our life. If there are any one of you who do not face any challenges in your life, I’m sorry to say that Heavenly Father doesn’t love you. He doesn’t want you to grow and become like Him. But the good news is that, as long as we keep our covenants, He will always give us His power to overcome any challenges. I’m so grateful for the opportunity He gives us to learn and grow. The more challenges and trials we face, the greater the joy we can experience. Elder Choi.
It's not heavy. Thank you, Sister Choi.
Let us stay on the covenant path so that we can carry the heavy burden together with the Savior. Let’s not add more burden to our lives by choosing something out of the covenant path. When we are out of the right path, we must carry our burden alone. He does not carry it for us because we are not yoked with him anymore.
President Nelson said, “…entering into a covenant relationship with God binds us to Him in a way that makes everything about life easier. Please do not misunderstand me: I did not say that making covenants makes life easy. In fact, expect opposition, because the adversary does not want you to discover the power of Jesus Christ. But yoking yourself with the Savior means you have access to His strength and redeeming power.”9
This is the loving invitation and the promise from our Savior. “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”10
Dear Brothers and Sisters, in the Book of Mormon, we learn that “…men are, that they might have joy.”11 Your life should be filled with joy every day. When you have a hard day, open your Gospel Library App and find the Savior in any way so that He will change your day to a bright and sunny day. You can find Him in your prayers, in the scriptures, in the conference talks, in the temples…etc. President Nelson said “Come unto Christ and ‘offer your whole [soul]’ to Him. This is the secret to a life of joy!”12
Life is not complicated; we make it so. Simplify your life by setting priorities. Face life’s challenges as gifts from God, opportunities for growth. As long as you remain connected to the Savior, you do not have to bear your burdens alone. Together, we can bring His power into our lives as we walk the covenant path. Christ is the source of our strength and the ultimate solution to our lives. He is the gift and source of joy. Our journey to exaltation is simple, easy, and happy. I testify this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
References
1. President Spencer W. Kimball. “Circles of Exaltation” Excerpt from an address to religious educators, 28 June 1968, Brigham Young University, in Charge to Religious Educators, 3rd edition (1994), 42
2. Spencer W. Kimball, “Planning for a Full and Abundant Life”, Ensign, May 1974, 86).
Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, May 1986, pp. 44–45).
Howard W. Hunter, “Follow the Son of God”, Ensign, Nov. 1994, 87.
President Gordon B. Hinckley, Conference Report, Sept.–Oct. 1995, 70; or Ensign, Nov. 1995, 51–52.
President Thomas S. Monson, As We Meet Together Again, October 2010
President Russell M. Nelson, “Preaching the Gospel of Peace” April 2, 2022.
3. President Russel M. Nelson, “Celestial Marriage” October 2008 General Conference
4. Mathew 6:33, 3 Nephi13:33.
5. “The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Life without It?” Ensign or Liahona, November 2017, 61. President Russell M. Nelson.
6. Job 38:7
7. President Dallin H. Oaks. BYU-Pathway Worldwide Devotional “Leadership” February 08, 2022
8. Elder David A. Bednar.“Bear Up Their Burdens with Ease” General Conference April 2014
9. President Russell M. Nelson. “Overcome the World and Find Rest” General Conference October 2022.
10. Mathew 11:28-30
11. 2 Nephi 2:25
12. President Nelson. “The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again” October 2024 General Conference.
Before I go further to my main talk, I was so impressed by you holding up your memo. And many of you held up your memo and the rest of your held up your gadget. It’s nice. So I’ll just give you some guidelines while you listen to my words. Number one, if you don’t understand me, that’s your problem (laughter from the audience) not my problem. I want to (be) clear. Because you are ready to listen to the Spirit of the Lord. That’s why you have notes.You listen in your heart. Because I’m speaking not English. I’m speaking in “Konglish” which is Korean-English, but, if you open your heart, perfectly, the Lord will inspire you what you should know and what you should understand.
Number two, if there’s something you don’t like, I’m sorry, but if you don’t like—like it. That’s my second guideline. With (those) two guidelines, I’m going to speak to you.
Today, I encourage you to reflect on your life plan. Consider your aspirations, goals, and desired outcomes. What is the most important goal you wish to achieve? Do you envision securing a fulfilling career upon completing your college education? Do you aspire to financial success? Are you overwhelmed by the complexities of life? Do you seek an educational institution that drops the need for midterm or final examinations? What brings you true happiness?
I am eager to share some straightforward strategies that can facilitate your pursuit of these goals and beyond. By adopting these principles, you can transform your life into a simple, lighthearted, and joyful journey.
Life is wonderful because it is designed by God in order to make us happy. He calls His plan for us the “Plan of Happiness.” However, there are too many things to do in our life. It seems like we never have enough time to do them all. Here is the way you can do them all. You can prioritize the things you need to do and do the first thing first. The rest of the things will be done after. What is the first thing to do in your life?
Upon my conversion at the age of sixteen, I was immediately introduced to a seminary class where I received invaluable guidance on the priorities of my life. This instruction was given by President Spencer W. Kimball, then the president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and later the President of the Church. Through the teachings of Seminary and Institute instructors, President Kimball elucidated the concept of “Circles of Exaltation,”1 emphasizing the significance of prioritizing certain aspects of life in achieving the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom. He conveyed a profound message: by diligently selecting and focusing on the most important circles in our lives, we can reach to exaltation.
The first priority for the youth and young adults before their mission is the Seminary and Institute. After completing Seminary, the first priority for young single adults is a Mission. “This is a priesthood duty for all worthy young men. Young women are welcome to serve as well if they choose to serve.”2
Now, what is the first thing you need to do after your mission? When I ask this question to missionaries, many answers include “School,” “Education,” “job,” or “Work.” While these are all valid responses, you should prioritize “Eternal Marriage” above them. You may attend college or find a job to support yourself while searching for your eternal companion. However, you should not delay your marriage until you have completed your education or found a stable job. After your eternal marriage, you will have an eternal family and will be rewarded with exaltation.
President Nelson stated, “While salvation is an individual matter, exaltation is a family matter. Only those who are married in the temple and whose marriage is sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise will continue as spouses after death and receive the highest degree of celestial glory, or exaltation. A temple marriage is also called a celestial marriage. Within the celestial glory are three levels. To obtain the highest, a husband and wife must be sealed for time and all eternity and keep their covenants made in a holy temple.”3
In our lives, our priorities are essential for achieving our goals. To effectively prioritize our daily lives, we must identify our daily and weekly priorities.
It is clearly mentioned in the scriptures, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you”4. How can we seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness? Prayer, scripture study, “Come Follow Me” study, Family Home Evening, attending Church meetings such as Sacrament Meeting, Relief Society, and Priesthood meetings, Sunday School, and other church activities are all ways to do so. Additionally, taking Institute classes and attending the temple regularly are important steps.
While many of you may be aware of these principles, not all of you are practicing them faithfully. Is it because you are too busy or because these activities seem less important than your homework or job? Don’t you realize that those spiritual moments you engage in will motivate you to do more and be better in a shorter amount of time?
One of my sons returned to school after completing his mission service and military service which is a mandatory duty in Korea. He expressed his efforts but felt that his grades were not as satisfactory as he had hoped. Determined to improve, he sought a different approach. Instead of emphasizing the importance of studying harder, we encouraged him to give more time for the Lord. He doubled his time dedicated to reading scriptures, praying, and visiting the temple. Surprisingly, his grade improved significantly.
President Nelson shared a personal story about his granddaughter, Sister Olivia Nelson, who was serving her mission.
“Immersing ourselves regularly in the truths of the Book of Mormon can have a transformative impact on our lives. One of our missionary granddaughters, Sister Olivia Nelson, made a promise to an investigator that if he would read the Book of Mormon daily, his test scores on university exams would improve. He did, and they did. My dear brothers and sisters, I promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day, you will make better decisions—every day. I promise that as you ponder what you study, the windows of heaven will open, and you will receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own life. I promise that as you daily immerse yourself in the Book of Mormon, you can be immunized against the evils of the day, even the gripping plague of pornography and other mind-numbing addictions”.5
Let me present you with a brief video to help you contemplate the concept of priorities. (At This point, Elder Choi shows a video in which an actor places rice and mangoes in a glass container. When the rice is poured in first, and the mangoes placed in after that, there is not enough room for all of the mangoes. When the mangoes are placed into the container first, and then the rice, there is room for everything).
What did you learn from this video? When you put Mangos, the things you need to do first, you will accomplish all other things in your life. Do you want to be successful in the college? Do you want to be successful in your career? Do you want to have a happy family? When you prioritize living in the gospel, it becomes significantly easier to fulfill your life’s purpose as Heavenly Father desires. You will embark on a remarkable journey in life, filled with joy and happiness
What about the challenges? Many of you want to make these priorities in your life but it is not always easy to do that. Let me tell you why. It is very simple. It is because life is supposed to be difficult. That is the course we need to go through to become celestial beings like God.
Ironically, it was you and me who chose this challenging course. When we heard of this life, we “shouted for joy”6 because our life plan had the solution for our shortcomings. Our Father had His begotten son, Jesus Christ, who is our Savior, as the total solution for the challenges we would have in this life. We did not have to worry about this life, rather, we could have confidence in our lives.
Some of you are afraid of marriage. You might have seen instances of failed relationships. What you need to know is that their life was difficult but not because they were married. Whether you are married or not, you will have challenges in your life anyway. They are just different type of challenges. Whether you serve your mission or not, whether you attend church faithfully or not, whether you accept the church calling or not, you will have challenges. The difference is that there is always a total solution for the challenges when you make a choice to follow the prophet.
President Oaks spoke to the BYU Pathway Students about these challenges. “There have always been challenging times. We, the generations of your predecessors, have survived serious challenges, and so will you. The answer to all of these challenges is the same as it has always been. We have a Savior, and He has taught us what we should do.”7
Do you feel that the Savior is the answer to all your challenges? My initial plan was to gain a higher education, but I had the faith to choose to serve a mission first due to my commitment to follow the prophet. I was called to serve my mission in Busan, Korea, but after one year of my service, I was unexpectedly called to serve in the military, which is a mandatory duty for all Korean men. I had to leave my beloved mission after a year and served in the military for three years. After completing my military service, I felt a renewed sense of purpose and decided to serve another year mission. When I asked my family and friends about the additional year of my mission service, everyone said I didn’t have to. But, Sister Choi, a close friend in the church at the time, simply said, “I know that Brother Choi is the one who will serve another mission, anyway.” Her straightforward response confirmed my desire deeply within me, and I made the decision to serve another year. The prophet approved my request to serve in the Korea Seoul Mission which was a different mission from the first one. After completing my second mission, I wanted to follow the prophet and felt a strong desire to get married before pursuing any other major life decisions. I chose to marry Sister Bon Kyung Koo. After five months of dating, I proposed to her, saying, “I do not have anything—no education, no job, no money, no house, and no car. Will you marry me?” She smiled and replied, “Yes, you do not have anything in the eyes of the world, but you have everything in the Lord.” She understood that I had prioritized the Lord first, and that all other blessings would follow. So, when we would have a date, she was more than happy to treat me to meals, which was a huge relief because I didn’t have the money to buy. She paid for five whole months of our dates! Can you believe it? After that, I’ve been happily paying for my meals for over 42 years. Isn’t that amazing? Now, after 42 years of our eternal marriage, we have achieved more than we ever imagined—higher degrees, prominent jobs, ample financial resources to support our family, houses, and even cars.
However, even though we chose these priorities, it didn’t mean that we never had challenges, but there is always a way to get rid of these burdens in our lives. My wife may share how we overcome the difficult time. Sister Choi.
Thank you, Elder Choi. Dear Brothers and Sisters! It’s so great to see you all! You all look amazing. You’re radiant! I’ve had my fair share of challenges in my life, but I’ve always managed to overcome them with the help of our Savior. I’d love to share with you how I overcame these challenges. Let me introduce you to my trusty companion - my bag! I carry it everywhere I go, and it’s always a bit heavy because I’ve got a few essentials in there. I’ve got my scarf, a tissue, a handkerchief, and some items, and my phone, and even water, my lipstick, I have so many other things in it. It is heavy. Why do I carry all these things? Because I need them. When I carry my bag, my shoulder feels the weight, but when my wonderful husband carries it for me, my shoulder is light, and I still have everything I need. Our marriage has been a blessing, binding us together so that I don’t have to carry my burden alone.
When we yoke with our Savior, He can carry heavy challenges for us, so we can walk light. Challenges will still be there in our lives because we need them just like the things in my bag, but they are no longer a burden when we’re yoked with the Savior. As a child, I thought yokes were heavy and uncomfortable, but now I understand why they’re actually easy and the burden is light.
Elder Bednar taught that “Making and keeping sacred covenants yokes us to and with the Lord Jesus Christ. In essence, the Savior is beckoning us to rely upon and pull together with Him, even though our best efforts are not equal to and cannot be compared with His. As we trust in and pull our load with Him during the journey of mortality, truly His yoke is easy, and His burden is light.”8
Remember, challenges are given to us to grow so that we can be like our Father in Heaven someday. Through these challenges, we will find joy in our life. If there are any one of you who do not face any challenges in your life, I’m sorry to say that Heavenly Father doesn’t love you. He doesn’t want you to grow and become like Him. But the good news is that, as long as we keep our covenants, He will always give us His power to overcome any challenges. I’m so grateful for the opportunity He gives us to learn and grow. The more challenges and trials we face, the greater the joy we can experience. Elder Choi.
It's not heavy. Thank you, Sister Choi.
Let us stay on the covenant path so that we can carry the heavy burden together with the Savior. Let’s not add more burden to our lives by choosing something out of the covenant path. When we are out of the right path, we must carry our burden alone. He does not carry it for us because we are not yoked with him anymore.
President Nelson said, “…entering into a covenant relationship with God binds us to Him in a way that makes everything about life easier. Please do not misunderstand me: I did not say that making covenants makes life easy. In fact, expect opposition, because the adversary does not want you to discover the power of Jesus Christ. But yoking yourself with the Savior means you have access to His strength and redeeming power.”9
This is the loving invitation and the promise from our Savior. “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”10
Dear Brothers and Sisters, in the Book of Mormon, we learn that “…men are, that they might have joy.”11 Your life should be filled with joy every day. When you have a hard day, open your Gospel Library App and find the Savior in any way so that He will change your day to a bright and sunny day. You can find Him in your prayers, in the scriptures, in the conference talks, in the temples…etc. President Nelson said “Come unto Christ and ‘offer your whole [soul]’ to Him. This is the secret to a life of joy!”12
Life is not complicated; we make it so. Simplify your life by setting priorities. Face life’s challenges as gifts from God, opportunities for growth. As long as you remain connected to the Savior, you do not have to bear your burdens alone. Together, we can bring His power into our lives as we walk the covenant path. Christ is the source of our strength and the ultimate solution to our lives. He is the gift and source of joy. Our journey to exaltation is simple, easy, and happy. I testify this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
References
1. President Spencer W. Kimball. “Circles of Exaltation” Excerpt from an address to religious educators, 28 June 1968, Brigham Young University, in Charge to Religious Educators, 3rd edition (1994), 42
2. Spencer W. Kimball, “Planning for a Full and Abundant Life”, Ensign, May 1974, 86).
Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, May 1986, pp. 44–45).
Howard W. Hunter, “Follow the Son of God”, Ensign, Nov. 1994, 87.
President Gordon B. Hinckley, Conference Report, Sept.–Oct. 1995, 70; or Ensign, Nov. 1995, 51–52.
President Thomas S. Monson, As We Meet Together Again, October 2010
President Russell M. Nelson, “Preaching the Gospel of Peace” April 2, 2022.
3. President Russel M. Nelson, “Celestial Marriage” October 2008 General Conference
4. Mathew 6:33, 3 Nephi13:33.
5. “The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Life without It?” Ensign or Liahona, November 2017, 61. President Russell M. Nelson.
6. Job 38:7
7. President Dallin H. Oaks. BYU-Pathway Worldwide Devotional “Leadership” February 08, 2022
8. Elder David A. Bednar.“Bear Up Their Burdens with Ease” General Conference April 2014
9. President Russell M. Nelson. “Overcome the World and Find Rest” General Conference October 2022.
10. Mathew 11:28-30
11. 2 Nephi 2:25
12. President Nelson. “The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again” October 2024 General Conference.