Welcome to the recent speeches podcast presented by BYU speeches

featuring inspiring new devotional and forums given each week on BYU campus.

Be sure to check out our other podcasts by searching BYU speeches wherever you get your podcasts or by

visiting speeches dot BYU.edU slash podcasts.

Oh it's wonderful to be here today. 47 years ago my grandfather spoke at a

BYU Devotional. 22 years ago my father spoke at a BYU devotional and today it appears to be my turn.

You can imagine how nervous this makes my kids. And I was trying to come up with a scripture that might explain

this pattern and the only thing I could come up with was something about God

cursing families to the third and fourth generation. So let's hope, despite the

possibility of a family curse, the message I share can be a blessing to some. I've had the opportunity to teach many classes at BYU but the

Eternal Family is one of my favorites. I've come to a greater and greater appreciation

of the blessings of the restored gospel.

It's a very personal class, and I've also come to know some of the burdens students bear,

particularly as they strive to live a religious life that reflects the teachings of Jesus Christ.

We've all felt burdens of discipleship, learning how to forgive as the Savior would, struggling to maintain good religious habits that can get lost so quickly,

feeling like you're not measuring up in keeping the Commandments, wondering if you ever will.

Today I would like to talk about wondering if you ever will.

Today I would like to talk about bearing religious burdens.

In many ways, I think this talk is for a younger version of myself when he was newly experiencing some of these

burdens seeing others struggling and wondering whether bearing the burdens of

living the religious life are really worth it.

Some see religious burdens as harmful.

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