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Heavy Laden

An overloaded backpack, one teen’s impossible week, and what Jesus taught in a grainfield about what the Sabbath is for

  • 🔥 Youth 14–15
  • Week 11
  • 📅 Sunday, March 14, 2027
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

Jesus Christ invites me to bring Him everything I’m carrying and yoke myself to Him, and His Sabbath is about lifting people, not keeping score.

I can come to the Savior with my burdens, keep the Sabbath as a day to rest and do good, and let the good in my heart show in my words.

Study it yourself firstRead Matthew 11–12; Luke 11 in Gospel LibraryCome, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Matthew 11–12; Luke 11)
Know the chapters

Matthew 11:28–30 is one of the most personal invitations in scripture: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” A yoke is a wooden beam that joins two animals so they pull a load together. It doesn’t make the work disappear. It shares it. Farmers sometimes trained a young ox by yoking it beside a strong, experienced one. That’s a helpful picture of “take my yoke upon you, and learn of me.” We’re yoked to the Savior through the covenants we make and keep. In April 2023, President Camille N. Johnson compared our burdens to rocks in a backpack. Some come from our own sins. Some come from other people’s choices. Some come just from living in a fallen world. She testified that Jesus Christ can lighten all three.

Matthew 12:1–14 shows two Sabbath clashes. Over the centuries, religious leaders had built layers of rules around the Sabbath. Some treated plucking a few heads of grain as harvesting. Jesus answered with their own scriptures. David ate the shewbread when he was hungry, in 1 Samuel 21:1–6. Priests work in the temple on the Sabbath. And the Lord said through Hosea, “I will have mercy, and not sacrifice,” in Hosea 6:6. He declared that He is Lord of the Sabbath. Then, in a synagogue, His critics tried to trap Him with a man whose hand was withered. Jesus asked who wouldn’t pull a sheep out of a pit on the Sabbath. He taught that “it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days,” and healed the man. Mark adds that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath, in Mark 2:27.

For fourteen- to sixteen-year-olds, the Sabbath is often where Church standards collide with sports, jobs, homework and friends. Resist the urge to hand them a list. For the Strength of Youth says plainly that it isn’t meant to give a yes-or-no answer for every choice. It teaches truths and invites youth to seek the Spirit. Jesus did the same with the Pharisees. He moved the question from “What’s allowed?” to “What do mercy, worship and doing good look like today?”

The rest of the block is rich. John the Baptist, in prison, sent disciples to ask Jesus if He was really the one, in Matthew 11:2–6. Jesus answered with evidence, not a scolding. Matthew 12:34–37 teaches that “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” Today, words include texts, comments and posts. Luke 11:1–13 begins with “Lord, teach us to pray.” It ends with a promise that Heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask.

Only have 5 minutes?

Read Matthew 11:28–30 and 12:1–13. Do the arms-out burden hook. Read Ethan’s week from the Teach Mode screens and ask each scene’s question. Three groups explain rest, yoke and light from Matthew 11:28–30. Ask two of the “What would you tell Ethan?” questions. Close with your testimony that the Savior shares the load.

What to bring3 items

Tick what you have. Forgot something? Every step that needs a supply has a no-supplies version in the plan below.

Before class

  1. Stack the books next to the empty backpack at the front of the room.
  2. Read Matthew 11:28–30 and 12:1–13. Then read Ethan’s six scenes in Teach Mode so you can ask each question naturally.
  3. Think of a time the Savior lightened something you were carrying, or a Sabbath that felt like real rest. You’ll share it briefly at the end.

If your class is wild

  • Some youth really are overloaded with school, jobs, family stress or anxiety. If Ethan’s week hits a nerve, slow down. Follow up privately with anyone who seems to be struggling.
  • Families keep the Sabbath differently. Keep the case about Ethan. Never ask a youth to defend their own family’s choices.
  • Ethan works because he’s nobody in the room. If someone says “that’s literally me,” smile. Say, “Then you get to give Ethan the best advice.”
  • Play the Pharisees straight. They were serious religious people who cared more about rules than the person in front of them. Any of us can fall into that.
  • Phones are fine for Gospel Library. If they drift, say, “Scriptures open, everything else face down. You can check it the second class ends.”

The 25-minute plan24 min + bonus

Bonus steps are for when you have extra time. Steps that mention Teach Mode, the Sound Board or other class games refer to the Gospel Sparks app; on the web you can play Forehead Guess and Scripture Showdown from this page.

1. Hook

The Backpack

3 min

The class loads a real backpack with the burdens teens carry, so the Savior’s invitation lands on something they can feel.

  1. SAY“This is a normal teenager on a normal Monday. What are they carrying?”
  2. A volunteer puts on the empty backpack. For every real burden the class names, drop in a book. Tests, a job, comparing yourself online, family stress.
  3. Ask the volunteer how it feels. Ask the class what most people do when it gets this heavy. Then have someone read Matthew 11:28.
  4. SAY“He doesn’t say, ‘You shouldn’t have a backpack.’ He says, come to Me.”
🌪️ If someone names a joke burden like “my little brother,” add a book anyway and laugh. Then ask for a real one.

Class screen: 🎒 What’s in a teenager’s backpack on a normal Monday? · Name a real burden · One book per burden

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: A backpack and 6–8 heavy books (or full water bottles or canned food)

  1. SAY“This is a normal teenager on a normal Monday. What are they carrying?”
  2. A volunteer stands with both arms straight out. For every real burden the class names, they decide if it’s light, medium or heavy.
  3. Keep going until their arms shake. Ask how it feels. Then ask the class what most people do when it gets this heavy.
  4. Have someone read Matthew 11:28.
  5. SAY“He doesn’t say, ‘You shouldn’t be carrying anything.’ He says, come to Me.”

Class screen: 💪 Arms out: what’s a teenager carrying on Monday? · Name a real burden · Light, medium or heavy?

2. Story

Case Study: Ethan’s Week

8 min

A realistic week lets youth see the Savior’s invitation and His Sabbath teaching land on the kind of pressure they actually feel.

  1. SAY“Meet Ethan. Ethan isn’t real, but you probably know someone exactly like this. Let’s walk through one week.”
  2. Read each scene from the screen and ask its question. Take two or three answers before moving on.
  3. At scene 4, pairs look up Matthew 12:7 and 12:12 and read them aloud.
  4. Keep the ending open. You’re practicing the Savior’s questions, not voting on anyone’s family.
🌪️ If it gets heated about Sunday sports, say, “Nobody’s family is on trial. We’re practicing thinking the way Jesus taught.”

Class screen: 🎒 One overloaded week. What would you tell Ethan? · Matthew 11:28–30 · Matthew 12:1–13

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: Scriptures for each pair (their own, a classroom set, or Gospel Library on their phones)

  1. SAY“Meet Ethan. Ethan isn’t real, but you probably know someone exactly like this. Let’s walk through one week.”
  2. Read each scene from the screen and ask its question. Take two or three answers before moving on.
  3. At scene 4, read Matthew 12:7 and 12:12 aloud while the class follows on the screen.
  4. Keep the ending open. You’re practicing the Savior’s questions, not voting on anyone’s family.
3. Scripture

Come unto Me: Rest, Yoke, Light

4 min

Three small groups each explain one phrase of Matthew 11:28–30, so the class hears the Savior’s invitation in peers’ words.

  1. SAY“Ethan needs more than advice. Here’s what the Savior actually offers.”
  2. Split into three groups. Rest is verse 28. Yoke is verse 29. Light is verse 30.
  3. Each group gets about a minute to put its phrase in normal words. Then they teach it in thirty seconds.
  4. Add that covenants yoke us to the Savior, and He pulls the heavier side. Share President Camille N. Johnson’s words from Conference quotes.
  5. Say Matthew 11:28 together with the motions.

Class screen: 🪵 Come unto me … take my yoke … my burden is light · Group 1: rest · Group 2: yoke · Group 3: light

4. Talk it over

What Would You Tell Ethan?

6 min

Youth coach Ethan with the scriptures, then turn the same questions on their own week.

  1. SAY“Ethan’s week isn’t fixed yet. Let’s be the friends who actually help.”
  2. Show one question at a time. Let the silence sit for ten seconds before you rescue anyone.
  3. After the first question, share the For the Strength of Youth line from Conference quotes. Ask what we can ask instead of “Is this allowed?”
💬 Ask the class
  • Think about Matthew 12:7, 12:12 or 11:28. What would you tell Ethan about the final on Sunday?
  • What’s the difference between real rest and just zoning out on your phone?
  • Why is it so hard to hand our burdens to the Savior instead of carrying them alone?
  • What’s one thing that makes a Sunday feel like a gift instead of a list of rules?
🌪️ If the class splits hard on Ethan’s choice, let both sides quote a verse. Then ask what both agree the Savior wants for Ethan.

Class screen: 💬 What would you tell Ethan? What would you tell yourself?

5. Testimony

Testimony & Hand Over One Rock

3 min

End quietly with one private burden named and one real way to bring it to the Savior this week.

  1. SAY“Ethan finally stopped carrying it alone. I want to tell you what that’s been like for me.”
  2. Briefly share a time the Savior lightened your load, or a Sabbath that felt like real rest. Testify that He shares the load.
  3. Hand out cards. Each person privately writes one rock they carry and folds the card. On the outside, they write how they’ll bring it to Him.
  4. Show the challenge on the screen. Invite someone to say the closing prayer.

Class screen: 🪨 Name one rock. Hand it to Him this week. · Write it (private) · How will you bring it to Him?

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: One index card or sticky note per person, and a few pens

  1. SAY“Ethan finally stopped carrying it alone. I want to tell you what that’s been like for me.”
  2. Share your story briefly. Testify that He shares the load.
  3. Invite everyone to silently name one rock they carry. Then they pick one way to bring it to Him this week. Nobody has to share.
  4. Show the challenge on the screen. Invite someone to say the closing prayer.
6. Wiggle break

Yoked

2 minBONUS

If the class needs to move, pairs walk a course linked together: a picture of taking the Savior’s yoke and learning His pace.

  1. SAY“Pair up side by side and link inside arms at the elbow. That’s your yoke.”
  2. Round one, about forty seconds. Walk around a chair, to the door and back, and sit down without unlinking. Round two, one partner closes their eyes.
  3. SAY“In a yoke, you don’t pull alone. And you learn the other one’s pace. Farmers yoked a young ox beside a strong one. Guess which one we are.”
🌪️ If it turns into a race, let it. Then point out that the fastest pairs matched each other’s pace.

Class screen: 🐂 Yoked: link arms and move as one · Round 1: walk the course · Round 2: one closes their eyes

7. Game

Scripture Showdown

5 minBONUS

If you have extra time, a fast team quiz reviews the whole lesson.

  1. SAY“Two teams, one captain each. You get ten seconds to huddle. Then only the captain answers.”
  2. Tap Scripture Showdown and play.
  3. Use the steal rule. If a team misses, the other team can steal by naming the chapter.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

Class screen: 🏆 Scripture Showdown!

Case study

Case Study: Ethan’s Week

Matthew 11:28–30; 12:1–13 ↗

Scenes

  1. 🎒📅 Monday: Ethan’s backpack is already full

    Ethan is fifteen. Practice every day after school. A weekend shift at the snack bar. A chemistry test Friday. And a best friend who’s going through a rough time and texts late every night. Ethan loves all of it. Mostly.

    🙌 Ask: “What’s the heaviest thing in Ethan’s backpack?”

  2. 😮‍💨📱 Wednesday: just pushing through

    By Wednesday, Ethan has stopped praying at night. Too tired. Scrolling until one in the morning feels like resting. But it isn’t. Ethan snaps at a little sister over nothing, and doesn’t even know why.

    🙌 Everyone reads Matthew 11:28 together. Ask: “What is Ethan doing instead of coming to Him?”

  3. 🏆⚽ Thursday: the team makes the final

    Big news. The team made the championship. The game is Sunday at ten in the morning. The group chat explodes. Ethan’s stomach drops. Is it excitement or dread? Ethan isn’t sure.

    🙌 Ask: “What questions are running through Ethan’s head right now?”

  4. 🌾📜 Jesus faced a Sabbath argument too

    Let’s pause the case. In Matthew 12, Jesus’s disciples were hungry, so they picked some grain. The Pharisees said they were breaking the Sabbath. Jesus answered that God wants mercy, not just sacrifice. Then He healed a man’s withered hand. And He taught that it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath.

    🙌 Pairs read Matthew 12:7 and 12:12. Ask: “What did Jesus care about that the rule checkers missed?”

  5. 💬⚖️ Friday: two loud opinions

    One friend says, “It’s one Sunday. God gets it.” Another says, “If you play, you’re basically breaking a commandment.” Ethan feels judged either way and just wants someone to say what to do.

    🙌 Ask: “Instead of ‘Is this allowed?’ what would the Savior help Ethan ask?”

  6. 🙏🌙 Saturday night: finally praying

    Saturday night, Ethan kneels for the first time all week. And just names everything. The test. The friend. The final. The snapping. The tired. Nothing is solved yet. But for the first time all week, Ethan isn’t carrying it alone.

    🙌 Ask: “What might change for Ethan now, even if the schedule doesn’t?”

Key verse

Matthew 11:28 ↗
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
In plain words: If you’re worn out and carrying too much, come to Me. I’ll give you rest.
🙌 On “Come unto me,” wave one hand toward yourself; on “heavy laden,” slump your shoulders like you’re carrying a backpack; on “I will give you rest,” drop the invisible backpack and stand tall. Say it twice, then once with the screen covered.

More verses

Matthew 11:29–30 ↗
“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.”
In plain words: Get in the yoke with Me and learn from Me. I’m gentle and humble, and you’ll find rest for your soul. Pulling alongside Me is easier, and what I ask is light.
Matthew 12:12 ↗
“How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.”
In plain words: A person is worth so much more than a sheep. So doing good on the Sabbath is exactly right.
Matthew 12:34–35 ↗
“for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things”
In plain words: Whatever fills your heart comes out in your words. A good heart produces good words.
Luke 11:9 ↗
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”
In plain words: Ask, and you’ll receive. Look, and you’ll find. Knock, and the door will open.

Forehead Guess words17 words

  • 🪵 Yoke
  • 😌 Rest
  • 🎒 Heavy Laden
  • 🕊️ Meek and Lowly
  • 📅 Sabbath
  • 🌾 Grainfield
  • 📋 Pharisees
  • 🍞 Shewbread
  • 👑 David
  • ✋ Withered Hand
  • 🐑 Sheep in a Pit
  • 👑 Lord of the Sabbath
  • 💗 Mercy
  • 💬 Idle Word
  • 🚪 Ask, Seek, Knock
  • 🌙 Friend at Midnight
  • ⛓️ John the Baptist
Clues for each word
  • Yoke: Wooden beam that lets two animals pull together
  • Rest: What Jesus promises the heavy laden
  • Heavy Laden: Carrying way too much
  • Meek and Lowly: How Jesus describes His own heart
  • Sabbath: The day Jesus said is for doing good
  • Grainfield: Where the hungry disciples grabbed a snack
  • Pharisees: Cared more about their rules than the man’s hand
  • Shewbread: Holy bread David ate when he was hungry
  • David: Jesus used his story to answer the Pharisees
  • Withered Hand: Healed when he stretched it forth
  • Sheep in a Pit: You’d pull it out on the Sabbath, right?
  • Lord of the Sabbath: What Jesus called Himself in Matthew 12:8
  • Mercy: The Lord wants this more than sacrifice
  • Idle Word: We’ll give account for every one
  • Ask, Seek, Knock: Three verbs in Luke 11:9
  • Friend at Midnight: Kept knocking until his friend got up
  • John the Baptist: Sent a question to Jesus from prison
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown9 questions

  1. Who does Jesus invite in Matthew 11:28?
    • A. Only the righteous
    • B. All that labour and are heavy laden
    • C. Only the Twelve
    Show answer

    ✅ B. All that labour and are heavy laden Everyone who is worn out and carrying too much. That’s all of us sometimes.

  2. How does Jesus describe His heart in Matthew 11:29?
    • A. Meek and lowly
    • B. Bold and fierce
    • C. Strict and fair
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Meek and lowly He’s gentle and humble, which is why His yoke is easy.

  3. What were the disciples doing that upset the Pharisees?
    • A. Fishing
    • B. Healing
    • C. Plucking grain to eat
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Plucking grain to eat Matthew 12:1–2. The Pharisees counted it as harvesting on the Sabbath.

  4. Whose story did Jesus use to answer the Pharisees?
    • A. Moses
    • B. David
    • C. Jonah
    Show answer

    ✅ B. David Matthew 12:3–4. David ate the shewbread when he was hungry.

  5. Jesus quoted Hosea: “I will have mercy, and not …” what?
    • A. Sacrifice
    • B. Judgment
    • C. Fasting
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Sacrifice Matthew 12:7. The Lord cares about mercy more than going through the motions.

  6. What animal did Jesus say you’d rescue from a pit on the Sabbath?
    • A. A donkey
    • B. A goat
    • C. A sheep
    Show answer

    ✅ C. A sheep Matthew 12:11–12. And a person is worth much more than a sheep.

  7. What did Jesus tell the man with the withered hand?
    • A. Wait until tomorrow
    • B. Stretch forth thine hand
    • C. Go wash in a pool
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Stretch forth thine hand Matthew 12:13. His hand was restored, just like the other.

  8. Out of the abundance of what does the mouth speak?
    • A. The heart
    • B. The mind
    • C. The scriptures
    Show answer

    ✅ A. The heart Matthew 12:34. Our words, including texts and posts, show what’s inside.

  9. Luke 11:13: what will Heavenly Father give those who ask?
    • A. Riches
    • B. Long life
    • C. The Holy Spirit
    Show answer

    ✅ C. The Holy Spirit He’s a better Father than any earthly one, and He gives the best gift.

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

From general conference

“So why are we stingy with our rocks? Why would a weary baseball pitcher refuse to leave the mound when a reliever is there ready to complete the game?”

— President Camille N. Johnson, “Jesus Christ Is Relief,” April 2023

Share in Come unto Me, after the groups teach the yoke.

Read the talk ↗
“The purpose of For the Strength of Youth is not to give you a “yes” or “no” about every possible choice you might face. Instead, the Lord is inviting you to live in a higher and holier way—a life focused on eternal truths and the Lord’s promised blessings.”

— For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices, “Make inspired choices,” 2022

Share in What Would You Tell Ethan?, after the first question.

Read the talk ↗

Songs

  • Did You Think to Pray? Hymns, no. 140

    Luke 11 starts with “Lord, teach us to pray,” and prayer is one way we bring Him our burdens. Find it ↗

  • I Need Thee Every Hour Hymns, no. 98

    The prayer of someone who is heavy laden and knows where rest comes from. Find it ↗

  • Count Your Blessings Hymns, no. 241

    A hymn for the days when the backpack feels too heavy. Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

Hand Over One Rock

Each night this week, name one burden to Heavenly Father and ask for help carrying it. Plan one thing for next Sunday that’s real rest or real good. Take a nap without your phone, visit someone lonely, go for a long walk, or write a note. And before you post or send anything, ask if it comes from the good treasure of your heart.

Text the parents

Today in class we loaded a backpack with the things teens carry. We read the Savior’s invitation: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” in Matthew 11:28. We followed a made-up teen through an overloaded week. Then we used what Jesus taught about the Sabbath in Matthew 12 to decide what it’s really for. Ask your teen what it means to be yoked to the Savior. And what would make Sunday feel more like rest at our house?

📝 After class

What worked? Who needs a check-in this week? Jot it here on a printed copy, or in the app’s private class notes.

Got extra time?

🙏 Lord, Teach Us to Pray · 5 min

  1. Read Luke 11:1–13. List every truth about prayer you can find.
  2. Talk about the friend at midnight in verses 5–8. Ask why Jesus told a story about someone who kept knocking.
  3. Ask: “Verse 13 says the Father gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask. When did you last ask for that?”

💬 Every Idle Word · 4 min

  1. Read Matthew 12:34–37.
  2. Invite everyone to privately scroll back through their last ten messages or comments. Nobody shares.
  3. Ask what they noticed, without specifics. Then ask what they’d want their words to say about their heart.

⛓️ John’s Question from Prison · 4 min

  1. Read Matthew 11:2–6. John the Baptist, in prison, sends disciples to ask Jesus if He’s really the one.
  2. Ask: “Did Jesus answer with a scolding or with evidence?”
  3. Ask: “What evidence has the Savior given you when you’ve had questions?”

⚖️ Sabbath Debate · 5 min

  1. Split into two teams. Put the Savior’s three tests on the board. Mercy is Matthew 12:7. Do good is 12:12. Made for man is Mark 2:27.
  2. Read a prompt and assign sides. “Sunday is my only free day, so homework is fine.” “A three-hour nap is a great way to keep the Sabbath.” “Visiting a lonely neighbor matters more than a fireside.”
  3. Each team gets about thirty seconds to make its case with at least one verse. A judge picks the side that used scripture best.
  4. Remind them that nobody’s family is on trial. We’re practicing the Savior’s questions.

Sources

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version, the Bible used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tap or click a reference to open it in Gospel Library. Start with the official Come, Follow Me manual; these ideas are here to help it come alive.

All Youth 14–15 lessons