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President D. Todd Christofferson of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spoke at Brigham Young University on December 1, 2025, inviting listeners to reflect on the life and mission of Jesus Christ during Christmas and Easter. He emphasized the importance of studying Jesus' life and modeling discipleship after Him.
“We should study His life and model His discipleship,” President Christofferson said. “His condescension, culminating in His Atonement, gives hope, direction and purpose to our lives.”
During his address at the Marriott Center on BYU’s campus, he encouraged attendees to consider their own journey in a fallen world: “Think of your own condescension, its purpose, and how you too, having descended into a fallen world, may with ‘good cheer’ rise above and overcome the world with Christ.”
He explained that condescension refers to voluntarily descending from a higher status to a lower one. In this context, he described how Jesus left behind divine power to experience mortal life with its challenges such as hunger, pain, persecution, and rejection.
“[Jesus’] condescension, culminating in His Atonement, gives hope, direction and purpose to our lives,” President Christofferson stated.
He added that Jesus’ willingness to live among mortals was an act of love designed to show humanity the path of discipleship.
President Christofferson also drew parallels between Jesus’ experience and that of all people. He said that individuals have experienced their own form of condescension by leaving God’s presence for mortal life. “You are here, first, to apply His divine gift of repentance in your life and by His grace overcome sin and death,” he said. “And second, to bring others to Christ to receive this same gift of repentance and life eternal.”
Addressing the theme of enduring through trials until the end—both for Jesus during his earthly ministry and for individuals today—he quoted scripture describing the Savior's suffering: “[This] suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain...and would that I might not drink the bitter cup...” (Doctrine and Covenants 19:18).
For followers seeking similar growth through endurance he remarked: “Our final judgment will measure what we have become—and even more importantly—what we have shown we can yet become.” He cited President Dallin H. Oaks: “The Final Judgment is not just an evaluation...what we have done. It is an acknowledgment...what we have become.... The gospel...shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become” (“The Challenge to Become,” Ensign November 2000).
President Christofferson noted that while personal suffering cannot be compared directly with what Jesus endured; believers can rely on help from God as well as forgiveness through Christ’s grace.
He concluded by urging listeners: “Take up [your] cross daily—and follow [Jesus]” (Luke 9:23). He affirmed his testimony about Jesus’ birth from Mary; his earthly ministry; and his continuing role as redeemer.
