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Leading Saints Podcast

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Dec 15, 2023 • 40min

The Power of Learner Councils | A How I Lead Interview with Russell Rigby

Russell Rigby was born and raised in Vancouver, Washington, served in the Mexico City South mission, and helped open the Cuernavaca Mission. He attended Western Washington University where he majored in Accounting and met his wife. He later received a master's in Taxation from the University of Washington and currently works as a tax manager for Paccar. Russell has two sons, ages twelve and ten, and has served in Primary, the Young Men program, a Spanish branch presidency, and as a financial clerk. He is now serving for the first time as a Sunday School president. Links There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 03:20 Introduction to Russell Rigby and getting called as Sunday School president. 05:30 Starting his new calling by picking really great counselors to work with and dreaming up big ideas. Going beyond the normal. 06:40 Making a difference as the Sunday School president. They expanded the idea of teacher councils and identified certain groups that needed help, not just the teachers. 08:20 The scripture that has inspired Russell in his calling is Alma 31:5. The word of God has a more powerful effect on people than anything else. 10:30 Stimulating discussion in presidency meetings. Russell talks about how they structure their meetings. 14:45 Russell and his presidency did counsels with different groups in the ward. They didn’t just focus on teachers but also on presidencies and some of the youth. Very isolated counsels to get to know the needs of each organization and make the discussions more relevant. They got a lot of positive feedback from all groups. 16:45 Meeting with all the different groups was a little overwhelming but they manage by doing four groups a month and dividing it between two Sundays. They split up their presidency to do the different discussions. Basically they meet with each group once a quarter. 19:00 How they approach the councils. They are there to be facilitators and stimulate the ideas and discussions. Build off each discussion and check in to see how things are going. 26:00 Creating a safe space to bring up concerns. That is one of the reasons they decided to meet as small groups in their learner councils. 28:00 Finding ways to engage with members in the ward through scriptures They send out a weekly email with a scripture plus a ward bulletin. 30:25 Creating group councils where meaningful and relevant discussions can happen 31:30 Russell and his presidency are trying out a new idea with google docs where groups can add to the google doc and share ideas between meetings. 36:00 Russell shares the impact that serving has had on him and made him a better follower of Jesus Christ. The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints' mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 600 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.
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Dec 10, 2023 • 1h

Leadership Begins With Stories | An Interview with Kyle Turner

Kyle Turner is a pharmacist and clinical faculty member at the University of Utah where he researches and teaches courses in leadership. He spends much of his time as a consultant and trainer in leadership development for Intend Health Strategies, a non-profit dedicated to enhancing leadership team dynamics in health care settings. Kyle is currently serving as a counselor in a bishopric and has served previously as a stake Sunday School president, branch presidency counselor, in a ward Young Men presidency and Sunday School presidency, and as ward clerk. He and his wife Katelyn have three children. Links Teaching Through Better Stories in Sacrament Meeting Talks & Lessons | An Interview with Matthew Dicks Intend Health Strategies Contact Kyle There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 01:50 Introduction to Kyle Turner. His career, calling, and his experience in healthcare leadership development. 04:15 What is relational leadership? 06:30 Where do we start with relational leadership? We have to raise our level of awareness so that we act with more intentionality. 07:30 How do you create more self awareness? 11:20 Kyle shares more examples of relational leadership and awareness. 12:30 When you aren’t the one in charge but you want to create more awareness and share ideas on how to improve. 15:00 There are simple ways to share our stories and there are easy frameworks we can use. Kyle shares ways that we can make sharing our stories less awkward and integrate them into our elders quorum or relief society lessons. 21:20 When sharing a story or having people share their story, keep it to 2-3 minutes. Get to the point and make it easy for people to pay attention. 24:50 Questions to use to help people use the framework challenge, choice, outcome. How leaders can change the lesson dynamic by helping people share their stories. 32:00 Connecting the head and heart through story sharing. We are calling people to action in our church meetings but we aren’t engaging the heart. 33:40 Embedding announcements in stories to help people remember and be more engaged 36:30 If you are teaching or speaking, think about the one point you want to get across, a story that goes with it, and what's the how associated with it. Engage the senses. 38:40 The story of now. It's a call to action. You frame the nightmare if you don’t act and the hope if you do. 42:50 Stop trying to push an agenda but build a community. Stories help us learn more about each other and get past the surface talk. 44:10 One issue in the church is that we are built on a foundation of behaviors and there isn't a connection there. Focusing on behaviors doesn’t propel an organization forward like stories do. Stories help us see people as people. They aren’t just a ministering assignment or a random person in the ward. 48:15 Kyle shows an example of sharing a story. Sharing a challenge, choice, and outcome in 2 to 3 minutes. 56:50 Kurt also shares a story from his mission. 1:02:40 Kyle’s final thoughts on leadership and how it has brought him closer to Jesus Christ The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints' mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler,
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Dec 6, 2023 • 50min

How I Lead as Stake Music Coordinator | An Interview with Emily Poaletti

Emily Poaletti grew up in southwest Wisconsin, went to Brigham Young University-Idaho and got a vocal music degree, then moved with her husband to Northwest Arkansas. She has taught private voice lessons for eight years and has been the music director for five different children’s musicals. Emily has served as a ward choir director, ward music coordinator and stake music coordinator, as well as in Primary, Young Women, and Relief Society presidencies. She loves having the chance to sing with others of faith, and served on the music committee for the Bentonville temple open house and dedication this year, also directing one of the dedicatory session choirs. Emily is the parent of five boys. She loves to be in nature with them and convinces them to sing with her at least once a day. Links Putting Jesus at the Center of Your Ward | An Interview with David Butler Music Library: Hymns How to Send Mass Text Messages on iPhone There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 4:40 Introduction to Emily and her calling as the stake music coordinator. She has spent the majority of her adult life in musical callings along with having a degree in music from BYU-Idaho. 8:10 The story of getting called as the stake music coordinator 10:00 Emily has a team around her that she calls her worship team. It’s a unique calling that you can decide how to set up. She has an organist, secretary, and an events planner. 14:00 Music is a unifying force. Music teaches doctrine. When we are singing together, we are worshiping together. 17:20 Defaulting to an intermediate hymn. Should leaders do it or is it just tradition? 19:30 Teaching the children doctrine through the primary songs that they will carry throughout their lives. These songs can unify families and congregations. 21:30 Be careful about traditions. Is it actually helpful and unifying or just something that we are used to doing? 22:50 Meticulous preparation. There is a lot of prep work in this calling because it involves a lot of events. 25:20 Emily shares ways they were able to be more effective with time and getting everyone checked in quickly. 27:50 Don’t overthink the music that you are going to prepare. Going straight to the hymn book can be just as powerful. 29:10 Inspire saints to use their talents. 31:00 Get the youth involved! They want to contribute and be involved. 33:20 Prelude musical numbers help set the tone of the meeting. Having an instrumental prelude is low stress for the performer and can be a great way to help people share their talents. 35:45 Using technology in her calling. For example, using google forms and QR codes for people to sign in with large groups. Documenting using google documents. 37:45 Emily loves using the markups tool on the iPad or iPhone. You take music and easily edit it for a musical number. 39:50 The iPhone shortcut gives you the ability to mass text everyone but the replies don’t go to everyone. It’s similar to a group text but not. 41:50 On the Church website they have the option to change the key of a hymn. 44:20 A great app that might be underutilized is the sacred music app. It's very easy to make a playlist. 47:00 Emily shares her final thoughts on how her calling has impacted her and made her a better follower of Jesus Christ. The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints' mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B.
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Dec 3, 2023 • 54min

“I Give Unto You Weakness” | An Interview with Jim Kasen

Licensed social worker and author Jim Kasen discusses topics such as struggles with same-sex attraction and faith, interpreting weakness through passages from the Book of Mormon, and the role of leadership in embracing individual differences with humility and love.
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Nov 29, 2023 • 43min

How I Lead in New Zealand | An Interview with Wilson Wu

Wilson Wu, a convert to the Church from New Zealand, shares his conversion story and how the Leading Saints podcast helped him during a challenging time. He discusses the Church in New Zealand and gives advice to those called as a counselor in the bishopric. Wilson shares personal experiences of being where the Spirit guides and the power of serving in invisible callings.
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Nov 25, 2023 • 51min

Developing Wilford Woodruff as a Leader | An Interview with Steven Wheelwright

Dr. Steven C. Wheelwright is the Edsel Bryant Ford Professor of Management, Emeritus, Harvard Business School. Since his retirement from Harvard, he and his wife, Margaret Steele Wheelwright, have presided over the England London Mission, served at Brigham Young University-Idaho, presided over BYU-Hawaii, and presided over the Boston Temple. Steven taught at INSEAD—a private business school in Fontainebleau, France, the Stanford Graduate School of Business where he also served as the chair of the Strategic Management Dept., and the Harvard Business School where he also served as a senior associate dean overseeing the MBA program, then overseeing faculty planning and development, and concluding as chairman of HBS Publishing. He has held endowed professorships at both the Stanford Graduate School of Business and at the Harvard Business School. Steven and Margaret reside in Oakley, Utah, and have five children, 20 grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Links The Wilford Woodruff Papers Images from The Wilford Woodruff Papers: Wilford Woodruff, Mar 8, 1849, Boston, Massachusetts, Wilford Woodruff, Apr 16, 1894 Latter-day Saint MBA Society Podcast: Steven Wheelwright Wilford Woodruff's Witness: The Development of Temple Doctrine There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 2:00 Introduction to Steven. He explains how he is involved with the Wilford Woodruff papers. 2:50 What are the Wilford Woodruff papers? He wrote 10 times what Joseph Smith wrote. He kept better notes than anybody else. 8:50 Wilford gave about 4,000 discourses but never wrote them down. He believed to only teach by the spirit. 11:40 Missionary work and consecrated service. He joined the Church when he was 26. His first mission was Zion's Camp, soon after he got baptized. 20:50 He felt called to record everything that took place. He said that he felt like a fish out of water until he got something recorded in his journal. The Wilford Woodruff papers are very important to Church history. 21:45 The impact that the Wilford Woodruff papers has had on FamilySearch. There are about 20,000 people mentioned in his journals. There are about 53 million descendants of these people that have been found so far. 24:00 Another thing that is unique to Wilford Woodruff is that he wasn’t afraid to open his mouth. Steven tells the story of when Wilford taught at an inn. 28:30 Stories of when Wilford goes on his mission to England. He was always willing to do and say what the Lord wanted of him. 31:30 He was an amazing example of exact obedience. More stories of Wilford’s mission. 34:00 Recap of Wilford’s service, mission, and marriage 40:20 Wilford and his work in the temple. He became the steward of everything that went on in the temple and helped write down all of the ordinances. There was a continual refinement of the temple ordinances thanks to Wilford. 43:30 When John Taylor died and Wilford was to become prophet. It took two years to organize the first presidency because they were not unified. Wilford was patient and waited for everyone to be unified in the decision. He wanted things to be done in the way of the Lord. 48:10 2,500 pages of the Wildord Woodruff papers have been published. For those that want to get involved: You can help with transcription, verification, and getting the papers published online. It can be done remotely on your computer. Sign up for the newsletters to get updates. You can donate to help pay the interns and make the work go faster. 53:00 How has learning about Wilford Woodruff helped you become a better follower of Jesus Christ? The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints' mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at ...
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Nov 22, 2023 • 1h 11min

Women in Council Meetings | An Interview with Wendy Ulrich

This is a rebroadcast. The episode originally ran in July 2019. Wendy Ulrich is a psychologist, educator, and writer. She holds a PhD in Education and Psychology from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the University of California, Los Angeles. A former guest on the podcast, Wendy is the founder of Sixteen Stones Center for Growth and has been a practicing psychologist for over 25 years. She is a former president of the Association of Mormon Counselors and Psychotherapists and a visiting professor at Brigham Young University. Wendy and her husband Dave Ulrich presided over the Canada Montreal Mission and have three children and eight grandchildren. Links Live Up to Our Privileges: Women, Power, and Priesthood The Why of Your Calling | An Interview with Wendy Ulrich Sixteen Stones Center for Growth There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 00:48 Wendy’s background as a psychologist 01:21 Her book Live Up to Our Privileges discusses “What does it really mean for women to have priesthood power”? How do we get it in our lives and use it effectively? 03:49 How can leaders better understand the experience of women in the Church? What can Wendy share about the female experience of feeling dismissed at church? 04:47 The work of women is often invisible and misunderstood. 05:05 Women and men have different styles of communication. Women may find being talked over (a male communication pattern) to be dismissive. 06:21 Women can feel dismissed by the structure of the Church or even the text of the scriptures. 07:02 The book is structured after the organization of priesthood offices. Why? 07:44 The work of women is also captured in the work of priesthood offices. 08:39 In many cases women do more of the work of priesthood offices during the natural course of their lives than men. 09:12 Christ was not a priest. He did not hold the priesthood of his day. 09:50 Women who may not see themselves as holding priesthood may find something to learn from the Savior’s example and authority. 10:39 Women can say I am doing what I’m doing because of the authority I’ve been given in my calling, my temple endowment, my home, my assignments … I have been given authority. 11:17 We sometimes project secular perspectives on women and the priesthood and fairness. What can we understand about this topic? 12:49 We are not going to be the same or have the same opportunities. 13:33 Wendy believes Church doctrine emphasizes the reason we are here on this earth is to become empowered with the power that God has. We believe the most important thing God is trying to do is to create eternal relationships. 14:45 What women do and goes unseen may be just as important as what men do in the eternal scheme of things. Even in secular society family is essential, and women are the key “resource” for keeping society functioning 17:17 The Lord’s priority is raising the next generation of gods. 17:20 We think God is someone who gives power away. We believe he wants to empower us to be joint heirs—to give us all He has. 18:59 At times it does seem like some roles are inflated. Kurt shares his experience while all three of his brothers were serving as bishops and the difference in attention his sister received, who was serving as a Primary President at the time. As we consider this, women will have less of that experience of being dismissed. 20:40 Chapter 8: Governing with Power and Compassion. How to rise to power in organizations. 22:00 Kachner’s research shows how people get into power, but once they get into power people actually lose the skills that got them there. They become more self-serving, less empathic. They are less likely to listen to others, less able to read other’s emotional states. 23:40 Research shows teams with women are more effective because women naturally have ski...
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Nov 18, 2023 • 1h 5min

Be the Leader Who Always Knows What to Say: 7 Styles for Guiding Those Who Need Direction in Life | An Interview with Jared Olsen & Matt Brown

Jared Olsen is a father, husband, entrepreneur, workplace culture enthusiast, millennial, and Nacho Libre lover. His days are spent at JobNimbus in People Experience (PX). He is also the president & co-founder of REYFYA—the first outsourced culture consulting business in the Silicon Slopes—and a board member at Disrupt SLC. Jared was named by Utah Business Magazine as the first-ever "HR Disruptor of the Year". He has an MBA and is SPHR & SHRM-SCP certified. Matt Brown is a mentor and coach specializing in leadership, learning, project management, and more. He has worked in real estate and as a police officer, eventually retiring before embarking on a new adventure and earning an MBA. Matt is certified in Strengthfinders and RESPECT styles, and works at JobNimbus as a People Success Coach. Links Get 14-day access to the Core Leader LibraryJobNimbus It's Not About the Nail OwlHub.com Connect on LinkedIn with Jared Olsen and Matt Brown There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Highlights 2:10 Kurt introduces the episode’s topic and conversation with Jared and Matt. A coaching framework called RESPECT. 4:20 Introduction to Jared and Matt. 5:40 Coaching is about creating culture. The origin for the word "culture" in Latin, and means to care. So culture really is caring about people. 6:50 What is coaching? 7:45 Both Jared and Matt are certified in RESPECT coaching styles. There are 7 different coaching styles you can use. You can use many styles with the same person. 12:50 R in RESPECT stands for the RALLIER style of coaching. This style is the driver. Setting goals and measurables. Ways to move the coachee forward. 16:30 The E in RESPECT is the EDUCATOR. It’s a lecture or education to teach a skill or fill in knowledge. General conference is all about educating. Parenting your child is teaching them and making sure they are learning. 19:20 The S is for the STRATEGIST style of coaching. It’s finding solutions to problems. They are addressing a problem. 21:10 The P stands for the PROVOCATEUR. This style of coaching makes people squirm the most. It’s poking a hole in someone’s logic and it’s often speaking the unspeakable truth. Jesus was a great example of a provocateur. 26:00 The second E in RESPECT is EXPLORE. Asking questions that even you as the coach don’t know the answer to. 29:20 The C in RESPECT stands for the CONFIDANT. The opposite of the provocateur. They ask about feelings and how the coachee interprets things. It’s like a warm blanket and validation. It’s about listening to work things out. 32:30 The T stands for TRANSFORMER. You can use this when somebody has gone through something difficult and you can have them reflect on that. This style of coaching can be used to help people see either how far they’ve come or where they could be in six months. 36:00 When you are coaching, you have to ask questions instead of making statements. 38:00 For the leader that wants to use these styles of coaching but feels overwhelmed: You don’t have to be an expert. 41:50 Jared and Matt coach Kurt as an example of the different styles of coaching and questions that you can use. 50:00 When picking a style of coaching, ask yourself, what do I know about the coachee and their circumstance? Start with a style and if it doesn’t work then pivot to a different style. Explorer can be a great style to start with. 52:20 What would be a good Provocateur question to use as church leaders? These questions are hard questions that come from a place of love. 57:45 Another thing that we can do in coaching is make questions direct or indirect. 59:00 A style that people struggle with is Transformer. However, Transformer can be a way that we turn the hard things that we are going through in life and learn to see them as blessings. 1:05:40 Resources for learning more about RESPECT coaching styles 1:06:00 How coaching has brought Matt and Jason closer to ...
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Nov 15, 2023 • 41min

Equally Yoking the Elders Quorum & Relief Society | A How I Lead Interview with Aaron Bujnowski

Aaron Bujnowski is a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served in the Chile Concepción Mission and has served as a bishop, stake high councilor, stake Sunday School presidency member, and Seminary teacher. He’s currently his ward’s elders quorum president (for the fourth time) and is an ordinance worker in the Dallas Texas Temple. Aaron works as a healthcare consultant. He has bachelor and master of science degrees in Chemical Engineering from Brigham Young University Provo, a Master of Business Administration degree from The University of Texas at Austin, and is currently a candidate to receive a Doctor of Science degree in Healthcare Leadership from The University of Alabama at Birmingham. He and his wife, Julie, are the co-authors of Discovering Your Temple Insights. They have two adult children and live in Frisco, Texas. Links Ministering is Love Discovering Your Temple Insights Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Highlights 02:40 Kurt introduces Aaron and their discussion on approaching and shifting elders quorum culture through simple, thoughtful questions. 04:45 Aaron introduces himself and shares his leadership experience. He wrote an article recently on ministering. 06:20 Ministering should be something natural and normal. How can we make it simple and show love for our God and neighbor? Ask questions about how they show love in the ward and how they need to be loved. Do this instead of asking if they need anything. 10:15 Great questions for ministering interviews In what ways did your families need love over the last quarter? How did you find ways to show those families love? 11:00 Typical answers that Aaron hears as he does ministering interviews and asks about how people show love and connect with the families they serve 17:00 By changing our questions and having more authentic concern and love, the minister's heart changes and the person who is being ministered to changes also. We want to actually get to know people and not just check the box. 18:30 The best success you can have is just to show up for people. Be there for them. There is a cultural shift that happens when we consistently show up for people. Can people trust that you are going to be there for them? 22:00 Creating an equally-yoked elders quorum and Relief Society. Set the standard that the elders quorum knows the needs of the ward just as much as the sisters do. Meet with the Relief Society president outside of ward council to talk about the needs of the ward. 24:50 Helping the bishop focus on the youth, and how Aaron as elders quorum president supports him by taking care of the adult concerns in the ward along with the Relief Society president 27:00 Other leaders in the ward can create relationships with the members to take the burden off the bishop. Instead of calling the bishop, people feel more comfortable to go to their Relief Society president, elders quorum president, or ministering brothers and sisters. 29:00 Approach to elders quorum meeting every other week. Before the lesson they have a council to discuss needs in the ward. 33:40 Inviting people to the table. Ask people that don’t come as often or don’t participate very much to give prayers and other small things. 37:30 Aaron and his wife wrote a book about the temple. It’s about how to learn from the temple. 38:30 Aaron’s testimony on leadership and what he has learned from it The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints' mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey,
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Nov 11, 2023 • 1h 9min

Is Mental Health Healing Possible? | An Interview with Steven Shields

Steven W. Shields, ACMHC, CETII, CECII is a therapist, podcast host, speaker, executive coach, husband, and father who is adamant that true healing is possible and can happen now for everyone. He founded [ACCEPTED] to help clients struggling with addiction, trauma, depression, and anxiety. Through one-on-one1 therapy, groups, intensives, and workshops, clients experience healing. Steven founded Unashamed Unafraid because he believes everyone’s story matters and each individual can be a beacon of hope. Unashamed Unafraid is a non-profit (501.3c) that shares recovery stories of hope, offers scholarships for resources, and creates community for those in recovery for sexual addictions and their families. He also serves on the executive team for Warrior Heart Ministries, a non-profit (501.3c) that runs spiritual retreats nationally to help men restore their hearts and connect with God. Steven knows you can truly be healed and move forward because he's experienced it. While living the picture-perfect life with his beautiful family and serving in church leadership, he had a secret dual life battling with pornography and sexual addiction. Coming forward and confronting his shame was a journey that changed his heart, his profession, and his life. Links The Therapy Buffet: Helping Individuals Heal Through Therapy Warrior Heart Unashamed Unafraid [ACCEPTED] NF: Happy There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the transcript of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 01:45 Introduction. Can mental illness be healed? 04:40 I’m not just a therapist but a guide. 06:10 What Steve is seeing most in his office. What are people dealing with the most? 13:00. When did we quit believing people can be healed? Why do we not believe that mental illness cannot be healed? People are led to believe that they just need to manage their mental health and it’s just something they will always struggle with. 20:20 Steve shares an experience he had working with a burned out therapist. You can’t give something that you don’t have. 26:00 As leaders we have to do things in the spirit of healing and love. We have to get back to what makes us feel alive and with the Spirit of God. You have to do your own work so you have something to give. 28:00 The weight that the bishop has to hold. Just to hold all the weight of everyone else's trauma you need God’s help and His healing. None of us are just all good. 29:30 We have example after example in the scriptures of mental health problems and the healing. Do we not believe that anymore? We don’t believe that we can be healed? It’s true that some things we have to endure but most things can be healed. 36:45 Therapy doesn’t heal you. Medication doesn’t heal you. The bishop, yoga class, friend, or a 12-step meeting don’t heal you. God does. He heals you through His son. 38:30 The bishop doesn’t have to know everything and be everything for everyone in the ward. The bishop can refer members to other leaders in the ward to support them and refer them to programs. The bishop is there to share resources and find the appropriate help. 46:30 It’s mind-blowing that we look for answers everywhere except for Christ. We look for problem solving everywhere except Christ. 47:30 How does a bishop help people find good therapy that actually leads them toward healing? There are two things that the bishop needs to do. Let people know that Christ can heal your addiction, marriage, etc. Show empathy and provide resources. If one therapist doesn’t work then try another. If one book doesn’t help then try another. 1:01:10 As a leader, the weight of everyone’s problems and unwillingness to do things is not your problem. Give it God and be yoked with Him. If people don’t want to do ministering then give it to God. It’s His church and He will deal with it. 1:04:50 Steve’s top secret tips for therapists.

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