Magnify

Have you ever described someone, or given a compliment that someone is fiercely independent? What if we switch that idea around? Not doing it all on your own doesn’t mean you’re failing. In times of feeling alone and overwhelmed, it can be helpful to remember that God meant us to have deep and personal connections with others. We were never meant to have to do everything on our own.   "We are designed for deep relationships."   Today’s guest, Jenet Jacobsen, has said that because of our divine heritage, we’re designed for connection with God and with each other, not for the independence society sometimes celebrates.   Top takeaways from this episode: Our culture is suffering profoundly because we have focused on radical independence when we should be focusing on radical dependence and reliance on our connections. Relationships aren't everything in this life, they are the only thing that truly matters. When we think about the healthy balance of being independent, we should be focusing on the capacity we have to care for ourselves and not find self worth in what others think of us or what they can do for us. Covenants that we make with God can be what determine our relationship with Him and help us feel His love. Perfection is not possible, but intimacy is.   Small and simple challenge: Be still long enough to let go of all the fears that I have so that the Lord can hold you. Learn to find ways to trust the Lord this week and get to know Him every day. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Choosing grace and poise instead of hot takes and big reactions isn’t popular in our culture, but maybe it’s just the thing we need to have more peace in our lives. When is the last time you thought about what it means to be poised? Elder Mark A. Bragg said, “poise is not spoken about much these days and practiced even less in turbulent and divisive times.” Developing poise is a deliberate way to be active peacemakers in a world where having the loudest reaction gets the most attention. Poise rises above the noise and provides us with personal, steady calmness which then allows us to create more peace in the lives of others.   "Part of developing poise is remembering and owning and believing in who we are."   Elaine Dalton joins Kathryn on this week's episode where they discuss the lost art of poise and how it is an important part of peacemaking.   Top takeaways from this episode: At times, we can lose a sense of our nobility and who we are. Poise is remembering that we are divine and we are queens and daughters of a Heavenly King. Poise can bring calm and confidence into our lives. When we walk into a situation with faith in Jesus Christ, there is a confidence that comes. We were set apart to come to the earth in this time, and seeing others with those same eyes will help us remember that those around us are noble and great. Having charity will bring more poise into our lives. The Savior's example can help us remember to always respond with poise.   Small and simple challenge: Repent daily! None of us are perfect, when when we utilize the atonement of Jesus Christ in our lives daily, we can change. When we do that quickly and daily, we will become more like Him. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are you preparing for right now? A trip? Dinner? Getting your crew ready to go back to school? Well, in this episode, we’re talking about how to prepare for something a whole lot more fun. We’re talking about how you can prepare spiritually and physically to receive more peace.   "One of our Heavenly Father's shining characteristics is that He is a peacemaker."   Discussing three ways to prepare for peace is today's guest Brooke Walker.  Brooke is the host of Family Rules on BYUtv and if you live in Utah, you know her as the host of Studio 5.   Top takeaways from this episode: Brooke shares how there are physical and spiritual ways to prepare yourself for peace. Her three ways are: Read the book: Physical action: We have to do the work! No shortcuts, no hacks. Lean in. Embrace the effort. Celebrate the effort! Spiritual action: Literal meaning of the phrase here, we need to be in the scriptures. Carve out white space:Physical action: When our physical surroundings reflect the lives we want to live, we are able to be more in touch with our internal feelings. Clear out a space--even if it's just a chair in your home--that feels like a place where you can connect with the Spirit. Spiritual action: See out the quiet and solace of the temple, a literal white space for you to attend. If your life is too busy for that to be a regular event, take the time to be quiet and still. Anticipate it:Physical action: Look for it all around you and pay attention to what you want to be more of a focus in your life. You will see more of it when you look for it. Spiritual action: Trust that God will fill you with peace. He is a God of peace and it is one of his greatest strengths.   Small and simple action: Take the time to implement these three principles into your life this week. Read even just a little of the Book of Mormon each day to "read the book." Perhaps make your bed every morning as a practice of "carving out white space." Look for Heavenly Father's signs that he is sending you peace and know that it is coming. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Compassion is a call to action. It helps us reach beyond comfort zones, friend circles, and ward boundaries to serve and love like Jesus would. As we've been studying peacemaking, one important part of that pursuit is that peacemaking takes work. It requires action on our part.   "People don't need my judgment; they need my compassion."   In this episode, Kathryn is joined by Cali Black. They discuss the action behind compassion and how that can bring more peace into our lives and the world.   Top takeaways: The Guide to the Scriptures states that compassion literally means to suffer with. Perhaps we can't always suffer with others, but we can lead them to the Savior who knows how to suffer with us. When we ask for compassion for others, we will find that we have more compassion for ourselves as well that the Lord grants us. The Savior's example of having compassion with no distinction means that we should strive to have compassion for others, even those who we might disagree with. Compassion can be noticed at a distance, and then it's our job to move closer to that person to help alleviate their suffering.   Small and simple challenge: For the next week, when you go to bed at night, think of someone you might have thought a judgment about or said something out loud. Instead, see if you can switch your thoughts into something compassionate for that person. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you have a friend who can brighten your whole day because of how encouraging they are? Or perhaps you are that friend! Uplifting others is a Christlike attribute that brings so much peace to our lives, and it is one of the easiest things to do! It’s a gift we can give others regardless of our means or circumstances. So how do we make encouragement a part of our every day lives and lean on the Savior Jesus Christ as our biggest example? "Build a foundation of encouragement in all your relationships." President Russell M. Nelson said that "the best is yet to come for those who spend their lives building up others." We all want that best to be in our lives right now! Kathryn is joined by Tammy Uzelac Hall, a fellow podcaster and friend, and they discuss how they can build others through encouragement.   Top takeaways from this episode: If we are in the habit of encouraging others, we will build a positive foundation for every relationship in our lives so that when disagreements might come, we can always fall back on that trust. Heavenly Father is always encouraging us in our pursuits to try new adventures or leaps of faith. The Lord was the ultimate example of encouragement, and he did it by service to others. Encouragement isn't always vocal. You can bear one another's burdens by sitting with them or listening or sharing your experience in a way that might lift others.   Small and simple challenge: Find one person in your ward that you don’t know and talk to them. Hear their story. That’s how foundations get started and you can create that foundation of encouragement. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An important part of our Heavenly Father’s plan is that he doesn’t want us to simply do what is right, but he wants us to choose to follow him and his will for us. Showing up with a willingness to God is a level of faith that will lead us to more peace. When we do this, we can know, like Nephi, that the Lord will prepare a way for us to accomplish his purposes as we courageously say, “I will go and do.”   "Peace comes at the end of your rope. That's where you push through and prove yourself as a disciple of Jesus Christ."   Cristi Brazao joins Kathryn on this episode of Magnify to discuss how willingness is an important attribute of a peacemaker and how it can lead to more personal peace in our lives.   Top takeaways: Heavenly Father will never force us to do anything because of our agency, but when we follow him, our return is everlasting peace. When we are facing hard times, we can remember to go back to those moments where God has proved us and we can then remember to follow his will. Accepting God's will for us helps us know that things will fall together. The Lord will help us to hold on when we simply try to get back to his will.   Small and simple challenge: Write down the times where you've seen answers to prayers. Those will be your personal scriptures when you face times that you need to find more willingness to follow God. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The dictionary definition of respect is, “to consider someone worthy of high regard or esteem.” The scriptures tell us that God is no respecter of persons, so how do we look at all of his children as worthy, even with those who we may differ from? In his talk, Peacemakers Needed, President Nelson said, “we can literally change the world—one person and one interaction at a time, by modeling how to manage honest differences of opinion with mutual respect and dignified dialogue.”   "Human kindness has to be part of our comfort zones."   When we treat each other with respect despite our many differences it creates a ripple effect of peace. Emily Snyder joins the podcast again to discuss how the Lord respects us, and how we can respect others with that same human-kindness.   Top takeaways from this episode: Respect is always earned, and never assumed. Treat people with the same respect you want to be treated with. Success in this life is measured by the interactions we have with others, and not how much we have accomplished. Self-respect comes from understanding our relationship with God and knowing that success is when we love him and ourselves. We all want similar things, but we often come at those things from different angles. When we recognize we have Christ with us, we can easily navigate those differences. God being no respecter of persons means that He sees us as our very favorite version of ourself.   Small and simple challenge: Throughout the week, as you are interacting with others, use the phrase "oh, they're human too" either verbally or in your head as you are dealing with others that you might need to find more respect for. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Philippians 4, Paul shared: “whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest…think on these things.” We’ve heard it before that “honesty is the best policy” so how do we discover what it really means to be honest with God, honest with ourselves, and honest with others? President Nelson has shared that we can change the world and find peace in our lives when we interact with others managing our differences with honesty and respect.   "Being honest is illuminating."   Sometimes it seems like the world’s definition of honesty and truth is a moving target: just look at how many times the definition of health has changed in the last hundred years for evidence. But God is a god of truth, so what can we do to fill our lives with truth and honesty and be in line with the Savior? Kayla Jackson was a speaker at BYU women's conference whose ability to be real stuck out to the listeners. She and Kathryn talk today about how honesty leads to more peace.   Top takeaways from this episode: Our goal here on earth is to create relationships that will last throughout the eternities, and when we can maintain honest and respectful conversations with others, we will build those relationships. The Savior and our Heavenly Father are bound by their promises, so we can trust that they are full of truth and light. One way we can fill our lives with truth and honesty is by seeking God's will for our lives. There are times when we need to be more honest with ourselves. Having questions and bringing them to the Lord is one way we can honestly seek the truth. The beginning of our relationship with God and with others is being honest about who we are and how we will show up.   Small and simple challenge: echoing the words of President Nelson, we can examine our relationships in the context of the way we treat others. Take a moment this week to prayerfully reflect and ask, "how is my discipleship in the context of how I treat others?"   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Being meek doesn’t have to equal being timid and quiet. What if we saw meekness as a principle of power that actually brings more peace into our lives? Meekness is often misunderstood. The scripture, “blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth,” is found in Matthew 5:5. It's also found in the Old Testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and it’s repeated by modern prophets in conference talks. The Lord has been telling us throughout history that we need to be meek. But what does it really mean for us today? What does it look like to live in meekness? "I maintain meekness by watching my Savior first as my main example." Kathryn Davis and Shima Baughman discuss how her career working as a lawyer and a law professor can often be an environment where meekness is not an asset. But as we are constantly striving to be more like the Savior, meekness can be a power and not a weakness! Top takeaways from this episode: One way to lead to more meekness in our lives is by being teachable. If we can allow ourselves to learn from others—no matter their status or experience—we will develop greater meekness. Meekness is a strength: it is humility, courage, allowing the will of God to be more important than anything else. True meekness isn't a false sense of humility, but it's acknowledging that others have great strengths and that doesn't take away from our own. We can achieve meekness when we understand where we come from and know our divine worth. Small and simple challenge: In whatever way it might work for you—going to the temple, asking for the Holy Ghost, speaking with others—figure out what contention in your life is keeping you away from the Savior. Ask for more of Him in your life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we continue in our “pursuit of peace,” it’s helpful to understand how agency plays a role in being a peacemaker. Agency is the greatest gift we’ve been given, but do we always use our agency for good to create more love and peace in our lives? Choosing to be a peacemaker usually isn’t the loudest or most popular choice, but it is what God has asked of us. Choosing peace is rising above worldly influence to care more about our relationship with God and others than anything else.   "Choosing peace can only come when we get to know the Prince of Peace."   Brooke Casanovas and Kathryn Davis discuss how peace is a premeditated choice when it comes to how we react in situations. We claim our identity as children of God when we choose peace.   Top takeaways: Peace isn't a choice we can make in the middle of conflict. Peace has to be chosen before any conflict happens. Let's practice being silent and taking the time to understand someone else's point of view as we are learning how to choose peace in our reactions. How we treat others is evidence of how we claim our identity as children of God. As we build personal relationships with the Savior, we will learn how to become more like him and make choices that he would make.   Small and simple challenge: Let's follow the Prophet's invitation to do a personal relationship inventory and audit on who could use some reconciliation. Do some ego-removing and offer forgiveness first with God and then with others. Create peace in that moment. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.