Magnify

Welcome to The Magnify Book Club! We want YOU to be in the club, so join us here and on Instagram as we discuss what we're reading as a community, and how these picks are inspiring new thoughts and bringing us closer to the Savior! This week, we're focusing on Sheri Dew's recent book Prophets See Around Corners. You can gather with your own group or tune in here for our virtual book club discussion—or both! In this episode, Kathryn is joined by executive editor of the Church News, Sarah Jane Weaver, and they discuss the role of modern prophets, Sarah's experience working and serving alongside prophets, and their testimonies of how prophets see around corners. Purchase Sheri Dew's book here! And join @MagnifyCommunity on Instagram to see more book club details! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever found that with your own spiritual gifts, the labels read "some assembly required" like the toys you used to get at Christmas? We are told that we are a spiritually gifted people! But is there an instruction manual? "There are spiritual gifts waiting on your front porch, but you have to do the spiritual work to open them and sometimes assemble!" Maria Eckersley joins this episode of the Magnify podcast where she shares here three spiritual insights from Elder Gary E. Stevenson's talk "Promptings of the Spirit." Kathryn and Maria discuss how they feel they can assemble some of their spiritual gifts, how they dislike the metaphor that tuning in to the Spirit is like a radio station, and that doing good is the way we receive more of the promptings we are looking for. Maria's three spiritual takeaways: We are a spiritually gifted people: Sometimes the gifts we want from the Spirit are like those packages on the front porch. They are available to us, but we have to open them and sometimes assemble them! Sometimes God won't just bless us with an answer to a prayer, but instead give us the gift to actually work through and learn for ourselves how to answer that prayer. The Spirit is something we invite, not command: When we live worthy to have the Spirit, there isn't some guessing game of tuning into the right channel to receive the revelation we are seeking. The Spirit can cut through any static we are looking for. Additionally, the Spirit might not always be speaking 24/7, but instead speaking in different ways: through other people, through sending us comfort, through relieving our fears, through sending peace, and many more ways. When in doubt, do good: God is all powerful, and therefore can direct our paths for good. Did you catch that? Paths—with an S! The Lord delights in showing us that we can take many routes and he will be there for the ride. We shouldn't worry so much about finding the perfect "right" and just trust in his peace. Small and simple challenge: Take this week to try to look at things with fresh eyes. Look at ourselves and our loved ones and watch for spiritual gifts. Articulate and say what you see out loud for others. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you catch all the exclamation points in President Nelson's invitation to "Think Celestial" and wonder how to apply this gusto to your own dilemmas and hardships? That's what this episode focuses on today! In this episode of Magnify, our contributor Kaylen Nelson is sharing three main takeaways from President Nelson's address Think Celestial! "Let the big picture relieve your stress. You don't have to have it all figured out now. That's what thinking celestial is." Kaylen's three takeaways: Begin with the end in mind: This is a message of hope and happiness! Our Savior intends for us to make it in this life. When we take the long view and remember to keep repentance in mind, it should relieve us of the stress of trying to be perfect right now. We can have joy today! Our thoughts precede our actions: Thinking a little higher and holier could prevent a lot of heartache and disastrous decisions in a myriad of ways. The way we think about things like the law of chastity and our relationship to others and God will affect what kinds of decisions we make. He is my solace: Where do we turn for peace? When we turn to the Lord for peace in our lives, the shame of what we may have done can be gone. We can repent and move on from our lives because we understand the fabulous plan is to be safe with the Savior. Small and simple challenge: Think celestial! Take the time to study out President Nelson's talk, and then find ways to change those thoughts. Change the way you interact with even just one person this week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It might be more comfortable to try to blend in, but when we find the confidence to live differently than what's popular, we find deeper trust in God and more joy in our personal identity. So how do we do it? Part of our Magnify Manifesto this year is to LIVE DIFFERENT. Perhaps instead of trying to stand out or isolate ourselves from others, we follow the Prophet's counsel to live distinct and different in happy ways by following the Savior. "When you kneel down and are pleading for specific help from Heavenly Father, you have to show up your full self, because there is no fooling the Lord." Joining this episode is friend of the pod, Lisa Valentine Clark. Lisa talks about how she finds the courage and confidence to live different and what that means to her in the context of the gospel. Top takeaways from this episode: Just like we learn in 1 Corinthians, we need all parts of the body of Christ. We should celebrate that we all contribute different and wonderful things to the gospel. It can be important to check in and ask ourselves what it means to live differently from the world. We can find the courage and confidence to live the gospel everyday. Being different isn't comparing ourselves and trying to stand out from others, but it's choosing the Savior's way. We can embrace our differences in good ways and look at them as our strengths. Showing up our authentic self, even when we don't want to do the right thing, will give us more power in personal revelation. Small and simple challenge: As we look forward to General Conference this week, look for ways where the Lord is speaking to you in personal and different ways that will be different from others. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've spent the last few months really digesting and taking in President Nelson's message "Peacemakers Needed." As we have talked about the attributes of a peacemaker, one comes to mind that seems to encompass the others: trust. Trust can help us feel all the other attributes of a peacemaker working in our lives when we can learn to trust the Lord, trust ourselves, and trust that peace will come from our total dependence on the Savior. So what can we do to find that trust and let it work in our lives? "I always knew that God was the only answer. It was either God or no one at that point." Today's episode guest is Barbara Morgan Gardiner. Barbara teaches at BYU in the religion department and is raising her two daughters in Utah. Top takeaways from this episode: Take a risk and trust the Lord's will over your own! You will learn that he never fails his disciples. Build experiences in this life that lead you to trusting God. God gives us power and then we trust that he will make us what we need to be in this life. That power is in covenant keeping. Life is a test, and sometimes you need to put in that little bit of effort. Small and simple challenge: Do what President Nelson has has used to do: study Jesus Christ, study his names, go to the temple, read his words, and act upon what you know. Take a risk and trust in Him. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever felt like forgiveness is a much easier gift to give than to receive? It can be really hard to accept that we are forgiven and move on past our mistakes. But the Lord promises in the Doctrine and Covenants that he will remember our sins no more when we sincerely ask for forgiveness. So why is it so hard? "The Lord can take anything that feels broken beyond repair and make it whole." If you feel like you're alone in this feeling, just know that most of us feel the same way. In today's episode, Kathryn chats with Corrine Stokoe, creator of Mint Arrow, as she shares her vulnerable and personal story about forgiveness and the path that she has taken with her family to get to a place of peace. Top takeaways from this episode: When we stop letting Satan control us and make us feel like we are our mistakes, we can feel whole again. Forgiving others isn't about having a loser and a winner, it means that you acknowledge that you want to do better and that you care about the other person. Heavenly Father doesn't want us to feel bad or remind us how we are falling short. He will be there to validate us always. Repentance is remembering who we are. Small and simple challenge: Read the talk, "Beware of Pride" by President Benson. Think of someone you might be at odds with in your life, and ask Heavenly Father to help you be humble and change your attitude with this person. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.