Magnify

Do we sometimes look at being humble as being self-deprecating or diminishing our strengths? Being humble doesn’t equal being unimportant. Humility isn’t shrinking out of sight or shying away from being strong, and it isn’t hating on yourself. When we are truly humble, we can appreciate our own strengths and lift others as well.  Like the saying goes, “All ships rise with the tide.” Being humble is another way to know our divine worth and the divine worth of others as children of God.   “If you start focusing on yourself, then you’re not humble anymore. I find that if I look up, I look up, I can see that we’re not in a race against each other, but we’re in a race against sin.”   Kathryn is joined by Maria Eckersley as they discuss how humility can lead to more peace in our lives, and what it takes for both of them to focus on the gifts and strengths God gives his children as a way to be more humble.   Top takeaways from this episode: ·      We’re all on God’s team, so we can help encourage and strengthen each other instead of envy. Like the saying goes, “all ships rise with the tide.” ·      We are often quick to look at the things we are not good at, but part of humility is actually acknowledging our strengths and recognizing where they come from. ·      We don’t have to develop a relationship with God that looks like other people’s personal relationships with God. We can grow from our own relationship with him and learn what kind of armor we have. ·      When we are humble enough to ask the Lord for help, he will show us what tools we need, just like he helped Nephi find ore when he was supposed to build a boat. ·      Humility doesn’t have to be self-deprecation. We can follow the Savior’s example when he said, “here I am. Send me.”   Small and simple challenge: when you think about your struggles this week, instead of praying to be relieved from those burdens, pray for ways to find tools to get through them. Heavenly Father wouldn’t give us challenges without the tools to get through them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today’s world, patience is a virtue that seems to be diminishing. We have access to everything so rapidly. Every situation has a quick fix. Even waiting in the drive-thru feels like an imposition. But patience is an important attribute of a peacemaker. God has told us to “be still and know that I am God.” Perhaps we should take the time to slow down and be still, and even though that can be uncomfortable, what can we learn about patience as we make that effort?   "Hard experiences are around every corner, and we can spend our lives waiting to get through those hard experiences, or we can choose do something about those trials."   Tara Bench and Kathryn discuss the attribute of a peacemaker which is patience. Tara lives in New York City and shares her spirit and faith through her blog Tara Teaspoon.   Top takeaways from this episode: Being still is choosing to be in tune with our Heavenly Father. Patience and receiving it is actionable. We don't have to wait for problems to get better, but can develop the tools we need to be more patient. Patience is not about waiting or enduring something painfully. It's about having the capacity to wait while not being upset, and instead trusting the Lord. Sometimes a good way to step outside ourselves when we are feeling a lack of patience is to ask how we can serve others and find joy in our lives. Challenges can teach us that we have loving heavenly parents and that we are developing patterns of patience in this life.   Small and simple challenge: this week, stop and take a step back in a moment of pain to say a prayer and ask for help through a situation. Give yourself validation and grace in whatever you are going through.   Links: Elder Jaggi's 2020 General Conference talk Tara's Cookbook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As our community continues in the “pursuit of peace,” one attribute that encompasses all the other attributes of a peacemaker is charity. We’ve all heard that “charity is the pure love of Christ” and that “charity never faileth,” but when we stop to think about what that really means, it feels somewhat arbitrary. This episode dives into what is charity? How does it look in our everyday life? And most importantly, how does finding more charity lead to finding more peace in our lives?   “I think we underestimate the influence we can have in a simple interaction.”   In this episode, Brooke Romney and Kathryn discuss this attribute of a peacemaker and how the Lord allows us to become more like him when we develop charity.   Top takeaways from this episode: Charity isn't always easy to understand or to treat others around us with, but when we work on responding with charity in our hearts, we will feel that it's worth doing for our own development. When we take the time to notice others and to look up and look out, we will see that we can help fill many needs and change many situations. The Savior is our ultimate example of charity in how he responded to others. He rallies around people to bring them up rather than push them down. Charity can bring us more peace because when we respond with charity to the actions of others, we will see his children as God does. Sometimes charity comes through allowing others to help us in our times of need.   Small and simple challenge: When you're in line or waiting in public with a group of people, take time to notice what is going on around you and do something charitable. It could be as simple as sending a text to someone who comes into your mind, buying the item for the person in front of you, or simply giving a compliment to someone next to you. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Effort! It’s a word President Nelson emphasizes often. He not only talks about it but has demonstrated it throughout his life—reminding us that the Lord loves effort. So much in our lives has become easy and instantaneous. But becoming converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ isn’t easy or instantaneous. It requires small, daily genuine efforts.   "You can’t have 100 priorities. You have to bring it down to balance."   As Becky Craven, second counselor in the Young Women general presidency says, it requires us to do something. Not everything. And certainly not everything perfectly! Rebecca Craven and Kathryn discuss how they find what matters most.   Top takeaways from this episode: We can't let the fear of perfectionism prevent us from progression. The Lord loves effort! If we pray to know how to prioritize our lives, the Holy Ghost will help us to know. Sometimes we just need to unclutter. Even some of the good. What matters most is following the Savior Jesus Christ. Small and simple challenge: In our daily prayers, ask Heavenly Father to direct us in what we can do that matters most. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this world, relief is a feeling that we all crave as we are dealing with life’s burdens placed upon us and our loved ones. So, in this last General Conference, when Sister Camille Johnson shared that “Jesus Christ is Relief,” it resonated with our community. The Savior’s way is the only way to feel peace, and in turn, bring both temporal and spiritual relief and peace to others.   "The Lord helps take our burdens until we can do it on our own."   Kathryn joins Kaylen Nelson in this episode as they discuss what stood out about this specific talk, and how we can find our own relief in the Savior.   Top Takeaways: The miracle that the Lord provides of not just physical relief, but spiritual relief from our sins and the fallen world can be just as impactful. We are often "stingy" with the burdens we carry in this life, but when we give those to the Savior, we find that it's easier to go through this life with him as our partner in peace. We sometimes blame God or ourselves for the natural consequences of living in a fallen world, so it's important to remember that we need to turn to him instead of away. Helping be a relief to others is how we partner with the Lord to bring relief and share in his work.   Small and simple challenge: Read and study out Camille Johnson's talk, "Jesus Christ is Relief" and share your insights as to how the Savior is your relief! Join the Magnify Community online to study how these attributes can bring more peace into your life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Nelson’s conference address, “Peacemakers Needed,” felt like a landmark talk and it resonated so much with our community. Here at Magnify, one of our driving goals is to come together to cultivate what we need to LIVE DIFFRERENTLY! President Nelson has just given us the game plan for just that. Over the next few months we want dig into PEACE! What is peace? How do we find it? How do we create it? How do we share it? How do we receive it? How do we feel it? And mostly, how can we get more of it?   Joining us to kick off the next six months of studying peace and all the attributes of a peacemaker are Nassari Everett and Lisanne Murphy.   Top takeaways from this episode: Peace is a choice we make that we decide is a state of our hearts. We are responsible for the way we react to conflict in our lives. It is important to pause and ask yourself how you will react to the situations around you. Jesus Christ understands our struggles in this world, and he has come to bring peace. Sometimes that peace looks different from what you thought, but he will always be there, ready to provide it. The Lord is preparing us to live more like him and to respond and bring others to him through peace.   Small and simple challenge: Our small and simple challenge looks a little different and will be the focus of the next six months on Magnify! Each week we will be exploring a different attribute as it relates to peace in an effort to find and share more peace. And the best part? We are doing the whole study on our Instagram, @magnifycommunity! All you need to do is follow along and you'll have completed each study one day, and one week at a time! Head to magnifythegood.com/peace to get your free download so you can follow along and enjoy some printable cards of our favorite quotes from the talk we discussed today! Stick them on your mirror, in your journal, or share them with a friend! We can't wait to pave the path to peace together! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If Mother’s Day is hard for you, know that you’re not alone! Mother’s Day is this week and while it’s a day to honor and celebrate moms—it’s not always a happy day. In an article from Sharon Eubank titled, "The Idea of 'Mothers in Zion' Made Me Mad—Until I Learned What It Meant" she said, “Mother’s Day … is often an emotional and spiritual minefield for almost everyone: Women who have no children, or who wanted more children, or maybe different children. Women who feel they are failing, or that someone failed them, or that failure is around the corner. Women who wished they were free to mother, or feel cut off from their mothers, or never had the mother they wanted, or can’t be the mother they want to be.”    "This life is practice mothering, not to perfect it."   Joining Kathryn in this episode is Lori Thurston. Lori and her husband Bob are preparing to serve a service mission in Pakistan.   Top takeaways from this episode: No matter the circumstance you are in--a mom with many children, no children, mixed families, single mothers--you can learn the lessons of motherhood. Mother is both a noun and an adjective. Whether or not you have birthed children, you are able to mother God's children as part of your divine role here on earth. Our Heavenly Parents see all of eternity before us, so we have all of eternity to perfect mothering. The Savior has many qualities of a mother, and we can become more like the Savior as we participate in this mother-work.   Small and simple challenge: Prayerfully consider who it is in your life that has helped to mother you or your community that isn’t already on your mother’s day list. Thank them for the mothering that they do that is unconventional. Let them know that they were helpful in mothering. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The call to parent in this life is one that Elder Uchtdorf said, “reflects the pattern of heaven.” The opportunity to help raise the rising generation—both as parents and leaders—can be a privilege and a responsibility. Elder Uchtdorf taught in his April 2023 General Conference message that Jesus Christ can be our strength and our guide as we try to parent and teach like Him.   "In the eternal perspective, it will all work out." - Shawni Pothier   This episode features two sisters—Saren Loosli and Shawni Pothier—and Kathryn discussing Elder Uchtdorf's recent message in General Conference, April 2023. They discuss this message and how small and simple efforts as parents and leaders can be magnified by the Lord.   Top takeaways from this episode: God has given us an enormous amount of trust as parents to raise his children, and we need to be able to trust our children as well as we follow the divine pattern of heaven. Look for miracles that happen as parents and celebrate our children's wins! God is a god of second chances, so when we feel like we've made a mistake in parenting, it's important to remember that he always gives us more chances. Life is long, and there is so much time to recover and repair relationships in this life. An apology for your child can go a long way.   Small and simple invitation: Pray very specifically for an act of love that you can do on a regular basis with your families. Search for what the mighty change of heart that we find in the scriptures might be for this love. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When we figure out how to discover meaning in the most mundane of tasks, we can find opportunities to feel closer to Christ, even when doing something as simple as the dishes or the laundry. Routines can become rituals when we take ordinary tasks and look for ways to make them sacred, and we will see the Lord in unexpected ways.   "The intention is really easy when you want more Jesus in your life."   Today’s guest, Jennifer Brinkerhoff Platt, wrote “Rather than performing our day-to-day routines with little thought or effort, the most ordinary event can become rich in meaning.” She’s and Kathryn discuss ways we can get closer to Christ when we learn to turn everyday tasks into opportunities to connect with, serve, and love each other better.   Top takeaways from this episode: You can take your everyday routines and turn them into rituals by putting intention behind what you're doing. The Savior is a great example of taking ordinary moments and turning them into sacred experiences, so look to him as the guide. If you're feeling overwhelmed by your routines, take one thing and simplify it to make it more sacred for you. Remember that intention can lead to desire, so just start with the intention to make your everyday mundaneness become more sacred.   Small and simple challenge: Consider your daily routines, and look for one thing you want to address. Whether it be something that really challenges you, or something you don't enjoy doing, look for ways to find the Savior in those moments.   Read Jennifer's Book here! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you had moments where you poured out your heart to God again and again and felt met with silence from heaven? When President Nelson told us that in the coming days we’ll need the guiding influence of the Holy Ghost, Emily Robison Adams took his counsel to heart. But while seeking to understand how God speaks to her through prayer, Emily didn't get any answers and, in her words, “God felt gone.” Through struggle, study, and with time, Emily came to understand that sometimes when we think heaven is silent, God is with us in a space of communion that she calls Divine Quiet.   "I don't always feel the Spirit, but I show up to show God."   Top takeaways from this episode: You're not alone in feeling like heaven is silent. It's important to share your struggles and feelings about getting answers to prayer. The moments in the silence can teach you lessons from heaven that you might not receive otherwise, but it still might feel difficult, so lean on these three things: Remember your past interactions and experiences with the Spirit. Drawing upon these moments will help you to recall that God has answered you before, and He will again. Change the way you look at the scriptures. The scriptures were written by imperfect people, and there are many different points of view within the scriptures, so embrace the differences and be okay not having an opinion about everything. Rethink prayer. You may just have to ask for God to be with you in the silence, even if you aren't feeling the divine revelation or answers you are seeking. Small and simple challenge: Find time to remember God this week. Look back on the moments and interactions you've already had with the scriptures and ponder on those moments as a strength to receive more guidance in God's timing.   Links: Emily's Book See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.