Magnify

God never leaves us or turns from us, so how do we bridge the emotional and spiritual gaps that we create that distance ourselves from Him? As women, we all struggle with so many types of pain: death, loneliness, infertility, marriage trouble, wandering children, our own testimonies, mental health… the list goes on. We are promised that God's love will always be there, all we have to do is turn to Him. We can also bring that love into others' lives by trying to be more like the Savior. "If we turn to the Savior and ask for help, we can receive healing." This episode was inspired by a beloved talk from Reyna Aburto in General Conference in October 2019 titled, “Thru Cloud and Sunshine, Lord, Abide with Me!” In it, she shared a personal story about her father’s suicide and her daughter’s mental health issues. It was a revolutionary talk that opened up the discussion around mental health. Kathryn and Reyna open that conversation up even more and discuss with her how we can better understand the principle that God never leaves us.   Top takeaways from this episode: Allow your pains and struggles to refine you. By turning to God in your moments of pain, you can receive a testimony that he never leaves you. When you are feeling perhaps that God's love has left you, don't stop praying. He will answer your prayers in time. As you strive to be more like Jesus Christ, know that you stand by others in their pain and trials just as God stands with you.   Small and simple challenge: Remember the promise you make every Sunday as you take the sacrament that you will always remember Jesus Christ. This week, try to remember Him every day, and you will know how to help others.   Links: Sister Aburto's Talk, "Thru Cloud and Sunshine, Lord, Abide with Me!" See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Happy Valentine’s Day! Our focus today is about what real love and acceptance of one’s self means in pursuit of becoming more like the Savior Jesus Christ. In today’s world, self-love is often synonymous with self-absorbedness. We are told to love ourselves, but we are not really given the right tools to do so. There is a lot of self-indulgence, running away from our problems, spending money on unnecessary things. So how do we focus on loving ourselves by adding the things that bring real value into our lives?   "If you’re tired, go to bed. If you’re hungry, eat. If you need a break, rest. Don’t give up."   Aliah Hall is a licensed clinical social worker who works with individuals and couples find healing through compassion, empathy, and connection. Her clinical experience is part of why we invited her, as well as her passion for the gospel. Kathryn and Aliah discuss what it means to really love yourself and how approaching this topic with the lens that we are all divine children of God will help us cut through what the world is saying, and really focus on eternal truths.    Top Takeaways from this episode: We have always been divine. Loving ourselves and finding our true selves is how we become more like the Savior. You take care about the things that you love, so taking care of yourself shows you love yourself. Anything worth having takes discipline, including a love of yourself and a knowledge of your divinity. You cannot win a battle outside of yourself if there is an internal battle you are losing within.   Small and Simple Challenge: Talk to yourself like you would talk to someone you love. That's it! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to our Magnify Podcast series "Let's Talk," where Kathryn and a few of her guests discuss top-of-mind topics and share their insights together as women. This week, our discussion will be based on an article written by Sister Patricia Holland titled “One Thing Needful,” and although this article was written 36 years ago, the insights are more relevant now than ever! We can’t wait to have this conversation together! Let’s dive in! And stay tuned at the end for how YOU can join in this discussion! We need each other!   "You are already anointed and appointed to be an amazing daughter of God."   Joining Kathryn on this episode are Emeobong (Eme) Martin and Ciara Lewis. Eme started an Instagram called @PeachyPonderings, which was started when she and her friends wanted to change the dialogue surrounding General Conference, and she created an account reflecting her personal peachy ponderings on a life of discipleship in Jesus Christ. Ciara is a friend of Kathryn's who previously taught seminary with her, and now spends time with family teaching her children and sharing her testimony on her blog. Both women have studied Sister Holland’s talk to prepare for this first episode of "Let's Talk."   Top Takeaways: We already are divinely defined as daughters of God! We don't have to be or do more to receive that promise. The Lord always promises rest in our souls when we come to Him. Rest comes when we intentionally seek Jesus in our thoughts and actions. An abundant life comes from understanding faith in Jesus Christ and waiting on His promises.   Small and Simple Challenge: This week we’re inviting you to read and study Sister Patricia Holland’s talk, “One Thing Needful” from an article in an 1987 Ensign. We really want to hear from you and how you find wholeness of your soul, so hop on over to @MagnifyCommunity on Instagram to join in the conversation!   Links Sister Patricia Holland's talk written in 1987: "One Thing Needful: Becoming Women of Greater Faith in Christ" See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The scriptures provide us with the relief and peace we are seeking. We are promised that our testimony of the Savior will come through reading the word of God, and the scriptures will give us steadiness in an increasingly unstable world. Sometimes, it takes effort to get into the scriptures, but any effort we make is always worth it!  "He is concerned with the little details that are making up my life." Kathryn and today's guest Emily Belle Freeman continue the conversation about scripture. Emily is a woman who loves scripture and has from an early age! She's a beloved gospel teacher who has discovered how to incorporate the scriptures into her everyday life.   Top takeaways from this episode: It's okay if your love for the scriptures comes over time! It's similar to developing a relationship with a person. It takes time and work. Learn how to harness the power that the scriptures have to provide counsel and guidance. Find what you need from the scriptures and then go to them with that need in mind. It really can be so simple! You don't always need to set aside a lot of time. You can read one verse a day and it will gradually build upon itself.   Small and simple challenge: Wherever you go this week, take your scriptures with you and try to keep them open. As you are cleaning, making lunch, sitting at your desk, or just having a quiet moment alone in your room, keep the scriptures open to the same page you were reading in your studies and wait for what will stand out to you. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Nelson invited us to make time for the Lord in our everyday lives. He said, "He will lead and guide you in your personal life if you will make time for Him in your life—each and every day." We all want those promised blessings, but with such busy lives, it sometimes feels overwhelming to make time. What if we don't have to do more or be more to make it happen? Our community is participating in a "make time" challenge, and this episode dives into how Kathryn and guest Maria Eckersley took this challenge, how they were able to make the simple changes work in their everyday schedules, and what they learned in the process. "The Lord is able to fill in what you thought you needed with something better."   The Make Time for the Divine Challenge: Convert the commute: Commuting to work, driving carpool, or running errands can take up a good chunk of our time. Today for a few minutes of that time play your favorite hymn or gospel themed song. Switch the scroll: We often find ourselves spending time on your phone daily (or hourly?), scrolling. Try stopping the scroll and switching over to the gospel library for 2 minutes.  First things first: Let's put God first today, literally. Let's kneel before we stand! Before we tackle our day, let's start with a prayer. Phone a friend: We believe in Christ! Let's say so! Make a call or send a text sharing a slice of testimony or mentioning how Christ has shown up in life lately. Claim the joy! As we get ready for bed tonight, let's grab a journal or the notes app on our phone and take 2 minutes to write down how we have seen God and Christ in our lives this week. What has felt different? Links Join the challenge here! President Nelson's Talk Here! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you do a "one-word" type of challenge for the new year? Perhaps you should consider making "try" your word of 2023 as we focus in on what we can do to better grow closer to the Savior. Elder Holland, in a talk titled, "Tomorrow the Lord Will Do Wonders among You," said that, "the great thing about the gospel is we get credit for trying, even if we don't always succeed."  "The Lord recognizes our efforts, and He loves us trying." Today's episode echoes that same sentiment from Elder Holland, and Kathryn and Katie Hughes (@thehugheshouse) discuss how we can involve the Lord in all our "tries" and use the Spirit as our guide to being better disciples. Takeaways from this episode The Spirit can motivate us to make efforts. Everyone receives the Spirit differently, and not all our efforts look the same. It takes time to listen and feel the Lord working in our lives, but he wants us to try. Sometimes we are so hard on ourselves, but we are doing good! And we can be counted on. The Lord will magnify your efforts. Small and simple invitation: Learn the language of the Spirit and how He speaks to you. Learn how the Spirit guides your life and listen to His teachings. Your desire will magnify your efforts. Links: Katie's New Year's post Elder Holland's talk See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you know that the inspiration for Magnify came from a scripture in Luke chapter 1 verse 46? Living as joyful and wholehearted followers of Jesus isn’t easy. We need the influence of each other to help us muster our courage. And that’s what you’ll find in the Magnify community: encouragement, strength, and inspiration to live differently and to make a difference as a disciple of Jesus Christ. "We don't always realize our power as women when we come together. We are mighty as individuals, but when we come together, we can do amazing things collectively." The mission of Magnify is to use our influence as followers of the Savior to try to make a difference in the world. Our guest today is Michelle Torsak, the Director of Content and Communities for Deseret Book, and the creator and executive producer of the Magnify podcast. She has helped to shape this vision, and we are so excited to have her here to help us kick off the new year!   Top takeaways from this episode: Learn how Magnify came from a scripture, and turned into an entire community. Women are strong when we work together. Invite your community to join Magnify! We are women who live differently by being disciples of the Savior. In the new year, you can look forward to discussions about how we can find the wholeness of our souls as faithful women.   Small and simple challenge: Go to our website and download this new year's manifesto! Share it with other women in your life and join the Instagram to share your insights and feel strengthened together with women across the community.   Links Our website Sister Patricia Holland's General Conference Talk "One Thing Is Needful" See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello and Merry Christmas to all our Magnify listeners. As we come to end of this year and the holiday season, we are so grateful we could share our manifesto with the Magnify community, which is to inspire one another to “love well.” We are women who are united in our call to love first—to always love well. The Christmas season helps us reflect on the greatest example of love, the Savior Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate love, and the gift that we want to share with others.   "Music is an old friend that helps us count our blessings."   Today, our episode is going to look a little different than the rest of this season’s. Christmas is a special time for music and storytelling, so that is exactly what we want to bring to you today! We have the pleasure of being joined by Chad and Ben Truman, of the Truman Brothers fame. Throughout this episode, we’ll hear both their own personal stories and more music to bring you the ultimate love of the season: the Spirit of our Savior Jesus Christ.   Small and Simple Challenge: Stop more often this week and breathe. Be at peace with the Savior and ask yourself "what would he do?" Take the time to feel his love and decide what gift you can give to Jesus in the new year.   Song timestamps: "The First Noel" - The Truman Brothers and Madilyn Paige [13:34-16:59] "Hark the Harold Angels Sing" - The Truman Brothers [22:13-23:23] "Oh Child" - The Truman Brothers [32:06-35:37] See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If ministering sometimes feels like an assignment instead of a powerful way to connect, then perhaps we need to rethink our approach! Instead of thinking of it as an assignment, think of ministering as an invitation to help others and ourselves progress. We can do this by observing then serving, where we take time to revel in the "nothing moments" and sit and learn about one another. "Ministering is an invitation to help others progress." Emily Snyder shares her thoughts on "observe then serve," which is an idea she got from Linda K. Burton in a 2012 general conference. She wants to know how we can get into people’s homes and lives so that our connections grow deep. Her belief is that we can all be a part of one another’s progression as we learn “how not to minister” and instead become part of each other’s lives. Top Takeaways from this episode Ministering is an invitation to bring the Savior into one another's lives, not an assignment to be checked off a to-do list. Look around who is in your daily paths and decide to serve them and fulfill ministering in your every day life. Sometimes it takes humility to receive ministering and people's assumptions may prevent them from doing so. Honor the effort of people reaching out, even when their efforts miss the mark. "Nothing moments" can be created by spending time with people, and these moments help us know how to better serve. Small and simple invitation: Pray to take advantage of the invitation you have been given to minister specifically in your ward and also ask to be more open to receiving the ministering that others are doing to you. Links Linda K. Burton - "First Observe, then Serve" See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When was the last time you invited someone new to join your book club or dinner group? Or had a deep and meaningful conversation with a sister in your Relief Society? Or went out of your way to sit by someone you didn't know? It’s comfortable to be part of a familiar group! And it’s easy to gravitate to the friends we know and love. But by making our circles bigger we have the power to change the course of a life. "Be the one person for the one person that needs us most." In today's episode, our guest Brooke Romney discusses with Kathryn what it takes to find ways of connecting and making our circles into "horseshoes" in order to strengthen relationships and welcome new friendships. Brooke has been a champion for what it means to be a real friend, and she has written many times over on her blog about how connection is an essential part of our experience in life.   Top takeaways from this episode: Connection is an essential part of God's plan, and we are there to remind each other of that. Making our social circles into "horseshoes" helps people feel comfortable to come in and out of our lives when it's right for them. People are eager to share their stories and showing genuine interest can go a long way in connecting as friends. Sometimes it's important to tell Heavenly Father that you're okay with being uncomfortable in order to carry out his work. Heavenly Father is going to accomplish his purposes, but it’s up to us if we want to be a part of it.   Small and simple challenge: Get down on your knees and ask God whose life you need to be in today. It might be your mom, your kids, your sister, or your friends, but he will always direct you when you ask. Then get up and act. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.