Magnify

One thing we all yearn for is a closer connection with the Savior. A question we might often find ourselves asking, “how do I recenter my life on Jesus?” It's a question that Patricia Holland also asked herself. And when she was pondering this question, she had this thought come into her mind, “You don't have to worry over so many things. The one thing that is needful—the only thing that is truly needful—is to keep your eyes toward the sun—my Son.” Suddenly I had true peace. I knew that my life had always been in his hands—from the very beginning! The sea lying peacefully before my eyes had been tempest-tossed and dangerous—many, many times. All I needed to do was to renew my faith, and get a firm grasp on his hand—and together we could walk on the water.”   This true peace is the energy we all want! So let's remind ourselves how we can recenter our lives on the Savior. In this episode, we hear excerpts from past episodes from Carrie Skarda, Ashly Stone, and Kristin McQuivey. Listen to Carrie's Episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/magnify/id1643211858?i=1000662277532 Listen to Ashly's Episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/magnify/id1643211858?i=1000685634339 Listen to Kristin's episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/magnify/id1643211858?i=1000680545117   “One Thing Needful” by Patricia Holland   Follow us on Instagram!   Subscribe to our newsletter!

At this time of year, with the change in our routines, longer days, and more family around us, we might be feeling a desire to find out what is best to put our energy and focus into. Magnify's mission is to become more like the Savior and draw closer to Him, and today we wanted to remind ourselves that we can do this in any circumstance, and that can bring us the peace we are looking for.    Patricia Holland said this, “After you have looked inward, I plead with you to look upward. The eyes that look down on yours will be those of your loving Father in Heaven who can, and will, bestow upon you all those things you hope for in righteousness. You can't get these blessings by chasing them. Please stop running to the point of exhaustion. Be quiet; be still. Simplify.” The Lord loves effort! And when we make even small efforts to be closer to Him, we'll find that He is there.     Carrie's episode on stillness: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/magnify/id1643211858?i=1000662277532   Whitney's episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/magnify/id1643211858?i=1000673827823   Hilary's episode on contentment: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/magnify/id1643211858?i=1000679741732  

About a month ago, we had an event called Magnify Learning Together where author Melinda Brown shared some insights about the temple from her book An Endowment of Love, and something she said has been on our minds ever since: “I believe that when we see our covenant relationships as eternal principles of loving relationships, that it's life-changing today—not just in some distant future.”    This served as a reminder that the temple is important to our everyday lives. We might sometimes find ourselves simply going through the motions, feeling like we're checking a box because it'll matter in some distant, eternal future, but when we focus on how our relationships can be strengthened through our covenants, and placing the Savior at the center of our temple experience, that can transform us and help us see the temple with a fresh perspective—and  that matters today!   Did you miss the Magnify Learning Together Zoom or in-person event with Melinda Brown? You can watch it now on YouTube! Click the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w0rE_RzXLI Also check out the Q&A from this event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lpp__iIacPE   Follow us on Instagram!

In this special Magnify episode, you'll hear messages and reminders that will invigorate you to know that you are a key player in God's plan. And you're already exactly where he needs you! Sometimes it just takes a shift in perspective to see more of our divine purpose. As followers of Christ, we're called to be His hands, speak up, and speak out, but how each of us does this will look different. As Patricia Holland said, "I am convinced of, and thrilled by, the thought that God has a will, a plan for me personally, and a plan for each and every one of you. I do believe deeply that God made each of us for an individually tailored and divine purpose. We each have a divine errand and therein lies our joy."   This episode features three stories from our past episodes. Two are names you know, and one is an ordinary, unknown woman just like all of us. All three are reminders that we are essential to God. And our unexpected, sometimes difficult, sometimes ordinary offerings can have real impact and bring us real joy.   Gaye Strathearn's episode, "How Mary Teaches Us that the Lord will Magnify Our Part" Kaylen Nelson's episode, "Understanding Our Power, Purpose, and Potential in God's Kingdom" Sharon Eubank's episode, "What it Takes to be an Everyday Humanitarian"

We hope this conversation will serve as a reminder to be more gentle with ourselves as we are letting the Savior mold us into who we need to be. That we don't need to be in a rush to become better immediately, but that we can rest and find some calmness knowing we are a work in progress. In fact, this episode's guest calls it the "slow work of God." Rachel Cope experienced a devastating medical crisis that has resulted in ongoing health struggles. And when she found out that her recovery would be a long road, Rachel tried to better understand how that slow work can become sacred. She looked to historical examples of women in Church history, which she writes about in her book The Slow Work of God. Rachel teaches Church History and Doctrine at BYU. She holds a PhD in American history with an emphasis in women's history and religious history.   Follow us on Instagram!   Subscribe to our newsletter!

In her very last public address, Patricia Holland said this in a worldwide devotional given to the young adults of the church: “Simplify! [God] wants us to know that the gospel is beautifully simple and simply beautiful.” She shares the most simple sequence of the gospel is to have faith, hope, and charity. She says, “Our part is to come unto Him in lowliness and simplicity, then we should worry not and fear not.”    It's sometimes a lot easier said than done. The Magnify podcast has previously shared how worry is not a gospel principle. And today's guest has felt that in her own personal experience. Genny Hickman joins podcast producer Sarah Collins as she shares her story about finding hope in God's promises and how the simplicity of the beautiful gospel has been a guiding source to her life.   “A Future Filled with Hope” worldwide devotional   Join us on Instagram and subscribe to the newsletter!

In his most recent general conference address, President Nelson said that as disciples of Jesus Christ, we have access to a different kind of confidence—a confidence that doesn't come from what the world tells us about how to look or be or act, but that comes from having a relationship with the Lord. It's a gift that we can tap into right now! We might be wondering exactly how we can do that, and while each of us has our own path to finding confidence before the Lord, today's guest shares that it's our covenants that are the path to our potential.   Cindy Sweat joins Brooke Walker in this episode, and she discusses five ways that she found confidence before the Lord when she stepped into new and unexpected places. She shares how these lessons were learned when she was provided an opportunity to return to school to receive her Master of Public Administration after 20 years of getting her undergraduate degree. Cindy is a teacher, a mother of 7, and a new grandmother.   Follow us on Instagram!   Subscribe to the newsletter!

We shared a quote from Patricia Holland where she said, “my personality was created to fit precisely the mission and talents that [God] gave me.” This message has resonated with so many of us because it serves as a reminder that when we trust God to give us the energy and confidence to lean into our unique talents and abilities, we have more of His power in our lives. That power can helpe us grow in divine confidence to be our best selves.      In this episode, guest Veeda Bybee and host Brooke Walker discuss how when we embrace who God created us to be, we feel energized. Veeda shares how this was made apparent to her when she heard a message at general conference that prompted in her a feeling to not bury her talents. Her story will inspire us to know that we don't need to be overwhelmed or feel comparison but can be guided by our God-given gifts.   Follow us on Instagram!   Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.magnifythegood.com/newsletter-sign-up

This episode shares a powerful story that will motivate us to better see those around us through the eyes of God. Anna Rasmussen is a photographer in the suburbs of Chicago, and she had an inspirational thought while she was serving her ministering sister that led to a ward-wide photo project where she volunteered to take portraits of her entire ward. She originally set out to capture the beauty in the diversity, but what she found was unity and the ability to see others through the lens of our Heavenly Father. She shares how this taught her to love others more expansively and learn of His love for us individually.   Courtney Webb Spencer hosts this episode with photographer Anna Rasmussen. If you'd like to see the YouTube with the slideshow, click here!   Follow us on Instagram @magnifycommunity! And head to our website magnifythegood.com for details about the newsletter and upcoming events.

When we trust God, we can gain greater access to His power in our everyday lives. And we can be confident that He will help us increase our capacity to do things that seem miraculous. This was a lesson that was learned by Jennifer Kerns Davis when her son passed away. She knew she needed a “but if not” kind of miracle, and what she found was courage to handle the situation that was before her. This power she felt from God helped her to have confidence to trust in Him.   Brooke Walker sits down with Jennifer Kerns Davis who is a mother, a grandmother, and a connector and gatherer of all things from wildflowers to angels on both sides of the veil.   Sign up for our new event "Magnify Learning Together: Transform Your Temple Experience" by clicking the link:  https://zoom.us/meeting/register/IIQyqWoCSVmgdHln8JXylw#/registration  

A few years ago, Sister Patricia Holland passed unexpectantly. She was a powerful disciple in her own right, standing as an example and witness that God lives, that He loves us, that and keeping our focus on Him is the sure path to everlasting joy. Her daughter, Mary Alice McCann, wanted to make sure that her children and grandchildren knew what kind of blood was in their veins, so she compiled and carefully selected Sister Holland's thoughts and teachings into a beautiful book called An Eye Single: Thoughts and Teachings from Patricia T. Holland. She joins this episode along with Michelle Torsak, executive director of content at Deseret Book, as they reflect on the powerful force for good that was Patricia T. Holland.   Order your own copy of this book here!   Don't forget to sign up for our Zoom event for Learning Together: Transform Your Temple Experience with author of An Endowment of Love Melinda Wheelright Brown. You can sign up here!

This week, Melinda Brown's new book An Endowment of Love was dropped on Deseret Book shelves. In it, she offers a fresh and unique approach to the temple, helping us see the connection between our temple covenants and principles of eternal, loving relationships. So in this episode, Director of Content for Deseret Book Michelle Torsak sits down with Melinda to discuss how we can take a fresh look and see the temple with new lenses. They discuss how we can better understand covenantal relationships, and Mindy shares walks us through a few parts of her new book that will help us better see our covenants as manifestations of our love for God.   You can order Melinda's book now at deseretbook.com or at your local Deseret Book store.   Head to magnifythegood.com/events to register now for “Learning Together: Transform Your Temple Experience” happening on May 6 at 7pm in Studio Draper. We will also have a Zoom link for those who are not local.      

This episode features Maria Eckersley and Brooke Walker as they discuss five questions to ask in our gospel study to learn from the examples of women in the scripture. They discuss how we can better understand how God values and empowers His daughters. How He loves and trusts them to do His work.   Maria's five questions: How does her story illuminate the Plan of Salvation? How does her story illuminate the power of covenants? How does her story illuminate surrounding stories? How does her story illuminate teh gift of agency? How does her story illuminate the Savior's character?   Scriptural references: The Story of Eve - Moses 4:12 Mary when the angel appeared - Luke 1:38 Mary when Simeon told her a sword would pierce her soul - Luke 2:35 Sarah's story - Genesis 17 (see verses 15-16) Hannah's story - 1 Samuel 1 (see verses 10-11 and 17-18) Abish and King Lamoni's wife - Alma 19 (see verses 8-10 and 16) The widow with the empty vessels - 2 Kings 4 (see verses 5-6) Emma Smith - D&C 25 (see verses 5-6 and 10) The woman with the issue of blood - Luke 8 (see verses 43 and 47) Mary Magdalene seeing the risen Lord - John 20 (see verses 10-13 and 14-16)   Head to magnifythegood.com for event details!

A few years ago, in his talk "Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives," President Nelson asked this question that we've all probably yearned to know the answer: "How do we become the men and women, the Christlike servants that the Lord needs us to be? How can we find answers to the questions that perplex us?" And his prescription to this soul-deep question: personal revelation. He said, "The heavens are open and God speaks to his children." Today's conversation is all about understanding personal revelation and how we can develop a relationship with God where we can draw on his power. Janiece Johnson joins this conversation to discuss the doctrines of revelation found in the Doctrine and Covenants. Janiece is a church historian, an acquisition director at Deseret Book, and her new book Themes in the Doctrine and Covenants: Revelation lends itself to today's topic.   Follow us on Instagram! Subscribe to our newsletter!

In his talk entitled, "Spiritual Treasures" given in 2019, President Nelson stated, "The heavens are.. open to women who are endowed with God's power flowing from their priesthood covenants." We might read this and wonder, how? As women, we sincerely want to understand how we can better draw upon God's power. And perhaps, we'd like to know what we might be misunderstanding and where we can grow.  Today's guest, Kaylen Nelson, has wondered this question as well. In this episode, she comes studying President Emily Belle Freeman's "Live Up to Your Privileges" and the Doctrine and Covenants section 25 as a basis to this discussion. Kaylen is a contributor to the magnify podcast, a mom, and a visiting instructor at the BYU religion faculty.   President Nelson's "Spiritual Treasures" President Freeman's "Live Up to Your Privileges" Elder Anderson's quote: "We sometimes overly associate the power of the priesthood with men in the Church. The priesthood is the power and authority of God given for the salvation and blessing of all—men, women, and children. A man may open the drapes so the warm sunlight comes into the room, but the man does not own the sun or the light or the warmth it brings. The blessings of the priesthood are infinitely greater than the one who is asked to administer the gift." - Power in the Priesthood Sheri Dew's quote: “What does it mean to have access to priesthood power? It means that we can receive revelation, be blessed and aided by the ministering of angels, learn to part the veil that separates us from our Heavenly Father, be strengthened to resist temptation, be protected, and be enlightened, and made smarter than we are—all without any mortal intermediary.” - Women and the Priesthood   Follow us on Instagram!   Subscribe to the newsletter!   Head to our website for book club!

In this episode, Jenny Guthrie shares about her life's motto for spreading the gospel: Feed His Sheep and how she came to this conclusion when she felt prompted to answer the question, "Do I love Him?" She shares three different experiences about how this has become her life's mission: her husband's time in the MLB where she would interact with people of all different faiths and congregations, her time spent as a mission leader in Texas where she worked with missionaries and also helped her own growing family come closer to Christ, and her time teaching teenagers seminary.   If you want to find more Magnify goodness, follow us on Instagram!

God's power can help us to lead out, solve problems, nurture humanity, and strengthen relationships. One way we can access His power is in temple worship. In fact, President Nelson promised us this in his most recent General Conference address: “Every sincere seeker of Jesus Christ will find Him in the temple. You will find His mercy. You will find answers to your most vexing questions. You will better comprehend the joy of His gospel.” And as women of faith, this is what we want! More Jesus in our lives. Because with Him, all things are possible.    Rosemary Wixom joins Brooke Walker in this episode as she shares three spiritual guideposts that have helped her find Jesus in the temple.   Join us on Instagram and subscribe to our newsletter!

In this special episode, we hear from author Carrie Skarda of The Practice of Stillness and walk through how mindfulness can be an important part of our spiritual growth. She does some mindfulness exercises and also walks us through a meditative practice.   This was a Zoom recording of the Magnify book club. If you want to join, follow us on Instagram and subscribe to the newsletter so you can be a part of next month's book club.

When President Nelson shared his conference address, “Joy and Spiritual Survival,” in October 2016, he said, “each of us has likely had times when distress, anguish, and despair almost consumed us,” and then he asked, “yet we are here to have joy? YES! The answer is a resounding yes!” indicating that we are built for it. In fact, today's guest Lisa Valentine Clark even commented that it's our birthright. But it can sometimes feel out of reach, especially if we are feeling nearly consumed by our trials. So how do we set our sights on it? Lisa puts it this way: “Joy is a creative act. Not a formula.”   Join our Book Club on Thursday, February 27 at 7pm MST! Sign up with this link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/MbD0gEldSDWhgRX2WYqhwA   Follow us on Instagram!

 In November 2018, one of the deadliest fires, known as the Camp Fire, took out the city of Paradise. Shauna Wilson Manwill had her home and everything she owned completely burned. While going through this tragedy, she was also dealing with personal loss that affected her story. But Shauna's story is one of rising from the ashes--both physically and metaphorically. She shares: "I have big faith," and it was this foundational faith in the gospel that carried her through. By opening herself up to letting others in, she learned that we can all be disciples of Jesus Christ through service, love, and turning outward.   Check out the Remembered Journal here!   Follow us on Instagram!   Sign up for the Book Club!

With the immediacy of today's world—the instant gratification, the ready made drive thru meals, the quick Google search for any little bump in our road—we can easily forget to let the good things come over time. So let's learn to forge the path of joy.    Brooke Walker joins Natalie Hill Jensen who has some wisdom on the subject of cultivating and celebrating the good. Natalie is someone who cares deeply about the things going on around her, be it her immediate circles or the country and the world at large, and yet she doesn't get bogged down by the tragedies. She makes her joy apparent.   Follow us on Instagram @magnifycommunity!   Join our Zoom Book Club for The Practice of Stillness by registering here!

In an effort to show that gospel living really works, we have to show our joy! Brooke Walker and her sister Lyndsi Frandsen were discussing this, and one idea came to mind: gush more. What does this mean? The fact is our world is becoming increasingly less expressive. Perhaps we aren't necessarily feeling less, but we certainly aren't showing what we're feeling, which isn't always a bad thing. But because we are women who have the light of Christ, the fulness of the Gospel, and the power of God on our side, shouldn't we have some feelings to celebrate and share?   This podcast will both celebrate and share ways we can all be gushers, ways we can wear our joyful hearts on our sleeve, and ways we can visibly and verbally emulate the bright light of Jesus Christ in what we say, show, and do.    Follow us on Instagram @magnifycommunity! And subscribe here to our newsletter!

Ashly Stone was a heroin addict who had found herself in and out of rehabilitation centers and even jail for years. While getting help at the Salvation Army, she found a bible with a Book of Mormon bookmark in it. That was the push she needed to return to the gospel and find her way to recovery. In this episode, she shares her story, how it can instill hope in all of us who might be wandering or who are aching for their loved ones who are on their own paths, and how Jesus Christ is the reason she got clean. No matter your circumstances, it's a conversation that matters in our efforts to show that following the Savior works and sharing that joy with others.    Ashly is the host of The Comeback Podcast. In this episode she mentions the following episode: https://www.comebackpodcast.org/after-high-school-josh-left-the-church-and-became-very-hostile-towards-it-after-his-divorce-a-stake-president-changed-his-life-in-a-moment-the-led-him-back-to-the-waters-of-baptism/   Follow us on Instagram @magnifycommunity and subscribe to our newsletter at magnifythegood.com/newsletter      

With all that is going on in the world—fires ravaging the country, many lives being lost, and not to mention our own personal struggles that we face every day—we hope this episode will set us up that we can have joy amidst life's realities. And to bring some great perspective to this conversation is author Carrie Skarda. Carrie's book The Practice of Stillness inspired this discussion.    Join us for our book club on February 27th at 7pm MT where you can hear Carrie lead out the discussion! Click on this link to sign up: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/MbD0gEldSDWhgRX2WYqhwA#/registration  

We want to make our joy more known, and because we are followers of Jesus Christ, this should be the center of our mission! But sometimes in our desire for everyone close to us to live the joyful gospel life, it's our worry rather than our joy that comes through. This was an "aha" from Magnify contributor Shima Baughman when her personal family experiences were causing her more worry than joy. It was a moment where she had to ask herself, “am I really living the gospel?” And in this episode, Deseret Book content manager Stephanie Bryson chats with her about what the solution to this problem could be.   Join us on Instagram @magnifycommunity to continue the conversation!  

 We hope this conversation will set you up well for the new year ahead. The Magnify theme for these next two months is joy and more specifically showing our joy. Harry Emerson Fosdick said, “You can know a real Christian, when you see him [or her], by his buoyancy.” As we set out to be women who magnify the Lord, one way we can do that is by living buoyantly and showing by example that God's plan works.    As we were thinking about where to start the conversation, we thought of President Nelson's invitation to be women who have a bedrock understanding of the doctrine of Jesus Christ, including understanding what the scriptures say about joy. Deseret Book's executive director of content Michelle Torsak hosts this conversation with Tammy Uzelac Hall, host of the Sunday on Monday podcast and adult institute teacher as they dive into how the scriptures define joy.   Scriptural references from Tammy: 2 Nephi 25:25-26: Theme for 2025, "we talk of Christ, we rejoice of Christ" Matthew 2:10: The wisemen rejoiced when they saw the star 2 Nephi 2:11, 13: There must be opposition in all things, compound into one, if these things are not, there is no god 2 Nephi 2:25: Men are that they might have joy 1 Nephi 17:1-3: They began to bear their journeyings without murmuring Psalm 16:11: Cause me to know the path of life Zephaniah 3:17: He will hold his peace with you   Continue the conversation over on Instagram @magnifycommunity!

We know that everything happens for a reason, and the scriptures tell us that “all things work together for good." But sometimes that isn't a comfort to hear when we're in the thick of it. But ever since we heard BYU Professor Ellen Knell share that accepting the struggle will ultimately bring sweetness and maning to our lives, her ideas have been on our mind. She gave a BYU address called "Look For the Light" and we wanted to amplify this faithful woman's voice.   Ellen is an assistant professor for the center of language studies at BYU. She is a mom, a grandmother, and a woman of many talents including speaking Mandarin, figure skating, and all things relaxation!

Do you have a mantra to get you through whatever life throws at you? Especially during Christmas, you might be repeating something like, “I can do this” or “this too shall pass” or “mom and dad can hardly wait for school to start again.” And we all want to prioritize the Savior and His birth during this time of year. This season, to return to the peace of Christ, repeat this mantra: “just Jesus."   Podcast producer is joined by Kristen McQuivey as she shares what has been on her mind regarding this new Christmas mantra she's introducing into her life. It's inspired from Jared Halverson who shared in a video on Instagram his practices at Christmastime for letting Jesus be the light that pierces the darkness.    Follow us on Instagram @magnifycommunity for uplifting messages and community every day!

Have you ever thought of contentment as complacency? That's perhaps something we often misinterpret, but in today's conversation, we explore that contentment is actually a blessing of peace from the Lord. We hope this conversation can take a weight off our shoulders as we're in the midst of what is not only known as, “the most wonderful time of the year,” but also the busiest! We're all searching for a little relief and source of joy, and we think it's a conversation that will serve as a reminder that we can live differently and make our joy more apparent.   Hilary Craner joins this episode with podcast host Courtney Spencer and producer Sarah Collins. This conversation was based on an article that Hilary wrote for LDS Living. You can read it here.

Welcome to the Magnify Book Club! This month's pick was The Christ Child by Adam Miller. Every other month, our community also does a public Zoom where you—yes you!—can join in and participate. This month it was hosted by author and Magnify contributor Melinda Brown. We decided to post the recording as a bonus episode where you can hear the host and members of our community jump in and share their thoughts on the book.

As we're getting into the Christmas spirit, I am sure many of us ponder and study the life and birth of Jesus Christ. Many families put together a Christmas pageant where everyone takes on a role in the nativity scene to help us reflect on the birth of the Savior. And one role in that story that we want to dive deeper into is Mary the mother of Jesus. Her background and mention in the scriptures is relatively small. But in today's guest's words: “Her story reminds us that God is aware of all of His children and that He calls ordinary men and women to participate in extraordinary ways to help build His kingdom.”    Brooke Walker hosts this episode with Gaye Strathearn. Gaye is a Professor of Ancient Scripture at Brigham Young University. She grew up in Australia, and she says she loves the game of cricket. In her words, she loves to, “potter around the house and yard” and even though she's a big BYU fan, she does drive a red car... (we'll forgive her for it). Gaye wrote this beautiful article in January 2019 called “Mary, the Mother of Jesus” that serves as the basis of this conversation.   Join us for our Book Club Zoom this Thursday, December 5th at 7pm MT. https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMud-mrrDkvHN1uEb4tBB8uFOzpSMDPLtWC#/registration  

We wrapped up our Lift Up Your Heart events last weekend. It felt so uplifting to interact with women in our community. President Nelson asked us to "seek and expect miracles," and because we've been focusing on the miracles of peace, joy, courage, faith, and hope, they've become more prevalent in our every day. A goal here at Magnify is to build our community, so in this episode, you'll hear podcast host Courtney Spencer and producer Sarah Collins grab soundbites from both audience members and Lift Up Your Heart speakers share how they're seeking and expecting miracles.   Register for the Zoom book club where we'll be reading The Christ Child by Adam Miller. It will be hosted by contributor Melinda Brown.

It's often easier in hindsight to see what God has orchestrated in our lives. President Eyring has even said, "When we find ways to recognize and remember God's kindness it will build our testimonies.” In theory we know this works. And we do it in practice as many of us make gratitude lists this time of year. But how do we make it so that we're seeing God's great work in our lives like it's second nature, be it a moment of hardship or joy?   It's something that's on our minds and the mind of today's guest, Emily Ann Adams, who wrote that she's working to see God's imprints all over the pages of her life—even when she's in the thick of it. It's a practice that has led her to more genuine gratitude and greater faith. Emily is an author, speaker, and mother to five—one of whom she lost as a stillborn. This plays into her story and she's shared many of her experiences and perspectives in her books. She's a hiker, a reader, a bit of a history lover, and she says that she tries to strengthen her relationship with Jesus and her Heavenly Father daily.   Join us for Lift Up Your Heart this weekend! Use code PODCAST10 at checkout for $10 off per registration. https://www.magnifythegood.com/events  

Magnify just announced our book club pick for November and December and it's The Christ Child by Adam Miller. And this book will make your Christmas. If you're looking for that thing that will bring you that "Christmasy" feeling you love during this season, this is just the thing. This book takes us on a meditative and poetic journey to answer the question, “why did Christ come to earth as a baby?” It's all about how we can become more like the Savior by becoming more like a child—and those attributes that go along with it.   Podcast producer Sarah Collins is joined by BYU professor and philosopher Dr. Katie Paxman.   Join us for the book club Zoom where you can join in the dialogue with host Mindy Brown! December 5th at 7:00pm MT. https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMud-mrrDkvHN1uEb4tBB8uFOzpSMDPLtWC#/registration   Register for our final Lift Up Your Heart event in Salt Lake City on November 22nd and 23rd. As a podcast listener, use code PODCAST10 at checkout for $10 off per registration.* https://www.magnifythegood.com/events *Does not work on already applied group discount.

A topic that is on many of our minds is knowing what to do when a child or someone we love takes a different path that leads them away from the Church. We are hopeful that this episode will help alleviate some of the pain and anxiety that we feel when this happens. No matter your family circumstances, this is an important conversation in our efforts to be peacemakers.    Author, speaker, and Magnify contributor Melinda Brown appears as a guest on this episode with Michelle Torsak, Executive Director of Content for Deseret Book. Mindy has experienced her own child stepping away from the Church, and she opens up about her experience and advice. Mindy shares three truths she holds on to when dealing with these anxieties as well as provides practical applications for when we find ourselves in these circumstances. She shares this comforting line, "we are all wanderers."   Click here for a link to Mindy's list of quotes and studies that she has compiled!   Still hoping to attend Lift Up Your Heart? You can register for St. George, happening on November 9th, and Salt Lake City, on November 22nd and 23rd by heading to magnifythegood.com/events. As a podcast listener, use code PODCAST10 at checkout for $10 off per registration!   Follow us on Instagram @magnifycommunity to continue the conversation.

Part of our mission at Magnify is to help each other be a force for good in our own spheres of influence. Sometimes that happens in ways we least expect it to. Celeste Mergens, the founder of Days for Girls, grew up in poverty. It was her understanding of what children going hungry felt like that led her first to her knees, and then to fill a need. She believes that the things you go through don't define you, but they can always bless you. Her superpower? Gratitude, and that's how she has learned to ask the right questions, listen when others are speaking, and lead with assuredness.   Celeste is the founder of Days for Girls—a non-profit whose mission is to increase access to menstrual care and education throughout the world. She's a speaker, who has been featured in magazines like Oprah's O Magazine and Forbes, an author, and an award-winning businesswoman. Celeste is also a wife and a mother to 6 children and 19 grandchildren, and she loves spending time with her family. She's currently serving with her husband as a mission leader in the Washington Everett mission.   Join us for our final Lift Up Your Heart events. Registration is open now for St. George on November 9th and Salt Lake City on November 22nd and 23rd. Use code PODCAST10 at checkout* for $10 off per registration. https://www.magnifythegood.com/events   *Does not stack with a group discount.

Did you know we have a bookclub? This month's pick was Rock of Our Redeemer by Elder David A. Bednar. Our community also does a public Zoom where you--yes you!--can join in and participate. This month it was hosted by Tammy Uzelac Hall. We decided to post the recording as a bonus episode where you can hear the host and members of our community jump in and share their thoughts on the book.

Whitney Archibald has been rock climbing for more than 30 years. She felt experienced and always followed safety precautions. But in the summer of 2023, she had an accident that changed her entire life. Through a series of small, seemingly insignificant mistakes, Whitney fell 30 feet to the ground. Miraculously, Whitney survived and was not paralyzed. This experience doesn't seem like the most obvious time to see miracles, but that's just what happened. Even through our most difficult and painful moments, and our most damaging mistakes, we can witness the miracles happening all around us if we open our hearts and let God prevail.  In this episode, Whitney Archibald shares her experience and how she learned about the not-so-obvious miracles through a painful experience. Whitney is a mom of five, loves being outdoors, and she also hosts and produces two podcasts. One for BYU called the Y Magazine Podcast. Her own is called How She Moms.    Join us for our final two Lift Up Your Heart events. We will be in St. George on November 9th and Salt Lake City on November 22nd and 23rd. As a podcast listener, you can use code PODCAST10 at checkout to save $10 per registration. https://www.magnifythegood.com/events  

In our lives, there are many scenarios we run into that feel polarizing or tricky to navigate. You might have someone in your ward that you feel strongly about because you disagree with their political viewpoints in the upcoming election, even though they hold a trusted calling. Or with General Conference just last week, perhaps you're running into conversations at the dinner table that get heated because of how some messages are being interpreted. Or as you're heading into the holiday season, you're gearing up for a snarky comment to be made at the extended family party about your parenting styles.  However, at Magnify, we strive to be a force for good, and a powerful way to do that is by being peacemakers, especially in these polarizing situations.  So, with this on our minds, we thought it would be timely to have a candid conversation about how to navigate polarizing situations in a more Christlike way. Brooke Walker is joined by Shima Baughman and Natalie Hill Jensen in this episode.   We've still got two Lift Up Your Heart events left! We're coming to St. George on November 9 and Salt Lake City on November 22 and 23! Register now and don't forget to use code PODCAST10 at checkout. https://www.magnifythegood.com/events

We're just coming off a spiritual high from General Conference weekend. And sometimes, despite our best efforts, this weekend isn't always the relaxing, sit-in-front-of-the-tv and let-the-rays-from-heaven-pour-upon-you kind of weekend. There's fitting in Saturday's errands and activities, getting family members together, learning to bake rolls as good as Grandma's once were, and trying to take notes and ponder on all the words of wisdom you receive. In short, it's sometimes exhausting! But here at Magnify, we're focusing on the joyful messages we heard and reflecting on the glimmers that came through.   Podcast producer is joined by Magnify contributors and community members Kaylen Nelson and Kathryn Davis.   Register now for Lift Up Your Heart! This weekend is in Idaho Falls! Use code PODCAST10 at checkout for $10 off your order (this cannot be stacked with the already discounted group pricing)!

We're diving in deep into a topic about how the temple is a place for healing. When we learn about and serve in the temple, many of us may assume that most people are serving in the temple for these three reasons: to feel peace, to serve, and to get answers. But have you ever thought about the temple as a hospital where people come to be healed? So when we were presented with this idea from today's guest, we were immediately intrigued. Today we're discussing how to make the temple a more intentional, meaningful, healing experience in your life.  Brooke Walker is joined by Dr. Wendy Ulrich. Wendy is a psychologist, professor, and author. Her book, The Temple Experience: Passage to Healing and Holiness, provides part of the basis of today's conversation.   Don't forget to register for Lift Up Your Heart! We will be in Idaho Falls on October 12th, St. George on November 9th, and Salt Lake City on November 22nd and 23rd. As a Magnify podcast listener, you can use discount code PODCAST10 at checkout (not as an access code) to get $10 off per registration! This code cannot be stacked with the already discounted group pricing.

We launched our latest book club last week and we are inviting you to be a part of it! We're reading The Rock of our Redeemer by Elder David A. Bednar. For this episode, podcast producer Sarah Collins is joined by Mindy Brown and Maria Eckersley. They are doing a little kick-off for the month to get you excited about the themes of the book! Then, next month, you can join in a Zoom meeting to discuss the talking points of the book with like-minded women in our community. That will be on October 24 and hosted by Tammy Uzelac Hall. You can head to our website for more in formation. Today, our main hope is for you to feel the power of what we learned from this book: how to build stronger connections with Christ and what it really means to build upon Him as our rock.   Follow us on Instagram @magnifycommunity for all things book club and more!   Head to magnifythegood.com/bookclub to join in!

In April 2024 General Conference, Elder Uchtdorf said something poignant, "Life is not an endless sequence of emotional highs." However, he went on to say that joy can be found every day. There are joys that God has given all around us that we can enjoy temporally. He wants that for us! But there is also a higher joy that can only come through living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This joy is an eternal joy! In today's episode, Kathryn Davis and Kalo Latu discuss tapping into that higher, eternal joy.   Join us for Lift Up Your Heart! We're coming to Phoenix on September 21st! Use code PODCAST10 at checkout for $10 off per registration!

This episode is one of deeper learning and understanding of a gospel topic you may have wrestled with before. In this episode, Deseret Book President Laurel Day is joined by Camille Fronk Olson, author, teacher, and scriptorian, as they discuss the question, "how do I know if messages from the prophet are revelation for the church or just good wisdom?" They discuss scriptural occurrences, modern examples, and the tension of knowing what is revelation from God and what is counsel and if that difference matters.    Camille has been a pioneer for women in the Church Education System— having spent her entire career teaching scripture, most recently as a professor and department chair for the Department of Ancient Scripture at BYU. Even though she's retired from teaching professionally, Camille is a popular speaker in various forums on Latter-day Saint beliefs, especially as they relate to women. She has written multiple books on the role of women in the scriptures and served as a member of the Young Women General Board and as a professor at the BYU Jerusalem Center. She loves traveling with her husband Paul, reading, and working in the yard, and perhaps most relatable: Camille loves a platter of nachos.    Have you registered yet for Lift Up Your Heart? Head to magnifythegood.com/events to register now! Use the podcast code PODCAST10 at checkout (not as the access code) for $10 off your registration! This code cannot be stacked for the group discount.

This conversation is so special because it's a reminder that the things that you're going through that often feel so heavy might just mean you're on the brink of something wonderful! That good things are around the corner. It's a message to not give up. And we're confident about this promise because of a scripture in James 1:2 to “count it all for joy."   In this episode, a new host to the pod Courtney Spencer joins fellow podcaster Tammy Uzelac Hall. Tammy is the host of Deseret Bookshelf Plus's Sunday on Monday podcast where she leads a Come Follow Me study. She is a mom, a wife, a teacher, and a lover of cheese.   Don't forget to register now at magnifythegood.com/events for Lift Up Your Heart: a Magnify Gathering and use code PODCAST10 at checkout (excludes already discounted group pricing).

In our community, we believe women can be a force for good in their circles of influence. One way they can do that is by being seekers of truth. In this episode, Laurel Day, President of Deseret Book Company, sits down with Sheri Dew, Executive Vice President and Chief Content Officer of Deseret Management Corporation, and she opens up about the life lessons she has learned through continually asking questions. Sheri left a mark on all of us when she served in the General Relief Society presidency. She's the author of many books including the recent Prophets See Around Corners as well as Insights From a Prophet's Life: The Biography of Russell M. Nelson.   Join us at the Lift Up Your Hearts events this fall by heading to our website magnifythegood.com/events and register now with code PODCAST10 at checkout!

We all want to make good things happen in our life, our hearts are full of the question, “are we on the right track?” And perhaps in pursuit of this righteous desire, we might be trying too hard. There's a saying “Let go and let God...” Is that something we could do more of?    Emily Snyder shares the story of getting engaged at 46-years-old. She gets vulnerable about how hard it is to embrace the unexpected, but that taking the leap has led her to a stronger connection with God. Emily's resume is a long list of amazing accomplishments: she was a sixth grade teacher, worked alongside Chip and Joanna at Magnolia (fangirling here!), has served on the Young Women's Advisory Board, and is currently a senior product manager at the Church. Brooke Walker hosts this amazing episode.   Have you registered yet for Lift Up Your Heart? Click here and don't forget to use code PODCAST10 at checkout!

We're talking about how to get on an upward spiritual spiral, using an out-of-the-box suggestion from President Nelson – to seek and expect miracles. And sometimes we don't realize that the miracles working in us are miracles of joy, peace, courage, hope and faith! And this is what we want you to spend a day with us thinking about. You're invited to Lift Up Your Heart, a Magnify Gathering. And for today's episode, we've gathered a few of our speakers from this event.     Deseret Book's director of Content Michelle Torsak is joined by event speakers Hilary Craner, Kalo Latu, Kaylen Nelson, and Shima Baughman as they share a little insight into what they have prepared for Lift Up Your Heart and how they are seeking and expecting miracles.   Register now for a city near you! Magnifythegood.com/events and enter promo code PODCAST10 at checkout!

There are so many things coming at us! In the hustle and hard of daily life, it can be easy to lose sight of the peace, relief, comfort, and joy that are available through Christ right now. So that's why we're inviting you to Lift Up Your Heart, A Magnify Gathering. It's a day-long gathering of Latter-day Saint women, meant to remind us of what we know—that Jesus Christ is our answer, and that we're not alone! One of our keynote speakers is Lisa Valentine Clark, and in this episode, you'll hear how she shares about how she is striving to be a force for good, what miracles look like in her every day, and how to focus on the lighter side of life! Brooke Walker hosts this exciting episode.   Register now for Lift Up Your Heart! Listeners get $10 per registration with code PODCAST10 at checkout!

Last month, President Nelson extended an invitation as he reflected his approaching 100th birthday. He shared about the significance of the number 100, and how it was used in the scriptures by the Savior in the parable of the lost sheep. “Though 99 of his flock were safely by his side, the shepherd went in search of the one who was lost.” The invitation then, is to go after the one.    To do that, President Nelson invited us to think about these three questions over the coming months: who do you know that may be discouraged? Who might you need to reconcile with or ask for forgiveness? Has one name been on your mind lately that you haven't known quite why? In this episode, podcast producer Sarah is joined by Maria Eckersley, Jordan Murray, and Aleisha McDaniel as they chat about how they've been responding to the invitation.   Register now for Lift Up Your Heart: A Magnify Gathering!

We are inundated with so much content everyday--both good and bad--and sometimes it's hard for something to breakthrough the noise. This conversation with Laurel Day, President of Deseret Book Company, and Sharon Eubank is one of those that we hope breaks through for you. Sharon redefined big concepts in this conversation like: what it means to be a humanitarian, what a miracle really is, and the power and purpose of our covenants.    Many of us first became aware of Sharon when she served as a former counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Sharon has an incredible view of the world through the work she gets to do in the humanitarian efforts for the Church and she is also a former business owner.     Register now for the "Lift Up Your Heart" events happening this fall. Go to magnifythegood.com/events now!