Leading Saints Podcast

Julie McAllister Hillyard was raised in Vancouver, Washington, served in the Philippines Bacolod Mission, and graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Psychology. She taught classes to male inmates and mentored female inmates at the Utah State Prison before and as she launched her career. Julie had the privilege of working and traveling with Dr. Stephen R. Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and worked with him as he developed and wrote The 8th Habit. She joined him as he consulted with leaders of countries and companies and helped him prepare and deliver presentations to audiences around the world. Julie has served in various teaching callings, including as an Institute instructor, Relief Society teacher and president, Sunday School and Gospel Doctrine teacher, and Young Women leader. She currently teaches a stake adult religion class and the high school seniors Sunday School class in her ward. Julie is married with three fabulous kids, owns a pickleball paddle company with her husband, and does consulting work in leadership and communications. She is also a host on the Teaching Restored podcast. Links Teaching Restored Podcast Teaching Sunday School with Questions | An Interview with Kevin Jones The Power of Learner Councils | A How I Lead Interview with Russell Rigby The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, by Pria Parker There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts here. Read the transcript of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 2:10 Kurt introduces Julie Hillyard, the co-host of the podcast Teaching Restored. She shares what the podcast is about. 4:00 Julie’s professional background and experience in teaching. She currently teaches the adult religion class for her stake. 6:20 She worked for Stephen Covey, the author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. She shares her experience. 11:00 Julie’s stake offers an adult religion class on Tuesdays and Julie teaches it. It’s for people that want to dive more into the scriptures together. It’s like an institute class for adults. 15:30 Inviting discussion can be a vulnerable way to teach but invites something special. Balance discussion and teaching. 17:40 Her class isn’t about teaching all the content of Come Follow Me but setting people up for further study at home. It lines up with the Come Follow Me lessons. 20:00 Finding simplicity on the far side of complexity. As a teacher you have to dig through the weeds to arrive at what you need to focus on in your class. Discussions can be rich if they are facilitated in the right way. 22:00 Best practices for teaching the youth Be real. No fluff. Don’t talk about the superficial stuff. Connect on a casual level before teaching them. Build their trust with you first. 25:20 How to be real with the youth when teaching them. Bring your vulnerability to get vulnerability back. Engage in their vulnerabilities and empathize with them. Make every individual in the class feel seen, heard, and valued. 27:50 Don’t try to do too much with the youth. Julie recommends not breaking off into groups but in pairs. It works better to get them talking and so that people don’t hide in the background. 29:40 When your problem is too much discussion and your lesson is going all over the place. Balancing lecture and discussion. 32:00 Instead of a teachers council create a learners council. Teach people how to be better learners. Lay ground rules as the facilitator of the class so that the conversation and discussion moves the class forward and not all over the place. 37:00 We can create a culture in Sunday school. It can be awkward depending on how the teacher responds to comments and the questions they ask. 39:40 Set rules of gathering. Have people consider if their comment is helping move the lesson forward, how long their comment is, and how many times they comment. 43:30 The reason you have rules of engagement is to create a safe space for everyone. A comment can connect people or disconnect people. 47:20 Creating connection in Sunday school. As a teacher you have the ability to hurt people and shut them down. You have to be very careful. Make people feel not just heard but understood. 55:20 Julie shares when she first started teaching she was so focused on teaching that she forgot about applying. The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Bar

Kempe Nicoll is the campus director at Eagle Gate College in Layton, Utah. He also manages the social media channels for Declare My Word. These accounts post gospel-related content intended to share light and truth, making it easy for social media users to share positive messages on their own feeds. Kempe served as a missionary in Estonia in 1996 and currently serves as a new Bishop in Bountiful, Utah. Previously, he served many years as a young men’s and Stake Mission Prep leader. He and his wife, Rachelle, are the parents of six children. Links Instagram: @declaremyword DeclareMyWord.org Instagram reel with the sister missionaries There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts here. Read the transcript of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights Coming soon The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Hailing from the heart of Utah, Joe Speredon’s diverse background and experience led him into leadership within men’s work. Having embarked on his own path of crisis and self-discovery, Joe discovered the healing nature of brotherhood and masculine support. From that place he founded the Utah Men’s Circle and later the Algiz Guard. Working with Sacred Sons and many other influential leaders and groups, Joe has had the opportunity to travel all over the world, meet men from diverse backgrounds, and guide them through their own healing and evolution as a coach, leader and inspirational speaker. Joe currently serves in the Church as a Sunday School teacher and as a stake emergency preparedness specialist. Links UtahMensCircle.com Instagram: @utahmenscircle Facebook: Utah Men’s Circle AlgizGuard.com Instagram: @thealgizguard Facebook: The Algiz Guard The Intentional Father: A Practical Guide to Raise Sons of Courage and Character There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts here. Read the transcript of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 1:40 Introduction to Joe Speredon and his background 4:20 Joe shares why mens work is so important to him and how he got started in it. 6:00 Too many men are suffering in silence. However, when men open up they will find that they are suffering with the same things. 8:00 We have the engine (elders quorum) but we don’t know how to turn it on. We need men to be courageous enough to open up during elders quorum. 10:00 What is brotherhood? We’ve had a cultural shift that the cool thing is to be a lone wolf. Men think they have to do it all and do it alone. 14:30 The war that we fight is mostly against ourselves. The idea of brotherhood is it’s me against myself and having brothers to help us be the best version of ourselves. 15:30 How can an elders quorum president stimulate brotherhood in Sunday meetings? Take off your own mask as the leader. Be open with your struggles. Be the first to be vulnerable and authentic and others will follow. 17:30 Joe created the Utah Men’s Circle, a gathering twice a month for a couple hours, a time to check in and talk about how you are really feeling. 21:40 Have less formal gatherings and activities to connect and have conversations. 23:00 Doing men’s work outside of elders quorum. We need to create a place for active and inactive members to connect without preaching. 26:00 The vilification of men and toxic masculinity 30:30 Due to wounding and conditioning and because they are mortal, men can turn into: The sadist, meaning I’m going to hurt you before you hurt me The masochist, meaning I’m going to hurt me before you can hurt me 32:00 To become more realigned is more than just getting your behaviors in check. You have to know where you are going and why you are doing it. 33:50 An archetype that gets thrown around a lot and is related to toxic masculinity is “king”. We can have a reframing of the word king by doing self work. 36:40 As a society we have lost a lot of rights of passage for young men. We need to be giving young men opportunities to set up from boyhood to manhood. 40:10 Resources for fathers and men to find ways to step up and change. 42:10 Unrighteous dominion is another way to say toxic masculinity. What exactly is unrighteous dominion? 43:20 We are teaching young men that what you do is not so much the problem but it’s about how everyone else feels about what you are doing. Instead, we need to help them focus on WHY they did what they did. 47:40 Joe wasn’t called to do men’s circle or help men but he reminds us that we don’t have to be commanded in all things and we should be anxiously engaged in good causes. The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

This is a rebroadcast. The episode originally ran in April 2020. John Hilton III was born in San Francisco and grew up in Seattle. He served a mission in Denver and earned a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University, where he met his wife, Lani. They have lived in Boise, Boston, Miami, Mexico, Jerusalem, and China. Currently they live in Utah, and have six children. John has a master’s degree from Harvard and a PhD from Brigham Young University, both in Education. John is a professor of Religious Education at BYU. John has published several books with Deseret Book, including Considering the Cross and his latest book, Voices in the Book of Mormon. He is also the author of the podcast and video series, “The Book of Mormon: A Master Class.” John loves being with his family, doing humanitarian work, learning Chinese, and performing magic. ©BYU PHOTO 2011 All Rights Reserved Links The Founder of Our Peace: Christ-Centered Patterns for Easing Worry, Stress, and Fear John’s article discussing this topic: A Fence Around the Law – Safety Net or Beam in Our Eye John Hilton III books John’s education research There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts here. Read the transcript of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 7:04 John quotes President Uchtdorf addressing the many “shoulds” and “should nots” that become a challenge in our lives. We can lose peace in our lives when we focus on admittedly good ideas, but aren’t grounded in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 8:50 What are “Fence Laws”? Imagine an unfillable hole in your backyard, which poses a threat to children who may fall in. You therefore put a fence around this hole, which represents sin. The fence represents the protective effort against anybody falling into the sin. 9:45 We are already protected from sins by commandments, which John refers to as “core laws”. Yet some still feel the need to add additional “fence laws”. E.g.: Core Law: The law of chastity, i.e., no sexual relations outside of marriage Fence Law: No kissing until the fourth date, and kiss will last no longer than five seconds Fence Law: No going into the bedroom of a member of the opposite sex 10:47 Some fence laws have prophetic sources, like those found in the For the Strength of Youth, etc. There is a goodness to fence laws as guided by the Spirit or other divine sources, like prophets. 13:57 Examples of positive fence laws 15:22 Dangers of focusing on the fence laws while forgetting the commandments: “I didn’t go into the bedroom of a member of the opposite sex, but I still broke the law of chastity.” Children need fences, but the choices should shift away from extrinsic fences to self-imposed fences. 16:50 Too many good fences can become a burden. 22:58 “Take my yoke upon you” meaning 25:49 Ward traditions that become fences 28:56 Allowing the Spirit to fill in the details around prophetic direction 30:14 Anecdotes where a personal fence laws caused harm: Unrighteous judgment Offending others Teaching others incorrectly 43:20 Fences should help us feel the Holy Ghost 45:50 Leading Saints’ contribution to fence laws: learning by seeking to understand the purpose behind a fence 48:14 How to step back from the rush to judgment 51:48 When to correct and when to ignore as leaders 53:10 Did we become members of Christ’s church in order to argue with others what true discipleship looks like? Paul, when using dietary habits as an example of arguing over something inconsequential, said “For meat, destroy not the work of God.” (Romans 14:20) 55:14 “The work of God” and your role, the bishop’s role, and our common goal. 58:01 Trusting prophets as “seers”, even if we can’t “see” the point of their counsel 1:00:08 Review of four key points: It’s good to have spirit-driven fence laws Some fence laws can be burdensome Know the mark: loving God and loving our neighbors Judging others over fence laws, and teaching doctrine 1:00:35 “Lord, is it I?” mode: Who needs to hear this podcast? Look inward 1:02:58 Upward empathy toward leaders 1:04:18 Conclusion The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as th

Jacob Hansen grew up immersed in and passionate about ideas about the world. He grew up near Sparks, Nevada, in a blue-collar family with parents who now serve as a State Senator and in the Nevada State Assembly. He served a Church mission to Argentina and attended both Brigham Young University and BYU-Hawaii, graduating with a degree in Operations/Supply Chain Management. He then partnered with another recent-grad to start a company that continues to grow. Jacob married his college sweetheart, Erica, and they have four children. He loves just about anything that takes him on an adventure. Find the follow-up to this podcast here: Part 2: Changing Church Culture by Gathering the Saints | Jacob Hansen and the Long Beach East Stake Links Part 2: Changing Church Culture by Gathering the Saints | Jacob Hansen and the Long Beach East Stake YouTube @thoughtfulfaith2020 “Creating Genuine Belonging: Could This Revolutionize the Church?” Thoughtful-Faith.com Facebook Thoughtful Saints group There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts here. Read the transcript of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 1:40 Introduction to Jacob Hansen, the creator of Thoughtful Faith YouTube channel. 3:10 A part of Jacob’s YouTube channel are formal debates. Listening to Christian vs Atheist debates saved Jacob’s testimony. 6:30 Contrast is what creates clarity. That’s why Jacob likes to talk to people that disagree with him and have debates. 7:30 Should most people debate? Formal debate is a skill set and not recommended for everyone. It’s not a good way to minister to someone. 10:00 Although argument doesn’t create conviction and belief, a lack of argument destroys the climate where belief can flourish. 11:30 Interest-based programs. Why are they important in the Church? We can combine values and people’s interests to create a great experience. 17:00 Ministry should happen at a ward level but when it comes to interest based activities you can do them at a stake level. Stop forcing people to go to activities they have no interest in. 20:30 We need to gather in these sub-interest groups for community and human connection between the saints. It’s not about entertainment. 22:00 How can Relief Society presidents and elders quorum presidents begin to implement interest-based activities? It can happen at the ward level but it’s easier for stake leaders because there are lots of people. 26:45 More people will engage in these interest-based activities because it’s actually something they are interested in. It’s also something that non members will show up to. Activities are a much better way to do missionary work. 29:30 These activities are not a ploy to get people baptized but we are bringing the Spirit into someone’s life and then they can decide what they want to do with it. We are facilitating opportunities and loving people. 34:00 Ultimately life is about being one with God and one with each other. The most valuable thing that we have in our lives is our relationships. That’s why we do what we do. That’s why we are building community and groups. 35:50 What about the budget? Start with activities that you don’t need a budget for, such as a yoga night or jujitsu night. 38:00 Why not just do these activities outside the church entirely? 38:30 What if your idea isn’t supported by the bishop or other leaders? 40:30 Liability for these activities. How do we deal with it? Create a simple waiver. 42:30 The point is not the activities themselves. It’s about the vision. 48:00 Thoughts on being a leader The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Doug McKinlay has a masters degree from Brigham Young University in Mass Communications, ran his own successful $35MM company for 17 years, and won national awards for advertising results and creativity. He has also taught as faculty at Brigham Young University for 16 years. Doug loves serving his fellow beings. In the Church, callings have included service as an elders quorum president, ward and stake Young Men president, stake executive secretary, stake high council, stake president and counselor, Regional Representative of the Twelve, mission president, and bishop. Links BYU Devotional: “The Approachable Master” There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts here. Watch on YouTube Read the transcript of this podcast Highlights 3:10 Introduction and background to Doug McKinlay 4:30 Doug shares his background of growing up in Utah. His career and leadership experience in the Church. He has served numerous callings such as stake president, counselor in the stake presidency, regional representative, and mission president. He is now 82 years old. 16:00 Getting called as stake president and calling counselors 20:20 Back in the day they used to fly stake presidencies into Salt Lake for leadership meetings in the Tabernacle. President Packer taught that the handbook is the what of church leadership and the scriptures are the how of church leadership. 21:50 When he was released as stake president he was called as a Regional Representative of the Twelve. Douglas explains the responsibilities and duties of this calling. 28:15 In the 80’s and 90’s they had regional conferences for all members and a member of the twelve would be there. As regional representative he would organize it. 29:30 As part of his calling, Doug was always there when a stake president was called and he also helped with training. 32:20 Doug helped President Hinckley find temple sites. 33:40 He served as regional rep for five years and then was called as mission president. Douglas describes the process and interviews he had before getting called. President Faust was the one who called him. 37:40 Doug was mission president in Tucson, Arizona. The mission was quite disobedient at the time and it took about a year to turn the ship around. 40:15 Shifting the mission culture. Making obedience cool. 42:15 Doug created doctrinal diagrams. Creating these diagrams helped with visual learning. 45:40 Get out from behind the desk and do what you proclaim. When Doug was stake president he figuratively released himself and called himself on a stake mission for a month. Focusing on mission work they were able to finally not only reach their baptismal goal but go over it. 49:50 What is your advice on having to get up and speak to an audience? Be timely and topical, as President Hinckley was. 52:00 He skipped being bishop and went straight to being stake president but in his sixties he was called as a bishop. 55:00 Doug is now 82 years old and is in a new phase of life. He gets to let others lead. 55:40 Doug’s final thoughts on being a follower and being a leader The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Ashly Leavitt has an associate degree in theatre and music, a bachelor’s degree in broadcast communications, and a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. After a 10-year career as an educator, Heavenly Father made it clear that He wanted her to shift to counseling and specialize in betrayal trauma recovery, relationship repair, and divorce recovery. Ashly loves helping those who have experienced betrayal trauma to discover and reconnect with themselves again. As a co-founder of Rejoice! Recovery, she enjoys using her educator and counselor experiences together to create classes on healing and relationships, leading discussions on boundaries, and co-hosting the podcast, Phoenix Forte: Connecting to Healing and Joy After Divorce. You can catch Ashly presenting at conferences and retreats. On Sunday, you’ll find her serving in her all-time-favorite calling as a Relief Society instructor. Ashly has previously served in Primary and Young Women’s Presidencies, but she’s been honored to serve by teaching Relief Society in multiple wards over the last 12 years. However, Ashly’s biggest accomplishment is managing to survive as a single mom of two. During her free time (if such a thing exists) you would find Ashly supporting the local theatre scene, playing board games with friends and family, participating in the Lamb of God Easter production on Temple Square, and laughing with her kids while they dance in the kitchen together. Links The Choice to Leave Abuse, by Ryan Anderson PsychologyToday.com There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts here. Watch on YouTube Read the transcript of this podcast Highlights 2:10 What is betrayal trauma? Why do church leaders need to understand it? 4:10 Ashly explains betrayal trauma and the sub-behaviors that come along with it. Betrayal trauma has lots of side effects on your health. 7:45 A common source of betrayal trauma is sexual infidelity. 9:00 The “hit by a truck” analogy. The importance of focusing on the person that was betrayed or wounded. Too often we focus on fixing the person that is looking at pornography or being unfaithful. 13:15 The other behaviors that normally come with cheating or viewing pornography. There are abuse tactics, such as lying, gaslighting, blaming, and defensiveness. 15:30 What is gaslighting? Making someone question the truth and their own sanity. Making them second guess themselves. A lot of women have their intuition saying that something is off but their husband makes them feel like they are crazy. 18:00 Often the shame spiral keeps people from telling the whole truth. They are scared of what people will think if they share everything that is going on. In cheating scenarios the wife feels something off but the husband says they are fine. 18:50 Bishops should work with the individuals instead of the marriage. Talk to the husband and wife separately so that they can speak their truth and get validation. 19:45 Everybody in the relationship is trying to maintain control. Wives try to control the behaviors and situations to feel safe and stop from getting hurt again. 22:20 The bishop isn’t supposed to be the one healing everyone. Don’t take on roles that aren’t yours. 23:30 What should leaders and couples consider when the betrayal bomb goes off? 25:20 A great question that a bishop can ask is, “How can I help you feel safe?” Prioritize safety and not the emotions of the betrayer. 28:30 The push from the wife to “punish” their husband by taking away the sacrament or membership council. They are trying to fix the problem but it’s not theirs to fix. 31:30 Shame makes people want to hide and not tell anyone so finding a safe place to share and a support group for those in recovery is important. 35:20 What can we do to help the children in these situations? 38:10 The importance of boundaries and the process of forgiveness 44:30 Appropriate disclosure and things leaders should keep in mind 46:00 Leaders want to save families because they are eternal but we need to keep in mind that the worth of souls is great in the sight of God. Focus on the person and the healing and put a pause on talking about eternal families. 49:00 The prize or end game isn’t to have a healed marriage but a healed person—having a person that feels connected to Christ. Even if the marriage ends in divorce, those healed individuals are still beautiful and miraculous. 51:00 How can bishops find the right help? Therapists need special training in betrayal trauma. Use psycologytoday.com and use filters to find the right therapist. 54:30 A resource that Ashly recommends is a book called The Choice to Leave Abuse, by Ryan Anderson. 55:30 Many leaders think that their ward is the exception and there aren’t abuse problems or pornography problems. There is so much more than you think. 56:45 Start having more conversations and break the taboo on talking about abuse. 59:30 Ashly’s

Aaron Jaussi grew up in Riverton, Utah, in “the best family that someone could ask for.” He is the second of five children and grew up an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Plant Science/Horticulture from Utah State University and currently works for Intermountain Farmer’s Association (IFA). Aaron and his amazing wife, Christa, have been married for nearly 14 years, have five great kids ranging in ages from 12 years to 10 months, and currently live in Payson, Utah. His church leadership has included service as a Young Men president, bishopric counselor, high councilor, and currently as elders quorum president. Links SonsofThunderProject.com Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret to a Man’s Soul There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts. Watch on YouTube Read the transcript of this podcast Highlights 3:15 Aaron is an elders quorum president in Payson, Utah, and is working on a side project called Sons of Thunder, a blog that is focused on men and helping them connect with positive masculinity. 4:30 Aaron shares his background. 5:30 Why Aaron started his project, Sons of Thunder. It began with reading the book Wild at Heart. Aaron shares things that resonated with him from the book and started him on the journey of self reflection and understanding manhood. 11:00 Those calls to do more or calls to repentance are a call to adventure. You can shift your attitude towards your duties and responsibilities as a man and church member. Think of all the people you can meet and help. 15:30 Starting his blog and website. How Sons of Thunder was born. The main purpose is for men to share their stories and thoughts on masculinity and other topics. 21:20 Elders quorum is refreshingly engaged. 22:50 How the Sons of Thunder shows up in his elders quorum and things that have made the quorum successful. 24:40 What makes a good elders quorum teacher? How do they engage the men? 25:30 Working together as an elders quorum presidency. Having consistent meetings. 27:00 How they do visits and interact with everyone active or inactive 28:30 Doing birthday cards and visiting people for their birthday 30:30 Annual men’s retreat. A great way for men in the ward to connect with food, games, and a devotional. They keep it simple. 32:40 Using group messaging for the quorum instead of just email 34:10 Wild at Heart can be a great resource to use as an elders quorum president to tap into the hearts of men and help them. 35:40 The gospel is individual. The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

In this solo episode, Kurt reflects on his suggestions from a series of newsletter messages for stake presidents. Links Read the newsletter messages related to this episode How I Lead as the Bishop’s Wife | An Interview with Alanna Francom Join the Leading Saints Community Watch on YouTube There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts . Read the transcript of this podcast Highlights 3:00 Be intentional about your leadership and it will reach more people. 4:00 Kurt served as a bishop and then served in a stake presidency. 5:40 Principle one – Lead the leaders NOT the stake 9:05 Principle two – Consider mandatory stake programs and themes 11:40 Principle three – How to lighten the load through overcommunication 13:45 Principle four – Minimizing targets 16:00 Principle five – Shepherding the lost 19:00 Principle six- Empower the stake Relief Society president 20:30 Principle seven – Being a stake president also has to do with the president’s wife. Invite her into the experience. 22:30 Principle eight – Take a three year reset The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Clint Argyle has served in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since his youth, in several quorum presidencies. He served a mission in Calgary, Canada, and more recently he and his wife served as full-time senior missionaries and director at the Oakland California Temple Visitors’ Center. He has also served as first counselor in a stake presidency, on stake high council, as a bishop, and scoutmaster/NYLT leader. Clint received his associates degree from Utah Valley University, bachelors from Brigham Young University’s Marriot School of Business, and is a humanitarian, investor, and entrepreneur, and enjoys doing good. He and his wife have four children and seven grandchildren and enjoy spending time with family and friends. Links There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Highlights 3:15 Clint’s background and his senior mission in Oakland, California. He and his wife served as visitor center directors for the Oakland temple. 7:00 The responsibilities of a visitors center director. Be full time missionaries Keep the operation running Train other missionaries Promote and market the visitors center to the local community 7:40 Clint has a background in business and marketing that he was able to use to help him know how to market the visitor center. He also got help from a friend to do digital marketing. He worked on creating a digital presence for the center. 12:00 When covid hit they went home and focused solely on digital marketing. They figured out how to do virtual tours on Zoom and were able to do 900 virtual tours. People were still able to have a spiritual experience online. 14:00 You can be a digital missionary wherever you are. 14:40 Something that is important to consider is that people are always looking for reviews. The three main places people look are Google Reviews, Yelp, and Trip Advisor. As members we can leave reviews for the temple, church building, and visitors center. They asked everyone who visited the visitors center to leave a review. 19:00 There are so many ways to do missionary work without having to awkwardly go talk to your neighbor. You never know if just leaving a review can help someone. 19:00 It’s powerful when members and missionaries work together as digital missionaries. The Idaho Falls and Oakland Visitors’ Centers took off thanks to reviews. 22:30 If you go to a church history site on vacation you can leave a review and that is your digital missionary work. Where else could you post about your experience? 26:30 Temple open houses are great opportunities for missionary work. Even before it’s dedicated you can help the google algorithm by driving over to the site using maps. Take pictures and upload them. 30:30 Does digital missionary work and marketing really work? Clint shares some of the results they have seen from just leaving reviews on Tripadvisor and Google. 35:50 Rules on creating websites and doing digital marketing. It has to be in conjunction with the church. 37:20 As a leader you can influence those you lead to leave reviews. You don’t have to limit yourself to one. You can be a light online. 38:40 Clint’s final thoughts on leadership The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Joy McCullough is a Protestant, Evangelical with a background in professional counseling. She is the wife of Pastor Jeff McCullough, the creator of the YouTube channel Hello Saints. She has four children and recently relocated to Utah from St. Louis. Joy spends a lot of time doing photography, thrifting, and playing violin, along with staring at the Wasatch Mountains. She completed her undergraduate degree in speech communication from Greenville University and received a Masters in Professional Counseling from Liberty University in Virginia. Joy is not afraid of her own or other people’s brokenness. She has a heart for creating space for people to come as they are and to find true healing and hope through authenticity and honesty, free from shame. Her faith in Jesus informs this passion and approach. Links @HelloSaints on YouTube Instagram: @hello.saints Share your thoughts HERE. Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Highlights 3:50 Introduction to Joy, a therapist and wife of Pastor Jeff from Hello Saints 4:50 What moving to Utah has been like as someone that isn’t LDS 6:30 Joy’s faith development and journey 10:00 The stigma of being a pastor’s wife and high expectations of other people 11:10 Advice to a pastor’s or bishop’s wife 14:15 Journey to becoming a therapist 17:00 Religion and shame. We don’t experience God’s love and grace through shame. 21:40 Helping someone through their shame 26:40 There is no shame in having a need or desire. You deserve to have your needs met and don’t need to feel shame. 28:30 When we feel broken we often feel shame. When people feel shame it’s because they have some sort of need. However, brokenness is an opportunity to receive and feel God’s love and grace. 32:30 How can a bishop help someone buried in shame? 34:00 Joy shares an experience she had as a teen with an abusive pastor. She carried shame from the experience for many years. However, she was able to heal by instead of saying what is wrong with me? But what happened to me? 36:00 We focus so much on the sin and behavior but we should ask what happened? Why are we going towards sin? What led to the addiction? 38:00 Sin destroys our identity. Knowing and feeling the love of God. Do you understand and feel your belovedness? 39:45 Even with grace our lives will not be pain free. We can experience grace but we are going to have to experience grief and sorrow. 41:00 Wounding and brokenness. We have to allow our pain to lead us to Jesus and not sinful behavior. 44:00 When we hyperfocus on the behaviors we bypass our hearts, we bypass our feelings and our emotions and try to achieve certain behaviors and what looks good on the outside but inside we are still a mess. We haven’t truly healed. 51:00 Showing up for people and lamenting with them. How can we do that when we haven’t experienced what they have experienced? 53:30 We shouldn’t try to pull people out of their pain but sit with them in their pain. We have to feel discomfort in order to heal. 54:30 Where there is shame there is also self hatred or contempt for others. One thing that transforms shame is compassion. 57:00 Joy shares how she has experienced Jesus in her life through trauma, wounding, and healing. “Jesus has held me together.” The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Jeff McCullough is a Protestant, Evangelical Pastor with the Christian and Missionary Alliance. He is the creator of a YouTube channel called Hello Saints where he chronicles his journey learning about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from a Protestant, Evangelical perspective. He’s married with four children and recently relocated to Utah from St. Louis He completed his undergraduate degree in Digital Media from a Free-Methodist school called Greenville University and received a masters in Biblical Studies from Moody Theological Seminary in Chicago. He has worked in pastoral ministry for over 15 years. Links @HelloSaints YouTube channel Instagram: @hello.saints Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Highlights 3:10 Kurt introduces his discussion with Pastor Jeff from Hello Saints Youtube channel and podcast. 5:15 Will The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the evangelical church ever merge? What would it look like? 7:50 Kurt’s background and starting Leading Saints 9:20 Kurt shares his insights on the evangelical faith as he has interacted with Jeff and they have had lots of discussions 11:15 Jeff’s wrestle with Latter-day Saint doctrine and all the doctrine that has been added in latter-day times. Evangelicals focus on the Bible. 14:30 How Jeff and Kurt have come together to share their faith and learn to be open to other faiths. 18:20 Are Mormons Christian? Why do people think we are so different? How we look at Jesus differently. 23:30 Jeff shares a perception that he had that Latter-day Saints are so focused on works, ordinances, and covenants that there’s zero concept of grace. 24:40 Kurt articulates what grace is to him and how LDS members see grace and how ordinances and covenants play into grace. 27:30 Will the LDS and evangelical faiths ever merge? What things would we need to overcome? 34:00 Evangelicals can’t get on board with things like modern-day prophets and the Book of Mormon but what things can we come together on? Aligning politically and culturally. 38:20 The difference between Latter-day Saints and evangelicals when a member of the family leaves the faith 41:20 Learn to be comfortable with the hard conversations and topics that come when comparing and talking about different religions and faith. There might be tension but we can sit in that tension and still be friends. 42:30 You don’t have to be a gospel scholar to be having these conversations on faith. At the end of the day, Kurt and Jeff have a genuine, authentic friendship and that is what it’s about. It’s about loving one another. The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Richie T. Steadman is a radio host, producer, actor, and founder of the Latter-day Saint podcast, “The Cultural Hall”, where he has been entertaining and informing since 2011. Richie worked for 16 years as the producer of the popular Utah radio show, “Radio from Hell”. He served a mission in Cleveland, Ohio, and lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. Richie T’s interests extend far beyond the studio—he’s passionate scholar of Mormon history and a dedicated husband. In this podcast, Richie T interviews Kurt Francom about his book, Is God Disappointed in Me?, and they talk about how we can teach and lead without creating shame. The Lisa Show, photographed by Justin Hackworth Links Is God Disappointed in Me? The Cultural Hall Never Giving Up on the Lord (Even When You Want to) | An Interview with Richie T. Steadman There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Highlights 3:45 Introduction to Kurt’s book, Is God Disappointed in Me? Kurt talks about why he wrote the book. 9:15 Guilt vs shame. What’s the difference? Shame is an attack on the divine identity. It’s more than just feeling bad. 11:00 Kurt shares his experiences as a young bishop and not understanding shame and how to help people with it. 13:30 When we want to change we hyper-focus on behaviors. However, first we need to have acceptance of who we are and the identity we have been given and God loves us as we are then we can really change. 15:10 How can leaders help people not feel shame but focus on divine identity instead? 19:15 Kurt shares an experience as a bishop. Some people walking into the bishop’s office don’t need the checklist of things to do or the conference talk to study in order to change. They need empathy. They need to heal wounds. They need to feel God’s love to help them change. 24:00 Who is Kurt’s book for? What can people get from it? 26:30 Have you ever felt that God was disappointed in you? How did you work through it? Kurt shares his personal experience of shame and feeling that God and his parents were disappointed in him. 35:00 The process of writing a book 37:30 One of the reasons Kurt was drawn to write a book is because it’s not just about knowing the gospel but being able to articulate the gospel. 38:40 How it feels to have a book out in the world. What’s the feedback from people? 41:40 I don’t want to be in a high demand religion. I want to be in a highly redemptive religion. We want people to leave church feeling like they are happy they went and not like wow I’m never good enough for those people. 42:50 Let’s stop focusing on behaviors in our church but creating a place where people just feel loved. 45:00 Are we embracing grace differently now? 46:50 Establishing a grace-filled home and in our relationships 49:50 Kurt talks about his calling as ward podcaster. The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Kevin Jones currently serves as a bishopric counselor and has served as a stake executive secretary, high counselor, stake young single adult advisor, elders quorum president, Young Men president, Seminary and Institute teacher, and just about any other teacher calling in the Church. To help members become more effective gospel teachers, he co-hosts the Teaching Restored podcast and video series. He is also in the finishing stages of writing a book about how to use questions when teaching the restored gospel. Professionally, Kevin is a professional speaker, advisor, and entrepreneur, having worked with all sizes of businesses on their culture and employee engagement. He lives at the mouth of the beautiful Columbia River Gorge outside of Vancouver, Washington, with his wife and eight kids (although there are only two left at home). Links Teaching Restored podcast Liz Wiseman: The Power of Not Knowing Liz Wiseman interviews with Leading Saints There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 2:45 Kevin shares his background in teaching and training organizations. He has done this professionally and within the Church. He always wants to improve things and help teachers teach. 5:30 Kevin has a podcast called Teaching Restored. He focuses on how to teach and how to help people learn. 8:10 The power of questions and preparing good questions. Everything can change with a good question. 9:50 The power of binary questions (similar to closed-ended questions). Ways to use these questions in your teaching and to get to a certain point. 15:30 There are factual questions. Factual means that there is a correct answer. These questions are typically ones that we don’t want to use in a classroom because they are so basic. However, in some cases they can still be very powerful. 19:00 Explanatory questions and introspective questions. Questions that make us answer from our heart. 20:20 Building the silence into your introspective questions. Be ok with the silence in order to go deep. 22:40 Transformative questions. These are questions that you don’t plan but they just happen. Questions that change your outlook on everything. It’s on the learners side whether it’s transformative or not. 26:30 How to use the different kinds of questions when teaching. Lead with questions instead of content. 29:20 Asking the right kind of questions 34:10 Changing your tone when asking the question can change the meaning and feeling. You can also change one or two words in a question to make it more powerful. 38:00 Working one-on-one and leading each other The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, Marjorie Nelson Lowder grew up as the 9th of 10 children of President Russell M. Nelson and Sister Dantzel White Nelson, surrounded by music, books, art, faith and lots of love. She loves to spend time creating, being in nature and gathering with her family and friends. She is an artist, vocalist, and the author/illustrator of a book based on a favorite lullaby her mother used to sing. Links Pudding on the Moon Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Highlights 2:15 Kurt introduces Marjorie and her background. Daughter of President Nelson and his late wife Dantzel White Nelson. 4:50 Marjorie wrote a children’s book based on a lullaby that her mother used to sing to them. Her mother was a great singer. 8:20 Dantzel’s background and childhood. She grew up in Perry, Utah. How she met President Nelson. 11:00 Marjorie’s memories of her mother. She was masterful at creating beautiful traditions and gathering her family together. She created fun events like family olympics and themed family dinners. 16:00 Marjorie was one of ten children. She shares her memories of their family dynamic and what it was like to have a busy surgeon as a father. 20:00 Marjorie’s teenage years and the dynamic with her mother 22:40 Dantzel sang in the Tabernacle Choir for 20 years. Marjorie takes after her mother and has been very involved in choir. Music was something that was very special in their family. 25:40 When her father operated on President Kimball 27:00 Marjorie’s advice to women that feel like they can’t live up to what other women are doing and the comparison trap that we fall into 30:10 Finding out that her father had been called as an apostle and finding out in conference 32:00 Dantzel adjusting to life when her husband was called as an apostle 33:40 Marjorie’s relationship with her mother as an adult 37:50 Marjorie’s memories from the 20 years her mother served and traveled with her father when he was an apostle 39:15 The passing of Dantzel Nelson. Things that helped them through the time of mourning and grief of losing her. 42:00 Marjorie’s book, Pudding on the Moon 44:50 Marjorie sings her mother’s lullaby, Pudding on the Moon The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 600 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

This is a rebroadcast. The episode originally ran in September 2019. In this episode, Leading Saints Executive Director Kurt Francom, shares his closing session from the Liberating Saints Virtual Summit. He approaches the subject of supporting and mentoring someone through a difficult struggle with pornography, from a doctrinal standpoint. This concept eventually became Kurt’s book, Is God Disappointed In Me? Links Is God Disappointed In Me? “The Atonement Works for Me”: One Couple’s Recovery from Sexual Addiction Brené Brown TED talk: Listening to Shame James’ story on the Unashamed, Unafraid podcast The Heart of Man movie clip The Heart of Man movie Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 3:00 Approaching the topic from a doctrinal standpoint 4:20 Behaviors vs doctrine/heart 5:15 “The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior. Preoccupation with unworthy behavior can lead to unworthy behavior. That is why we stress so forcefully the study of the doctrines of the gospel.“—Elder Boyd K. Packer 6:40 Change the heart, leading to a change in behavior 8:00 How Satan tempts us, catching us in our own traps by creating contention in our hearts (Doctrine & Covenants 10:12, 10:26, 10:63) 11:10 Satan’s attack on our identity causes contention (Moses 4:11, Matthew 4:3) 14:00 Setting our own trap (example from The Lion King) 17:15 Steve’s story of overcoming addiction 19:40 Satan uses shame to alter identity “As a shame researcher, I’ve learned that wherever perfectionism is driving us, shame is riding shotgun.”—Brene Brown 22:20 “What does that say about you as a person?”—Sam Tielemans 23:15 The adversary’s work and glory is to destroy the agency of man. Shame leads to altered identity which leads to a lack of agency. 24:55 “I am an addict” “No one wants to be defined by their hardest struggle, and so we have to find this really interesting space between owning it and identifying it but reject being labeled by it and reduced by it.”—Brene Brown 27:00 Does this reduce or expand the individual’s identity? 29:50 Examples of Tom and Tim in the bishop’s office 33:10 A change of heart leads to good behavior Offer hope Explore doctrines (especially mercy and grace) Admit you can’t “fix” them Define the purpose of the behaviors (CPR: church, prayer, read scriptures) Turn them towards their Father Overwhelm them with connection 44:20 Story of James 47:45 Disappointment: another tactic of the adversary The principal’s office, the dentist’s office, and the bishop’s office 51:10 Contention created when we believe God is disappointed in us 52:30 Can God be disappointed? Can God be surprised? Doctrine & Covenants 3:1-3 Doctrine & Covenants 10:67 “Repentance isn’t His backup plan in the event we might fail. Repentance is His plan, knowing that we will.”—Elder Lynn G. Robbins 57:10 Example of learning to walk and falling down “This shepherd, our Good Shepherd, finds joy in seeing His diseased sheep progress toward healing.”—Elder Dale G. Renlund “A car is made to run on gasoline, and it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run on himself. He himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other.”—C.S. Lewis 1:01:15 Kurt’s scripture study shame cycle example: “You could _______ and I’d still love you.” 1:05:45 “The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us.”—C.S. Lewis 1:06:20 John 14:16 1:07:50 The Heart of Man movie clip: Think of the violin as commandments and covenants 1:10:10 If ye love me, hold on to my commandments Abraham 3:26, Doctrine & Covenants 78:18 Alma 33:16 Romans 8:38-39 1:13:50 Luke 15:20 When he was yet a great way off The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Grant Collins graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho with a degree in Accounting and is the director of People Operations at Nimbl. At Church he is currently an elders quorum instructor and has previously served as first and second bishopric counselor, Sunday School teacher, and elders quorum president. Links “Giving is a Skill” podcast on Apple and on Spotify. JustServe.org Offering Love & Acceptance to All | A How I Lead Interview with Dave Olsen There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 3:10 Introduction to Grant and his work and podcast, Giving is a Skill 7:00 People wait till they are rich or retired to get involved with giving. 7:45 How Grant got involved in philanthropy and giving 9:30 If giving is a skill how does one develop it? 11:50 The challenge with YSA members is that they aren’t seen as adults. We need to give people the chance to serve so they can grow. 13:45 How do leaders help people get involved? Set expectations and agreements before giving out a calling and then follow up with them to see how it’s going and make sure that they are following through. 17:20 The misconception that young single adults are too busy. However, because of automation and working at home we actually have more time than ever but its being sucked up by social media and Netflix. We have to learn to distribute our time and pour back into our community. 21:30 Setting up infrastructure in a college YSA ward. Set up clear agreements and follow ups. Let people know what to expect and make sure they are ok with it. 22:45 How can we help students in a heavy career period to invite them into the grass roots giving experience that the church offers? 24:50 Don’t dismiss individuals that seem too busy. Continue to follow up with these individuals to serve. Maybe it’s not the right time to serve but maybe in two months it will be the right time. We can’t shame or guilt people into serving. Give them a choice and respect them. 30:30 We focus too much on people participating and doing a calling that we forget that the focus should be on gaining a relationship with Jesus. Help people with their conversion. 33:50 We shouldn’t be inventing callings so that people can serve. See the ward as a vehicle to make an impact in our communities. Make an impact outside of what is going on in church on Sunday. 35:35 Grant shares how they have been able to connect and bless the community and get young single adults involved in giving. It helps members feel connected and involved. 41:10 Making an impact beyond your ward and your calling. People don’t need a formal calling to be able to serve. Make connections with groups in the community and serve there. 45:45 All we need is Google to find projects and groups in the community. Leaders should find a way to connect with these groups. 47:30 The leader’s role isn’t to solve the problems and bring the solution to the community. The leader’s role is to find the problem, bring it to the community, and invite everybody to solve it. 49:10 YSA wards get treated like EFY. We need to give them space to solve problems and be involved. It shouldn’t be a hand-catered experience. 53:20 What if people could count on our word? How could it change their experience? 58:00 Instead of what wondering “What would Jesus do?” think of “Where Jesus would be?” If you know where He would be then you can understand better what He would do. The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Dean Andersen has served as a counselor in a stake presidency, high councilor, Seminary teacher, scoutmaster, and bishopric counselor, among many other callings. He was recently released as a stake president. He speaks Japanese, French, and Spanish after serving a mission in Japan, living in France while working for a French company, and serving with three Spanish-speaking wards in his stake. Dean and his wife Colleen live in Houston, Texas, where he works as a CPA/CFO. They have eight children and 28 grandchildren. Links “Pressing toward the Mark”, by Elder Edward Dube There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 3:10 Introduction to Dean Anderson and his background. 4:30 Getting called as stake president when their plan was only to be in that area for a year. Dean was over an inner-city stake with a lot of students and a lot of immigrants. 7:10 The difficulty and unique dynamic of having a lot of students in the stake 10:20 Choosing counselors for the stake presidency. Dean had only been in the ward and area for six months so he didn’t really know very many people. 11:00 Dean’s leadership experience and the unique circumstances of their stake. Switching from an all-Spanish stake to integrate English and Spanish wards into a new stake. Starting a stake from scratch basically. 17:40 The difficulty of finding bishops 19:15 Principle one – Focusing on your inadequacies is actually selfish 22:40 Principle two – God can do amazing things through weak, simple and flawed servants that keep humbling trying 24:40 Dean shares a story of a bishop that felt completely inadequate and shocked when he was called but eventually flourished in his calling and is now a counselor in the new stake presidency. 26:00 Principle three – As priesthood leaders we can only be effective according to principles set forth by section 121. Kindness, gentleness, meekness, love unfeigned, etc. 29:10 Principle four – God doesn’t punish people 35:10 Things that Dean has found that work for running an effective stake conference 38:50 Dean reflects on his time as a stake president and the miracles he has witnessed. The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Thomas Wirthlin McConkie is an author, developmental researcher and meditation teacher. As a teenager, he met his first teacher and has been practicing for over 25 years under masters in the traditions of Sufism, Buddhism and Christian contemplation, among others. Thomas is the founder of Lower Lights School of Wisdom, a nonprofit organization committed to sharing ancient and modern teachings from the world’s Wisdom traditions. He is currently researching and writing on the topic of transformative spiritual practice at Harvard Divinity School. He lives with his wife, two kids, and rescue dog. Links Atonement: Embodying the Fullness of Human-Divinity (Deseret Book) Atonement: Embodying the Fullness of Human-Divinity (Kindle) Where to Start When Members Doubt | An Interview With Thomas Wirthlin McConkie Creating Space for Those We Lead | An Interview with Thomas Wirthlin McConkie There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 4:05 Introduction to Thomas Wirthlin McConkie. The work that he is doing. New book called, At-One-Ment. 7:00 Atonement is a really powerful invitation to join ourselves to God and with divine life. 8:20 What would you say to a room full of leaders? Embody the fulness of our divinity. 13:00 I’m inviting people to pay attention in a new way and see what divine realities reveal themselves. Thomas shares a meditative exercise to do this. 15:30 Meditative, grounding practices help us slow down, experience the divine and help us turn off our brain and feel with our spirit. We are thinking too much. 18:00 To the skeptical person that feels uncomfortable with Thomas’ approach: We are allowing love to do love’s work to actually open our hearts. It’s less about the eloquent words you say but where those words are coming from. 21:15 What gets in the way of love? How can we show love? 22:50 Go 5% slower. Say fewer words and be vulnerable. Let silence make us a little nervous and uncomfortable. As leaders we don’t have to have quick answers. 29:00 Thomas shares an experience going to conference to hear his grandfather speak. Elder Wirthlin gave the talk Come What May, and Love it. At the time Thomas was not active in the church and he talks about how his grandfather’s talk changed and touched him. 33:00 “What changed my heart was my grandparents’ simplicity.” After 20 years he woke up and decided to go to church. It was simple. 34:10 Leaders that want to help others come to church. Thomas talks about how he never felt a shred of anxiety from his Wirthlin grandparents when he wasn’t active in the Church. They gave him a lot of space and grace that eventually gave him a mighty change of heart. 37:10 Slowing down 5% in our leadership and administration. There is no formula on how to do things. Part of the vulnerability is saying, “I’m not going to know ’til I get there.” Have faith that something deeper to come through you. 39:50 You might need to slow down 5% or speed up 50%. If we slow down it will allow the Spirit to speed us up in the moments that we need to speed up and slow down when we are trying to go too fast. 43:30 The teaching moments of parenting and the painful growth there 45:30 Mindfulness and relationships. Helping people feel felt and known. A divine love. 54:20 What does At-one-ment mean to you? The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Shawn Edwards has spent nearly 25 years in brand marketing, including roles at Kraft, Clorox, and Microsoft. He currently manages a marketing consulting firm he founded in 2012. His work with both small and Fortune 500 companies alike has helped him find his love for a good brand, a good logo, and a good t-shirt. Shawn currently serves as a bishop and has previously served as bishopric counselor, stake high counselor, elders quorum president, and ward mission leader, among others. He has been trying to be called as a Primary teacher for over 30 years, but that remains elusive. Shawn currently resides just outside of Denver, Colorado, with his better half, Carrie, and their three children. He loves to wakeboard, snowboard, and has never met a pint of Haagen Dazs he didn’t like. Links There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 2:40 Introduction to Shawn Edwards, bishop of his ward in Colorado. He grew up in Sandy, Utah, but didn’t grow up in the Church. It wasn’t till college that he got active in the Church. 6:00 Getting called as bishop right as we were getting out of the covid pandemic. Shawn decided to focus on unity during that time. 7:40 Creating unity in the ward with branding. Shawn even designed a logo and t-shirt for his ward. Shawn teaches the importance of brands and how it is about creating new thoughts and perceptions in the ward. It was about creating a mental shift with the members. 11:30 How to establish a brand in your ward. Ways to reinforce your brand. 12:50 Keeping your brand and message alive in the ward. 13:45 An initiative to help his ward focus more on Christ was creating a 90-day challenge to read the Book of Mormon together. It’s a movement to help everyone come together. 15:00 As a way to drive temple attendance they created “Faith Fridays”. 15:40 Engaging the presidencies in the ward. Shawn likes to focus on empowerment instead of dictating what they do. 16:20 The concept of WE not I. Approach a situation in order to support the ‘’we.’’ 18:50 Servant leadership is about bringing out the best performance as they do what they need to do. 20:30 Making the bishop’s office approachable. 23:45 Other ways the Shawn has made church more approachable. For example, wearing more casual clothes to activities and firesides. Keeping things lighthearted. 27:00 As a leader we bring out the best in others as they come unto Christ. Just like a good coach we have to do the same in order to help others. The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Bryan Summers was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. He served a mission in Carlsbad, California, and earned a Master’s Degree in Library Science at the University of Wales-Aberystwyth. He was a county librarian in Yuma, Arizona for 12 years, and is now a mortgage broker in Saint George, Utah. Bryan has served in the Church as a nursery leader, ward mission leader, elders quorum president, and bishop. He is currently a teachers quorum assistant. He and his wife have been married 24 years and are the parents of three boys and three girls. Bryan enjoys backpacking—especially the Timberline Trail on Mount Hood—and once spent three weeks wandering around the Kurdish areas of Northern Iraq and Eastern Turkey. Links Acts of the Apostles: @actsofapostles_ The Talmage Story There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 1:45 Introduction to Bryan Summers 3:00 Things that Bryan learned from being a bishop. The importance of feeling the Spirit. 4:40 Bryan has started a project, Modern-day Acts of the Apostles. He researches apostles and shares his favorite stories on his page. 13:00 Leaders should take a little time to read the apostles’ biographies. It can be comforting to read about the apostles’ experiences. 15:20 Stories on James E. Talmage. Be careful of the stories you hear. 16:30 Albert Einstein was friends with Henry B. Eyring’s dad. The Mormon Scientist is a great book to learn more about it. 17:20 James E. Talmage’s biography was written by his son. 18:00 Most well known for his book, Jesus the Christ. He wrote the book in just 7 months. 19:20 When James Talmage was an apostle, they would have him speak when there was a hostile crowd. By the end of his talk people were in tears. 20:00 He was brave first and also had a lot of compassion. Early stories on James’ childhood and upbringing in Britain. 24:20 The story of James’ schoolmaster who hated the Church. He got beat a lot for challenging his schoolmaster and stood up for his convictions. Yet he remained friends with the schoolmaster as an adult. 26:00 The story of James’ college friend who constantly teased him for being a prude. 28:40 He was a scientific lecturer from an early age. 31:00 A story from when James was the president of the University of Utah. He would do things over and over again till he resolved something. He was very resilient. 32:50 James was almost like an Indiana Jones of the western territory and went on expeditions to unknown places in the Utah desert. He became a celebrity of the scientific world. 35:50 He was a part of many scientific societies, which was a very big deal back then. 37:00 One of the most popular stories of James E. Talmage. Compassion mixed with bravery. 41:00 The Lord calls you to be you. He was called to be mission president in Great Britain in the height of the anti-Mormon sentiment. He went newspaper to newspaper and became friends with editors from all the different hostile newspapers that were printing anti-Mormon articles. The stories began to stop thanks to him. 45:40 The story of when President Grant tried to teach James to play golf. He was convinced that he needed to take up more recreational activities. 48:40 When writing Jesus the Christ, James was in the temple 24/7. He wrote it in just 7 months and 5 days. 49:00 The death of James E. Talmage at age 70. He passed away from complications of strep throat. This was 10 years before penicillin and was deadly if not treated right away. 52:30 Stories on John W. Taylor, one the apostles excommunicated for polygamy. 55:20 “Being a leader showed me how dependent I was on the Savior.” The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Angela Okada earned a Bachelor of Arts from BYU and a Master of Arts from the University of Utah, both in Speech Language Pathology. She worked as a speech language pathologist in a northern Virginia school district lived for six years before moving back to Utah, where she continues to work as a school-based SLP. Angela has four nieces and a nephew who she absolutely adores, and she enjoys reading, watching college sports, and trying new restaurants with friends. She has served as a missionary in the Georgia, Atlanta mission, a Young Women counselor, temple ordinance worker, and as a Relief Society counselor and president in both a young single adult ward and a geographic (family) ward. Links There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 2:40 Introduction to Angela. We need more content for single adults in the Church, not just young single adults 4:30 Getting called as Relief Society president and getting started in a new calling 7:50 Angela talks about her feelings on getting called as Relief Society president as a single adult in a family ward. 9:15 The principles of effective leadership are the same whether you are single or married. 11:00 Angela would love to hear more ideas on how building connections relate to sisters that are married. Start with things that you have in common Listening builds connection and then forms a friendship 13:25 Angela shares how they assigned ministers in the ward. It’s important to mix up the sisters. Young and old. Single and married. 15:00 Creating relief and refuge in the Relief Society. How do you do it? 18:00 Mothers Day can be a hard day and create anxiety for some. Angela shares a message that she sent out to the sisters in her ward. 21:00 It’s hard to find a balance to make sure that single sisters feel included. But also how can we also focus on strengthening husbands and wives? Focus on Jesus Christ. Whether you are married or single, Jesus is the one that strengthens us through his Atonement. 23:30 More ideas on including singles more in the ward while still balancing the focus on families and strengthening husbands and wives. Angela shares how her ward was only having husbands and wives speaking month after month. We sometimes unintentionally exclude people. 26:50 Working together with the bishop and elders quorum. What has worked well? 28:20 How do you balance work life and church service? 29:20 Angela’s church service has expanded her heart to love people that she normally wouldn’t be buddy-buddy with. The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Bryan Hurd earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Accounting from Utah State University and has been a realtor for almost 20 years. He lives his motto, “Be the most positive person I know,” and attributes much of his success to a positive, can-do attitude and surrounding himself with “A” players. Bryan and his wife, Chandi, have four amazing boys and you can find the Hurd family at an RSL soccer game, the swimming pool, out on hiking trails, the library, or in the backyard enjoying life together. Links The Evolution Project Warrior Heart BHurd in Utah There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 1:45 Introduction to Bryan Hurd. Kurt’s realtor and friend. Kurt’s moving miracle! 6:30 Bryan has great relationships and connections with his clients. He makes everyone feel like they are his best friend. He takes time to listen and ask questions. He makes people feel important. 9:45 There are 3 types of guys in the elders quorum. Connecting with the guy that you don’t normally see. The dude I never see The dude I see but he’s checked out The dude that’s there and trying to do the best he can. 13:30 The blessing of being with a youth. A youth leader can be as influential to a youth member as their parents or maybe in some cases more so. That is sacred. 14:10 What’s sacred about elders quorum? Most men don’t have more than 3 friends. We have the opportunity to create that connection. 15:45 Bryan felt the call to help more of the men around him and in his ward. Bryan shares his story and where this call came from. 19:45 A common fallacy is that external success creates internal happiness. Having divine discontentment. 22:15 The best way to heal a broken heart is to put it to work. Working on yourself. 28:30 What is The Evolution Project? How did it start? Bryan’s job is to organize everything and God takes care of the rest. If a man goes in nature then God will find him. The Evolution Project isn’t therapy but about providing men experiences that are transformational. 36:00 Bryan shares an experience of one of the men at one of The Evolution Project events. 38:45 Three principles or rules that The Evolution Project focuses on. Have a safe environment. Don’t share people’s personal stories outside the group. I statements: Own your story. When someone speaks, you don’t have the right to cross-coach them. Ask first. 43:20 Men just need to talk it out. Someone to listen. They don’t necessarily need therapy or coaching. 44:30 Seeing the 3 evolution project’s rules in your next elders quorum meeting. Noticing when there is cross coaching and not using I statements. We need to create rules and boundaries in these meetings to create safety so that people feel safe to open up in front of others. 47:00 What do we need to understand about grace? 49:40 More on the next The Evolution Project events and Warrior Heart events. 52:45 You can’t lead people where you haven’t been. We have to go through hard times to help others. The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Sisters, step into your positive influence era! Leave the self-doubt, insecurities, and perfection behind so you can have the impact you were always born to make. Join us for a 7-week live online discussion series with Jessica Johnson, where we discuss ways you can feel better prepared to lead in all aspects of your life, including callings, career, and in the home. Classes start Thursday, February 1st at 7:30 pm (Utah time) and continue each Thursday until March 14th. Reserve your spot in the Women’s Discussion Series now! In this series, Jessica Johnson will lead you and others through discussion points related to the following: How the Savior leads (and how to emulate it) How to deal with conflict How to have crucial conversations How great women in church history have led How to be resilient How to improve communication and influence And so much more! You get to meet and discuss with other women each week and have the chance to practice what you’ve learned between the sessions. It will help to increase your positive influence wherever you are. Get ready for weekly check-ins on your goals and the opportunity to meet and interact with other outstanding women, just like you. Clear your Thursday nights for a discussion series that has the opportunity to make a deep impact you and those around you. Trust me. This isn’t something you’ll want to miss. So invite your sister your mom your Relief Society for an enriching 7 weeks of life-changing discussions on leadership for life with Jessica Johnson. Reserve your spot in the Women’s Discussion Series now!

This is a rebroadcast. The episode originally ran in June 2020. Skye Fagrell lives in Queen Creek, Arizona, but grew up in Los Gatos, in the San Francisco Bay Area. He and his wife, Jacque, met at Brigham Young University, where he studied Visual Arts and coaching & teaching physical education. They moved to Arizona when he was offered a position teaching Seminary in Tempe. Skye is the author of More Fit 4 The Kingdom. At the time of this podcast he was serving as a bishop. Links More Fit 4 The Kingdom: Gain the Spiritual Strength the Savior Emphasized by Following the Training Program He Utilized Skye Fagrell’s Leading Saints articles: Becoming More Fit – Strategies for Growth in the 4 Youth Areas of Focus Inspired Counsel Includes Strategizing for Success Overcoming Crashes Through Christ There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Listen on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 6:40 Skye’s journey to becoming a seminary teacher 9:20 Where the book started: measuring and quantifying fitness 13:55 Story of Milo of Crotan and the bull: the overload principle and how he translates it to spiritual concepts Elder Bednar’s story of the tires spinning in the snow until the heavy load was in the truck 16:55 Striving How the concept of striving has been incorporated in the temple recommend questions Taking a productive pause so that we can progress We need to have confidence in the grace of Christ, but we gain that confidence as we are striving 23:00 Analogy of the course of life and running a race Elder Renlund quote: “Once back on the path, it’s as if we were never off.” Comparing ourselves to others leads to low spiritual self esteem 26:55 Story of snowboard cross athlete Lindsey Jacobellis’ first showing at the Olympics 31:30 Fusing the motivation of striving with grace Luke 2:52 — The four areas of the Savior’s growth D&C 93:12-13 — Grace for grace and grace to grace: an exchange and progress D&C 45:3-5 — Christ is the advocate and when He represents us it becomes about Him, not about us 43:10 We need to focus on balancing all four areas: wisdom (intellectual), stature (physical), in favor with God (spirituality), in favor with man (social)—work/life balance 53:50 Goal-setting strategies MOREFIT: a goal-setting funnel 1:09:10 Overcoming plateaus: story of Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and changing the frequency of his stroke Change either the duration, frequency, or intensity to break out The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Jeff and Jami Downs are the authors of Streaking: The Simple Practice of Conscious, Consistent Actions That Create Life-Changing Results. Both have served in numerous leadership callings, Jami as a Primary president, Young Women president, and currently as a Relief Society president. Jeff has served as a Seminary teacher, in every role in the bishopric, and on the stake high council. Jeff and Jami speak regularly to youth groups, young single adults, single adults, married couples, and many more on the power of consistency in increasing your faith, strengthening your relationships, and excelling in your profession. Jeff and Jami have seven children, and you can see what they do in their life every day, week, and month, by downloading and following them on the Streaking app. If you want to join them in streaking the scriptures, click here to download the Streaking app and start your own scripture reading streak. Links Streaking: The Simple Practice of Conscious, Consistent Actions That Create Life-Changing Results The Streaking App The Streaking Podcast There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Scriptures referenced in this podcast: Alma 37 Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 1:50 Introduction to Jeff and Jami and the story behind their book Streaking. Setting different streaks. 8:40 There are a lot of books on habits but Jeff couldn’t find that the suggestions were helping him. He explains the difference between an intentional decision and a habit. 12:00 Why does streaking work? The ways it activates the brain 12:45 The 3 laws that helped Jeff and Jami as they were streaking Make it laughably simple Keep a record of it Create a community 17:00 Jami set a ministering streak. Some streaks are more private and some more public. She tried to do something with ministering everyday and she did it even without an assignment. 19:50 “Ministering isn’t this grand thing that I do all the time. It’s a journey and it’s a journey of how I treat other people and how I’m changing inside.” 21:45 We have to be careful that shame and guilt isn’t the driving reason for trying to change our behavior. Jami talks about ways that she addresses the guilt and shame and has worked to change it. 24:00 Jami had been very unsuccessful at journaling. She tried year after year and couldn’t make it stick. She found that committing to a single sentence everyday and making it laughably simple helped she stay consistent. 26:40 Overcoming the natural man by yielding to the prompting of the Holy Ghost. The promptings are small and subtle things normally. Creating streaks helps us overcome the natural man by helping us feel like we are winning and succeeding instead of losing. 30:15 We can apply the idea of streaking for the individual that is in the bishop’s office trying to repent. Stop focusing on the sin. For example, don’t look at pornography. It actually makes us think about it more and feel guilty when we mess up. 31:40 Sometimes we just need something to get us started and then we end up keeping going. We don’t want to get started because the mountain seems too big to climb. 32:45 The brain science behind streaking and creating habits 33:40 What do you do when you miss a day after doing it over a thousand days? How do you overcome shame and guilt? 40:10 Setting a ministering streak. Small ways you can focus on ministering every single day. 40:45 Creating a streak with family history. Just opening the app and understanding how it works can be your daily activity. Jeff talks about how the streak drastically changed his contributions even though he only did something very small everyday. 42:15 Jami talks about creating a streak for family history and how it helped her reconnect with her biological grandfather. 45:40 The scriptural basis of streaking is in Alma 37. 47:30 Does the gospel cause you intense overwhelm? It shouldn’t. We need to step back and reset. 50:30 There are 3 types of streaks Lifetime streaks This time of life streaks Challenge streaks 53:20 Streaks don’t cause shame, Satan causes shame. Remember that ‘don’t’ streaks don’t work. For example, don’t eat sugar. Don’t watch pornography. Overcome sin with ‘do’ behaviors. Do good one drop at a time. 57:15 It’s not a very good idea to put time limits on things. We think that if we do something long enough then it will just be a habit but really we still have to be intentional about things our whole life. Some things are just not automatic. 1:00:10 Jeff and Jami’s book isn’t about creating habits or doing something for a long time but it’s about becoming something. It’s also not about what we should be doing. Who do we want to be? 1:05:30 Using the principle of streaking as a leader with an organization. We shouldn’t try to set streaks for other people but we can do it for ourselves with things that relate to our callings. We can also help people that are strugg

Travis Hunt is the founder and creative director at Madeby, IPER, and Explanimate!. He has a degree in Screen Production and a master’s in Digital Design. In the Church, Travis has served as a Seminary teacher, Gospel Doctrine teacher, bishopric counselor, and bishop. He currently serves on his stake high council. Links There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 2:30 Introduction to Travis Hunt 5:00 The church in Brisbane, Australia and some of the struggles they see 7:20 Serving as bishop and what Travis’ ward was like 10:50 Principle 1 – What you bring you will eventually see in the ward. Creating a more welcoming ward. Travis brought his own energy and personality to his calling. 21:20 Principle 2 – Kindness. People feel welcome and wanted no matter what. This can happen in so many ways but as a leader sitting with people empathetically. 23:30 Putting aside the administrative side of the calling and making sure you see people and talk with them 25:00 Anxiety peaks for a lot of people on Sunday. They feel overwhelmed and Travis really wanted to change that. Is church a place that is worthy to receive everyone in whatever state they are in? 27:30 What Travis’ ward did in sacrament meeting to manifest their vision of creating a more warm and welcoming ward 30:00 Leadership needs to make their vision very very clear. All the leaders in the ward need to understand and see the vision. 34:20 Principle 3 – Propinquity. After covid, Travis’ ward needed to grow back together and they would get together as much as possible. Find the beautiful in other people. 41:30 Principle 4 – Lower the bar and increase participation. It might be controversial but let’s make the bar so low that it’s impossible not to reach it. People feel like the bar is so high that they are afraid to participate. So in some cases we really need to lower the bar. 44:30 We can also lower the bar with callings. Do people need to be perfectly worthy to have a calling? So many people are sitting on the sidelines that want to participate but aren’t given the chance. How can we enable people to serve instead of limiting them? 46:40 There is a temple standard of worthiness and a chapel standard of worthiness. Chapel worthiness is if you walk through the door then you are worthy. 47:20 When you are called as a leader you inevitably stretch. Being refined as a person. The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Simon Fagg lives in Colchester, England, and runs his own leadership development consultancy. He is an executive coach where he helps his clients lead their teams more purposefully. For the last 25 years he has been facilitating learning and strategy workshops to some of the world’s leading companies, enjoyed working in nearly 40 different countries across the globe, and has learned so much from different national and organizational cultures. A lifelong member of the Church, Simon’s service includes a full-time mission to England Birmingham, bishop, stake president, stake Young Men president, and FSY director. He currently serves alongside his wife as an assistant national director for communications in the UK. Simon loves to learn, sing, read, walk, ski and play volleyball. He and his wife Leah are the blessed parents of six daughters and one son, and grandparents to three wonderful granddaughters. Their youngest daughter was stillborn 20 years ago and this bittersweet experience was transformational for their family and faith. Links LinkedIn: Simon Fagg With Leadership After Dinner Leadership There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 3:45 Introduction to Simon Fagg, his professional experience, and experience in church leadership 9:20 Simon’s perspective on the dynamic of church leadership. The differences between leadership in the church and in business. 12:30 How do we motivate people to get their ministering done or serve more? 16:30 Infusing individuals with purpose to help motivate them. Hearing vs. doing. 21:20 Come Follow Me was announced and we assume that everyone was on board but there is a lot more to be done and steps in between hearing about something and then actually doing it. 22:20 Identifying barriers that prevent you from achieving a goal. You have to take your foot off the break to be able to accelerate. 25:30 We have a great purpose in the church but sometimes we forget that individuals are finding purpose outside of it. These individuals aren’t doing as much in the church. How can we help these people? 30:00 Think of what you are going to bring instead of what you are going to get. For example, instead of wondering what you are going to get out of sacrament meeting you should bring an open heart and mind. Reach out to someone new. 32:00 Building others to be able to serve in your capacity when you are released. How can we prepare our replacement? 36:45 The handbook says, “Being a faithful disciple in order to help others become faithful disciples is the purpose behind every calling in the church.” 38:20 Having tough conversations to help others in their discipleship and leadership 44:45 Jesus Christ sees people deeply. We need to figure out how to do this too. 49:00 Challenging others to change in a loving way. Seeing people with an eye of faith. 53:10 Simon shares a story of inviting someone to change. 56:50 Preparing the rising generation 1:07:00 Three leadership principles that Simon wished he knew sooner. The first is quiet leadership. 1:09:30 Simon shares his final thoughts on leadership and service. The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

John Walters grew up in Utah after moving there when he was eight years old. His parents are converts and one of his earliest memories is being sealed as a family when he was six years old. John joined the Marines and served for six years, including two one-year-long deployments. He served a mission in Peru and earned a BA in Psychology and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Utah. John now lives in Houston, Texas, where he works as a sales leader for a large oil and gas company. His greatest joys come from his wife Angela and their four kids. John has served in many callings, including as a Primary teacher, in a Young Men presidency, in several elders quorum presidencies, as a high councilor, and currently as bishop. Links The Intentional Father: A Practical Guide to Raise Sons of Courage and Character There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts in the community HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 2:30 Introduction to John and leading the youth as a bishop 5:00 It all starts with mindset 6:30 A youth leader needs a vision for what they are looking toward as they usher the youth along in their own journey. The youth program is a preparatory phase. 7:00 What is the Aaronic Priesthood actually preparing you for? 9:50 Having a mindset and vision of how you are preparing the youth for their future. John shares his mindset and vision for the youth in his ward and talks about the importance of articulating the vision. 12:00 John shares a personal experience of working with a young man that was struggling. Instead of focusing on getting him to go on a mission, he focused on him having special experiences with Jesus Christ. 16:00 There are some common misunderstandings with the youth program. What does it really mean to let them lead? 20:20 An integrative approach to the youth program. The four intentional questions: Know – What do we want them to know by the time they leave the youth program? Do – What do we want them to be able to do or skills do we want them to have? Be – What kind of person should they be? Experiences – What kind of experiences do we want them to have had by the time they graduate the youth program? 21:55 Some examples of applying the four intentional questions 24:55 As youth leaders in the ward you can build as much or little structure into the youth program as you need. Use the four intentional questions to help cover the touch points that you have. 27:00 John shares some examples of using the four intentional questions in his ward. One of the skills they have identified the youth needed was to be able to interact and talk with other people appropriately. They plan activities and conferences to focus on this need. They plan with intentionality. 29:50 Customizing the youth program especially for the youth in your ward. You can change things up. John’s young women didn’t do a traditional five-day camp because they couldn’t find a week where everyone could be there. They broke it up into five one-day camps. 34:30 Leadership is a journey and collaborative effort. It takes time to gain some traction in your new calling. 37:15 Meetings between the bishopric and the young women’s presidency. John explains what they discuss and focus on in their meetings. 38:40 How do you focus on the youth and not get caught up with other things in the ward? 41:00 John shares his final thoughts on how leadership has changed him and made him a better follower of Jesus Christ. The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 700 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Let’s look back at 2023, look forward to 2024, and answer some commonly-asked questions about Leading Saints and its future. This is Part 2 of a two-part podcast. Listen to Part 1 here. Links The Leading Saints Community Subscribe to the Leading Saints Newsletter About Leading Saints 5 Reasons Negative Church Culture Exists Unashamed Unafraid podcast episode with Kurt Francom The Cultural Hall Podcast This Week in Mormons Podcast The Art of Manliness Podcast Faith Matters Podcast Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret to a Man’s Soul by John Eldredge Warrior Heart Boot Camps There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Scriptures referenced in this podcast: Doctrine & Covenants 128:9 Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 1:10 In 2024, Kurt will be doing more firesides and traveling. Not always based on leadership but on other topics. 3:45 Find retreats near you. The podcast is great but going to a live event is a more of a transformational experience. 5:15 Why are members not anxiously engaged nor showing signs of having the gospel rooted in their hearts like the pioneers did? Never mistake an ability problem as a motivation problem Never mistake a character problem for an ability problem or motivation problem Find more on this question in the motivating saints library People are in different stages of life and we have to have grace for them 11:40 Do you know whether or not you and Leading Saints are on the radar at church headquarters? If so, what kind of reaction has there been? Leading Saints is a trusted independent advocate of the church Kurt has had the opportunity to talk to several members of the seventy 16:30 The four pillars of Leading Saints We connect leaders Enhance leadership ability Present leadership scholarship Celebrate divine guidance 18:50 What is the most practical leadership principle that you have learned that you wish that church leaders would apply in their service? There is nothing more important for a leader than to establish relationships with those they lead Facilitating autonomy. Don’t micromanage other leaders and anxiously engage your ward council. The connection between trauma and sin Revelation isn’t what you think it is 28:40 5 reasons for negative church culture The lack of self awareness Lack of ability Negative mindsets Lack of exposure Misunderstanding doctrine 31:35 How can we encourage leaders to discuss and train adults and youth about sexual abuse prevention, personal safety, boundaries, and what to do if it happens? 34:30 Do you think Leading Saints and other podcasts like it strengthen people’s faith? 38:20 Do you think that members realize that there are spiritual battles out there with real bad spirits? 40:40 How can I be a part of Leading Saints? 41:20 How do you deal with people that talk too much in meetings? 43:45 How is the cash flow to Leading Saints going and how does Kurt get paid? 49:20 Do you think that it’s a good idea to put together a scripture reading group among the adults, especially teachers, to help promote involvement? Or is that just more meetings? 52:00 How do you accept people as they are? What is a way to sideline your bias? 53:40 How does or can your content help members that don’t want to lead or don’t have the personality traits for it? 55:40 Kurt’s favorite podcasts 56:35 What can women do to better support the men, especially the elders quorum? Encourage them to have adventures and have connections with other men Read Wild at Heart by John Eldridge The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 600 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Let’s look back at 2023, look forward to 2024, and answer some commonly-asked questions about Leading Saints and its future. This is Part 1 of a two-part podcast. Listen to Part 2 here. Links The Leading Saints Community Subscribe to the Leading Saints Newsletter About Leading Saints 5 Reasons Negative Church Culture Exists Unashamed Unafraid podcast episode with Kurt Francom The Cultural Hall Podcast This Week in Mormons Podcast The Art of Manliness Podcast Faith Matters Podcast Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret to a Man’s Soul by John Eldredge Warrior Heart Boot Camps There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 3:30 The story behind Leading Saints and how it started. Kurt’s first leading experience as an elders quorum president in his singles ward. 5:50 Kurt poured himself into his calling and did some good things but also made a lot of mistakes. He gave the typical guilt trip lesson about doing home teaching and got no results. 8:30 After getting married, Kurt moved into a ward and was called to be a counselor in the bishopric and then as high priest group leader. He started looking around at all the leadership books to find ways to improve and understand leadership better. 10:20 May 26, 2010 is the birthday of Leading Saints. It started as a hobby blog where Kurt would read a leadership book and try to apply it to leadership in the church. After four years he turned it into a podcast and did interviews. 12:30 The process of starting Leading Saints and taking it full time. Kurt really had to hustle and do a lot of side jobs when starting Leading Saints but he really had a vision of what it could be. 14:30 What can we expect from Leading Saints in 2024? New website and creating more community within Leading Saints 16:30 Leading Saints hack: Where to find the most downloaded episodes and where to start if you are a new listener Listen to Part 2 here. The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 600 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Russell Rigby was born and raised in Vancouver, Washington, served in the Mexico City South mission, and helped open the Cuernavaca Mission. He attended Western Washington University where he majored in Accounting and met his wife. He later received a master’s in Taxation from the University of Washington and currently works as a tax manager for Paccar. Russell has two sons, ages twelve and ten, and has served in Primary, the Young Men program, a Spanish branch presidency, and as a financial clerk. He is now serving for the first time as a Sunday School president. Links There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 03:20 Introduction to Russell Rigby and getting called as Sunday School president. 05:30 Starting his new calling by picking really great counselors to work with and dreaming up big ideas. Going beyond the normal. 06:40 Making a difference as the Sunday School president. They expanded the idea of teacher councils and identified certain groups that needed help, not just the teachers. 08:20 The scripture that has inspired Russell in his calling is Alma 31:5. The word of God has a more powerful effect on people than anything else. 10:30 Stimulating discussion in presidency meetings. Russell talks about how they structure their meetings. 14:45 Russell and his presidency did counsels with different groups in the ward. They didn’t just focus on teachers but also on presidencies and some of the youth. Very isolated counsels to get to know the needs of each organization and make the discussions more relevant. They got a lot of positive feedback from all groups. 16:45 Meeting with all the different groups was a little overwhelming but they manage by doing four groups a month and dividing it between two Sundays. They split up their presidency to do the different discussions. Basically they meet with each group once a quarter. 19:00 How they approach the councils. They are there to be facilitators and stimulate the ideas and discussions. Build off each discussion and check in to see how things are going. 26:00 Creating a safe space to bring up concerns. That is one of the reasons they decided to meet as small groups in their learner councils. 28:00 Finding ways to engage with members in the ward through scriptures They send out a weekly email with a scripture plus a ward bulletin. 30:25 Creating group councils where meaningful and relevant discussions can happen 31:30 Russell and his presidency are trying out a new idea with google docs where groups can add to the google doc and share ideas between meetings. 36:00 Russell shares the impact that serving has had on him and made him a better follower of Jesus Christ. The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 600 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Kyle Turner is a pharmacist and clinical faculty member at the University of Utah where he researches and teaches courses in leadership. He spends much of his time as a consultant and trainer in leadership development for Intend Health Strategies, a non-profit dedicated to enhancing leadership team dynamics in health care settings. Kyle is currently serving as a counselor in a bishopric and has served previously as a stake Sunday School president, branch presidency counselor, in a ward Young Men presidency and Sunday School presidency, and as ward clerk. He and his wife Katelyn have three children. Links Teaching Through Better Stories in Sacrament Meeting Talks & Lessons | An Interview with Matthew Dicks Intend Health Strategies Contact Kyle There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 01:50 Introduction to Kyle Turner. His career, calling, and his experience in healthcare leadership development. 04:15 What is relational leadership? 06:30 Where do we start with relational leadership? We have to raise our level of awareness so that we act with more intentionality. 07:30 How do you create more self awareness? 11:20 Kyle shares more examples of relational leadership and awareness. 12:30 When you aren’t the one in charge but you want to create more awareness and share ideas on how to improve. 15:00 There are simple ways to share our stories and there are easy frameworks we can use. Kyle shares ways that we can make sharing our stories less awkward and integrate them into our elders quorum or relief society lessons. 21:20 When sharing a story or having people share their story, keep it to 2-3 minutes. Get to the point and make it easy for people to pay attention. 24:50 Questions to use to help people use the framework challenge, choice, outcome. How leaders can change the lesson dynamic by helping people share their stories. 32:00 Connecting the head and heart through story sharing. We are calling people to action in our church meetings but we aren’t engaging the heart. 33:40 Embedding announcements in stories to help people remember and be more engaged 36:30 If you are teaching or speaking, think about the one point you want to get across, a story that goes with it, and what’s the how associated with it. Engage the senses. 38:40 The story of now. It’s a call to action. You frame the nightmare if you don’t act and the hope if you do. 42:50 Stop trying to push an agenda but build a community. Stories help us learn more about each other and get past the surface talk. 44:10 One issue in the church is that we are built on a foundation of behaviors and there isn’t a connection there. Focusing on behaviors doesn’t propel an organization forward like stories do. Stories help us see people as people. They aren’t just a ministering assignment or a random person in the ward. 48:15 Kyle shows an example of sharing a story. Sharing a challenge, choice, and outcome in 2 to 3 minutes. 56:50 Kurt also shares a story from his mission. 1:02:40 Kyle’s final thoughts on leadership and how it has brought him closer to Jesus Christ The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 600 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Emily Poaletti grew up in southwest Wisconsin, went to Brigham Young University-Idaho and got a vocal music degree, then moved with her husband to Northwest Arkansas. She has taught private voice lessons for eight years and has been the music director for five different children’s musicals. Emily has served as a ward choir director, ward music coordinator and stake music coordinator, as well as in Primary, Young Women, and Relief Society presidencies. She loves having the chance to sing with others of faith, and served on the music committee for the Bentonville temple open house and dedication this year, also directing one of the dedicatory session choirs. Emily is the parent of five boys. She loves to be in nature with them and convinces them to sing with her at least once a day. Links Putting Jesus at the Center of Your Ward | An Interview with David Butler Music Library: Hymns How to Send Mass Text Messages on iPhone There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 4:40 Introduction to Emily and her calling as the stake music coordinator. She has spent the majority of her adult life in musical callings along with having a degree in music from BYU-Idaho. 8:10 The story of getting called as the stake music coordinator 10:00 Emily has a team around her that she calls her worship team. It’s a unique calling that you can decide how to set up. She has an organist, secretary, and an events planner. 14:00 Music is a unifying force. Music teaches doctrine. When we are singing together, we are worshiping together. 17:20 Defaulting to an intermediate hymn. Should leaders do it or is it just tradition? 19:30 Teaching the children doctrine through the primary songs that they will carry throughout their lives. These songs can unify families and congregations. 21:30 Be careful about traditions. Is it actually helpful and unifying or just something that we are used to doing? 22:50 Meticulous preparation. There is a lot of prep work in this calling because it involves a lot of events. 25:20 Emily shares ways they were able to be more effective with time and getting everyone checked in quickly. 27:50 Don’t overthink the music that you are going to prepare. Going straight to the hymn book can be just as powerful. 29:10 Inspire saints to use their talents. 31:00 Get the youth involved! They want to contribute and be involved. 33:20 Prelude musical numbers help set the tone of the meeting. Having an instrumental prelude is low stress for the performer and can be a great way to help people share their talents. 35:45 Using technology in her calling. For example, using google forms and QR codes for people to sign in with large groups. Documenting using google documents. 37:45 Emily loves using the markups tool on the iPad or iPhone. You take music and easily edit it for a musical number. 39:50 The iPhone shortcut gives you the ability to mass text everyone but the replies don’t go to everyone. It’s similar to a group text but not. 41:50 On the Church website they have the option to change the key of a hymn. 44:20 A great app that might be underutilized is the sacred music app. It’s very easy to make a playlist. 47:00 Emily shares her final thoughts on how her calling has impacted her and made her a better follower of Jesus Christ. The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 600 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Jim Kasen has degrees in Organ Performance and Interpersonal Communications from Brigham Young University, a Master of Social Work from the University of Utah, and a Masters in Choral Conducting from BYU. He is a licensed social worker, recently retired as Director of University Relations at BYU, and is the author of the book To Belong to Him. Jim first served as a branch president in the Philippines Manila Mission, and has served in branch presidencies at the Provo Missionary Training Center, in elders quorum presidencies, in a bishopric, four times as a high councilor, and as a music director, choir director, and organist many times on the ward and stake levels. He has also served on the Church Music Committee, as a guest organist at Temple Square, a member of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, and in many other assignments such as directing choirs for general conference and on the hymnal submission review sub-committee. Links To Belong to Him There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Scriptures referenced in this podcast: Ether 12:27 Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 2:10 Introduction to Jim Kasen and his story 8:15 Moving forward with his struggles with same sex attraction and faith. Jim felt like he couldn’t abandon his faith. However, he did feel like he had to abandon his sexuality. 12:00 Weakness is a state being. God only gives us good things. Things to help us learn, grow, and stay close to Him. 17:30 Jim gives his advice to church leaders as a person that struggles with same sex attraction, anxiety, and has been single his whole life. 25:00 You don’t want to be administered to, you want to be ministered to. 27:40 The individuals you are leading belong to Jesus Christ not the church. Church leaders don’t always handle things how God wants but the Atonement of Jesus Christ covers those mistakes. 34:00 The church is the vehicle to get me where we need to be. We choose to get in the car and Jesus is the driver. We might not agree with everything that the church does but we can give it to Jesus. 39:30 See the church for what it is and be ok if people need to unplug from the church for a bit. Some people need to step away in order to reset. The truth is that the church does cause hurt sometimes. 42:15 We’ve become immune and disenchanted with the word repentance. What we need to ask ourselves is if we are willing to change. There is a lot of agency in being born here and being born again and we need to respect that. 43:20 Leadership and pride. A leader should never say been there, done that. 47:00 Jim reads a letter written to him by a friend about learning from life’s lessons. 49:30 Jim’s book is about his journey. It’s not a standard or formula for others to live by. It gives us lessons on weakness and mortality. 51:15 What Jim would say to someone that says it’s not worth it to stay in the church and that he should have explored his sexuality 56:30 Jim’s final thoughts and testimony The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 600 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Wilson Wu was born and raised in New Zealand, a convert to the Church, and served in the China Hong Kong mission. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce in International Business and works as a claims manager for a public health insurance company, Accident Compensation Corporation. Wilson currently serves in his bishopric and has previously served as a Young Men counselor, branch clerk, counselor in an elders quorum presidency, ward executive secretary, elders quorum president, stake executive secretary, and assistant stake clerk. He and his wife have one daughter. Links There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 02:40 Introduction to Wilson Wu from New Zealand. He shares his conversion story. 05:30 Wilson tells about how Leading Saints helped him through a dark time in his life during 2021 08:00 What the Church is like in Wilson’s ward and stake in New Zealand 10:00 Wilson’s advice to someone that has been called as a counselor in the bishopric 12:30 Principle one – Be where the Spirit guides. Wilson shares his own experience of being where the Lord wants him to be and accepting that. 19:20 Wilson shares an experience he had being where the spirit wanted him to be when he was the elders quorum president. 22:30 Principle two – Being willing to serve in the invisible callings. Serving quietly and giving the glory to God. 27:00 Principle three – Loving the people that you serve 34:40 Principle four – To be a great leader you need to be a great follower The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 600 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Dr. Steven C. Wheelwright is the Edsel Bryant Ford Professor of Management, Emeritus, Harvard Business School. Since his retirement from Harvard, he and his wife, Margaret Steele Wheelwright, have presided over the England London Mission, served at Brigham Young University-Idaho, presided over BYU-Hawaii, and presided over the Boston Temple. Steven taught at INSEAD—a private business school in Fontainebleau, France, the Stanford Graduate School of Business where he also served as the chair of the Strategic Management Dept., and the Harvard Business School where he also served as a senior associate dean overseeing the MBA program, then overseeing faculty planning and development, and concluding as chairman of HBS Publishing. He has held endowed professorships at both the Stanford Graduate School of Business and at the Harvard Business School. Steven and Margaret reside in Oakley, Utah, and have five children, 20 grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Links The Wilford Woodruff Papers Images from The Wilford Woodruff Papers: Wilford Woodruff, Mar 8, 1849, Boston, Massachusetts, Wilford Woodruff, Apr 16, 1894 Latter-day Saint MBA Society Podcast: Steven Wheelwright Wilford Woodruff’s Witness: The Development of Temple Doctrine There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 2:00 Introduction to Steven. He explains how he is involved with the Wilford Woodruff papers. 2:50 What are the Wilford Woodruff papers? He wrote 10 times what Joseph Smith wrote. He kept better notes than anybody else. 8:50 Wilford gave about 4,000 discourses but never wrote them down. He believed to only teach by the spirit. 11:40 Missionary work and consecrated service. He joined the Church when he was 26. His first mission was Zion’s Camp, soon after he got baptized. 20:50 He felt called to record everything that took place. He said that he felt like a fish out of water until he got something recorded in his journal. The Wilford Woodruff papers are very important to Church history. 21:45 The impact that the Wilford Woodruff papers has had on FamilySearch. There are about 20,000 people mentioned in his journals. There are about 53 million descendants of these people that have been found so far. 24:00 Another thing that is unique to Wilford Woodruff is that he wasn’t afraid to open his mouth. Steven tells the story of when Wilford taught at an inn. 28:30 Stories of when Wilford goes on his mission to England. He was always willing to do and say what the Lord wanted of him. 31:30 He was an amazing example of exact obedience. More stories of Wilford’s mission. 34:00 Recap of Wilford’s service, mission, and marriage 40:20 Wilford and his work in the temple. He became the steward of everything that went on in the temple and helped write down all of the ordinances. There was a continual refinement of the temple ordinances thanks to Wilford. 43:30 When John Taylor died and Wilford was to become prophet. It took two years to organize the first presidency because they were not unified. Wilford was patient and waited for everyone to be unified in the decision. He wanted things to be done in the way of the Lord. 48:10 2,500 pages of the Wildord Woodruff papers have been published. For those that want to get involved: You can help with transcription, verification, and getting the papers published online. It can be done remotely on your computer. Sign up for the newsletters to get updates. You can donate to help pay the interns and make the work go faster. 53:00 How has learning about Wilford Woodruff helped you become a better follower of Jesus Christ? The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 600 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

This is a rebroadcast. The episode originally ran in July 2019. Wendy Ulrich is a psychologist, educator, and writer. She holds a PhD in Education and Psychology from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the University of California, Los Angeles. A former guest on the podcast, Wendy is the founder of Sixteen Stones Center for Growth and has been a practicing psychologist for over 25 years. She is a former president of the Association of Mormon Counselors and Psychotherapists and a visiting professor at Brigham Young University. Wendy and her husband Dave Ulrich presided over the Canada Montreal Mission and have three children and eight grandchildren. Links Live Up to Our Privileges: Women, Power, and Priesthood The Why of Your Calling | An Interview with Wendy Ulrich Sixteen Stones Center for Growth There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 00:48 Wendy’s background as a psychologist 01:21 Her book Live Up to Our Privileges discusses “What does it really mean for women to have priesthood power”? How do we get it in our lives and use it effectively? 03:49 How can leaders better understand the experience of women in the Church? What can Wendy share about the female experience of feeling dismissed at church? 04:47 The work of women is often invisible and misunderstood. 05:05 Women and men have different styles of communication. Women may find being talked over (a male communication pattern) to be dismissive. 06:21 Women can feel dismissed by the structure of the Church or even the text of the scriptures. 07:02 The book is structured after the organization of priesthood offices. Why? 07:44 The work of women is also captured in the work of priesthood offices. 08:39 In many cases women do more of the work of priesthood offices during the natural course of their lives than men. 09:12 Christ was not a priest. He did not hold the priesthood of his day. 09:50 Women who may not see themselves as holding priesthood may find something to learn from the Savior’s example and authority. 10:39 Women can say I am doing what I’m doing because of the authority I’ve been given in my calling, my temple endowment, my home, my assignments … I have been given authority. 11:17 We sometimes project secular perspectives on women and the priesthood and fairness. What can we understand about this topic? 12:49 We are not going to be the same or have the same opportunities. 13:33 Wendy believes Church doctrine emphasizes the reason we are here on this earth is to become empowered with the power that God has. We believe the most important thing God is trying to do is to create eternal relationships. 14:45 What women do and goes unseen may be just as important as what men do in the eternal scheme of things. Even in secular society family is essential, and women are the key “resource” for keeping society functioning 17:17 The Lord’s priority is raising the next generation of gods. 17:20 We think God is someone who gives power away. We believe he wants to empower us to be joint heirs—to give us all He has. 18:59 At times it does seem like some roles are inflated. Kurt shares his experience while all three of his brothers were serving as bishops and the difference in attention his sister received, who was serving as a Primary President at the time. As we consider this, women will have less of that experience of being dismissed. 20:40 Chapter 8: Governing with Power and Compassion. How to rise to power in organizations. 22:00 Kachner’s research shows how people get into power, but once they get into power people actually lose the skills that got them there. They become more self-serving, less empathic. They are less likely to listen to others, less able to read other’s emotional states. 23:40 Research shows teams with women are more effective because women naturally have skills that leaders need, but they lose those skills once in power just as men do. 24:15 This relates to D&C 121, when we get a little power or authority, we begin to lose some of those skills like gentleness and kindness, love and empathy. Women are often the spokespersons for those who are lacking in power because they have the experience. 25:29 What happens when a person is in an artificial position of power? A study. 26:23 Research shows we begin to feel entitled when we are in a position of power. 27:09 The confidence and power of councils increases when we have: Skills to participate effectively in councils Confidence in the value of diversity in councils Confidence in the contributions to councils Confidence in the Lord’s willingness to provide inspiration to councils 27:50 What are some skills women can develop to better participate in councils? 28:44 What happens when women are a minority in councils? 31:47 Stimulating participation in council meetings 34:22 Diversity on councils. A research study showed t

Jared Olsen is a father, husband, entrepreneur, workplace culture enthusiast, millennial, and Nacho Libre lover. His days are spent at JobNimbus in People Experience (PX). He is also the president & co-founder of REYFYA—the first outsourced culture consulting business in the Silicon Slopes—and a board member at Disrupt SLC. Jared was named by Utah Business Magazine as the first-ever “HR Disruptor of the Year”. He has an MBA and is SPHR & SHRM-SCP certified. Matt Brown is a mentor and coach specializing in leadership, learning, project management, and more. He has worked in real estate and as a police officer, eventually retiring before embarking on a new adventure and earning an MBA. Matt is certified in Strengthfinders and RESPECT styles, and works at JobNimbus as a People Success Coach. Links Get 14-day access to the Core Leader LibraryJobNimbus It’s Not About the Nail OwlHub.com Connect on LinkedIn with Jared Olsen and Matt Brown There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Highlights 2:10 Kurt introduces the episode’s topic and conversation with Jared and Matt. A coaching framework called RESPECT. 4:20 Introduction to Jared and Matt. 5:40 Coaching is about creating culture. The origin for the word “culture” in Latin, and means to care. So culture really is caring about people. 6:50 What is coaching? 7:45 Both Jared and Matt are certified in RESPECT coaching styles. There are 7 different coaching styles you can use. You can use many styles with the same person. 12:50 R in RESPECT stands for the RALLIER style of coaching. This style is the driver. Setting goals and measurables. Ways to move the coachee forward. 16:30 The E in RESPECT is the EDUCATOR. It’s a lecture or education to teach a skill or fill in knowledge. General conference is all about educating. Parenting your child is teaching them and making sure they are learning. 19:20 The S is for the STRATEGIST style of coaching. It’s finding solutions to problems. They are addressing a problem. 21:10 The P stands for the PROVOCATEUR. This style of coaching makes people squirm the most. It’s poking a hole in someone’s logic and it’s often speaking the unspeakable truth. Jesus was a great example of a provocateur. 26:00 The second E in RESPECT is EXPLORE. Asking questions that even you as the coach don’t know the answer to. 29:20 The C in RESPECT stands for the CONFIDANT. The opposite of the provocateur. They ask about feelings and how the coachee interprets things. It’s like a warm blanket and validation. It’s about listening to work things out. 32:30 The T stands for TRANSFORMER. You can use this when somebody has gone through something difficult and you can have them reflect on that. This style of coaching can be used to help people see either how far they’ve come or where they could be in six months. 36:00 When you are coaching, you have to ask questions instead of making statements. 38:00 For the leader that wants to use these styles of coaching but feels overwhelmed: You don’t have to be an expert. 41:50 Jared and Matt coach Kurt as an example of the different styles of coaching and questions that you can use. 50:00 When picking a style of coaching, ask yourself, what do I know about the coachee and their circumstance? Start with a style and if it doesn’t work then pivot to a different style. Explorer can be a great style to start with. 52:20 What would be a good Provocateur question to use as church leaders? These questions are hard questions that come from a place of love. 57:45 Another thing that we can do in coaching is make questions direct or indirect. 59:00 A style that people struggle with is Transformer. However, Transformer can be a way that we turn the hard things that we are going through in life and learn to see them as blessings. 1:05:40 Resources for learning more about RESPECT coaching styles 1:06:00 How coaching has brought Matt and Jason closer to Jesus Christ The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 600 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, yout

Aaron Bujnowski is a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served in the Chile Concepción Mission and has served as a bishop, stake high councilor, stake Sunday School presidency member, and Seminary teacher. He’s currently his ward’s elders quorum president (for the fourth time) and is an ordinance worker in the Dallas Texas Temple. Aaron works as a healthcare consultant. He has bachelor and master of science degrees in Chemical Engineering from Brigham Young University Provo, a Master of Business Administration degree from The University of Texas at Austin, and is currently a candidate to receive a Doctor of Science degree in Healthcare Leadership from The University of Alabama at Birmingham. He and his wife, Julie, are the co-authors of Discovering Your Temple Insights. They have two adult children and live in Frisco, Texas. Links Ministering is Love Discovering Your Temple Insights Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Highlights 02:40 Kurt introduces Aaron and their discussion on approaching and shifting elders quorum culture through simple, thoughtful questions. 04:45 Aaron introduces himself and shares his leadership experience. He wrote an article recently on ministering. 06:20 Ministering should be something natural and normal. How can we make it simple and show love for our God and neighbor? Ask questions about how they show love in the ward and how they need to be loved. Do this instead of asking if they need anything. 10:15 Great questions for ministering interviews In what ways did your families need love over the last quarter? How did you find ways to show those families love? 11:00 Typical answers that Aaron hears as he does ministering interviews and asks about how people show love and connect with the families they serve 17:00 By changing our questions and having more authentic concern and love, the minister’s heart changes and the person who is being ministered to changes also. We want to actually get to know people and not just check the box. 18:30 The best success you can have is just to show up for people. Be there for them. There is a cultural shift that happens when we consistently show up for people. Can people trust that you are going to be there for them? 22:00 Creating an equally-yoked elders quorum and Relief Society. Set the standard that the elders quorum knows the needs of the ward just as much as the sisters do. Meet with the Relief Society president outside of ward council to talk about the needs of the ward. 24:50 Helping the bishop focus on the youth, and how Aaron as elders quorum president supports him by taking care of the adult concerns in the ward along with the Relief Society president 27:00 Other leaders in the ward can create relationships with the members to take the burden off the bishop. Instead of calling the bishop, people feel more comfortable to go to their Relief Society president, elders quorum president, or ministering brothers and sisters. 29:00 Approach to elders quorum meeting every other week. Before the lesson they have a council to discuss needs in the ward. 33:40 Inviting people to the table. Ask people that don’t come as often or don’t participate very much to give prayers and other small things. 37:30 Aaron and his wife wrote a book about the temple. It’s about how to learn from the temple. 38:30 Aaron’s testimony on leadership and what he has learned from it The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 600 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Steven W. Shields, ACMHC, CETII, CECII is a therapist, podcast host, speaker, executive coach, husband, and father who is adamant that true healing is possible and can happen now for everyone. He founded [ACCEPTED] to help clients struggling with addiction, trauma, depression, and anxiety. Through one-on-one1 therapy, groups, intensives, and workshops, clients experience healing. Steven founded Unashamed Unafraid because he believes everyone’s story matters and each individual can be a beacon of hope. Unashamed Unafraid is a non-profit (501.3c) that shares recovery stories of hope, offers scholarships for resources, and creates community for those in recovery for sexual addictions and their families. He also serves on the executive team for Warrior Heart Ministries, a non-profit (501.3c) that runs spiritual retreats nationally to help men restore their hearts and connect with God. Steven knows you can truly be healed and move forward because he’s experienced it. While living the picture-perfect life with his beautiful family and serving in church leadership, he had a secret dual life battling with pornography and sexual addiction. Coming forward and confronting his shame was a journey that changed his heart, his profession, and his life. Links The Therapy Buffet: Helping Individuals Heal Through Therapy Warrior Heart Unashamed Unafraid [ACCEPTED] NF: Happy There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the transcript of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 01:45 Introduction. Can mental illness be healed? 04:40 I’m not just a therapist but a guide. 06:10 What Steve is seeing most in his office. What are people dealing with the most? 13:00. When did we quit believing people can be healed? Why do we not believe that mental illness cannot be healed? People are led to believe that they just need to manage their mental health and it’s just something they will always struggle with. 20:20 Steve shares an experience he had working with a burned out therapist. You can’t give something that you don’t have. 26:00 As leaders we have to do things in the spirit of healing and love. We have to get back to what makes us feel alive and with the Spirit of God. You have to do your own work so you have something to give. 28:00 The weight that the bishop has to hold. Just to hold all the weight of everyone else’s trauma you need God’s help and His healing. None of us are just all good. 29:30 We have example after example in the scriptures of mental health problems and the healing. Do we not believe that anymore? We don’t believe that we can be healed? It’s true that some things we have to endure but most things can be healed. 36:45 Therapy doesn’t heal you. Medication doesn’t heal you. The bishop, yoga class, friend, or a 12-step meeting don’t heal you. God does. He heals you through His son. 38:30 The bishop doesn’t have to know everything and be everything for everyone in the ward. The bishop can refer members to other leaders in the ward to support them and refer them to programs. The bishop is there to share resources and find the appropriate help. 46:30 It’s mind-blowing that we look for answers everywhere except for Christ. We look for problem solving everywhere except Christ. 47:30 How does a bishop help people find good therapy that actually leads them toward healing? There are two things that the bishop needs to do. Let people know that Christ can heal your addiction, marriage, etc. Show empathy and provide resources. If one therapist doesn’t work then try another. If one book doesn’t help then try another. 1:01:10 As a leader, the weight of everyone’s problems and unwillingness to do things is not your problem. Give it God and be yoked with Him. If people don’t want to do ministering then give it to God. It’s His church and He will deal with it. 1:04:50 Steve’s top secret tips for therapists. He says to new clients, “I actually believe healing is possible and my goal is to fire you as fast as possible and the greatest moment that I’m going to have with you in this journey will be the day that we are done.” 1:09:00 Invitation to leaders. Ask God if he has a better life for you. 1:09:30 Delegate the spiritual burden to Jesus. 1:10:15 You have full permission as a leader to offer hope and healing. 1:11:25 Be the leader that doesn’t have the answers but is there. Go on the journey with them. 1:14:30 Steve shares how this concept of healing has changed him and what it means to him. The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, T

Christiane Lauener was born and raised in Switzerland to a Canadian mother and a Swiss father—both the only converts in their families. She has served as a ward Relief Society president, in Primary and Young Women presidencies, Sunday School, public relations, and probably every other calling a woman can have. She is currently serving as the stake Relief Society president for the second time. Christiane served in the Canada Winnipeg mission and later earned a bachelors degree in English Literature. She is married and the mother of four grown sons, including one with severe disabilities, and works as an assistant to a patent engineer. A recurring highlight is her weekly visit to the temple, and she counts her faithfulness to God and His to her as the greatest blessing in life. Links There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 02:30 Christiane shares her background and what the church is like in Switzerland. Navigating church with multiple languages. 07:10 Christiane was surprised to be called a second time to be stake Relief Society president. She shares her leadership experience. 09:00 Visiting the wards in her stake and how they do meetings as a stake 11:15 What are the main concerns of Relief Society presidents right now? 14:50 One of the most important principles for Christiane is personal conversion. 19:40 Stepping up and speaking in stake council. Christiane has been bold in sharing her ideas but they aren’t always well received. However, she keeps going and keeps speaking up. 23:00 Women need to be more seen in our wards and stakes. There is conflict over women leaders sitting on the stand. It’s important for not only the women to be seen but so that they can also see the ward and who might be struggling. Also having young women contribute in sacrament meeting. 27:20 There seems to be more balance seeing men and women serve in the temple than in our Sunday meetings. People visiting our church aren’t seeing the women and probably don’t know that there is a whole organization for the women in our church. 29:30 Switzerland is the motor of Europe. For many years Switzerland had the only temple in Europe. Many of the members of Switzerland emigrated to the US and the growth of the Church there has been slower. 33:30 Do members understand the depth of the changes that President Nelson has made since becoming prophet? The importance of the work of the family and home. 36:15 Christiane shares the people and books that have changed her and inspired her life. 38:45 What motherhood and leadership have taught Christiane and made her a better follower of Jesus Christ The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 600 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

In this solo episode, Kurt talks about how to transform the culture in elders quorum and the entire ward by focusing on the heart of the men. Links Research about men and suicide Is Elders Quorum Working? Warrior Heart Retreats Cwic Show: The Problem with Men and Masculinity in the Church – feat. Kurt Francom Thoughtful Faith: Are We as a Church Failing Men? (With Kurt Francom) When the Bishop is Too Nice | An Interview with Dr. Robert Glover How I Lead with Priesthood Blessings | An Interview With Mike Novakovich One Couple’s Journey Through Sexual Addiction | An Interview with Chris & Autumn Bennett Former Bishop, Recovering Addict | An Interview with Evan Hathaway Wild at Heart Waking the Dead: The Secret to a Heart Fully Alive No More Mr. Nice Guy The Alter Ego Effect The Heart of Man (streaming) Questions? Want to discuss this further with Kurt? Contact him here. There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 2:40 Introduction to the episode’s topic: men at church 7:15 If we could crack the code with men to help them and strengthen them so that they can strengthen their own families. Turning to porn and other things for coping. 9:30 The media and social platforms attack masculinity and call it toxic. What does healthy masculinity look like? Does society know what to do with men? Does the Church know what to do with men? 11:50 When we unknowingly send the wrong message at church. Men hiding behind the perfect ironed suit and the huge smile. Unfortunately someone in the elders quorum is the most at risk of suicide. 14:00 How can we help men find brotherhood and connection at church? Kurt makes suggestions on things we can do. We need to offer more for men after they age out of Young Single Adult and mission programs. 17:20 If you want to fix the youth then walk down the hall and fix the elders quorum. Think of the impact that the elders quorum can have on the youth and their own children. 19:00 The nice guy vs. masculine man. Kurt dives into toxic masculinity and passive masculinity. 24:00 What does healthy masculinity look like? 27:45 What does the Church attempt to offer men? These are things that are offered on paper and with good intentions but sometimes seem more like assignments. Saving ordinances Spiritual development Community and brotherhood Service opportunities Leadership opportunities 32:15 What do men need from the church? What do they need from their quorum? While it’s important to remind them of their duty and responsibility you have to start with a foundation. You have to start with heart. 34:00 There is no laziness in elders quorum, just a lack of fulfillment. How to help men turn back to their heart instead of duty. 39:50 According to author John Eldridge, every man has 3 core desires: A battle to fight An adventure to live A beauty to love 43:40 How to stimulate brotherhood We need to provide mentorship Pray together and for each other Invite people to share their story or share your own Offer men adventure. Organize activities for men to get out 50:00 Kurt shares resources: books, events, podcast talks 54:00 How has ministering to men made you a better follower of Jesus Christ? The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 600 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Rebecca Smart is currently on her third career. She spent a decade working for the Government of Alberta in Tourism and Communications, chose to be a stay-at-home parent for several years, retrained, and is now working as a registered psychotherapist. She considers it a blessing to bring her skills together to help build the kingdom of God in many different ways. Rebecca serves as stake Primary president and was a counselor in the stake Primary presidency for almost three years prior to that call. Rebecca finds joy serving in the Church. Other callings have included Relief Society president, Relief Society counselor, Gospel Doctrine teacher, and Primary secretary. Rebecca lives in Ottawa, Canada with her husband, three children and Labradoodle. In her spare time she loves travel, baking, and spending time with family and friends. Links There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 2:20 Rebecca talks about her area in Ottawa, Canada. 4:30 Getting called as stake Primary president. She transitioned into the position after being the first counselor in the stake Primary for three years. 6:00 Growing leaders and Primary presidents 9:15 How leadership meetings go in her stake 10:00 Working together as a presidency 11:15 The power of listening 13:20 The strength of combining personal knowledge and personal revelation 15:00 Rebecca shares her own personal experience using gospel learning and working to teach our children. 17:00 Seeking and using spiritual gifts. Bring your gifts to the people that you serve. There are a lot of spiritual gifts and it’s our responsibility to seek them. 20:40 When it comes to seeking and using our gifts, it’s a process and it can take a lot of time. The gifts that we need might change over time. Pray to know what gifts you need at that time. 21:50 Rebecca shares her approach to stake council meetings. 23:50 Thoughts on Primary programs. One of the most powerful things is the Primary children showing what they have learned and their testimonies. 25:30 The importance of counseling with counselors 27:50 Taking the time for needs assessments. Find out the needs of not only the adults but the children too. It’s easy to get bogged down in administration or in the way we have always done something but are those things meeting the needs? 29:15 How has being a leader made you a better follower of Jesus Christ? The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 600 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Dr. CK Bray is a cognitive behavioral researcher who specializes in change/adaption, human performance and potential, and their impact on organizations and individuals. Dr. Bray has a Ph.D. in Organizational Development and Learning, and a second Ph.D. in Industrial Organizational Psychology with an emphasis in the Cognitive Sciences (ABD). He bridges the gap between science, research, and organizations and is known for his ability to take complex research and make it understandable and applicable to clients. In the Church, Dr. Bray has served as a Young Men president, bishopric counselor, and stake executive secretary, and is currently the elders quorum president in his ward. Links The Adaption Institute The Dr. CK Bray Show How To Raise Remarkable Kids Without Talking To Them There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 04:40 Dr. Bray talks about his brain research, what he does, and why. 06:00 Brain research and how it relates to the gospel. They work together. 10:00 Where do we begin with brain science? What happens in our brain when we experience change? Threat or reward state. When we want to create change it needs to be small. 15:45 Can leaders get people to change? Change has to come internally vs externally. We can get external motivation and rewards but really the change has to come from our own wanting to do it to make it something that will last. 19:20 Doing lessons a little differently and helping people have the ‘aha’ moment and create change. They start with sharing wins and struggles they had that week. It opened up the quorum to help each other outside of the walls of the church. 28:50 As leaders we need to create aha moments and a community that is sharing those moments. It’s really about helping people change their perception and how they show up. 32:50 We need to learn how to be more resilient in a world that is trying to tear us down. 35:45 How can a leader stimulate resilience? Helping people have a reset. Find moments of silence. Self reflection is one of the best things that we can do to become a better human. Stop focusing on doing but becoming! 42:40 This is a gospel of change. It’s about doing smaller things more regularly. Then resilience gets us through the hard times that we all have. 46:30 One thing that Chris started doing in elders quorum is to change how they do lessons. It’s more of a discussion and getting to know other men in the quorum. 50:00 Feeling uncomfortable changing old processes and ways of doing things. Elders quorum needs to change for us to grow. Chris shares tips on how to create these changes. Remember it’s about small changes. 55:25 Monthly men’s community activities. Things that Chris’ ward does. 59:10 Once-a-week presidency ministering. They have informal visits on the doorstep that are more about getting to know people and creating friendships. 1:04:20 Let go of perfection and use your talents to do what you can. 1:06:50 Chris’ final thoughts and testimony on leadership and becoming a better follower of Christ The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 600 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

This is a rebroadcast. The episode originally ran in October 2016. In August of 2015 I was released as bishop, but my second counselor didn’t show up to be released. I was concerned about what he was going through. A few months before that meeting, Heath—my 2nd counselor—disclosed to me the faith struggle he was experiencing. He had been striving to put his doubts to rest and gain a new level of conviction to the restored gospel. I was even more shocked when he and his family removed their names from the rolls of the Church. Thankfully my friendship with Heath has continued. We have had many uplifting conversations over lunch. These discussions were so uplifting that Heath suggested I interview him for my podcast. He was mainly joking, but I liked the idea. It turned out to be a special experience for me. I have learned so much about faith and testimony, and what leaders need to be aware of when members in their ward doubt. I strongly encourage you to listen to the episode above and then share it with a leader and a friend. Summary Heath is an immigration attorney in Salt Lake City, Utah. He completed his undergraduate work at Brigham Young University-Idaho before graduating from the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University. He became active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a junior in high school and later served a mission to Ecuador. He has served as elders quorum president and most recently as second counselor in the bishopric when Kurt served as bishop. He, his wife, and their three kids stopped attending church the day the bishopric was dissolved and in June 2016 chose to remove their names from church records. In this podcast, Heath tells his story of the doubts he had, his struggles with uncertainty, the day he finally got an answer, and how he has begun to feel more at peace since discovering others like him who are struggling with similar issues but who believe in the Church and are still able to serve. Kurt also explores one of the most difficult questions facing leaders in the Church: How to encourage individuals who are struggling in their faith—in their quest for certainty—without discouraging them or putting too much pressure on them to get there. Links Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling, by Richard Bushman Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder, by Nassim Nicholas Taleb Secular Buddhist Association Why Your “Without a Shadow of a Doubt” Testimony is Hurting Your Leadership Elder Holland’s Secret to Teaching | Sharing the Fire of Your Faith There is already a conversation started about this rebroadcast podcast. Join in HERE. Watch on YouTube Highlights 8:30 Began to have concerns about certain aspects of church history in 2006 as a student at BYU-I Began reading Rough Stone Rolling, a biography of Joseph Smith by author Richard Bushman 11:20 Took a class in law school entitled “Joseph Smith and the Law” that caused further doubts on what he had read 13:45 Soon after law school, took a job at a non-profit in Salt Lake City and was called to serve as elders quorum president Became consumed with the goal of extinguishing all doubts in order to feel like a more effective leader Continually prayed, fasted, attended the temple and did all of the things he was taught to do in order to receive the testimony he desired Feelings of uncertainty intensified when he was called as Second Counselor in the bishopric, as he felt he was supposed to know all of the answers whenever there was a question posed to him Desired to have the kind of testimony Elder Holland speaks of, one that is able to warm the hands of others, but got to a point where he could no longer say that Joseph Smith was a prophet. 24:00 As he wanted to know more and more if Joseph was a prophet, and feeling like he couldn’t get an answer or couldn’t recognize it, he became increasingly depressed. Questioned if the problem was him. Was he not good enough? Received an answer one Sunday afternoon that provided relief for a time. That relief was gradually replaced with thoughts of, “if it’s not true then what’s the point in living?” and he felt like would have rather been dead than have the church not be true. Heath and his family did not attend church again after that. 30:00 Kurt and Heath begin to explore what Kurt could have done as his leader. Do I have any “Heaths” in my ward or stewardship? What am I going to do about it? How can I raise my kids to believe in the principles of the gospel and understand the process of building a testimony without increasing the stress that Heath felt as they go through this process? How can I help individuals in my stewardship to do the same? 33:15 It must come from a place of love 35:30 Heath began listening to various podcasts addressing LDS issues, and learned there were others like him who had doubts. 40:00 Found people who had similar issues with church history but still believe in

George Wootan is a retired physician living in Port Richey, Florida. He is 87 years old, the parent of 11 children, and very active in his ward. George and his wife recently served a mission in the Tampa, Florida mission office, and are currently serving as ward missionaries. Links There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Listen on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 2:00 Introduction. Kurt is speaking at the Zions camp retreat with a live audience and introduces guest speaker, George. 5:20 George talks about how he spent his life living outside the box while trying to convince people that he’s inside the box. 7:40 George has severe dyslexia but still made it through med school and has what he calls an interesting brain that comes up with solutions. He loves creating solutions and sharing ideas, especially in his ward. 8:30 Even though George is 87 years old he still wants to be a part of leadership and have a role in the ward. He just barely retired from being a doctor last year and he still has a lot of life to give. 12:40 George’s leadership experience and the mission he and his wife went on in the Tampa mission office. 17:00 George speaks on ward unity and implementing ideas. He talks about how he organizes activities and even though it’s not technically his calling he takes initiative to plan things in the ward. 21:40 George talks about how he met his wife and the dynamic in their marriage. 27:00 Setting up a new program so that people that can’t afford to feed the missionaries can still feed them with help of the bishops storehouse. George also sets up less active families to help feed the missionaries too. 28:30 Maintaining engagement in the ward. Learning people’s names. One of the traits of leadership is that Christ knew people’s names and changed their names. 30:00 Another one of George’s ideas is baking bread for the ward with the help of the youth. Each week ministers will be assigned to deliver the bread. 31:15 Did you ever have an idea that wasn’t taken well by a bishop and how did you handle it? The difference between the gospel and church policy. 33:00 Starting a men’s group for single men over 40 35:20 Advice to future leaders Focus on learning names. Use first names instead of last. We call our friends by their first names. 37:50 Reaching out and finding people who are on the records but the bishop doesn’t know about. George talks about how he is going about finding those people and reaching out to them. 40:50 How can we elevate women’s voices in our wards and stakes? 42:00 Final thoughts on leadership 45:40 How 87 years of leadership has made him a better follower of Jesus Christ. Be a disciple not just a follower. The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 600 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Georgia Travers joined the Church in 2014 and has served in ward Young Women, Primary, and Relief Society presidencies, as Primary Activity Day leader, and currently as ward Relief Society president. She holds a BSc in Physics from the University of Bristol and a PGCE and MSc in Learning and Teaching from the University of Oxford. Georgia is currently raising three small children (including twins) and working part time as a secondary school Physics teacher—teaching ages 11-18—and as a national examiner for Physics GCSE qualifications. Links This Week in Mormons There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 04:00 Introduction to Georgia Travers 07:00 Georgia’s conversion story 12:30 Getting called as Relief Society president 13:30 Bringing her unique perspective to her calling as Relief Society president 15:20 Georgia loves combining science and religion. There has to be a place for both and they are more similar than most people think. 18:25 While Georgia loves the Church, she finds it a little rigid and she feels we could do things a little differently to make the church more inclusive to all. She shares a few things that have surprised her in our church. 21:00 There are small things that we can do in our leadership that can make a big difference. Georgia shares some ideas that she has gathered and feels that are important. For example, more worship music and ways to be more inclusive. 24:40 It’s important to come as we are and be able to show up at church as our true selves. Georgia does this by being very open in her church talks about her weaknesses and experiences and this allows others to also be authentic. 28:20 Georgia talks about trying to have more community outreach in their area in England, but it’s difficult because of people’s perceptions of our church. How can we show the community that we are a Christian church and not as scary as they think? 32:20 Georgia shares ways they are doing more community outreach. 34:10 Implementing Relief Society counsels at the beginning of Relief Society meetings. 39:00 Being Relief Society president has taught Georgia perspective and that everyone has their own battle and struggles. 40:00 Georgia’s final thoughts on leadership The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 600 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Stephen Jones hails from Tallahassee, Florida, and served his mission in the Brazil Porto Alegre North Mission. He is a bishop in Springville, Utah, and has previously served in various leadership callings, including ward choir director, elders quorum president, in a Young Men presidency, first and second bishopric councilor, ward mission leader, and executive secretary. Stephen holds a bachelor’s degree in Physiology with an emphasis in Social Physiology and a master’s degree in Public Administration, both from Brigham Young University. He’s best known as an American actor, comedian, host, and educator. Stephen’s entertainment journey began as a university mascot and a headlining standup comedian, and he gained nationwide attention when he starred in a viral Old Spice parody video. Stephen has cohosted the television series Random Acts and featured in other television shows and commercials. After almost a decade of teaching, Stephen is currently the director, producer, editor and host of “Let’s Get Real with Stephen Jones,” an original podcast on Scripture Central. Links Let’s Get Real with Stephen Jones There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 02:05 Introduction to Stephen and what he hopes to accomplish with his podcast. How to apply the principles of the gospel and stories of how people live the gospel. 04:30 Getting called as Bishop during covid and while he was finishing his master’s degree 10:20 Learning how to be a bishop and getting his footing. Picking the brains of other leaders, choosing counselors, and receiving revelation. 14:15 Partnering with God to make decisions. We can’t totally rely on God to give us all the answers. We work with Him to make decisions and we have to own those decisions. 19:00 The restoration is not just about restoring the church. It’s about restoring people. God wants to build you through experience. 23:50 Stephen talks about his ward council. Meeting one to one makes ward council more effective. 30:30 How Stephen sees the bishop’s office. It can be for more than just the bishop. Other leaders can have access. 34:00 How Stephen works with the youth in his ward and the things he has learned. Inviting the youth to minister with him and take part in leadership. 40:00 We need to be better at helping people understand where repentance really is. Stephen shares how he helps people with repentance and how he teaches it. 47:15 When it comes to repentance, have more conversations and ask more questions about understanding and belief instead of focusing on the behavior. Get to the base of the problem. 51:15 Repentance is not a straight line. It’s not just a process but a constant and daily turning to God. It’s a lifestyle. 59:15 Resources and where to find more about Stephen and his podcast 1:00:20 The best way to lead is to follow Him. The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints’ mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 600 episodes. Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences, and live events related to callings such as the bishopric, Relief Society, elders quorum, Primary, youth leadership, stake leadership, ward mission, ward council, young adults, ministering, and teaching.

Jim West has a master’s degree from Brigham Young University in Civil Engineering and has worked in the private sector for over 22 years. He is now the Project Delivery Manager for the Oregon Department of Transportation. Marla West has a bachelor’s degree in Family Living, also from BYU, and has taught part-time at several schools. Jim and Marla are active volunteers in the Salem, Oregon area. They belong to Willamette Riverkeepers and clean up local rivers in their canoe. They also volunteer every Sunday evening in their local hospital emergency department, and Marla volunteers in the local elementary school third-grade classroom. In the Church, Jim has served in a variety of roles including bishoprics, the Young Men’s organization, and as a Primary teacher and Nursery leader. Marla has served in Primary and Nursery, and in Relief Society. They have been married 42 years, have five sons and three grandchildren, and love gardening, home improvement, biking, hiking, and playing badminton. Links There is already a discussion started about this podcast. Share your thoughts HERE. Watch on YouTube Read the TRANSCRIPT of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights 04:20 Introduction to Jim and Marla 06:45 Jim and Marla’s advice for new nursery leaders. Remember to start with the basics and read the manual. See the vision that the church has for nursery. 08:00 Nursery is more than toys and snacks. The vision for nursery is a moment to introduce the children to structure and a formal class. 10:20 Marla suggests visiting the children in their home with a little game or a treat. She has found that the children are more eager to come to nursery. 11:10 Part of church culture is seeing nursery at the bottom and the prophet at the top. 13:30 Jim and Marla prepare the nursery room before sacrament with an activity set up on the table, music, and anything else they need prepared. They have found play doh is a great ‘draw you in’ activity. They leave the door open to help the children not feel trapped. 17:00 They play spa-like music while welcoming the children to nursery. They have found that it’s more calming to the children not to have music with voices until they do an actual singing activity. 17:45 They spray a natural scent like orange oil to help connect the children to nursery and bring familiarity. 19:00 These tips are useful for elders quorum or any other class at church. We can start class with environmental cues. 21:20 Most Sundays they don’t even get the toys out. 22:30 While all parents are welcome to come into nursery but they don’t allow the parents to talk with them. They have found that the children are much more peaceful, focused, and interact with them better when there aren’t adults visiting together. It’s a real classroom and it’s about the children and not the adults. 25:15 Marla shares the schedule that they use in the nursery that gives nursery a routine and structure. The children know what’s coming and they love it. 25:50 The transition to snack and story time. The child’s parents can bring in a special snack and book on their birthday to help highlight each child. 28:30 The importance of transitions between activities. 29:30 Tips for lesson time. They always bring an object or a picture as an attention getter to start the lesson. 31:00 Art projects are a moment to learn skills. Knowing the difference between markers and crayons. Working a pair of scissors or a watercolor brush. Sitting in a chair for a longer period of time. All these things prepare them to go to sunbeams. 34:20 Marla talks about how she created her binder for nursery. She brainstorms activities to teach each topic and get the materials and pictures. 36:30 It’s best to have under 10 kids in the nursery. It’s good to split nurseries that are bigger than this. 38:50 The art project is a time to wind down from nursery. It’s a great time to learn skills. It exposes them to new things and gets them used to instruction. Bring in new things. 40:15 Tips for those unexpected moments like diaper changes. Have all the parents phone numbers to send texts to the parents so you don’t have to spend time hunting down the parents. 41:40 Tips for the kids that don’t want to engage or are having a hard day. They have a blanket and book in the corner for the kids that need it or one of them will hold the child. They encourage parents to stay on the child’s first time in nursery. 43:30 If you think that nursery is boring it’s because you are doing it wrong. It should be serving the children and you. Don’t just throw some toys and crackers out on the table. 46:00 Jim and Marla’s experience with special needs children. 49:45 Bringing in novel items or ideas. For example: the apple peeler and corer. Bring in things that they have maybe never seen before. It’s simple but for the kids they get super engaged and forget they are separated from their parents. 52:20 Remember that less is more. Dumping ou