Leading Saints Podcast

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Listen for the Needs of Those You Lead | A How I Lead Interview with Rebecca Smart Nov 01, 2023

Show notes

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.

Brain Science in Elders Quorum | An Interview with CK Bray Oct 28, 2023

Show notes

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.

What I Learned About Leadership When My 2nd Counselor Left the Church Oct 26, 2023

Show notes

In August of 2015 I was released as bishop, but my second counselor didn't show up to be release. I was concerned about what he was going through.

Leading for 87 Years and Beyond | An Interview with George Wootan Oct 21, 2023

Show notes

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.

Leading‏‏‎ Others to Come as They Are | A How I Lead Interview with Georgia Travers Oct 19, 2023

Show notes

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.

Making the Bishop’s Office the Ward Council Office | An Interview with Stephen Jones Oct 15, 2023

Show notes

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.

How I Lead as Nursery Leader | An Interview with Jim and Marla West Oct 12, 2023

Show notes

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 out lots of toys can make nursery chaotic. The adults should manage the toy closet. Have less toys, talking, and children to create a peaceful atmosphere. 54:30 Marla shares how having a little hanging pocket organizer with each child’s photo and place to put their stuff has created a big difference in nursery. 58:00 Jim and Marla share their final testimonies and how serving in the nursery has brought them closer to 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.

Aurelia Rogers, Founder of Primary | An Interview with Emily Cushing Oct 07, 2023

Show notes

Emily Cushing was raised in South Jordan, Utah, and met her husband in their middle school math class. Her love of learning led her to become a teacher. She earned a master's degree in Teaching and Learning at Brigham Young University and has taught—among other places—in Tonga, England, and Myrtle Beach. She currently teaches in the Education Department at Utah Valley University. She has served as a Relief Society president, Primary president, and stake Primary president, and currently teaches the Emotional Resilience course to a remarkable group of teens. Emily enjoys reading, running, traveling, living in foreign places, and above all, spending time with her family. Links She Did: Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Faith Life Sketches; Of Orson Spencer and Others, and History of Primary Work 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 01:30 Who is Aurelia Rogers? She is the founder of the Primary. 03:45 Emily talks about her new book, She Did: Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Faith. 05:50 The Primary organization didn’t come from the revelation of a prophet or apostle but the grassroots effort of Aurelia Spencer Rogers. In 1778 the Primary began but it was in 1880 the Primary was officially organized. Within 10 years Primary was a part of all the settlements. 18:20 Aurelia’s background and family. 14:40 How did Aurelia’s idea even begin to gain momentum? 15:10 Initially Aurelia got the idea to start the Primary because of a bunch of rowdy boys and they needed to be taught manners but Aurelia also wanted to include girls too. She got permission to start it in her town of Farmington, Utah. 17:30 How Primary was in the beginning. It was a weekday activity and not part of the Sunday block. Aurelia really struggled in the beginning, feeling overwhelmed with everything she was starting. Eventually she felt peace. 21:30 The Primary presidency was formed in 1880 and Aurelia was a part of it. 25:10 Emily shares pieces of Aurelia’s autobiography and some of the trials and struggles that she had. 27:10 Additional resources for those that would like to learn more about Aurelia. She has an autobiography. It’s a primary source and shows what Utah was like at the time, and contains so much history. 30:30 Did Aurelia understand the role she played in starting and developing the Primary? Aurelia understood that she had a bigger mission. 33:30 A message for all the Primary teachers. 37:20 Emily has a background with child development and teaching children. She advises teachers and Primary leaders to connect on a personal level with each child. Really get to know them and let them know you love them. 41:00 Emily’s book is about 23 women, Aurelia being one of them. She shares the process of how they chose the women for the book. 42:40 Emily highlights another women from her book, Carmen O'Donnell. She was from Guatemala. She voiced a need and a whole policy changed because of her. It’s because of her the the three hour Sunday block was formed and also the gospel essentials class. 44:20 There are many leaders that are positive deviants. They deviated off the traditional path but not in a bad way. They see a need and try to create change. 44:50 Martha Ann is another woman in the book. She was African American and lived during the time of slavery. She was a leader within her own family. 46:50 Emily shares her final thoughts on leadership and creating positive change. Jump in and help the one that you see needs it. 52:00 Emily shares how researching these women and sharing their stories has changed her. The Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saint 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.

Apathy Among YSAs Oct 04, 2023

Show notes

Research suggests that it is not uncommon for YSA’s to feel a lack of purpose and belonging within the Church. In this episode, renowned author and psychologist Wendy Ulrich shares insight on how leaders can best minister to YSAs who may be struggling with a sense of purpose and belonging. At the Table is a new podcast series produced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Listen and subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you find podcasts. Please give us your feedback about this episode by filling out this short questionnaire: https://research.churchofjesuschrist.org/jfe/form/SV_3Dza9x3tD4YBjzE Highlights 01:30 Introduction to Wendy Ulrich. Wendy is a psychologist. She has served on the Relief Society General Advisory Council. She is the author of many books and has taught at BYU. She now teaches institute with her husband in Provo, UT. 02:25 Is there apathy in the YSA wards? Apathy can come from not feeling engaged or that what you are doing has meaning. 06:10 For a lot of people apathy is more about fear. Fear of getting involved. 08:50 Do you feel like you could answer if someone asked you what your purpose and goals are? A lot of times apathy comes from not knowing our purpose. 12:20 Dating your dreams. We have to explore our dreams and it takes time. 13:50 Where does your deep enthusiasm for the gospel come from? Grappling with the question of not "what do I want now?", but "what do I want most?" 22:20 Harvard research shows that relationships are the most consistently important things in people’s lives. Relationships help them find meaning, well-being, and purpose. Wendy speaks about how we find meaning and purpose. 27:00 How can leaders help YSA members to find meaning and purpose? 33:30 The parable of the talents. Doing something small is better than doing nothing. It's OK to take risks and fail rather than sitting around doing nothing. We have to get over our fears of doing hard things. 35:30 Where do you start when you are trying to find your divine identity? We can ask ourselves what we’ve learned from the difficult things that we have gone through. Can you tell a redemptive story about your life? We decide what the meaning of the story is. 40:30 Christ has promised us a redemptive power through his atonement. We can change horrible events and hard stories into redemptive stories through Him. 42:10 What is the relation between redemptive stories and grit? What meaning are you giving your experiences? 46:00 Failing forward. It’s not about failure, it’s about redemption. Seeing your failure as a learning experience and getting up again. Leaders can help YSA members by asking more questions instead of trying to give all the answers. 48:00 The story of the Brother of Jared. The Lord asks him what he wants to do about the problem of having light. Then the Lord steps in and helps him with the rest. The Lord and Christ don’t just give us answers. They ask questions and try to empower us.

YSA Thoughts on YSA-Led Efforts Sep 30, 2023

Show notes

As stated in the November 2022 announcement, "Young single adults lead YSA efforts" and "YSA committee members work to help all young single adults participate in the work of salvation and exaltation." In this episode, two YSAs serving on a YSA Institute Council share their experiences, feelings, and best practices. At the Table is a new podcast series produced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Listen and subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you find podcasts. Please give us your feedback about this episode by filling out this short questionnaire: https://research.churchofjesuschrist.org/jfe/form/SV_cvkd2ulK8jG9Zyu

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