By Melinda R Morgan
The podcast currently has 63 episodes available.
This week I am thrilled to welcome back one of my favorite guests and contributors, Niki Olsen, of Niki Olsen Coaching. Niki Olsen is a licensed clinical health therapist and a life coach/counselor who specializes in teaching women, particularly LDS women, strategies that help them enrich their connection to themselves and to each member of the Godhead.
In this episode, Niki will be sharing some tips to help us understand some of the potential roadblocks to have consistent scripture study. Now, more than ever, it is so important for us to learn how to access power from immersing ourselves in the word of God. But what does immersion look like? What does it feel like? How do I know if what I’m doing is enough? If what I’m doing qualifies as effective scripture study. There are a lot of opinions out there, for sure. And some of those opinions can lead to feelings of doubt and even shame if we’re not careful.
A few weeks ago, I was listening to Niki’s podcast, “Meaningful Moments,” and in her episode, she talked about 5 things we can do to help us be more purposeful in our scripture study. As I was listening, I immediately sent her a message and asked her if she would be willing to come back to the Edified podcast and talk about these five steps in more detail. She didn’t even hesitate! That’s one of the many things I love about this woman.
Questions Niki addresses in this episode:
1. Why do women struggle to have consistent scripture study?
2. What are women trying to get out of scripture study/ what should scripture study do for us?
3. How can women create consistent habits?
4. What myths do women believe about scripture study that hold them back?
5. How can women create a plan that works for them?
Key Points
Position yourself -- Find out where you’re currently at.
Three questions I am frequently asked by listeners are, "How did you come to join the church? Why did you fall away? And what was it that made you return?"
These are loaded questions! But they're also awesome questions!
We've seen this quote time and again on social media and heard it on podcasts, "My story is my superpower." And you know what? I'm a believer. My stories create the tapestry of who I am today. And I love that person. Flawed? Of course. Still stubborn and prideful? Occasionally. Okay, maybe a little more often than I'd like to admit. A woman with a past riddled with mistakes and missteps? Um, yeah.
But all these things have given me experience and the Lord has miraculously made them work for my good -- just as He promises He will in the scriptures.
In this episode, I share how the gift of truth led me to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I've share repeatedly that I was not raised in a religious home. And that's absolutely true. Despite this fact, however, I've come to understand the powerful role my parents played in preparing me to receive and embrace the message of the gospel. They taught me tender truths very early in my upbringing that planted in my heart the seed of faith--and then they gave me the opportunities to nurture those seeds.
After a great deal of reflection, I recognize just how blessed I was to be given the gift of truth by my parents--not, perhaps, in the traditional sense of religious upbringing, but in a very real sense nonetheless.
I invite you to walk with me a moment and into my story--back to where my search for God and His Heaven all began.
Enjoy.
You can view a complete transcript of this episode by clicking on this link.
Several weeks ago, I invited listeners to “ask me anything,” and I promised I would answer their questions in a future episode. Well, I wasn’t prepared for some of the questions. One question, in particular, caught me off guard and kind of derailed me for a few weeks. This is not something I want to talk about. “Ask me anything,” I said. But what I should have said is, “You can ask me anything--anything, but that!”
I’ve known for weeks this story was going to have to come out. And I’ve shared some zingers with you in this podcast. But this one is different. This one doesn’t only make me uncomfortable, it makes me hurt. It requires me to open a vault I would prefer to keep locked forever. I want the experience to go away. I want it erased. Canceled.
But here we are. 37 years later, it has managed to bubble its way to the surface, again.
This is not a happy story. Moms and Dads, if you are listening within earshot of your children, please consider using headphones or waiting until later to listen. This contains material of a sensitive nature not appropriate for younger children and should be previewed in advance if you have teenagers who listen to the podcast.
You can download a copy of the complete transcript for this episode by clicking here.
DO ONE THING
Ask me anything. Really. In my next episode, I'll be answering questions submitted by listeners. So ask away :-)
RESOURCES
Visit www.melindarmorgan.com to find show notes and links to all episodes.
Download a copy of 5 Ways to Gain New Insights from the Scriptures.
Follow me on Instagram @melinda.r.morgan
Follow me on Facebook @ Let's Get Edified
In this episode, I share a few of my thoughts about darkness -- physical darkness and spiritual darkness as we look at some of the principles taught in Elder Timothy J. Dyches General Conference talk, "Light Cleaveth to Light," given this past April.
If you are listening for the first time, welcome! I hope you enjoy the show. And a special shout out to all our regular listeners. Thank you so much for your continued support. You can find show notes and links to the resources for this episode at www.melindarmorgan.com. You’ll also find my free download of 5 ways to receive new insights from the scriptures. Be sure to check it out and let me know what you think.
When Ron and I were still pretty new in our relationship, he took me to Mercer’s Caverns in Calaveras County, California so I could see stalagmites and stalactites up close and in person, rather than just in pictures. Ron and I were still in the “wanting to make a good impression” phase of our relationship, and I for sure did not want to look like the coward that I am, so I willingly made the descent into the cavern.
Like Elder Timothy J. Dyches' experience in Moaning Caverns, Ron and I were not prepared for the moment when our tour guide turned off the lights. All of them. I had never been in such vast darkness before. Never been in darkness so dense we couldn’t see our hand in front of our fade. I didn’t like it. You never know what monsters lurk in this kind of darkness.
I remember what a relief it was when the tour guide finally switched the small flashlight he was carrying to the “on” position, and I was amazed by how much comfort that little light gave me. I marveled that such a tiny beam of light had the power to chase away such immense darkness.
Two of my greatest fears--far greater than cellars or small spaces or being buried alive--are 1) that any of my children or my children’s children might experience spiritual darkness; and 2) that I might somehow slip into spiritual darkness again.
I know firsthand some of the monsters who lurk there--and I for sure never want those monsters lurking anywhere near my children!
In this sense, I must confess I have a healthy fear of the dark!
(Click here to view a transcript of this episode in its entirety.)
DO ONE THING
Reflect back on times when felt alone in the dark--when you experienced darkness so thick you could feel it. Look closely at the evidence that shows God was never far from you. The evidence is there, I promise. It might have been in the words of a family member, a kindness from a neighbor, the comfort of a friend, the beauty of a song or a verse. He was there.
He was there because He knows where we go when we run away from Him. He knows where we hide.
RESOURCES
"Light Cleaveth to Light" Elder Timothy J. Dyches
Visit my website to download a free copy of "5 Ways to Experience New Insights From the Scriptures."
You can also view this episode on YouTube: "Let's Get Edified: Ep 61"
Even if our goal doesn’t fall under the category of spiritual growth, there is most likely a spiritual component connected to it. For example, let’s say I set a goal to become more physically fit by exercising 5 days a week. On the surface, this is a temporal goal, but the underlying principle is spiritual--treating our body as a temple and honoring it by caring for it. Another underlying principle has to do with winning the battle of spirit over flesh.
Another goal might be to set aside a certain amount of money each payday. Again, on the surface, this is a temporal goal, but there is an underlying principle that is spiritual----that we free ourselves from the bondage of debt so we are free to use those funds in ways that can benefit others. Other underlying principles are the principles of provident living and self-reliance.
As I have thought back to the goals I set in January, I can see that most of my temporal goals, do indeed, have a spiritual counterpart. But I also noticed something else that surprised me. Some of my goals weren’t really goals. They were just action steps.
In the past 3-4 months, I’ve come to understand some important points related to setting goals. In this episode, I share three of them.
KEY POINTS
#1: Goals are about growth and becoming.
Marvin J. Ashton said this, “The direction in which we are moving is more important than where we are at the moment. Goat setting should cause us to stretch as we make our way.”
I hear two important principles in this statement. 1. Goals are meant to help us move beyond where we are at the moment, and 2. Goals require effort.
If our goals don’t cause us to stretch or grow, can they really be considered goals?
Stretching requires opposition. Resistance. If what we set as goals are merely accomplishments we hope to check off, then maybe it would be more appropriate to refer to them as items on our “To Do” list for the year. Nothing wrong with that. It’s good to have a bucket list for the year.
#2: Begin with the end in mind.
In a 1984 BYU Devotional, Elder Russell M. Nelson asked the question, “What would you like said about you at your funeral? Or, if you were to write your own eulogy and you could have only three sentences, what would you want to say?”
#3: Once we define, it’s time to design & refine.
We’ve all heard about setting SMART goals: Specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, timely, ---- or whatever set of words your organization uses for the acronym. If you’re anything like me, then you may find yourself trying so hard to make your spiritual goals “SMART,” that you lose sight of their ultimate purpose: Becoming.
As you revisit the goals you set for yourself back in January, ask yourself if they point to a desired outcome. Do they have the potential to help you grow and become a better version of yourself?
“There is no growth in the comfort zone; there is no comfort in the growth zone.” (Steve Clark)
DO ONE THING
Write down how you hope to be remembered at your funeral in only three sentences.
RESOURCES
"Begin With the End in Mind" Russell M. Nelson, 1984 BYU Devotional
"The Word is Commitment" Marvin J. Ashton, October 1983
Follow me on Instagram: @melinda.r.morgan
Find me on Facebook: "Let's Get Edified"
Congratulations to Let's Get Edified for reaching the 15,000 download milestone! And we are already creeping up on 16,000. A special shout out to all you listeners! You truly are the arms and feet of this podcast. I couldn't do it without your support. Thank you.
IN THIS EPISODE:
If you’re like me, then there are probably times when you reflect back on your parenting and wonder what part of parenting you got right. It’s so much easier to recognize the times we got it wrong.
But every once in a while, one of your children will share an experience in a conversation or in their testimony or in a talk or RS lesson, that makes you feel that maybe you did a better job than you think you did.
This week, I’ve invited Audra Elkington to join me in a discussion about Elder Bednar's talk, "The Principles of My Gospel." Many of you know Audra through her posts on Instagram @Worldwide Sisterhood. And I am totally excited to have her as my featured guest.
KEY SEGMENTS:
1:00 -- A spiritually defining memory shared by Raechel Duplain
14:35 -- Audra talks about her time away from the church
15:44 -- What led Audra back to the gospel
21:15 -- Audra shares key points from Elder Bednar's talk
23:20 -- Learning by principles instead of by rules
26:00 -- Let them govern themselves
29:00 -- Why this message is so important right now
32:25 -- What we're being asked to change or do better
36:00 -- How principles of the gospel serve as our helm
38:50 -- All roads in this church lead to the temple
40:00 -- What Audra is doing to increase her faith in response to President Nelson's invitation from this past General Conference
45:47 -- Audra shares her favorite quote from Elder Bednar's talk
46:41 -- What did you hear that wasn't said?
49:00 -- It's okay to be messy
50:13 -- What edifies you?
DO ONE THING:
This week, I invite you to listen again to Elder Bednar’s talk from this past General Conference. But listen with the express intent of recognizing what you hear that Elder Bednar didn’t say. Write those thoughts down and ponder their meaning. What is the Spirit prompting you to learn more about or do better right now?
RESOURCES:
"The Principles of My Gospel" -- David A Bednar
"Christ is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains" -- Russell M Nelson
"Let God Prevail" -- Russell M Nelson
Visit www.aworldwidesisterhood.com and check out all the fun links and products.
Visit saltgathering.com to learn more about the upcoming retreat in September. Audra and I will both be presenting, and we hope you'll be there with us! So fun to gather IN PERSON again!
Follow Audra on Instagram @aworldwidesisterhood
You can also follow Audra on Instagram @audraelkington
If you enjoy this episode, please rate and review it on iTunes/Apple Podcasts. Review and ratings are how podcasts like this get seen and grow. You'd be doing me a great favor. Thank you.
I wish you a wonderful week -- and remember to do something each day that edifies you.
Something that’s been on my mind quite a bit this past year has to do with why it’s so important to leave judgment to the Lord and focus instead on just loving others. That’s nothing new, we all know this. It’s taught in the scriptures in multiple places, and it’s taught from the pulpit during General Conference. Yet I felt like there was more to it that I just wasn’t getting, but through a process that evolved over the course of about a year, I came to understand the “why” behind the teaching a little bit better.
It all began in January 2020 when my daughters introduced me to the Ancient Enneagram.
In recent years, the Enneagram has resurfaced through the vein of Christianity. Or, as one supporter put it, “They rubbed a little Bible on it and made it legit for Christians.”
It’s not a personality test. It’s about the motives behind our behaviors and being able to recognize when our behaviors are coming from a place of stress or a place of health.
The best way to understand where you fall on the circle is to read about each of them and go back to when you were a child to see how you behaved in certain situations or experiences.
I couldn’t do it! None of it spoke to me on a deep, personal level. It was extremely frustrating. “I’m not there!” I told my daughter. “I don't fit anywhere in the model.”
After 3-4 weeks, I asked the Lord for help. “Heavenly Father, I know this is a lame request …. It’s just a stupid theory …. But would you please help me identify where I fall on this Enneagram model? It has nothing to do with my eternal salvation …. And it’s likely a huge waste of your time (and mine), but I really want to understand why I cannot seem to find my core truth.”
And you know how people say that if it’s important to you, then it’s important to the Lord? Well, this is a great example of that.
The Lord knew exactly what was going to happen as He began to tutor me through the process. God knew? Of course, He did. He knows everything. But I don’t, so I had no way of knowing what was coming.
Turns out I was hiding. I had created many different masks as a means of emotional and mental protection. Every time I successfully peeled away one mask, I would discover yet another one. It became very important to me to identify specific events that resulted in the creation of each mask. Memories rose to the surface that I'd forgotten. And each memory involved some form of bullying--beginning at the age of 4 years old.
In this episode, I relate the stories of four bullies who had a powerful impact on my life: Tammy, Sundown, JoAnna, and Melanie.
Key Take-Aways
Do ONE Thing
Resources
Enneagram
Enneagram Introduction
Follow me on Instagram @melinda.r.morgan
Follow me on Facebook @Let's Get Edified
Visit www.melindarmorgan.com
We hear it and read about it in the scriptures, “The Lord chastens those whom He loves.” I am a first-hand witness of how the Lord manifests His love for His children through chastening. And I’m so grateful for that! Nearly 20 years later, Ron and I have the marriage we always dreamed of having. We love each other profoundly, and we grow more and more unified as we each strive to draw closer to the Savior. And the fact that our marriage is an eternal one is just another manifestation of the Father’s love for us.
And it’s this love that is the focus of today’s episode. And to help with this, I’ve asked LDS life coach Lori Holyoak to join us and to share her insights from Elder Wakolo’s conference talk, “God Loves His Children.”
Key Segments
5:06 -- What was it about this talk?
10:58 -- Three Ways God manifests His love for us
13:26 -- How sending us prophets is a manifestation of God's love for us
15:15 -- Lori talks about the concept of chastening and how it is a manifestation of God's love for His children
17:50 -- Lori explains why the principles in Elder Wakolo's message are so important for us right now.
18:36 -- What are we being asked to change or to do better?
19:38 -- Tips for helping us learn to recognize the manifestations of God's love for us individually
20:58 -- Lori shares an experience she had with feeling God's love for her while at Girl's Camp.
22:21 -- What did you hear that Elder Wakolo didn't say?
Lori's favorite quote: "I bring with me, love" What an amazing thought! Imagine what might happen if we took that greeting with us everywhere we went?
24:01 -- Seeing the "One"
24:39 -- Lori shares what edifies her.
26:56 -- Change the way we see the "straight and narrow path."
29:35 -- It only takes one person to change a relationship.
32:45 -- The melody of marriage
33:30 -- Send out the love vibe!
33:53 -- Do One Thing
This week, pray daily to recognize all the ways that God’s love for you personally is manifested. Take time to write it down --- Most of us don’t hang out with pen and paper, so make it a point to speak them or type them into your notes application on your phone.
At the end of the week, go back through your notes and see how the manifestations of God’s love for you enriched and blessed you.
Resources
"God Loves His Children" -- Elder Taniela B. Wakolo
Visit Lori's website @ www.loriholyoak.com
And be sure to follow Lori on Instagram @loriholyoakcoaching
I would love to know some of the ways God has manifested His love for you. I invite you to connect with me on IG @melinda.r.morgan and to visit my website www.melindarmorgan.com. I look forward to hearing from you.
Have a great week everyone, and remember to do something each day that edifies you.
This week it is my absolute privilege to honor a man who is one of my hugest heroes -- my dad.
Given that he lived for almost a century, it is impossible to pay tribute to all the ways my dad has influenced me, my husband, and my children for good. There’s just not enough time. And in truth, while I do want to honor my dad in this special Father’s Day episode, I know the very thought would make him extremely uncomfortable.
I’ve decided, instead, to share with you 7 Divine Traits All Dads (and Moms) Can Develop, and by doing so, paint a portrait for you of the kind of parent my father was.
As I begin this episode, I know there are listeners out there who have strained relationships with their father. I know there are fathers who exercise unrighteous dominion over their family. Who are verbally, emotionally, or physically abusive. And I know me sharing these 8 traits will not help to fix those relationships. Wouldn’t it be marvelous if it could?
I, in no way, want to minimize the harmful effects of coming from a home with abusive parents. My heart goes out to you and my spirit aches for you. This life is hard enough without the added damage caused by unhealthy or harmful family relationships. I do know there is help available, and I encourage you not to put off seeking that help. Your RS president and/or EQ president should be able to assist you in finding the best resources for your specific needs. If you are listening today and are not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints, this help is available to you as well. Find someone in your neighborhood who belongs to the LDS church, and ask them to help you connect with the appropriate church leader so you can know what resources are available.
7 Divine Traits
1. Knowledge & Resourcefulness
2. Sense of Humor
3. Being Present--physically, mentally, emotionally Available
4. Compassion & Forgiveness
5. Consistency in Setting Clear Boundaries
6. Love For Spouse
7. Know Your Children
Do One Thing
Choose one of the 7 divine traits and focus on developing it this week. If you're already pretty good at it, then crank it up a notch by raising the bar a little.
Follow me on Instagram: @melinda.r.morgan
Visit my new website: www.melindarmorgan.com
Check out previous episodes of "Let's Get Edified"
In this episode, I share a personal Aha Moment I recently had about Patriarchal Blessings.
Key Ideas
1. A Patriarchal Blessing is a revelation given through the Lord’s authorized agent, the Patriarch. It is God’s word directly given to us for our benefit and use, and as a guide throughout our life.
When moved upon by the Holy Spirit, we may desire to share a particular part of our blessing with someone in our family or a close, personal friend. But our blessing should never be made common knowledge for all to hear.
2. We are meant to be agents who act, not agents to be acted upon.
This concept led me to one of my greatest Aha Moments! Of the year so far.
It was kind of “the perfect storm” for me, as far as Aha Moments go …. And when it struck, my first reaction was, “Well, duh! How did I miss THAT little golden nugget all these years … decades? Three things came together simultaneously:
I always believed my PB was God’s way of telling what would happen TO ME during my life. One passage from my Blessing said my voice would become strong in bearing my testimony of the Restored gospel of Jesus Christ, the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, and the power it has to make us better.
I was talking to my daughter, Raechel, about this 18 months ago, lamenting that this blessing had not occurred yet. I translated that passage into something like: I would be asked to speak at Women’s Conference, or be sought after to speak at Time Out For Women or EFY or Education Week. Those were the only venues I could think of where my voice could become strong in bearing my testimony to a large audience of people.
That was when Raechel suggested I start a podcast. And although I took her advice, I overlooked a very important lesson! Until the morning of the perfect storm!
3. Our Patriarchal Blessing IS an INVITATION from the Lord to ACT.
The Spirit whispered to me, "Mindy, “It is not meet that I should command you in all things ….. you should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of your own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in you, wherein you are an agent unto yourself--
--Your Patriarchal Blessing IS THE CALL. But you need to ACT, not wait to be ACTED UPON.”
This sudden realization filled me with an incredible, enabling power.
Then another little golden nugget bopped me on the noggin: My voice IS becoming strong in bearing my testimony of the truthfulness of the Restored gospel! It’s happening through this podcast! I am fulfilling one of the things I was called to do in my PB--because I chose to act of my own free will on one of the invitations.
Perhaps you’ve known this all along. And if that’s the case, I’m a little bummed that you didn’t tell me about it sooner!
DO ONE THING
Go through your PB and make a list of everything you are INVITED to do or become. Rewrite them as CALLINGS. Then design a plan.
Resources
"Your Patriarchal Blessing..." Thomas S. Monson
"The Lord Blesses His Children..." Richard D. Allred
"Priesthood Blessings..." James E. Faust
The podcast currently has 63 episodes available.