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Edified: Insights for LDS Women
Episode 33 "The Exquisite Gift of the Son"
Season 2
03 JAN 2021 Airdate
2020 started out much like any other year for me--I reflected on the previous year, set some new goals, revised our family budget, started a new workout schedule (me and a billion others, right?), and I thought about the dreams I’d had for the year that never became a reality--and then I beat myself up and vowed to make the new year my year for change. And wow! Little did I know what lay in store for us in 2020! Despite all my planning, I was not prepared for a global pandemic, online teaching, a toilet paper shortage, wearing a mask, and loss! So much loss!
How do I celebrate and be joyful when so many around me are hurting?
But this is precisely what the Christmas story is all about. When, in a world of sin and sorrow, “Joy” came to the world. The good news that Jesus, the Anointed One, came to earth to save us all from our fallen state.
But before Christ came, there were two Heavenly parents who loved you and me so much, that they sent their perfect child to earth to perform a sacrifice so great and terrible that He would bleed from every pore and suffer nearly unto death.
We cannot comprehend the depths of Christ’s suffering.
And we cannot comprehend the depth of love our Heavenly parents have for us in giving us the gift of their Son to be our Savior and Redeemer. As parents, we experience, to some degree, a kind of love that is so profoundly powerful that we would do anything--even give our life to save our children.
But can we even imagine what it would be like to watch one of our own children give their life to save their brothers and sisters? To watch them suffer and cry out in pain, to ask us if there was any other way possible to save their siblings?
This is the first gift of Christmas--the gift of a child--a child who would become the Savior of all humanity. Emmanuel.
Elder Matthew Holland teaches us about some of the gifts that have come to us because of “The Exquisite Gift of the Son.” He said, “All good gifts come from the Savior...He alone holds the full power and healing balm to correct every mistake, right every wrong, adjust every imperfection, mend every wound, and deliver every delayed blessing.”
"Under His direction, your divine destiny will be one of unparalleled magnificence and indescribable joy--a joy so intense and so unique to you, your particular “ashes” will become beauties “beyond anything earthly.”
I genuinely hurt for the loss so many have experienced in 2020. But because of the Exquisite Gift of the Son, there is One who can.
I cannot describe the depths of love our Heavenly Parents have for us. I simply don’t have the words for it. But there is one word that captures perfectly the essence of that love--and that word is Jesus.
Do ONE Thing Invitation
Think of one thing you will do in 2021 to remain optimistic regardless of what the year may bring. Share your ONE THING in a social media post or story.
Resources:
Visit www.melindarmorgan.com to access previous episodes.
Instagram: @melinda.r.morgan
Facebook: Edified: Insights for LDS Women
Music: "Keys of Moon Be Inspired" free music download
Have a wonderful week, everyone! And Happy New Year!!
Edified: Insights for LDS Women
Episode 32, "Our Journey to the Manger"
Season 2
20 DEC 2020 Airdate
Everything we do in our celebrations of the Christmas season should in some way point the way to the Savior. This holy, sacred season is the “Sabbath” of our year. A time when we set worldly cares and distractions aside and once again return to the manger bearing gifts for those we love and for our King. In 1 Nephi chapter 8 we read the account of Lehi’s Dream and about four different groups of people who were invited to “journey to the manger,” and partake of the fruit of the Tree of Life.
Our journey to the manger is very much like our journey to the Tree of Life.
Four Groups & Their Journey to the Manger
Group One: Christmas may be full of tradition, but members of this group never begin the journey to the manger.
Group Two: Those among this group begin the journey to the manger, but the cares and distractions of the world cause them to veer off the path and onto strange roads--roads that lead anywhere BUT to the manger. They never make it to the Tree, because they did not make or keep their covenants with the Lord.
Group Three: This group of people make it to the manger, but instead of falling down and worshiping the Christ Child, they hold out part of them. They hold onto worldly ideals or ideologies that conflict with their covenants. Sometimes this is only a slight deviation--perhaps imperceptible.
Remember, the adversary does not care if we make covenants--what he cares about is that we don’t honor the covenants we make.
Those in this group are good people with good intentions, but they are seeking the approval of the world more than the approval of God.
Group Four: This group comes to the manger bearing the gifts of a broken heart and a contrite spirit to the Christ Child, and in submitting their will to the will of the Lord, they become true disciples of Christ.
There is only ONE path that leads to the manger and that is the COVENANT path. If we are to be fully armed in today’s world, we cannot afford to veer off the path by even one degree. Honoring and Renewing our covenants weekly as we partake of the Sacrament is how we stay connected to the manger--it's’ how we return to it again and again.
We have precious gifts to offer the world:
How do we NOT share these gifts with the world?
There are many ways to do this
Do ONE Thing
Instagram: @melinda.r.morgan
Visit: www.melindarmorgan.com
Edified: Insights for LDS Women
Episode 31, "The Healing Power of Jesus Christ" with Guest, Ashley Logan
Season 2
13 DEC 2020 Air Date
In this week's episode we are spotlighting Sister Franco's talk, "The Healing Power of Jesus Christ." To help me, I invited my daughter-in-law, Ashley Logan, to share some of her insights from Sister Franco's message.
Ashley is a native Texan who graduated from Brigham Young University in 2016 with a degree in Landscape Management. She works for Intermountain Plantings as a Project Coordinator and Estimater. She & Andrew met while attending BYU and were married in 2012. Ashley and Andrew lost their daughter, Joy, to a condition known as Trisomy 18. It was a heartbreaking time for our family. Through it all, I observed how Ashley and Andrew gained strength through the enabling power of Christ's Atonement. Their faith has been such an inspiration to me. In 2019, Andrew and Ashley welcomed a healthy boy into their family, and he has just been a true light and blessing to us all.
Ashley understands what it means to be broken--like the piano in Sister Franco’s talk. And she understands the enabling and enobling power of Christ’s atonement--the power that lifts us in times of sorrow and grief, heals us in our brokenness, and brings light and comfort to our dark and scary places.
I asked Ashley to share how the healing power of Jesus Christ has helped her handle the grief of losing her daughter. I know all who listen to this episode will be moved by Ashley's heartfelt testimony and her witness of the saving grace of our Savior.
Key Moments in this Episode:
4:30 Reference to Emily Belle Freeman's book, Grace Where You Are -- God doesn't give us cancer. Mortality does.
5:50 Ashley talks about her miscarriage.
9:20 Ashley shares her experience with her daughter, Joy. "She was the blessing we never asked for."
14:06 Broken
17:40 Feeling God's power through others
19:50 Angels on both sides of the veil
22:12 Elder Holland's counsel to picture yourself in the Garden with Christ.
24:10 We clapped for joy when the Father presented the plan of happiness.
27:30 A time when my faith was lacking
29:40 "What are you hearing that hasn't been said?"
30:15 Kintsugi--Centuries-old art of repairing pottery with gold
33:20 Welcome A.J. to our family
35:08 Ashley shares what edifies her
36:45 Do One Thing Invitation for the week
Do One Thing Invitation:
Do some small and simple act of faith each day this week. Be purposeful about exercising our faith through acting on promptings from the Holy Ghost. Something that lights the world within you or around you. Or both.
Resources:
Find Ashley on Instagram: @ashcaresse
Visit www.melindarmorgan.com to access previous episodes.
Follow me on Instagram: @melinda.r.morgan
Follow me on Facebook: Edified: Insights for LDS Women
Music for this episode "Keys of Moon Be Inspired" free music download
Edified: Insights for LDS Women
Episode 30, Niki Olsen Shares 3 Gifts We Should Give Ourselves This Holiday Season
Airdate: 06 DEC 2020
Click on this link to Download complete transcript of this episode.
6:32 The difference between self care and selfish -- The oxygen mask analogy
11:19 Gift #1 -- The gift of self compassion
17:15 Gift #2 -- The gift of time
23:16 Gift #3 -- The gift of decluttering
34:52 Do One Thing Invitation for the week -- Give yourself one of the three gifts Niki suggested in this episode: Self compassion, Time, or Decluttering our mind.
Visit Niki Olsen's website: www.nikiolsen.com
Follow Niki on Instagram: @nikiolsencoaching
Visit www.melindarmorgan.com to access previous episodes.
Follow me on Instagram: @melinda.r.morgan
Follow me on Facebook: Edified: Insights for LDS Women
Music for this episode "Keys of Moon Be Inspired" free music download
Edified: Insights for LDS Women
Episode 29 "Creating Oneness By Union of Feeling"
Season 2
29 NOV 2020
A few years ago, Elder Bednar taught us that the strength of a rope relies on the union of individual threads which, on their own may not be strong, but when twisted together, they become exceptionally strong. When I think about the word, unity, I think of teamwork and strength. Interestingly, by definition, the word unity means “wholeness; oneness; and the state of being one.” But it can also mean “harmony, singleness, and an absence of diversity.” That kind of catches my attention, because we’re taught that diversity is a strength and should be celebrated. A closer look, however, reveals that diversity in our roles and gifts are a necessary part of creating a union of feeling. That sounds counterintuitive at first, but not when we consider the strength that comes through the unique gifts that each of us contributes to the Lord’s work. It’s not diversity in gifts and strengths that divides us. Rather, it’s diversity in character that keeps us from becoming truly unified.
So how then does diversity in our roles and gifts help us create a union of feeling?
The perfect example of this is the Godhead. Each member of the Godhead has unique roles, but when it comes to character, they are the same. Perfectly unified. They are one. One in mind. One in heart. One in purpose. In a sense, we can see how their perfect unity is part of their power--that same power we are told we can obtain if we develop a union of feeling with the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. This means molding our character to theirs. It means doing all we do in the Name of Jesus Christ. It means our mind is the mind of Christ; our words are the words of Christ, and our heart is the heart of Christ. And it means our eye is single to the Glory of God.
That’s a pretty tall order, isn’t it?
In her conference talk, "By Union of Feeling We Obtain Power With God," Sister Sharon Eubank makes the point that our differences cause great divisions among so many and we are surrounded by opposition. In her questioning and searching, she came up with three suggestions to help us be more unified with others:
1. Have mercy -- Become free in imparting mercy to each other. Mercy is that it is a gift. It’s a gift we receive from the Lord, and it’s a gift we have the power to give to others.
2. Learn how to make our boat swing. “Swing” is something magical that occurs “when all in the boat are rowing in such perfect unison that not a single action is out of sync. Only then will it feel as if the boat is moving on its own. Only then does pain entirely give way to exultation. Good ‘swing’ feels like poetry.”
3. Learn how to clear away the bad as fast as the good can grow, and she used the allegory in Jacob 5 to illustrate this. It’s all about the messy work of caring for the vineyard. She said, “Unity doesn’t magically happen; it takes work. It’s messy, sometimes uncomfortable, and happens gradually when we clear away the bad as fast as the good can grow.”
Be part of a collective force that changes the world for good. We have unlimited potential to change society. And as we seek "union of feeling," we will call down the power of God to make our efforts whole.
Do One Thing
Cheer someone on who is trying to use their spiritual gifts to light the world. Celebrate their wins with them. Comment on their social media posts and let them know you value their light.
Resources
Sharon Eubank's "By Union of Feeling"
Music "Keys of Moon, Be Inspired" free music download
Follow on IG @melinda.r.morgan
Edified: Insights for LDS Women
Episode 28, "Becoming Like Him"
Season 2
22 NOV 2020
Download the full transcript by clicking here.
When it comes to becoming like Jesus, there is no fast track. It requires time and patience and effort. It requires a strong support system and mentors to help us along the way. We have the companionship of the Holy Ghost, the scriptures, the church, the priesthood, the temple, our ward family, and inspired leaders to help us. And we have our covenants that bind us to the Savior. All the scaffolds are in place to help us become more like Jesus and learn to live as celestial beings.
In his talk, Elder Whiting asks, “What level of effort would we be willing to give to invite His miraculous power into our lives so that we can change our very nature?” He then reminds us that all of us are under the directive to become like Him just as Jesus became like the Father. We learned last week that Jesus wasn’t born with a fulness of glory--that fullness came line upon line. Jesus grew in wisdom and stature one step at a time. Grace for grace, until he received the fullness of the Father. Christ is the model.
If we truly wish to become “as He is,” then we need to be thoughtful, deliberate, and intentional in our pursuit by gaining the very attributes of Jesus Christ. Elder Whiting gives us six things we can do to become more like our Savior:
Do One Thing Invitation
Complete the Christlike Attributes activity from Chapter 6 of Preach My Gospel. It really is a meaningful and thought-provoking exercise. It was really fun for Ron and I to do this together. We both had a good laugh, but then we came away with one area of focus that we each knew we needed to work on.
Resources
"Becoming Like Him" Elder Scott D. Whiting of the Seventy
Visit: www.melindarmorgan.com
Follow me on Instagram: @melinda.r.morgan
Follow me on Facebook: Edified: Insights for LDS Women
Music: "Keys of Moon Be Inspired" free music download
Edified: Insights for LDS Women
Episode 27, "Holding Onto Light in Times of Proving"
With special guest, Ellen Logan
As a teacher, it is my responsibility to assess my students so I can determine how well they are mastering the standards for 7th-grade language arts. To do this, we use a combination of formative and summative assessments. Formative assessments are frequent and informal, and they are meant to inform me if my students are prepared for the summative assessment that follows each of our units of study. In a sense, every day provides me with some form of formative assessment.
The coolest thing about formative assessments is they aren’t permanent. They’re preparatory. If a student doesn’t master a particular standard the first time, we remediate and they can try again. They can do this as often as necessary--right up until the summative assessment.
In a way, mortality is kind of like a series of formative assessments.
Elder Bednar mentioned how 2020 has given us all an opportunity to see where we are in our spiritual and temporal preparations. It has given us a chance to see where we’re strong, and where we need some work.
In this episode, I have invited a very special guest to share her thoughts with us about how our spiritual preparation can help us hold onto light during times when we feel surrounded by darkness.
Ask anyone who knew Ellen when she was a baby, a toddler, a little girl, and even as a teenager, and they would say that she was warm, bubbly, happy, and just a virtual ray of sunshine wherever she was. Ellen was among the first group of sister missionaries to serve a mission after the age was lowered. She served her mission in Chile, and then came home and returned to BYU-Idaho, where she served as the Relief Society president of her student ward. Ellen is now preparing for her internship as a recreational therapist and is a nanny to my daughter, Raechel’s, son, Dax.
About five years ago, Ellen was blindsided when she experienced a season of severe depression. Nobody saw it coming. What she discovered during this period of darkness was just how crucial it is to build up a store of gospel light. Ellen is the first to clarify that you can't just pray away depression. It's a real condition and often requires professional help and/or medication. But like the Parable of the Ten Virgins, which Elder Bednar discusses in his talk, Ellen found that her store of oil, or spiritual light, was a critical ingredient in helping her face unexpected darkness.
Episode Chapters:
7:30 Ellen shares her insights from Elder Bednar's talk.
11:10 Ellen talks about her battle with depression.
14:20 Ellen shares how being prepared spiritually continues to help her in her struggle with depression.
18:17 Ellen gives advice to those who have a loved one battling it right now.
24:50 Ellen shares more advice to those who struggle with depression
28:15 Find out what edifies Ellen.
DO ONE THING:
Light the world by prayerfully sharing a quote from Elder Bednar’s talk with a friend or family member. If you’re on social media, then you can take this a step further by sharing a quote and bearing your testimony about the principle taught in the quote.
Resources:
"We Will Prove Them Herewith" - Elder David A Bednar
Visit www.melindarmorgan.com
Follow me on Instagram @melinda.r.morgan
Music: "Keys of Moon" Be Inspired
Have a great week, everyone!
Until next time :-)
Edified: Insights for LDS Women
Episode 26, "Adding Light to Our Gospel Study"
Season 2, Ep. 2
08 NOV 2020
Click here to view the complete transcript.
In today’s episode, I share tips on how to add light to our study of General Conference talks. Everything in Season 2 is about lighting the world around us and the word within us, or as I like to say, “Light where you are.”
Deep Dive Into the Message
I've noticed a familiar pattern in most conference talks. There are six categories I call the “Conference Six-Pack:"
To dive deeper, consider these “Pause and Ponder Questions:"
To dive even deeper, make the teachings intimate and personal:
And FINALLY, ask
8 Traits of Gospel Scholars
Resources
Elder Kim B Clark "Deep Learning"
"Ideas for learning & Teaching from General Conference"
Edified: Insights for LDS Women
Episode 25: "Light Where You Are"
Season 2 Premiere
01 NOV 2020
Download the full transcript for this episode by clicking here.
For the past several years, I have spent some time studying the relationships among light, truth, spirit, and the glory of God. Certain scripture passages that mention light always seem to capture my attention---such as those found in D&C 93 and 88, or the familiar ones found in the Book of Mormon.
Yet even though I have made this a regular focus of study, I often get the feeling I’m missing something---the feeling that if I only knew how to dive a little deeper I would uncover some hidden truths or spiritual buried treasures.
Come to find out, I’m not alone in this. I recently came across a BYU Devotional given by Richard Draper, Professor of Ancient Scripture at Brigham Young University. Turns out at one time he found some of the passages in sections 88 and 93 of the D&C a little baffling too. So I guess I’m in good company :-)
The theme for Season 2 of the Edified Podcast is “Light where you are.” More specifically, looking at ways we have been invited to let our light shine in a manner that points the way to the Savior and lights both the world around us and the world within us.
Between now and our April 2021 General Conference, we'll be looking at the principles taught, the invitations extended, and the blessings promised during the October General Conference. Also, we'll look at the personal applications that will help us not only be a light, but also to hold up our light for others to see.
In today’s episode, I introduce the spiritual properties of light, explore how our spiritual eyes reflect heavenly light, and discuss ways we can light the world around us, or in other words “Light where we are.”
Resources and Links:
"Light, Truth, and Grace: Three Interrelated Principles Necessary for Exaltation"
-- Richard Draper
"Eye Single to the Glory of God" -- Dr. Taylor Halverson
"That They May See" -- Bonnie H. Cordon
"Bearers of Heavenly Light" -- Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Do One Thing Invitation
Find a quote from this past General Conference that shares how we can be a light to the world around us and the world within us, and share it in one of the following ways:
Even better if you can do a quote each day this week!
Thank you to all of you who have written a review in iTunes and shared the link for this podcast with a friend or family member. Your shares and your reviews are what is helping this podcast to grow and reach more listeners. It’s one small way for you to “light where you are.”
Have a wonderful week everyone! And welcome to Season Two!
Edified: Insights for LDS WomenEpisode 24 “Three Principles for Making Our Prayers More Meaningful”
27 SEPT 2020
This week I’ll be sharing some expert advice from Elder David A Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve as he teaches us three principles to help our prayers become more meaningful. I’ll also debunk another myth that kept me from understanding my relationship with the Savior for years!
Download the entire transcript by clicking here.
Link: "Pray Always," Elder David A Bednar:
Beyond all the suggestions and principles shared in the last two weeks, coming to know Jesus Christ intimately and personally is the most important thing we can do to make our prayers more meaningful.
This podcast is my heart offering to the Savior, my small attempt to be a light that directs others to the true source of all light.
Join me on Sunday, November 1st, for the premiere of Season 2, as I explore the topic of “light,” and what it means to “live in the revelation.”
Follow on IG: @melinda.r.morgan
Follow on FB: Edified: Insights for LDS women.
Music: "Keys of Moon, Be Inspired"
Until next time . . .
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