As a Magnify community, we read "Personal Ministry: Sacred and Precious" by Bonnie D. Parkin, former Relief Society General President. In it she challenges each of us to identify our personal ministry and live each day finding opportunities to care for others as the Savior would.

In this conversation, three women at very different stages of life, a widow and empty-nester, a mom of five kids ages 10 and under, and a young single adult, get personal and share what's in their hearts after reading Sister Parkin's address, and what it looks like for them to be on the Lord's divine errands and develop a deeper sense of personal ministry with the Lord.

Sister Parkin said, "Most ministering opportunities are spontaneous, not planned in advance." The little things we do to share the light of Christ each day add up to make this world a better place and our daily efforts to care for each other the way Jesus would make a difference.

Personal Ministry: Sacred and Precious by Sister Bonnie D. Parkin

Join us on Instagram! @magnifycommunity

Learn more about Magnify! magnifythegood.com

As Magnify women, through life's many and varied adventures, we hold tight to the Lord's promise in D&C 122:7 "that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good." We've learned that one of the ways we reap from this goodness is in how we can turn around and share what we've learned with others and help them along their path. Our lives become a collection of opportunities and testimony of moments that we can pull from later to be of service to each other.

Maria Eckersley, is here to share how three women in scripture show us how the Lord constantly prepares us to be part of His great work, giving us opportunities to care for each other as our Savior would. Even if we can't tell in the moment, we can trust that He has equipped us to step forward in His strength.

Maria is a multi-hyphenate gatherer of goodness from being a devoted fun mom to mega party planning to gospel teaching tips in the home. She is a mom to six amazing kids and grandma to three darling grandsons.

Notes: Hear more from Maria on the Magnify podcast:

5 Questions to Illuminate Women in the Scriptures

Trusting that our loving Heavenly Father made us for a divine purpose helps us realize that our God-given gifts aren't competitive, they're complimentary! When we come together as women, we have the chance to praise each other, reminding one another of our worth and divine potential. When we embrace our unique talents and gifts, it helps us become our best selves and enables us to lift others along our way.

Today's guest, Natalie Hill Jensen, is a former Broadway performer who has learned through many life experiences that her talents and personality are God-given and when she is exactly herself, she's better able to lift others and share God's love. She delights in complimenting other women so they see their strengths and feel amazing.

Links and notes: Parley P. Pratt quote Natalie shared: "[The Holy Ghost] quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands and purifies all the natural passions and affections; and adapts them, by the gift of wisdom, to their lawful use. It inspires, develops, cultivates and matures all the fine-toned sympathies, joys, tastes, kindred feelings and affections of our nature. It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness and charity. It develops beauty of person, form and features. It tends to health, vigor, animation and social feeling. It invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man. It strengthens, and gives tone to the nerves. In short, it is, as it were, marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being." Parley P. Pratt, Key to the Science of Theology

Patrica Holland quote that inspired this episode:

"Somewhere somehow the Lord blipped the message onto my screen that my personality was created to fit precisely the mission and talents he gave me. For example, the quieter, calmer talent of playing the piano reveals much about the real Pat Holland. I would never have learned to play the piano if I hadn't enjoyed the long hours of solitude required for its development. This same principle applies to my love of writing, reading, meditation, and especially teaching and talking with my children. Miraculously, I have found that I have untold abundant sources of energy to be myself, but the moment that I indulge in imitation of my neighbor, I feel fractured and fatigued and find myself forever swimming upstream. When we frustrate God's plan for us, we deprive this world and God's kingdom of our unique contributions, and a serious schism settles in our soul. God never gave us any task beyond our ability to accomplish it. We just have to be willing to do it in our own way. We will always have enough resources for being who we are and what we can become."

Sister Elaine Dalton joined us for this very special episode of the podcast, recorded live at Magnify's Lift Up Your Heart event in Salt Lake City! Sister Dalton shares how we are the women spoken of by President Kimball and later by President Nelson, women who will change the world in distinct and happy ways through our testimonies and covenant conviction to the gospel of Jesus Christ. With warmth and love, she reminds us that we're not meant to sit on the sidelines—we each have a divine mission and part in the Lord's great work.

"The impact that you will have in these latter days is just phenomenal!" —Sister Elaine Dalton

Sister Elaine Dalton served as Young Women General President from 2008 through 2013, and since then she has continued her mission of reminding women of their divine identity and unique capacity to lift, strengthen, and change the world around them for good.

Notes:

Join us on Instagram! @magnifycommunity

Learn more about Magnify! magnifythegood.com

Read more from Sister Dalton: A Return to Virtue

BYU-Pathway helps people around the world get a higher education, develop their talents, and provide opportunities to serve. We had the privilege to learn more about the scope of this incredible program and how we can get involved. As we seek to develop our God-given gifts, and support others to do the same, we increase in our ability to serve and lift those around us as we go about our divine errands.

Today's guest, Melinda Ashton, is the wife to BYU-Pathway President Brian Ashton. They are the parents of seven children and grandparents to a new grand baby. Melinda is a BYU graduate and attended Northwestern Medical School in Chicago. Melinda and Brian give frequent online devotionals to the 85,000 BYU-Pathway students around the world.

Links:

Pathway to Hope documentary with Jane Clayson Johnson on BYUtv

BYU-Pathway Worldwide

Ways to get involved and support BYU-Pathway

We're thrilled to welcome President Camille N. Johnson, Relief Society General President, to the Magnify podcast. From President Johnson's powerful testimony and example of Christlike discipleship we learn ways to let the light of our personal conversion shine above the darkness in the world. President Johnson shares the daily acts of devotion that strengthen her testimony, practices we can emulate to put Christ at the center of our lives. From her unique perspective as the president of a worldwide organization, we learn more about the power we have as covenant-keeping women to individually make a tremendous difference for good as we minister one-by-one.

President Johnson was sustained as the 18th Relief Society General President for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 2, 2022. She also served as the Primary General President. She and her husband, Douglas R. Johnson, served as a mission leaders in Arequipa, Peru. They are the parents of three children and eight grandchildren. President Johnson graduated from the University of Utah in 1985 with a bachelor's degree in English followed by a law degree from the University of Utah in 1989. She practiced law for nearly 30 years.

Links:

Read or watch President Johnson's devotional address: Righteous Stewards—Disciples of Jesus Christ

Rosemary Wixom is with us again! Through her example, personal experiences, and interactions with others, Sister Wixom shows us that when we prioritize our time in the temple, even when time seems like the only thing we don't have enough of in our lives, the blessings are immeasurable. She shares how she learned the truth of this promise from President Nelson: "The Lord will bring the miracles He knows you need as you make sacrifices to serve and worship in His temples." This episode is one that leaves us inspired and feeling emboldened to spend more time in the temple, either as regular temple workers or through more frequent temple worship.

Rosemary and her husband served as temple president and matron of the Salt Lake Temple before it closed for renovations. Many of us also recognize her from her time serving as Primary general president. She also served on the Church's Temple and Family History Executive Council. And, fun fact, she has a twin sister!

Hear more about the temple from Sister Wixom on the Magnify podcast: Three Spiritual Guideposts for Finding Jesus in the Temple

Learn more about temple blessings with these books:

The Holy Sealing by Anthony & Cindy Sweat

An Endowment of Love by Melinda Brown

Our willing hearts are enough for the Lord to send us on divine errands, even if we feel like outsiders, outliers, or full of shortcomings. How can we know? Looking at the examples from women in scripture helps us see that our part in the Lord's work is never small, rather, it's expansive. We don't have to second-guess—moving forward to act on promptings can help us understand that any time we're on God's errand, it's divine.

Kaylen Nelson joins the podcast to help us learn more about our personal divine errands from remarkable women in scripture who lived out their own. Kaylen recently retired after thirteen years of teaching in the church education system so she can stay home with her two baby boys.

Links:

Join us for Lift Up Your Heart, a Magnify gathering, October 25, 2025—Register today!

Be in the conversation — follow on Instagram @magnifycommunity

Shannon Foster, co-founder of The Red Headed Hostess, joins us to share how we can teach children to study the gospel so they learn precious truths for themselves—no matter their age. She also shares how to slow down our personal scripture study to help us be better gospel teachers in our homes and church classrooms.

Shannon taught seminary and institute for 13 years and now helps families learn and love the scriptures through her brand, The Red Headed Hostess. Whether or not you have children in your home, or a calling to teach children, Shannon's way of approaching gospel study creates more connection, deeper conversations, and real conversion.

Life rarely goes how we plan, but we can find deep meaning, peace, and joy, despite the detours and trials. When we recognize God is always with us, our lives can be rich with purpose and we'll find fulfillment despite experiencing loss, heartache, and unmet expectations.

Camille Fronk Olson, professor emeritus from BYU's department of ancient scripture and pioneer for women in the Church Education System, joins the podcast to share how she's learned to see God's hand in her life, even when things went off course from how she thought they would be. She explains how as she stayed close to God and embraced opportunities as they came, He helped her grow and become more than she ever thought she could.

Links:

Read the book!

But If Not: Finding God in Unmet Expectations and Unwanted Detours

Camille is a speaker at Magnify's Lift Up Your Heart event! Register today!

More from Camille — Magnify episode 97: "How Prophetic Revelation Intersects with Personal Decision Making"