Finding Relief in Christ with Kaylen Nelson

Kathryn Davis 00:00

How have you leaned on the Savior lately for him to provide you both spiritual and temporal relief from the metaphorical rocks you are carrying in this life? Hi, and welcome to magnify an LDS Living podcast where we cheer inspire and embolden each other as women and followers of Jesus Christ, we hope to use our influence to make a difference in the world. I'm your host, Kathryn Davis, a mom, a seminary teacher and a grilling enthusiast who loves God. In this World Relief is a feeling that we all crave as we are dealing with life's burdens placed upon us and our loved ones. So in this last General Conference, when Sister Camille Johnson shared that Jesus Christ is relief, it resonated with me. The Savior's way is the only way to feel peace, and in turn, bring both temporal and spiritual relief and peace to others. I'm joined with Kaylen Nelson today as we discuss what stood out about this specific talk, and how we can find our own relief in the Savior Jesus Christ. So Kaylen this is going to be such a fun episode. And it's almost like we can have like a little study group, and talk about our impressions and what we both learned from this talk,

Kaylen Nelson 01:14

I would love that.

Kathryn Davis 01:15

But before we get going, I just have to ask you a couple quick questions so our listeners can get to know you a little bit better. You ready?

Kaylen Nelson 01:22

Sounds good. Sounds good.

Kathryn Davis 01:24

Okay. You are also a fellow seminary teacher. And I want to know, as you teach teenagers, what would you say is the biggest misconception about teens today?

Kaylen Nelson 01:38

Teaching teenagers is really, really hard to do. I think parents can resonate with that, your seminary teachers of your kids can resonate with that. But I think the biggest misconception is that they are craving belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They want the faith of their fathers, they crave it, they want it to, I don't want to say they want it to work for them, but they do. They want to be who they are with all of their quirks and gifts, and opinions. And they also want it to fit and sometimes that works. And sometimes that doesn't work, or they struggle to find that fit. But I would say they want it. They want it to work. And they crave that.

Kathryn Davis 02:26

I agree. Right? They come with this deep desire. Where are they? And they

Kaylen Nelson 02:31

will but they would never show you Oh, obviously, of course not. Heaven forbid they tell you that. But you can see it when there's when there's a good when they're good moments, you can see that they're like this is the feeling I want in my life more. This is something I believe to my core, and then it's helping them work through some of their other belief systems or helping them work through some of their other issues. So that they really feel like they can be at peace. And and truly believe.

Kathryn Davis 02:59

Well, and I love what you said that they want to belong. They don't want to fit in. I think they have this deep desire to belong and to know that they are seen and loved by their Heavenly Father. So I've done a little digging on you. And I found out that you grew up in some pretty small towns in Utah, I did Price and Vernal, right?

Kaylen Nelson 03:23

Price and Vernal pricey to Vernal, Utah, and most people don't my students, the only association is the dinosaur museum in Vernal, or you get gas in price on your way to Moab or Lake Powell. And that is pretty that's, that's how people know where I grew up.

Kathryn Davis 03:43

So what was your favorite part about living in a small town?

Kaylen Nelson 03:47

Oh, I always loved being in a small town. And I honestly would like to raise my family in a small town, just not my small town. You know, there's just, there's a lot of knowing of people's business and all that type of thing of going back to small towns. But when you grow up in a small town or to raise your kids in a small town, it's the best. And people say like, you know, what did you do? What do you do growing up in a small town? It's like, what don't you do? You go out on the weekends, but you're going out into the mountains and you're four wheeling and you're boating and you're going to the lake and I don't know we were also watching movies at people's houses and I feel like that's a lot of what kids do today. But I don't know there was just a lot of maybe more independence in a small town. Just kind of like free roaming. I don't know it kind of felt like a free roaming like junior high. It got let out. We like wandered town all day long. And it was like your parents expected you back at like 6pm don't get it. Yeah, I don't know. So it was it was a little bit idyllic. I loved growing up in small towns.

Kathryn Davis 04:58

The simplicity of that. sounds really nice. Yeah,

Kaylen Nelson 05:03

it was. It was but no Costco, so and no target. So there are trade offs. And those would be some big sacrifices today. But, but Amazon Prime still delivers to Vernal and Price I think you can survive.

Kathryn Davis 05:19

Or you could survive. Yeah. Okay. You are also a new mom,

Kaylen Nelson 05:23

I am a new mom!

Kathryn Davis 05:25

Congratulations.

Kaylen Nelson 05:26

Thank you.

Kathryn Davis 05:27

What has been your favorite part about motherhood so far, and maybe what's been the hardest part?

Kaylen Nelson 05:35

Oh, my goodness. There is something you could never adequately prepare for. I'm 33. Louis is our little boy. And he's kind of our miracle baby. We tried to have kids, I think it was maybe six years and inordinate amounts of IVF. Anyway, just a lot of a lot of miracles that got us to a specialized clinic in Colorado that helped us finally find the problem. And then we found solutions. And then nine months later, I was pregnant, and nine months later, we had a little boy. So motherhood doesn't always come in the ways that you expect it to. And even though I had six years to prepare, I still don't know that I was ready for the amount of sacrifice. I cannot describe what I would do for that little boy, I knew that would happen. But I didn't comprehend the feeling. I didn't comprehend that feeling of love.

Kathryn Davis 06:28

Yeah. And like you said, you're not prepared for it. I also don't think you're prepared for that Instantaneous love that you feel.

Kaylen Nelson 06:36

Yeah, it's pretty incredible. Hardest thing. And this is breastfeeding is probably the hardest thing I've ever done in my entire life. I mean, it is a labor of love. And that's probably all we need to say on a family show. But But...

Kathryn Davis 06:50

And that I didn't know.

Kaylen Nelson 06:52

I did not know.

Kathryn Davis 06:53

I was not prepared for how hard that was.

Kaylen Nelson 06:56

Yeah. And so stressful. And it's my baby getting enough and what if it didn't drink enough water today? And is he's crying because he's starving? Am I inadequate? I mean, those are those are big feelings. Those are big feelings when you're a new mom postpartum.

Kathryn Davis 07:11

Well, I just even think that experience will really go well with what we're talking about today. Right, some of these big emotions and big feelings and, and being able to talk about Camille Johnson's talk. Jesus Christ is relief. Yeah, I think there's a lot that we can resonate with and understand. But I want to ask you, why did this talk stand out to you?

Kaylen Nelson 07:35

I like Camille Johnson. So it might honestly just be a connection that I feel with her as a senior leader in the church. I look at her and see her as an example. And she's strong. If you know anything about her personal life, she's an attorney, and she's a mom, and she's all these things and like, she's a powerful woman. And for her to say, Jesus Christ is my strength. That is always poignant to me when powerful people credit Jesus, you know, right.

Kathryn Davis 08:09

Yeah. And this really stuck out to me as well, because I do love Sister Johnson. I think she's a powerhouse of a woman. And when she said, I can't go at it alone, and I don't need to, and I won't. Yeah, I just thought, Oh, well, if she needs strength, how much more do I you know?

Kaylen Nelson 08:31

Yeah. And it makes me think, what don't I know about her life? You know, we kind of put leaders on pedestals but what do I not know about her life that causes her to feel that? I think the first time I ever felt that connection to a leader is watching back Bruce R. McConkie. It's his last one the purifying power of Gethsemane and and he says in the coming day when I kneel at Jesus's feet I'll wet his feet with my tears and I just thought, Bruce are McConkie needs Jesus? He's like the most powerful speaker, so smart. But at the end of the day, he feels completely beholden to Jesus and so does Camille Johnson. So I think it creates a humaneness about leaders, when they help us see that Jesus is their relief too.

Kathryn Davis 09:15

Yeah, well, I think it's really interesting. I liked how she started her talk, talking about the story of the man with Palsy and his friends, in Luke five, and how the four friends carried the man to Jesus because of their faith and I just always try and imagine them like lifting the roof off and dropping their friend in the middle of this room. And I just, I love that image like they're gonna do whatever it takes to get their friend to Jesus. Right?

Kaylen Nelson 09:48

Absolutely.

Kathryn Davis 09:49

And so they they drop him in and Jesus says this, he says, I say into the arise and take up my couch and go into the house and immediately He rose up before them and took up that whereon he lay and departed to his own house glorifying God. And I just think this is a powerful story to start her talk with, especially as she's talking about relief, because I think there was a lot of relief felt in the story.

Kaylen Nelson 10:17

Very interesting. Yes.

Kathryn Davis 10:18

I think there was relief from the man who was physically lifted up and able to walk and relief from the friends that Jesus recognized their faith. And that's why he was healed. Yeah.

Kaylen Nelson 10:33

And even relief of the burden of having a friend who's in pain and struggling. And it's, it's relief from the burden of caring for someone. Jesus provides that relief too.

Kathryn Davis 10:44

And I want to talk a little bit about because I think he provides physical relief from pain. But this scriptural account is way more than just the physical relief, don't you think?

Kaylen Nelson 10:56

Yeah. And it's interesting, because, again, teenagers, my my brain kind of works in how does a teenager see this?

Kathryn Davis 11:03

That's how my brain works.

Kaylen Nelson 11:04

I think teenagers think of physical healing is way cooler than a spiritual healing, you know? If you would ask them between the two, you're disabled in some way, physically disabled in some way, which would you rather to have your sins forgiven or to be able to walk? And they would say walk. I would probably say walk too. And I just wonder, sometimes if we fully appreciate the burden of relief, spiritually, and what a miracle that is.

Kathryn Davis 11:34

And just as big of a miracle as the physical relief.

Kaylen Nelson 11:39

And I just, I wonder if we're thinking spiritually, the power, even the Pharisees say, Who can forgive sin, but God alone? because even the Pharisees are like, that's such a huge, you just did such a huge thing, you do really have the power to do that? You were accountable to justice eternally. And now you are no longer accountable to justice eternally. In a much bigger sense than in this life, our physical maladies will all be removed. And so anyway, as I was reading this, it's not just the physical relief, some of us will have physical relief from Jesus in this life. But all of us have access to the greater miracle. And I think that's pretty cool.

Kathryn Davis 12:24

And how often are we just looking for the physical healing? Correct, or that physical relief? And I like how you said like that physical relief will eventually come for all of us, whether it's in this life or the next. But I think sometimes that's what we're seeking for and hoping for is that physical relief.

Kaylen Nelson 12:43

Right. And I think even with our little miracle boy, though, though, medically, we found whatever, you know, it was a miracle. It was a physical miracle that we have this little boy. And I will be grateful every day for it. But I have to try and remember that every day when I seek forgiveness, that that spiritual relief, these burdens that we're carrying, that him relieving those is actually just as powerful if not more significant than these physical things that we might seek.

Kathryn Davis 13:13

Well, I think even before we get into that, maybe we should look at what that word relief even means. And as she said that, like I am one who loves to study the titles of Jesus Christ. But then she came out and she said, Jesus Christ is relief. And I don't think I've ever thought of that title for Jesus Christ before, for sure. Could that be one of his names or his titles is relief? So what do you think relief means? What does it mean to you?

Kaylen Nelson 13:46

Relief, especially in mortality, I don't know that it means eternal rest, or no more problems, or everything's good now. I think relief is... this is going to come off weird. But it's temporary. And I don't want to say that Jesus only gives you temporary relief, that he can only temporarily heal you. I don't believe that that's true. But I do believe that there are times when he helps take our burdens when we are yoked with him, that he can help take our burdens. That doesn't mean that we're never going to feel a burden again, it doesn't mean we're never going to need to turn to him again. But I think the idea is that when we see that Jesus can relieve that burden, even temporarily, or for a time hold that for us, to allow us to strengthen or to have some time until we can continue forward. And I don't know I wonder if sometimes we think that that that means that will never feel pain or stress or or sorrow, but that's not that's not what it means. Because we need to be constantly relying on Jesus Christ and so therefore that means that we need to keep going back to access or to feel this relief.

Kathryn Davis 15:02

And often that comes through his strengthening power. When we talk about the strengthening power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I think sometimes we forget that he can provide strength to ease those burdens, whether that's for a time or whether that's for a moment. Yeah.

Kaylen Nelson 15:19

What would you say? How would you describe relief for you, in Jesus Christ?

Kathryn Davis 15:24

I have thought so much about that. And especially the last few days in my life, just because we're waiting on some health news for family. And as you wait, and my mind can start to go to scary or dark places, right. And it's interesting, I am so grateful for this timing that we can talk about this talk because I have been focusing on what relief means and how I can find relief in the stress and the worry, and it's not going to take it away, right? I still have to do my job, I still have to take care of my family. And I still have these worries, those aren't gonna go away. But how do I find relief in that? And I kind of I was talking to a friend. And I kind of think it's like, being held in the eye of the storm, that the storm is still raging, raging around, but somehow, in some way, and again, I don't always understand or know, or can explain the Atonement of Jesus Christ, but that he can hold me in the eye of that storm.

Kaylen Nelson 16:26

Yeah, I empathize with that feeling of you look around and you think I shouldn't be freaking out? I should be in a state of panic. I should be a lot more scared than I am. But I'm, I'm at peace. And how is that possible? When it's a hurricane? It's taken years of practice for me to be able to identify, when am I feeling that relief? What is it like? And that's, I think the way you described it is the best way I felt it is to say, everything around me feels like it's crashing down, but I'm okay. And I don't know how else I can be okay, except that Jesus is providing this for me.

Kathryn Davis 17:04

Interestingly enough, I read the scripture in my personal study this morning, it's in Mosiah 24, when they're being persecuted, and Christ talks to them about easing their burdens. And in chapter 24, verse 14, he says this, and I will also cause the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your back's even while you are in bondage. I kind of think that is what it feels like to be in the eye of the storm, that there's heaviness, but he can ease it, so we don't even feel them.

Kaylen Nelson 17:35

Yeah, I agree. And I think that Jesus being that relief, I think that's what President Nelson, you know, she quotes him. That's what true rest is. That's what relief and peace are when you're feeling those emotions, that is the enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. That's when you're feeling it. That's when you're receiving a covenant blessing that you're privy to, because of the sacrifices that you've made to be yoked with Jesus Christ.

Kathryn Davis 18:04

And she talks about, you know, that Latin word of relief, relevare. I don't know how to how to pronounce it. Which she says it means to be raised up and for me relief, that image to be raised up that's relief. Where the Lord offers relief, to be raised up from my distresses and my burdens, and my worries. And because he was raised up on the cross, he can help raise those burdens from our backs. It's a beautiful parallel. And I think sometimes it's not until I really stop and dig a little deeper that I can see those and recognize those. And that's why I'm grateful that we can have this opportunity to talk about this talk. Because I don't know if I would have made that parallel just on a one time through.

Kaylen Nelson 19:00

Yeah, and I think that's the power and discussion and the power in learning, not just on our own is that when you have conversations and when you're talking to people around you about the Talk or about Come follow me that it really helps you say things or think things that you wouldn't have thought otherwise. I think Marion G Romney says, I know when I'm speaking by the power of the Holy Ghost, because I learned something from what I've said, and I really relate to that as a teacher and as a member of the church or whatever, just as we're having these discussions. I think that's why it's powerful to to talk it out and not just always on your own.

Kathryn Davis 19:39

Well, and it goes right hand in hand with what Boyd K Packer said, like a testimony is found in the bearing of it. Absolutely. And, and even just as I say that, like Christ will hold me in the eye of the storm. You can feel it like it's just, it's him telling me again, Kathryn, I've got you Yeah, you know?

Kaylen Nelson 20:01

Whether you knew it half hour ago or not, you know it now. And it's because you you engaged in it, and you shared it. And then you realized it was true for you too. Yeah.

Kathryn Davis 20:14

Well, and sister Johnson talks about metaphorical backpacks. Yeah. And that we all carry a backpack through our life and that sometimes she talked about burdens being rocks. And I don't know, as a teacher, how many times have you?

Kaylen Nelson 20:27

How many times I like I like, a good a good old backpack analogy. Who hasn't had the backpack analogy? You know?

Kathryn Davis 20:36

Yeah, the rocks. Right. And I just think it's interesting that she talked about the three different types of rocks we can have in our backpack. And I'm so grateful she distinguished between those three.

Kaylen Nelson 20:48

Right? I think there's power in acknowledging I have burdens. And what's the root of it? What's the reason why? Ultimately, Jesus can heal all of them, but there's power in saying, Why am I having this issue? What's interesting, though, that I found in her talk with this is I've done this in seminary, you know, trials, temptations, struggles, whatever they come because of our own actions, because of others. And then the third one, I always with my classes, and I'm wrong and how I change it. But I always said, or students would say, you know, because God, God gives them their God given trials. And I've been like, yes, you know, God can give us trials. But she does not say anything about God given trials. She says, the third, the third condition is the fallen world that we live in. Anyway. Does that stand out to you? Or what stands out to you about that?

Kathryn Davis 21:42

Yeah, because I don't believe that. I think he can. But I don't think God is giving us certain things. I don't think God, yeah, gives us cancer or causes a car wreck. It's just because of the world we live in and bad things happen. Bad things are gonna happen to all of us, whether that's through chronic illness or grief, or mental illness or loneliness. And I get that question. So many times, especially as a seminary Teacher, why did God give me depression or anxiety? Or why did God allow this to happen? And, and I love how she distinguished that because I don't think God gives that to us. It's just a result of being fallen.

Kaylen Nelson 22:24

Yeah, and the blame associated, you know, if God gives trials, then I feel totally free to blame him and to curse his name if something terrible happens to me. And I don't think it's appropriate anyway, though I'm totally guilty. But it's also not right. Because instead of turning to God to say, Wow, how could you do this to me? She talks later, and maybe we're jumping ahead, but she talks about why we carry our rocks, why are we so attached? And if Jesus can heal them, and help them, then why don't we let him Where does she say, Why are we so insistent on carrying alone? And I think we're insistent on carrying alone because sometimes we blame God for the reason why the rocks there. Instead of saying, this happened to me. Because of the world I live in. Can you help me and we don't turn because we think it's his fault. Interesting. That was one when she said, It is intended as a personal question to each of you to consider why don't you give up your rocks? Or why don't why are you so insisted on carrying them alone. And one of the things that went through my head was, because sometimes I blame him for the rocks I carry. And so I'm not going to turn to him because I'm mad at him for giving it to me in the first place for giving it to me in the first place. And so anyway, that is powerful for me.

Kathryn Davis 23:42

And I think the flip side of that, even if we don't blame God, if we're thinking that God caused it, then we're blaming ourselves, like, what's wrong with me? What did I do wrong that I have this or this is happening to me? Because if we're trying to place blame, whether it's on God, or I see a lot of times, myself included, I blame it on me. Right? And I think just not giving up those rocks. I love how she says we're stingy with those rocks. And maybe sometimes we're stingy, because we think we did something wrong, or their shame. And we deserve it.

Kaylen Nelson 24:21

Absolutely. And, you know, I just kind of looked through each of those. And I just thought, why don't I give up my rocks of sin or my rocks from others or the fallen condition? And so I'd be interested on your thoughts on these as well. But why don't I give it my rocks of of sin? Because it's my fault. And I deserve this.

Kathryn Davis 24:40

Yeah. It's the difference between guilt and shame.

Kaylen Nelson 24:43

Yeah, it's the absolutely

Kathryn Davis 24:45

shame is not from God.

Kaylen Nelson 24:46

Correct. And it's, yeah, you're right. And it's me saying I deserve this. And I'm not going to turn to God, because this was my fault and I totally knew better. And so I'm going to carry this one. I deserve to carry this One. And I think that that's a great lie. Just a great, great lie? Did you think of any others for any of these? What are some other reasons why you hold on to rocks?

Kathryn Davis 25:11

I thought a lot about it. And I think it's really interesting kind of what she said that she holds on to them because of pride. And I didn't think of it that way as pride. But now I can see that that's why I do Oh, I can do it, I can do it by myself, I don't want to burden anybody, I don't want to like not have the strength to do it. Like, I'll do it. And I can see, especially as she said that, that that is pride. Pride in my own strength and pride in my own ability to do it. And I've thought a lot about fear. How does fear keep me from giving up my rocks? I think fear of being less than or not enough. And that's a lie. Like that is a lie from the adversary trying to tell me that I won't be enough if I struggle with this.

Kaylen Nelson 26:01

Yeah, for me, the rocks of others, It's if I don't hold him accountable, who will? I need to hold them accountable. I'm not going to give this up to God, I'm not going to seek their forgiveness. Because if I let it go, no one else is going to carry this, you know, this Vendetta? No one but me can carry this Vendetta, you know, and it's this feeling of if I don't, then then they get off free. And they don't have to be reconciled at all. And I think so I hold on to it. Because others might not remember it, but I will so that they can be held accountable. And I just think that's a stinky rock to carry. To think that you have to own that.

Kathryn Davis 26:42

And all of these rocks that we carry, don't you think it's because we don't either understand or trust? Or have faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ?

Kaylen Nelson 26:54

Absolutely.

Kathryn Davis 26:55

What do you think that looks like to give up your rocks? How do we do it?

Kaylen Nelson 26:59

Ugh, it's so hard,

Kathryn Davis 27:02

it's so hard,

Kaylen Nelson 27:03

it's so hard to give up your rocks, especially when you feel so justified in holding them. And also when you don't maybe even recognize the weight that they're carrying, that it could be relieved. And my husband has been in a BYU bishopric for the last three semesters. So we've been down at BYU a lot. And there was a young woman who she just said, I feel like I could talk to you about this. And you know, I've done some things. And I did my best to encourage her to go talk to to the bishop. And anyway, so she did and weeks later, she came up in tears. And she just was like, I had no idea. I had no idea how much weight I was carrying. And so maybe we don't give them up. Because we don't know how much they are weighing on us.

Kathryn Davis 27:48

They weigh us down. Yeah. I don't think we realize we're carrying it around when we are just in the thick of it. Yeah. But what would that do for us if we could give it to him? Yeah.

Kaylen Nelson 28:00

So I think the answer to your question is, you know with sin, a lot of it is turning to God and acknowledging the need sometimes for outside help with a priesthood leader, potentially. And maybe that's the easiest one to say, That's the process. That's the process of how you relieve that burden. The other ones are in some ways, harder. How do you release the burden, Or the rock of a fallen condition? How do you give that up? That feels less tangible to me than sin, sin feels so tangible to me, like I can let that go, I can physically let that go and be done with that thing in my life and try to be better about that thing. But to let go, the hurt that came because of death, or pain or grief, it's so much harder, I guess, maybe in this stage of life for me than the sin. But ask me as a 17 year old and I probably would have said sin was the hardest, you know, it's phases and stages. But for me, I think that that might be the harder one for me.

Kathryn Davis 29:01

I think now in my life. Absolutely. And I think of like, How can I do that? Because when I read her talk, it was so powerful to me, but I just thought how can I trust that He will provide relief? Like how do I hand that over to him in my life. And even that scripture in Matthew 11, right where the Savior says, Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me. For I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls for my yoke is easy. And my burden is light. As I've thought about how I can do that, I just picture that yoke. And there's this great little children's book that I love. And it has all these pictures of animals like this is a dolphin and it shows a picture of a dolphin, right? And anyway, and it gets to the last page and it says this is an ox and it shows this picture of this giant, giant ox and it has the yoke around the oxes neck, and it has this little child in the yoke next to him. And I look at that picture. And I think, who's really doing the pulling in that picture of that huge oxen and this tiny little child? Who's the one who's pulling and doing all the work? It's the Savior. When I think of putting my yoke with his Can I just trust that if I somehow turned to him and say, my burdens heavy? And I'm going to yoke with you, but you're going to do all the work. And can you hold me in this place in this eye of the storm? And somehow, whether that's by hour or day to day, can you help me find the strength to get through the day? Or to get through the hour? To me, that part of the Atonement of Jesus Christ is strength, the strengthening power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, like we forget that when we yoke with him, and I love that President Nelson says that, right? When we yoke with him, he gives us his strength and his power.

Kaylen Nelson 29:32

For me why I don't do that? Why? It's not that I don't believe I can. It's not that I don't think it will work. It's that I feel so guilty adding more to his plate. That sounds so dumb when you say it, but like, okay, but you're gonna do all the work. And it's like, oh, that just, it's the unfairness of it. It feels so unfair. When you genuinely recognize how one sided the Atonement of Jesus Christ is, it really is him doing so much and us just needing the humility to say, you have a better way. And I trust that you have a better way. Our willingness is really, how I think we engage in any of this rock removal is saying, I'm willing, and then he can help. Like, relieve that. And I've experienced that. But it's am I willing to, and sometimes I'm not willing, because I genuinely feel guilty that he he does so much. And I feel like I've got to take on a little bit. I can do this. It's back to her pride. I've got this. And I feel too bad. Adding this to his plate, when he's already done so much for me.

Kathryn Davis 31:11

I can see that. And then I think we also have to remember that that price has already been paid.

Kaylen Nelson 32:07

Whether you want it to or not.

Kathryn Davis 32:11

It's he's already paid it. Yeah. It's already done. Yeah. And so now can we just find that strength and that enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ? And I think somehow, for me, finding or understanding the Atonement of Jesus Christ comes also, when we can partner with the Savior to relieve others. I love how she said that, like, we can partner with him.

Kaylen Nelson 33:02

Right. There's two audiences, right? We're picturing us as the man with palsy. But she's like, No, there's power for the friends, the friends also have a benefit. They also have relief given.

Kathryn Davis 33:15

And sometimes when we realize that we can partner with him to bring relief, I think that brings on a whole new meaning and understanding for me of what it means to be his hands. Right? Those Those four men were the hands, they brought him to the Savior.

Kaylen Nelson 33:33

Yeah, this is her little little snippet. For her talk, we can partner with the Savior to help provide temporal and spiritual relief for those in need. And in the process, find our own relief. Again. So often we identify with a man with palsy because we want help. But the truth is, the best way to find help is to help others. And honestly, in this conversation, to my core, I just made a connection, where I'm like, why? So being a mom, a new mom, I'm on maternity leave. And then the question is, do I go back to teaching? Or do I not? And, you know, there's a million opinions. And there's a million different ways that work for other people. But I just, I guess I've had this question in my heart of why do I feel like I need to go back? And it's not necessarily even that I want to go back because teaching is so dang hard. And I think people look at seminary teachers and like, Oh, it's so easy for you and you're like, I mean, maybe there are some things that come easier, that you stress about that I don't stress about anymore, or as much, but teaching is so dang hard, and it takes such a toll. And so even though I'm you know, I've waited for years for this little baby and and wouldn't wouldn't the the best piece of gratitude I could ever show for this miracle is to be with him 24 hours a day? And and I think yeah, for some that is the answer. But I genuinely been thinking, why do I? Why do I feel like, I need to go back? It's not even that I want to, but I need to. And I think it's because of the blessings that have come into my life when I am helping others find Jesus. I just learned that in the last 46 minutes, I'm like, that's why I feel that that's why I feel that connection. And I guess I've never put that together. I've just kind of always shortchanged myself and thought, I just can't be spiritual. If I'm not teaching, it's the only thing that can motivate me. And I think that that does me a discredit. I think the truth is that Jesus Christ brings relief in my life, the more I am helping others find relief, and he's given me some gifts to help others do that in some specific ways. And that's why I think I'm drawn to it. And so I think that that call to action is different for every person, for some that would be to stay home and help your children do that right now. And for me for this semester, it's going to be to go and teach another semester and help provide relief in that avenue. But I think it's being open to different avenues of relief.

Kathryn Davis 36:16

I love that. Because I even think like you're finding relief and partnering with Jesus Christ. Yeah, right. Yeah, you're partnering with him to bring relief to others. And I think that is such an important question to ask ourselves, How can we partner with Jesus Christ to bring relief? For you and I, it might be teaching? Yeah, that's not going to be the way for everyone. Maybe it's to be a good listener, or whatever that way is for you.

Kaylen Nelson 36:48

And our callings? Do we see our callings as opportunities? Do we see girls camp in that light? Like in

Kathryn Davis 36:55

ministering? Do you even see that as partnering with Jesus Christ?

Kaylen Nelson 36:59

Right, right. And I think we just look at logistics. And we think that the logistical things, but really, youth say the most profound experiences that they have, where I went to FSY, I went to girls camp, I went to youth conference, I some of these... Trek. If you have ever been on any of those committees, there is nothing harder for me to be happy about than being on the trek committee, or you know, they just take so much time. But they genuinely provide relief. And so I always need an attitude change about service in the church and seeing as partnering to provide relief.

Kathryn Davis 37:46

I love that image of partnering with Jesus Christ because Jesus Christ is the reliever, that new name for him. As we talked about the reliever I want to dig into that a little bit over the coming months and trust that he truly will bring me relief in what I feel day to day, and it's not going to take it away. But can I trust that he will hold me and that I can be yoked with him and that his strength can pull me along at times when I feel like I can't go another step.

Kaylen Nelson 38:26

May we all be blessed in our efforts to do that. Because it's way harder to do than it is to say he really is, but I also with you can testify that there have absolutely been times in my life when I have looked around and thought I should be worrying more than I am. I should be more terrified than I am. But I'm not going to work myself up and give me any anxiety, any additional anxiety than I need. But I'm just going to sit in this because I think that this is just one of those tender mercy moments when Jesus is giving me some relief. And those are precious.

Kathryn Davis 39:02

Kaylen seriously, thank you so much for this conversation. Man. I have learned so much.

Kaylen Nelson 39:07

Of course.

Kathryn Davis 39:11

Each one of our episodes always closes with a small and simple challenge that we like to take from our discussion and implement into our week. For this week, I would love to extend the invitation that we study out this talk again from Camille Johnson and look for ways that Jesus is the relief in our lives. Thanks for being here and hop on over to Instagram at magnify community for more inspiration and conversation. And of course subscribe and listen to the Magnify podcast wherever you get your shows. Let's meet up again next week.