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Sarah Jane Wright: The Messiness of Creativity

An artist from a young age, Sarah Jane Wright doesn’t have many memories that don’t include having a pencil or a crayon in her hand, and that trend continues to this day. From her Nutcracker illustrations displayed in Ralph Lauren's New York City flagship store to her “Lola Dutch” picture book series series to her latest project with Emily Belle Freeman and David Butler, Sarah Jane is a believer that God made all of us creators. On this week’s episode, we talk about why creativity of all forms is often messy, and why it's worth cultivating in ourselves and in our children.

48: “He Delighteth in Mercy” (Jonah, Micah)

Sometimes we find the Old Testament relatable not because of the stories where people have everything figured out, but because of the stories where they don't. Like us, these individuals are imperfect—and occasionally, they might even have a bit of a rebellious streak. This week’s story is about one such prophet. Jonah sacrificed everything to go and do, but when he got his call to serve, he ran in the opposite direction. Eventually, though, he repented and served with his whole heart. Our study today is in the books of Jonah and Micah, where we learn the stories of normal people who answered the call to be prophets.

Jorge Cocco Santángelo: Portraying Christ in Art

Argentine artist Jorge Cocco Santángelo has long been admired for combining cubism and sacred subjects in his paintings. But Latter-day Saints may not realize that Jorge, a convert who was baptized in 1962, introduced the Church to an entirely new style and forged the path for other artists to portray the sacred in different ways. His paintings, frequently displayed in the Church History Museum and known for their rich colors and angular shapes, are often of Bible scenes or the Savior Himself. On this week's episode, Jorge discusses the responsibility he feels while painting Jesus Christ and why he hopes the style of art he has created allows observers to reflect and draw closer to Him.

51: “I Have Loved You, Saith the Lord” (Malachi)

How do you know God loves you? Maybe you feel His love through simple things, like sunsets or the existence of your favorite ice cream. Or maybe tenderly answered prayers assure you that He cares. Gaining a testimony of God’s love isn’t a journey only relevant in today’s world—the people in Malachi’s day wrestled with the same thing. This week’s lesson in Malachi gives us many truths to “lay to heart” (Malachi 2:2) and is a perfect finale to what we’ve learned all year long: no matter what, God loves us.

2: “Be It unto Me according to Thy Word”

What is your approach to a new year? Are you a “new year, new you” kind of person, or do you usually find yourself in survival mode, just trying to keep things together? Either way, we’ve been there. But what if we tweaked that New Year’s mantra and said, “new year, knew you”? What if this year we all focused on learning just how well God knows us? A goal like that has the potential for lasting change in everyone’s lives. So on this week’s episode, we’ll study the first chapter of Matthew and Luke and learn that God knows us so well that He even sent the Savior to “guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:79)—and we think that is a path we all want to walk in 2023.

3: “We Have Come to Worship Him” (Matthew 2, Luke 2)

If you’re like us, now that the new year has begun you might be experiencing holiday withdrawals. But what if we told you that Christmas can keep on going? Luckily, this week’s Come, Follow Me lets us revisit the story of the Savior’s birth in the second chapters of Luke and Matthew. In these verses, we learn of early witnesses of Christ from the shepherds to the wise men from afar who recognized that this baby boy was called to an important work. So let’s start out the new year by studying this miraculous story and bringing the Savior into the season and into our hearts once again.

You Belong Here! with Michelle Torsak

Did you know that the inspiration for Magnify came from a scripture in Luke chapter 1 verse 46? Living as joyful and wholehearted followers of Jesus isn’t easy. We need the influence of each other to help us muster our courage. And that’s what you’ll find in the Magnify community: encouragement, strength, and inspiration to live differently and to make a difference as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Anne Bednar: What the Old Testament Taught a Young Mom With Cancer in 2022

They are stories that took place thousands of years ago—stories that, at times, feel so removed from our present day that we feel we just can’t relate. But as she studied the Old Testament in 2022, the same year her world got rocked by a cancer diagnosis, Anne Bednar found that those stories came alive. And the people in them? They weren’t all that different from her. On this week’s episode, Anne helps us see just how applicable the scriptures can be to our unique life circumstances if we take the time to study their pages.

The Gospel of Trying with Katie Hughes

Do you do a "one-word" type of challenge for the new year? Perhaps you should consider making "try" your word of 2023 as we focus in on what we can do to better grow closer to the Savior. Elder Holland, in a talk titled, "Tomorrow the Lord Will Do Wonders among You," said that, "the great thing about the gospel is we get credit for trying, even if we don't always succeed."

5: “Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord” (Matthew 3, Mark 1, Luke 3)

Think back to your baptism—who helped you prepare for that special day and who stood with you in the water? And even more importantly, why were you baptized and what covenants did you make? In this week’s lesson, we have the opportunity to remember this sacred ordinance by reflecting about the Savior's baptism. As we study Matthew 3, Mark 1, and Luke 3, we'll meet John the Baptist, who helped prepare the way for Christ's coming. We'll learn about how the Savior was baptized in the Jordan River. And we'll discover anew the beauty of Christ’s example of obedience and remember why we all follow Him into the water.