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.

How is preparing for the Lord's return to the earth just like "Lord of the Rings" and "The Chronicles of Narnia"? One General Authority shared some pretty surprising insights, saying, "“It is not just about brave hobbits fighting the armies of Mordor, but about the universal heroism of all of us, seemingly little people, who must fight against the evil of their own day in whatever way they can, calling on an inner strength they didn’t know they had."

This Sunday on “Mormon Times TV,” we have two holiday treats for you. We’ll talk to the young star and the director of the holiday film, “Christmas Oranges” — with its message of kindness, forgiveness and generosity. Plus Grammy nominated violinist Jenny Oaks Baker will be here — along with former Celtic Woman singer Alex Sharpe — to share a gorgeous traditional Christmas song from her new CD.

Maybe you remember times when your mom told you to do something, you asked her why, and she said, “Because I said so!” And you thought to yourself, “That’s not a very good reason … I want to know why.” Then, once you found out, you could understand the reasoning behind her request and were more likely to obey. This correlates with two life-changing concepts my husband and I learned while serving a mission, and they came from two members of the Quorum of the Twelve. In "Preach My Gospel," President Boyd K. Packer, president of the Quorum of the Twelve, said, “True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior” (see page 19). I believe that. I saw it work. No matter what it is — when you really understand “why” you need to do something, you’ll usually do it and your behavior will change.

What originally started out as a school project for Marriott School graduates Dave Fryer and Greg Wilson changed over time from an idea to a living, breathing business. Fryer, a recent graduate from Park City, and Wilson, a graduate from Seattle, both completed degrees in business management with an emphasis in entrepreneurship. Their product Go Time Smelling Salts started off as an idea for a product in a class. Now they have their own business called Mountain Top Labs and have recently launched Go Time in stores.

Have you ever heard of Marie Kondo? She’s a Japanese professional organizer known for her method of only keeping what “sparks joy” in her life. We can follow her example by becoming a transitional character—someone who breaks cycles of negativity and embraces joyful practices. In this episode, we talk with BYU professor Christopher Jones about what it means to be a transitional character, and how we can spark joy in our own family histories.

It is a huge and awesome responsibility to watch over missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While serving our mission in Georgia, one of my cherished opportunities was to help with their health and medical needs, like their own mother would. Whether dealing with sinus infections, bronchitis, dehydration or the common cold and sore throat, you hoped the best for them, knowing they need to be healthy to work effectively. We worked closely with amazing mission doctors and missionary medical nurses, and I learned a lot. In fact, my husband affectionately started calling me, “Sister King: Medicine Woman.” But not every illness was a common one. And sometimes, the unexpected happened — despite all the talk and training about health and safety. I can’t even imagine being on the receiving end of the phone call made to a mission president 14 years ago, when two LDS elders were kidnapped in Russia.

Have you ever heard the term “spill the tea”? In recent contexts, this phrase means to perpetuate gossip or rumors. But is spreading gossip and rumors always a bad thing? In family history, it might not be. For this episode, we invited Dr. Sharon Staples to discuss what gossip has to do with family history and whether it can be used as a clue to learn more about our lineage.

Here’s a joke: What did the pickle do when it won the championship? He just stood there to relish the moment. If you’re wondering what a pickle joke has to do with family history, just a wait a minute. Miya and Michelle invited Latter-day Saint comedian and actress Lisa Valentine

Why is the sky blue? Why is the sea salty? How do birds fly? Kids always seem to be asking questions that are hard to answer—but did you know that their curiosity plays an important role in the cognitive development of their brain? Questions stimulate the mind and increase our capacity to grow. And in this week's study of Matthew 18 and Luke 10, we have an opportunity to become childlike and grow just like our young friends. So get ready to explore the spiritual questions in these chapters just like a child and discover the truths within.