Leading Saints Podcast

I originally found this story in the book Return: Four Phases of Our Mortal Journey Home by Elder Robert D. Hales (p. 89). It can also be found in the 2002 February issue of the Ensign.   Sometimes we feel that answers to our prayers and our pleading for guidance and direction should be given through dramatic manifestations, such as a voice from heaven or a visitation by an angel or a heavenly host. My personal experience is that answers to our prayers often come slowly over an extended period of time.As we act upon the feelings of our hearts, feelings of peace, comfort and confirmation grows within us, and we know that we are on the right course. I learned this truth as a Regional Representative of the Twelve, while traveling with President Marion G. Romney to a stake conference for the selection of a new stake president. We had been driving in a car for over an hour, discussing the Church and priesthood administration. Along the way I asked President Romney a question and realized, in the moment I asked it, that it was not appropriate. The question was, "What is the most spiritual experience you have had as an Apostle of the Lord?" There was a pause. He answered, "I believe what Joseph Smith and Brigham Young taught, that if we would keep our most sacred spiritual experiences to ourselves, many more spiritual experiences could be shared with us." There was a period of silence after he spoke, and then he said, "I owe you a better answer." He explained that the greatest spiritual experience of his life had been when he had been on assignment from the President of the Church or the President of the Quorum of the Twelve, as we were that day. He said, "We will interview twenty-five or thirty priesthood brethren, and there will be more than one who will be qualified to be the stake president. But after we have done all we can do, we will get on our knees and pray to our Heavenly Father. We will tell Him of our feelings of who the new stake president ought to be and the reason why. We will tell him of the needs of the stake at this time. Then He will give us confirmation.   *Leaders to Leaders is a series of posts that share what leaders of the church have learned from other leaders of the church. This might include stories from general conference, accounts of one leader attending a stake conference with another leader, or simply recollections one leader's interaction with someone they respected. There are great leadership skills one can learn by pondering these interactions. Listen to other stories in this series HERE.

In this episode of How I Lead we interview Brad Lammi--a ward mission leader, former elder's quorum president. The ward mission can be as daunting as any other leadership assignment, especially in this time of the church when we are encouraged to "hasten the work" and make missionary work one of the primary focuses of a ward. Brad has a unique approach to involving the auxiliaries of the ward and also uses an effective tracking system to help him be aware of those that need ward missionary support. We also talk about Brad's 5 keys to leadership * Leading is loving individuals as they are, what they can be, and who they are in the grand scheme of things. (Or in the sight of the Lord.) * Serving means loving first. * Help inspire others by expressing faith in them and the learning process. Help others feel their worth. * When you feel you should say something, first listen, then listen again. * When someone asks for advice, instead of telling them giving them an answer, ask probing questions, and teach principles and precepts. Remember that not all questions asked should be answered.

Brad Wilcox is a well-known LDS author, Brigham Young University professor. He has served as bishop, mission president, and a member of a stake presidency. One of his greatest contributions to the Kingdom of God is putting the doctrine of GRACE into an understandable and applicable format. His books The Continuous Atonement and The Continuous Conversion are life changing to all that read them. They are truly a great source to understand more completely the doctrine of grace. In this interview Brother Wilcox explains his experience serving as a bishop, mission president, and also a member of the Sunday School General Board. We also delve into how a bishop can point to the role of the grace of Jesus Christ when counseling an individual struggling with addiction or trial.   Book Give-Away Brad Wilcox was so kind to offer 3 books to Leading Saints to give-away. One copy of The Continuous Atonement, The Continuous Conversion, and The 7-Day Christian will be raffled off to those that enter below. THE CONTEST ENDS OCTOBER 16th!!! Entry Form

Blake Dalton is a full-time teacher from West Valley City, Utah. He served a full-time mission in Eugene, Oregon. He has served as an elder's quorum president, a high councilman, and currently serves as the executive secretary to his bishop. Blake shared many helpful leadership tips during the interview, including the following: * Let them know you actually care * Humanize Home Teaching (or Ministering) * Don't Govern By Guilt

Does the role of a leader end with your official release? No. Leaders spend years developing friendships with individuals and inspiring them to become more. You are still their shepherd after your release and sometimes it requires you to urge them back to the flock many years after. President Monson spoke of this principle in April Conference 1990: The desire to help another, the quest for the lost sheep, may not always yield success at once. On occasion progress is slow—even indiscernible. Such was the experience of my longtime friend Gil Warner. He was serving as a newly called bishop when “Douglas,” a member of his ward, transgressed and was deprived of his Church membership. Father was saddened; Mother was totally devastated. Douglas soon thereafter moved from the state. The years hurried by, but Bishop Warner, now a member of a high council, never ceased to wonder what had become of Douglas. In 1975, I attended the stake conference of the Parleys stake and held a priesthood leadership meeting early on the Sunday morning. I spoke of the Church discipline system and the need to labor earnestly and lovingly to rescue any who had strayed. Gil Warner asked to speak and then outlined the story of Douglas. He concluded with the question, “Who has the responsibility to work with Douglas and bring him back to Church membership?” Gil advised me later that my response to his question was direct and given without hesitation: “It is your responsibility, Gil, for you were his bishop, and he knew you cared.” Unbeknownst to Gil Warner, Douglas’s mother had, the previous week, fasted and prayed that a man would be raised up to help save her son. Gil discovered this when he felt prompted to call her to report his determination to be of help. Gil began his odyssey of redemption. Douglas was contacted by him. Old times, happy times, were remembered. Testimony was expressed, love was conveyed, and confidence instilled. The pace was excruciatingly slow. Discouragement frequently entered the scene; but, step by step, Douglas made headway. At long last prayers were answered, efforts rewarded, and victory attained. Douglas was approved for baptism. The baptismal date was set, family members gathered, and former bishop Gil Warner flew to Seattle for the occasion. Can we appreciate the supreme joy felt by Bishop Warner as he, dressed in white, stood with Douglas in water waist-deep and, raising his right arm to the square, repeated those sacred words, “Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” (D&C 20:73.) He that was lost was found. A 26-year mission, marked by love and pursued with determination, had been successfully completed. Gil Warner said to me, “This was one of the greatest days of my life. I know the joy promised by the Lord when He declared, ‘And if it so be that you should labor all your days … and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!’” (D&C 18:15.) Were the Lord to say to Gil Warner today, as He said to Adam’s son long years ago, “Where is Douglas, thy brother?” Bishop Warner could reply, “I am my brother’s keeper, Lord. Behold Douglas, thy son.”     Be sure to check out other Leader to Leader stories

Nathan Waldron is an elder's quorum president from Roy, Utah. He has a bachelors degree in Computer Information Systems, an MBA, and pursing a graduate degree in banking work as an analyst for Zions Bancorporation. He served his mission in Madrid Spain (Did I mention his wife and 3 kids?). I recently interviewed Nathan during the How I Lead segment on the Leading Saints podcast (listen HERE).  Enter Nathan... In the Church we do lots of things--we home/visit teach, hold family home evening, study the scriptures, attend church, attend other meetings, serve in various callings, attend the temple, do family history, the list can go on and on. All of these activities have a purpose and goal. For example, the purposes of home teaching, as illustrated by duties of the priesthood, are to “visit the house of each member, and exhort them to pray vocally and in secret and attend to all family duties” (D&C 20:47) and “watch over the church always, and be with and strengthen them; And see that there is no iniquity in the church, neither hardness with each other, neither lying, backbiting, nor evil speaking;” (D&C 20:53-54). There is no doubt in my mind these are worthwhile goals that can bring us closer to our Savior and Father in Heaven. And, the level at which we choose to participate in them is a reflection of the strength our testimonies. Let’s call these the “hows” of the gospel. The “whats” of the Gospel are the results of the “hows.” If we read the scriptures, we are being obedient and our testimonies are strenghened. The “what” is a stronger testimony and the “hows” are scripture study, church and temple attendance, service, etc. In his October, 2011 Conference talked titled Forget Me Not, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, said to the women of the church--and this is also very applicable to the men (emphasis added): While understanding the “what” and the “how” of the gospel is necessary, the eternal fire and majesty of the gospel springs from the “why.” When we understand why our Heavenly Father has given us this pattern for living, when we remember why we committed to making it a foundational part of our lives, the gospel ceases to become a burden and, instead, becomes a joy and a delight. It becomes precious and sweet. Let us not walk the path of discipleship with our eyes on the ground, thinking only of the tasks and obligations before us. Let us not walk unaware of the beauty of the glorious earthly and spiritual landscapes that surround us. My dear sisters, seek out the majesty, the beauty, and the exhilarating joy of the “why” of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The “what” and “how” of obedience mark the way and keep us on the right path. The “why” of obedience sanctifies our actions, transforming the mundane into the majestic. It magnifies our small acts of obedience into holy acts of consecration. How often do we keep our eyes on the ground, doing our duty, with no joy? How often do we fail to see the beauties of the world around us because we are too busy running from one meeting to another and from one service project to another? We have been asked to be disciples of Christ and the only way we are going to see those in need is to raise our eyes and look around. Soon after being called to serve in an Elders Quorum Presidency I attended some training through work. After the first day, I knew I could apply the Influencer/Six-Source Model to home teaching.

We all know President Thomas S. Monson cared deeply for the widows of his ward when he served as bishop. There were many, and he continued to show them kindness throughout all their lives. This Christ-like love seems to come easy for President Monson; however, he also learned how to love from great men that came before him. In this segment of Leader to Leader we hear President Monson in 1980 (The Bishop--Center Stage in Welfare) relate a story about learning from Harold B. Lee, Marion G. Romney, and J. Reuben Clark: My teachers were heaven-sent. May I mention but a few: our former stake president, Harold B. Lee; President Marion G. Romney; and President J. Reuben Clark. Brother Lee attended our stake conference the year I was appointed as a bishop. Looking over the priesthood leadership congregation on Saturday evening, he stepped from the pulpit, called for a chalkboard, came down from the stand, stood among us, and, as the master teacher, taught us our duty. He drew five circles under the heading “The Responsibilities of a Bishop.” He then gave to each circle a designation such as “The Father of the Ward,” “The President of the Aaronic Priesthood,” “The Common Judge in Israel,” and then placed emphasis on the bishop’s role in welfare. He cautioned us to seek after the poor, to care for them, and to do so in a spirit of love, kindness, and confidentiality. Brother Romney was a frequent visitor to our stake and region. One evening he taught us the principle of faith by retelling the inspiring account of Elijah and the widow at Zarephath (see 1 Kgs. 17:8–16). He liken her circumstances to those of some widows in our area. As he taught welfare precepts from the handbook and responded to questions, one brother asked him, “Brother Romney, why do you seem to know whatever’s in that handbook?” to which Brother Romney, with that twinkle in his eye and smile upon his lips, responded, “I wrote it!” President Clark too was a master teacher. It was my privilege during those years to assist him in the preparation of his manuscripts that they might find their way into printed volumes. What a unique and profitable experience to be with him frequently. Knowing that I was a new bishop presiding over a difficult ward, he emphasized the need for me to know my people, to understand their circumstances, and, in the spirit of tenderness, to minister to their needs. One day he recounted the example of the Savior as recorded in Luke, chapter seven, verses eleven through fifteen: “And it came to pass … that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him. … “When he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. … “And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. “And he came and touched the bier. … And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. “And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.” [Luke 7:11–15] When President Clark closed the Bible, I noticed that he was weeping. In a quiet voice he said, “Tom, be kind to the widows, and look after the poor.” Leader to Leader is a segment where we share what leaders of the church have learned from other leaders of the church. This might include stories from general conference, accounts of one leader attending a stake conference with another leader, or simply recollections one leader’s interaction with someone they respected. There are great leadership skills one can learn...

In April conference of 2009 Elder David A. Bednar shared an experience he had when he was called as a stake president. He talked with a friend who had already served as a stake president. What he learned changed his focus and ministry as a stake president. "Strive to make temple preparation the center of all we did..." Shortly after I was called to serve as a stake president in 1987, I talked with a good friend who recently had been released as a stake president. During our conversation I asked him what he would teach me about becoming an effective stake president. His answer to my question had a profound impact upon my subsequent service and ministry. My friend indicated he had been called to serve as a temple worker soon after his release. He then said: “I wish I had been a temple worker before I was a stake president. If I had served in the temple before my call to serve as a stake president, I would have been a very different stake president.” I was intrigued by his answer and asked him to explain further. He responded: “I believe I was a good stake president. The programs in our stake ran well, and our statistics were above average. But serving in the temple has expanded my vision. If I were called today to serve as a stake president, my primary focus would be on worthiness to receive and honor temple covenants. I would strive to make temple preparation the center of all that we did. I would do a better job of shepherding the Saints to the house of the Lord.” That brief conversation with my friend helped me as a stake president to teach relentlessly about and testify of the eternal importance of temple ordinances, temple covenants, and temple worship. The deepest desire of our presidency was for every member of the stake to receive the blessings of the temple, to be worthy of and to use frequently a temple recommend. Leader to Leader is a segment where we share what leaders of the church have learned from other leaders of the church. This might include stories from general conference, accounts of one leader attending a stake conference with another leader, or simply recollections one leader’s interaction with someone they respected. There are great leadership skills one can learn by pondering these interactions. Read other stories in this series HERE.

Long before Elder Robert D. Hales was an apostle and even before he was presiding bishop, he spoke as a member of the 70 in the 1981 October Conference. The talk was titled, Examples From the Life of a Prophet. This is one of many stories we will share from that address: During the planning and preparation for the Mexico, Central and South America area conferences in February 1977, we were scheduled to hold meetings in La Paz, Bolivia, which is twelve thousand feet above sea level. Dr. Ernest L. Wilkinson and Dr. Russell M. Nelson advised us that President Kimball should have four to six hours’ rest to acclimate his heart and blood pressure to the high altitude. President Kimball is very tightly scheduled during area conferences, and this allows little time for rest. (In reality, the doctors accompanied the General Authorities so that we could keep up with President Kimball.) I talked with President Tanner and President Romney to seek their assistance in getting President Kimball to rest in La Paz before the start of the area conference. They only smiled and said, “You can try.” Detailed plans were presented to the First Presidency for area conferences in Mexico, Central and South America. I saw President Kimball make two small red check marks next to La Paz, Bolivia, where there were two meetings that he was not scheduled to attend. “What are these meetings? Why am I not attending?” he asked. There was a pause; then I replied, “That’s a rest period, President Kimball.” And he remarked, “Are you tired, Elder Hales?” We arrived in La Paz, and the first meeting was a cultural event. He would not rest. My head ached; it felt as though it would explode in adjusting to the altitude, and we breathed oxygen to attempt to speed up our being acclimated to the twelve-thousand-foot altitude; but President Kimball took no oxygen. He greeted, embraced, and shook hands with two thousand Saints. After the last meeting, he invited one thousand more of his beloved Lamanites, who had come down from the Altiplano, to come shake his hand. They came and embraced him and shook his hand vigorously. He wanted to show his love for the Lamanites. Dr. Wilkinson was concerned with the President’s vigorous activity at twelve thousand feet and approached him. He asked President Kimball if it would be possible for him to stop soon. President Kimball said, “If you knew what I knew, you wouldn’t ask me that question.” President Kimball is driven by the knowledge that we are preparing for the second coming of Jesus Christ. He knows that it is his responsibility, along with those who are chosen to work with him, to take the message to all nations in their own tongue and language. President Kimball told the General Authorities, “I am not afraid of death. What I am afraid of is that I will meet the Savior and he will say, ‘You could have done better.’”   Leader to Leader is a segment where we share what leaders of the church have learned from other leaders of the church. This might include stories from general conference, accounts of one leader attending a stake conference with another leader, or simply recollections one leader's interaction with someone they respected. There are great leadership skills one can learn by pondering these interactions. Read other stories in this series HERE.

I'm excited to announce a new segment on the Leading Saints podcast. It is my goal to produce as much content to nourish the growing leader inside all of us. This segment will allow us to learn from some of the greatest and most inspired leaders to ever live--prophets, seers, and revelators. These will be a series of short episodes (about 5 minutes) that give you a daily leadership lesson from the greatest of leaders. Please Contribute Stories If you know of a story where a leader in history (or your personal life) shares a solid leadership lesson, please send it to Leading Saints and it will be included in the Leader to Leader segment. I hope these stories inspire you to greater leadership and I hope you find opportunity to share them with those you lead. Episode 1: Elder Marvin J. Ashton - April Conference 1985 We as members of the Church of Jesus Christ have a prophet who has shown us by his daily living the formula for success. By sharing with you tonight some personal experiences I have had with President Kimball, I hope I can encourage all of us to look to his life for inspiration as we set our goals. When I was ordained an Apostle, Spencer W. Kimball was President of the Council of the Twelve. I remember his saying to me, “Marvin, I am Acting President of the Twelve. Harold B. Lee is President of the Twelve. As long as he is serving as a counselor in the First Presidency and is my senior, I am merely Acting President.” He wanted me to understand that. He has always been careful never to assume any role that was not rightfully his. He was indicating also his respect for President Lee and at the same time teaching me. He has always applied Matthew 23:12—“He that shall humble himself shall be exalted.”

Back in 2002 I was a missionary in the California Sacramento Mission. Nine months into my mission I was transferred to a small town called Tracy. My new companion was Elder Valdez from Houston Texas. From that day a strong friendship began and now Elder Valdez is Bishop Valdez in San Paulo Brazil. He has had an interesting experience being a bishop in a country he has only lived for 10 years. In this episode of How I Lead Joseph Valdez shares his 5 keys to leadership: * It's always about the Master's will * Build from the basics * Do not act out Lucifer's plan * Treat everyone as an individual * Help others to act, and not be acted upon (including yourself)

In this episode I had the opportunity to sit down with Ron McMillan. He is a four-time New York Times best-selling co-author of Crucial Conversations, Crucial Confrontations, Influencer, and Change Anything. He knows his stuff when it comes to creating lasting change. The interview answers a lot of questions, including: How do you create lasting change in Elder Quorum and Relief Society? How do you get past the Will Power Trap? How should a bishop approach a situation where someone is dealing with addiction? How does motivation and ability play a role in influencing long-term change? 6-Source Model of Influence The original video from 2012: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJB7feMtt9c Visit VitalSmarts After you watch the interview you might enjoy the following articles which reference these same principles in the LDS context. Solving Home Teaching Through the 6-Source Model Brother Neveragain and the Will Power Trap The 6-Sources of Influence and the Bishop's Office Change Anything--An Interview with Joseph Grenny   This post was originally shared on October 4, 2012

I recently finished the book Quick and Nimble: Lessons from Leading CEOs on How to Create a Culture of Innovation by Adam Bryant. It was a though provoking read and I recommend it to all leaders. The book is based on 200 interviews with CEO. 80% of the book is quotations from these CEO on how they develop remarkable culture in their organizations. I went into the book not overly interested because sometimes these books don't relate as well to LDS leadership. With each turn of the page I really enjoyed various quotes from the book that I'd like to share. All these quotes are mostly from different CEOs which I reference at the end of each quote. Culture eats strategy for breakfast. (Kindle page 175) I've heard this quote in various publications but nobody really knows who conceived it. It sums up this book in one sentence and is something that should be applied to our local LDS leadership. We talk a lot of strategy in ward council and look over the power of building solid culture in our quorums and groups. "I have a very simple model to run a company. It's starts with leadership at the top, which drives a culture. Culture drives innovation and whatever else you're trying to drive within a company. And that then drives results. When I talk to Wall Street, people really want to know your results, what are your strategies, what are the issues, what it is that you're doing to drive your business. They're focused on the bottom line. Never do you get people asking about the culture, about leadership, about the people in the organization. Yet, it's the reverse, because it's the people, the leadership, the culture, and the ideas that are ultimately driving the numbers and the results." -Stephen I. Sadove (Kindle page 184) Are you wondering why sacrament attendance is down or visiting teaching isn't getting done? Instead of looking at your strategy, consider your culture, your people, and your ideas. “The way we define culture overall is ‘how companies get things done.’ If you have a factory, you get a lot of things done through machinery. Most companies in software get things done through people. So our machinery is people, and to put it in technology terms, people are the hardware and our values are the operating system." -Mark Templeton, CEO of Citrix (Kindle page 491) In the LDS church our operating system is the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's a powerful thing, but it requires the action of others to make positive change. Don't forget operating system requires hardware (people). “I reach out to a lot of employees. It’s one of the first questions I ask: ‘Are you having fun?’" Chris Barbin, CEO of Appirio (Kindle page 680) One of the important questions of a personal 1-to-1 interview is "are you having fun?" There is nothing more fun than being passionate and if they aren't finding a passion in the work call someone else that will. This reminds me a discussion I had with a bishopric counselor. He shared with me his deep passion for his calling and couldn't see why people would avoid such a responsibility that allows you to be so involved in the work of the Lord. He loved his calling--he was in the right place. "As all these examples show, there is no “right” set of values for an organization, nothing that stands out as a best practice. Values have to emerge in a way that doesn't feel forced, so that they reflect the personalities and beliefs of the leadership team and the collective culture of the organization." Marcus Ryu, CEO of Guidewire (Kindle page 758) Values can never be forced! An elder's quorum president cannot force upon his quorum the values of home teaching. He has to help them discover it within each individual so that the values reflect what they already believe. “When they’re awesome, I tell them they’re awesome.

In this episode of How I Lead, I talk with Marty Halverson who is currently serving as a Relief Society president in South Jordan, Utah. Marty shares her 5 keys of leadership and includes advice on choosing counselors when you don't know anyone in the ward, establishing unity in a ward, creating a mission statement, showing love at every opportunity, and leading how the Savior would lead. Marty's 5 Keys of Leadership 1. Determine your direction and invite others to follow * Articulate a mission statement based on lofty goals and personal strengths * Ask: “What do we want to have happen?” * Ask: “What could our RS be like?” * Describe an exciting vision for the future.  2. Cultivate strong friendships * Become acquainted with every sister in my care. * Be familiar with her circumstances. * Remember her name and her story. * Eat, work, walk, and talk together as the Savior did. * Listen with compassion. * Spend time; don’t be in a hurry. * Demonstrate unabashed love. 3. Lead with Encouragement * Send the message, “Be of good cheer. It is I, your friend, your neighbor. Don’t worry. I want to help.” (To Lead as Jesus Led Book). * Speak kindly: ask, don't demand. * Value individuals, treat them individually. * Laugh and smile a lot. Make it fun to be together. * Show gratitude. (Remember this is a volunteer organization!) 4. Help others succeed * Support the bishop!  * Involve as many people as possible. * Share expectations. * Train with diligence and patience. * Utilize "Return and report". * Compliment their efforts. 5. Remember this is the Lord’s work. Use the Lord’s methods * Prayer * Scriptures * Handbook * Listen for inspiration. * Recognize others’ inspiration. During the interview Marty referenced the book To Lead as Jesus Led by Eric Stephan and Wayne Pace (I'm looking forward to reading it).   Other interviews of interest: