Helping People Overcome Struggle, Sin, & Mortality in 12 Steps | An Interview with Brett and Kristin Walker
Leading Saints Podcast
Leading Saints
4.8 • 1.2K Ratings
🗓️ 28 April 2024
⏱️ 50 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Brett and Kristin Walker are a dynamic couple, each thriving in their professional and personal lives while deeply committed to their family and community. Brett is a seasoned marketing consultant specializing in professional development and deep technology sectors. He currently serves as a Young Single Adult bishop and is deeply committed to helping others grow. He’s an award-winning writer and loves the outdoors.
Kristin is a professional interior designer known for her innovative designs and attention to detail. She currently serves as a YSA Institute teacher, where she passionately teaches and shares her deep faith in Jesus. Kristin finds joy in traveling, reading, and spending time outside, cherishing every moment with her family and friends.
Together, Brett and Kristin embody a life full of adventure, faith, and continuous growth, always eager to explore new places and help others achieve their potential.

Links

Healing through the Savior: The Addiction Recovery Program 12-Step Recovery Guide
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Scriptures referenced in this podcast: Philippians 4:13, 2 Nephi 25:23
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Highlights
3:45 Introduction to Brett and Kristin. Working with the young single adults and using the 12-step program in an Institute class. This program is not just for addiction but it applies to everyone.
7:10 How Brett and Kristin got involved in the 12-step program. Making it applicable to everyone through their curriculum. Helping people understand and use the Atonement in their lives.
12:15 If you are called to facilitate 12-step meetings then you need to start using the steps in your own life. The steps can bring you to Christ, improve your relationships and any problem you might have.
15:10 The program isn’t just for addiction but can help you with unrealized hopes or something you are struggling with.
16:10 The enabling power of Jesus Christ gives us power to do things we can’t do by ourselves.
17:15 Some leaders think that they are good and don’t need help because they don’t have any big problems. They are not truly using Christ’s Atonement in their lives to heal every part of them.
20:50 Does the 12-step program have to happen in a group setting? If you do things alone then you feel alone. When you do things together, it creates connection.
23:50 How Brett and Kristin run their class. It’s very tight-knit.
26:50 A summarized application of the steps
28:45 Why can’t God part your personal Red Sea?
30:00 Be careful not to adopt a label, like “I’m an addict.” It might be something that you are currently struggling with, it’s not who you are.
31:30 2 Nephi 25:23. We know we are saved by grace after all we can do. This is a confusing and misunderstood scripture. A better translation would be, ‘despite’ all we’ve done.
32:50 Brett and Kristin team-teach their class. The back and forth brings more energy and power to the class. They can both share their experiences. They recommend this approach.
34:00 Give people more bread, more Jesus. Brett has found many of the single adults in his ward stop taking the sacrament because they feel guilty but he wants them to have more Jesus in their lives, not take Him away from them.
37:30 Most of us don’t have the tools we need. The right tool makes all the difference. Create a triangle of support when working out deep problems. For example, a therapist, bishop, and support group can create a triangle of support.
40:00 The bishop is the place of resources and tools. The bishop doesn’t have to have all the answers.
41:10 Helping people find Jesus in their lives. He is the advocate. He is taking your prayers to Heavenly Father.
42:50 Kristin shares a Sherri Dew quote. Helping people past the guilt and to the hope of Jesus Christ.
43:40 Let’s talk about Jesus more. Going past our typical cultural ways of doing things to find more ways to connect with Christ in our lives.
46:00 Having daily reflection. Am I actually doing what I preach?
47:30 You can’t really serve someone without falling in love with them.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Have you ever heard of scrupleocity? |
| 0:04.0 | This is a mental health concern that is impacting more Latter-day Saints than you think. |
| 0:09.0 | Scrupleocity is religious, obsessive, compulsive disorder disorder where individuals are |
| 0:13.7 | hyper obsessed about their worthiness and repentance. |
| 0:16.8 | Sam Baxter, a former Bishop, sat down with me to talk about his lifelong |
| 0:20.8 | struggle with scruplocity and how he got treatment. |
| 0:24.4 | You can watch this interview for free in the Mentally Healthy Saints Library by going to |
| 0:29.0 | Leading Saints.org. |
| 0:31.0 | This gets you 14 days, free access to Sand Baxter's interview about Scruppolosity and 25 plus other interviews about ministering to those who struggle with mental health. |
| 0:42.0 | The content is priceless for leaders, so visit |
| 0:44.4 | leading Saints.org for free access. |
| 0:48.6 | I would be rude if I didn't take the time to explain to the newer listeners what |
| 0:56.6 | leading Saints is. |
| 0:58.1 | Here goes. |
| 0:59.1 | Leading Saints is an organization that started as a hobby blog in 2010 and then really caught some |
| 1:04.6 | traction in 2014 when the podcast started. We talk about all things leadership in |
| 1:09.7 | the context of the Church of Jesus Christ or Latter-day Saints. |
| 1:13.0 | We aren't owned by the Church, but we have a great relationship with them and always |
| 1:16.4 | aim to be faith promoting, even though we talk about the tough topics. |
| 1:20.7 | My name is Kurt Frankham. |
| 1:21.9 | I'm generally the voice you here as the host of the podcast. |
| 1:25.0 | I've tried to get other hosts but people demand my smooth tone. |
... |
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