15. The Ultimate Gift with The Truman Brothers
As we come to the end of this year and the holiday season, we are so grateful we could share our manifesto with the Magnify community to inspire one another to “love well.” We are women who are united in our call to love first—to always love well. The Christmas season helps us reflect on the greatest example of love, the Savior Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate love and the gift that we want to share with others.
“Music is an old friend that helps us count our blessings.” — The Truman Brothers
Today, our episode is going to look a little different than the rest of this season’s. Christmas is a special time for music and storytelling, so that is exactly what we want to bring to you today! We have the pleasure of being joined by Chad and Ben Truman, of the Truman Brothers fame. Throughout this episode, we’ll hear both their own personal stories and more music to bring you the ultimate love of the season: the Spirit of our Savior Jesus Christ.
Small & Simple Challenge
Stop more often this week and breathe. Be at peace with the Savior and ask yourself "what would he do?" Take the time to feel his love and decide what gift you can give to Jesus in the new year.
Transcript +
Truman Brothers Singing 00:00 The first noel the angel did say was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay...
Kathryn Davis 00:18 hello and Merry Christmas to all of our magnify listeners. Magnify is a podcast where we discuss using our influence as followers of Jesus Christ to make a difference in the world. I'm your host, Kathyn Davis. And today we are bringing you a very special, very festive episode of magnify.
Truman Brothers Singing 00:35 Noel. Noel. Noel. Born is the King of Israel.
Kathryn Davis 00:51 As we come to the end of this year and the holiday season, we are so grateful we could share a manifesto with the Magnify community which is to inspire one another to love Well. we are women who are united in our call to love first to always love Well, the Christmas season helps us to reflect on the greatest example of love our Savior Jesus Christ. His is the ultimate love and the gift that we want to share with others. Today, our episode is going to look a little different than the rest of the seasons. Christmas is a special time for music and storytelling. So that is what we want to bring to you today. We have the pleasure of being joined by Chad and Ben Truman of the Truman brothers. Throughout this episode, we'll hear both their own personal stories and more music to bring you the ultimate love of the season. The spirit of our Savior Jesus Christ. You guys, first of all, I'm so excited. You're here.
Ben Truman 01:46 Yes, thanks for having me. This is great. I love this.
Chad Truman 01:49 It's been good to obviously like meeting with you, in the last time women's and then now actually, because we've heard about the Magnify. And so to be able to do this, it's really cool.
Kathryn Davis 01:57 I know, it's so fun to have you here. We want to get to know our guests a little bit more and on a little bit more personal level. And one way we do that is we throw rapid fire questions at our guest. And so I have some questions for you guys, including Christmas themed ones. Are you guys ready? Yes. Okay, I first need to give a disclaimer to any parent who have little ears listening. They might want to turn the rapid fire questions down so that little ears don't hear some of Santa's secrets. Here's my first question for you. I want to know how long you both believed in Santa growing up?
Ben Truman 02:36 Okay. That is a great question. Because I now have an eight year old five year old two year old and I've been asking myself, when is he gonna start rolling in and saying, yo, Dad, what's going on? You know, and it made me wonder when was that I first started going what's going on? And I don't remember I want to say it was probably like 10 You were 10? You? I don't know. I don't know. I feel like you want to stay in there as long as you can. Because you don't want the mystique to go away. You know. But then someone on the back of the school bus blows it or something.
Kathryn Davis 03:08 Right or an older brother. So did you blow it for Chad?
Chad Truman 03:13 Man, I don't I don't have a specific the age that pops in my head is seven. That's crazy. You you learned at 10? And you're like, Yeah, you said guess what?
Ben Truman 03:22 I busted in the room and said Chad, you're not gonna believe it. That's really funny.
Kathryn Davis 03:28 That is so funny. It's always the older brother. Who tells you, right? Absolutely, at least in our house. So my other question for you is Were your parents, the ones who made you all get up at a certain time and sleep in? Or were you guys up before the sun came up opening Christmas presents?
Chad Truman 03:46 I mean, we often were with like a bunch of cousins, which is really fun. We grew up in Nashville, but we'd always come out to Utah for Christmas season. So that was always really fun to basically, you had about eight or nine aunts and uncles trying to hold back about 20 kids, you know, from running into the kind of big grand room you know, with all the presents, so I guarantee we woke up without needing an alarm. I don't know if it was before the sun came up, but we were stoked to be there.
Kathryn Davis 04:11 It was probably the perfect thing because we would wake up early but we had all our cousins there so we would just like hang out and jam with them until the parents said, Okay, it's time Yeah, no. So that's the perfect thing.
Ben Truman 04:23 Good memories.
Kathryn Davis 04:24 Okay, so here's my last question for you and it's probably a softball one. But you guys grew up in a very musical household and obviously you are musicians yourselves so what is your favorite Christmas song?
Ben Truman 04:43 such a good one.
Kathryn Davis 04:44 Is that like picking a favorite child?
Chad Truman 04:46 A little bit? Yeah. exact question easy for me right now but oh yeah. Oh, yeah.
Ben Truman 04:56 And you know, one Christmas song. Yeah.
Chad Truman 04:58 I think I know your's Ben.
Ben Truman 04:59 Oh, please tell me.
Chad Truman 05:00 I heard the bells on Christmas Day, right?
Ben Truman 05:03 Yeah. Great. Great Call out Chad. I do love that song that's written by Henry long. Well, it was Henry David Longfellow. Yeah. You know, it was a poem he wrote during like the Civil War and his son had been enlisted in the Union Army and then he got really badly injured. And at the same time around there, his wife died in a house fire. It was like he was going to make the most horrible stuff and Longfellow writes, I heard the bills on Christmas day after going through his darkest hour his faithful response and what what Christmas meant to him at that time, and if you read it, knowing that backstory, it's unbelievable to hear those words. And so I've always loved that that Christmas him for sure.
Chad Truman 05:43 Yeah, for me, I mean, I'm don't know if this is technically a Christmas hymn, but Let there be peace on earth. Our grandpa would sing it often. And just that sentiment, Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me. I don't know. It just seems like a title you can live by.
Kathryn Davis 05:57 so true. I'm excited to hear some more of your favorite Christmas songs as we go throughout this episode. But I am just really excited that you are both here and that you are going to be a part of this special episode. And to start off, I want each of us to share a story where we remember Christmas being a little bit unconventional or untraditional. And what it was about that particular Christmas, where we truly focused on the Savior's birth and focused on the real meaning of Christmas. I will never forget a Christmas that I had. And I was pregnant with my second daughter, and I have horrible pregnancies. And with my second daughter, I was really, really sick for all nine months. And I usually am hooked up to a PICC line and get IVs every day. And I think I had lost about 35 pounds with this pregnancy. And wow, I was so sick. And she was born December 28. But the week of Christmas, I was in the hospital, just sick as can be. And feeling a lot of misery and pain. And I was scared. And I just thought this was going to go on forever. And I came home from the hospital. It was just a day or two before Christmas. And we hadn't really decorated a lot for Christmas. And I just was miserable. And the doorbell rang and I opened the door and there was a Christmas tree sitting on my porch. No way. Yeah, I don't know who brought that Christmas tree. But it was a live Christmas tree and the lights were already strong, Oh, Christmas tree. And I remember bringing it in the house and plugging it in. And I felt for the first time in months hope and light. And I thought of Mary and I thought of Jesus and the true meaning of Christmas that he brings hope. And he brings light into despair. And that probably wasn't the most traditional Christmas we had with a lot of presents and a lot of excitement and activities. Because I was stuck at home. But that to me taught me the most about the true meaning of Christmas that it's about the Savior who comes to bring healing and to bring hope and to bring light as beautiful as it is. You know, it's not hard to have unconventional experiences when you're away from your home on a mission and that's what came to mind. That's true. When you when you asked this question I served in Mexico, and where I served, like much of Mexico was very hot, and mostly never ever rained or snowed, especially snowed. And it was really unique because on Christmas Eve was like we worked hard in our mission. We had a lot of credit to our mission president he there was a lot of opportunity in Mexico and he made sure we seized it so we didn't have a lot of time off and a lot of you know, like play time it was work work work. But on Christmas Eve we had the chance to cut out early on Christmas Eve and have dinner at a member's family at 6pm which was unheard of. Because we usually we had one meal a day at like 3pm and then we work the rest of the day at 6pm we were gonna go to a member's house and have Christmas eve dinner and it was just going to be this magical experience that day we started to feel the weather turn a little bit and it kind of smelled that kind of smell you know when you when it's cold and it's almost like you can smell snow coming and my companions and all the people I was with that day they've never seen snow in their lives. And they're going what what's going on I go guys, I think it's about the snow. And as we're wrapping up our last appointment and we're heading towards the Christmas dinner Dinner. Sure enough those flakes start falling and it was absolutely incredible, especially just as a missionary. You've been out for a year and a half. You know it's Christmas Eve It's just like, Oh my goodness. And it starts snowing and I tell you what that town lit up in a way I've never seen in my life. I remember going over to this bench that we'd always walked by every day. And it was covered in snow. I went and wrote with my finger into the snow, a word that was very well known. And our mission was the word ánimo. Which it's hard to translate into English. If you look it up on like Google, it will say courage and that's not right. The best way to explain it is in the scriptures. When Christ ever says Be of good cheer. He says have ánimo. ánimo it was the perfect thing be of good cheer Christmas Eve. It was just this beautiful night and I felt all the love and clarity and, and everything you wanted to feel at that moment. And it was just a beautiful night for me. I love that. I can't believe it snowed in Mexico.
Ben Truman 10:49 Yep, in the middle of nowhere and first time and I think it was the first time any snow record is in that area seven years. So it's pretty, pretty special. Wow.
Kathryn Davis 10:57 See, it was just for you. Yes.
Chad Truman 10:59 I've been thinking about that. You know, as you guys been talking, the thing that comes to my mind is my wife, you know, we've been married for 12 years now. And this will be our 13th Christmas as a married couple. For 12 Christmases, it was just her and I as a couple. And we've been trying to have kids for about eight years. And then about two, two and a half years ago, we started IUI and IVF, kind of the more aggressive infertility treatments. So it was Thanksgiving last year that we went and did the official transfer where we create the embryo right. And I love that it was on Thanksgiving, because this was our second round actually, our second embryo we found out a few weeks later that it took and that Katherine was technically pregnant. And then of course, you try to hope that she stays pregnant. And she did and then two months ago, on October 13, our little one was born. As I've been thinking about like an unconventional Christmas. The coolest part is is that we now will have our first Christmas as a family not just a couple. And it's the most I've been excited for Christmas in about 25 years. You know, I'm already like loving Christmas right now. This today is Christmas, right? I love saying Merry Christmas to people. It's not just on the 24th 25th Right? Like already I'm already just so happy we got Christmas music playing the fires going you know, in our little one is just there in the swing asleep. I just am so grateful.
Ben Truman 11:16 You're like George Bailey running through the streets. Merry Christmas. Yes, exactly.
Chad Truman 12:26 I'm just so so grateful for this blessing. I continue to pray and think of others that are in the same spot that we were in because it's not easy, especially when the holidays come around and you see other people celebrating basically the most important gift beyond our savior is I think about my wife and every every mom. Now I'm going to kind of go off here but like every mother literally sacrifices their body as the Savior did for somebody else. And they're a version of the Savior by doing that. To have our little one is just so it's beyond beyond happy beyond blessed. I just am so grateful.
Kathryn Davis 13:03 Chad you're making me cry.
Chad Truman 13:06 I mean, you know we've like said like I'm 35 so to have our first little one I knew we wanted him. I just didn't realize I guess to the degree and so I'm so excited because this will be his first Noell recently Ben and I got to team up with a good friend Madelyn Paige and we made this arrangement of The First Noel and release it a few weeks ago got a music video coming out soon and that's the song we want to play for you first today.
Truman Brothers Singing 13:45 [The First Noel by The Truman Brothers and Madilyn Paige]
Kathryn Davis 16:57 You guys, I love that song. And honestly after listening to Chad introduce that I don't think I'm ever going to hear that the same way again, with that love and emotion. It's beautiful. Thank you. And I truly feel that the story of the Nativity is one that always brings peace to my heart, those glad tidings of comfort and joy that the angel spoke about, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. I've often thought about that nativity story. And of all the people that were involved in the story, I want to ask both of you, which participant would you most love to have an hour to sit with and ask about their experience in the birth of the Savior? And why that particular participant?
Ben Truman 17:51 What a great question?
Chad Truman 17:54 I mean, maybe I probably hang out with the donkey for a little bit. The donkey, you know, no, I mean, I wonder if this is maybe a little too on point is Baby Jesus even an option? I mean, holding baby Jesus and looking in his eyes, like, again, what I'm going through every day, but if he wasn't option, the first person that comes to my head is Joseph. I would love to talk to the father of our Savior earthly father of our Savior. I mean, if you get one hour, yeah, I would love to pick his brain, you know? And what kind of man was he that he was chosen for that? What kind of man could I become by just gathering as much as I can from who he became Amen.
Kathryn Davis 18:32 There's so much there that we don't know about. Right? Yeah.
Chad Truman 18:35 Because by the time Christ started his ministry, Joseph had already passed. We just know so little within in Scripture. Yeah. Yeah, that's cool.
Kathryn Davis 18:42 For me. I've really enjoyed watching that film that the church put out the Christ child. Oh, yeah. It's so it's so good. The main wise man that comes, the actor just did such a great job. And he brings so much emotion. I think I'd like to talk with him. I'd like to know how he knew what was going on. Exactly what prompted him to make that journey? Where did they come from? Just hear a little bit about his whole journey to get to that moment that clearly meant so much to him. It's a beautiful metaphor for our own lives and our own journey as we try to figure out what is it that we believe and why do we believe it? And what are we willing to do for it, those of us who hold on to that faith and let our actions match it? I would like to think will have the same experience that he did in the Christ child where his face is just truly overcome with joy. When he finally does arrive and see his saviors face is this it's a beautiful video. It's a beautiful thought to think about. I guess that'd be my answer. And I even if that when I watched that, because I watched that a couple times today in my classes, how prepared he was to notice the signs, right like to recognize and then begin his journey. Absolutely, and that he must have been well versed in Scripture and believed and trusted and followed when he saw the signs? Absolutely. I think for me, and maybe it's more of an obvious choice being a mom. But I think I would love sorry to spend an hour with Mary, and ask her how she felt right. Like it was unexpected, it was probably unwanted. It's not like this was her plan or her journey. And then she willingly followed and what must have that been like she did what was asked what God wanted her and want to know if she felt overwhelmed and inadequate. Where did she go when she needed strength and support and help? And I would just love to talk with her about her journey as a mom, and how she felt impressed. Was God always there when she had questions about how to be a better mom? Yeah, like, I believe he was like he is for me when I have questions about how to help my children. How often did she have to turn to him with questions and concern and and wondering if she was doing enough? Yeah. And I've often thought of, you know, I would love to talk to the angel. You know, that joy of sharing that news, right? That's what I can relate to. I know you guys have a song that talks a lot about that joy, and I'd love to listen to that song. Ben, can you tell us a little bit more about this song?
Ben Truman 21:35 Absolutely. Last year, we had the great privilege to be a part of the witnesses of Christ event that the church put on at the tabernacle and they kind of streamed it out there on YouTube and elsewhere. And they asked us to do our own version of Hark the herald angels sing like it happens often anytime we go in and dissect a hymn that we think we know well. But once we go in there and we start messing around with the tune and the feeling of it all the words kind of unlock and unfold in a whole new way and that happened for sure with our arrangement of Hark the herald angels sing.
Truman Brothers Singing 22:21 [Hark the Herald Angels Sing by The Truman Brothers]
Kathryn Davis 23:13 I love it. Did you guys always sing together?
Ben Truman 23:24 No. I mean, yes, yes. And no. I mean, my mom always had music going in the house and wanted us to sing around the piano and sing at church and stuff. But never any kind of like, this is what you guys are gonna do because you're gonna be a duo. You know, like, none of that was ever going on. It was just kind of music in the home.
Chad Truman 23:43 We all did music a lot separately. Like we enjoyed listening to, you know, music and talking about music, but performing it I guess our ages were kind of separated me three years younger than been three years older than Casey Kenzie was five years younger than Casey. All of us grew up doing music, but not always at the same time, or at least the same skill level, at least until Ben and I both got to college. He was right after his mission. And right before mine. Finally, we had I guess usable enough skills to collaborate Yeah, and write and perform.
Kathryn Davis 24:12 I love that you have a history of music in your family. And obviously music is really important to you. And it must be important during this time of year, especially hearing some of those Christmas songs you can feel I think of your Spirit and of your testimony, as you sing. Do you have any specific memories of how Christmas music brought you a stronger testimony of the Savior?
Ben Truman 24:38 For sure. I mean, throughout most of my life, music, you know, specifically like certain songs were necessary for me to unlock certain emotions or certain understandings about the world around me. That's why I love music, not just any music, but like the songs that have touched me specifically. That's what drives me to be a songwriter because I'm just so thankful that those songs have done that for me. And that's certainly true at Christmas time, too. I feel like the music of this season is such a conduit for the incredible message of Christmas. As well as all the memories, the beautiful memories that we've shared over the years with our family and friends. You know, one of those moments that jumps to mind, Chad alluded to earlier, our grandpa Delmon who's now passed, he would always think this song, Let there be peace on earth. And I don't know there's those moments for me are just kind of like special little core memories that were the Venn diagram of my faith, and my family, and my passion for music, all blend together and to hear him sing, let there be peace song, and let it begin with me. You know, that kind of legacy? Man, we're grateful for that our grandpa could sit there and sing those songs, and have that testimony. I'll never forget them.
Chad Truman 25:58 Yeah, I'll just double that our parents music and faith was always a huge part. I mean, it was it's them. And then their parents. It is the generational impact, of course, now is even more on my brain. And I think about specifically grandpa Delmon singing that song, and then finishing and then bearing testimony of the Savior, that singing and the Savior were always just so connected. They were always tied together. Such a blessing to I guess, have that blueprint to reference as we go forward with our lives and our our children.
Kathryn Davis 26:32 Why do you think music means so much to so many during the season?
Ben Truman 26:38 You know, it's kind of like I mentioned earlier, I feel like sometimes we all need different mediums to help unlock the things that we're trying to feel. But we suppress for whatever reason. And music, as we know, is just one of the great ways to do that. And I think because every year it comes back around. And there's those songs that we get to hear every year and those messages we get to hear every year. It's an old friend, when it comes back around, it helps us count our blessings, it helps us kind of see things clearly, maybe even want to be a little bit better and reach out our hands a little bit further to help somebody else. And I just this the magic of the Christmas season is always there every time it comes around. And musics such a big part of that.
Kathryn Davis 27:22 We also end each of our episodes with a small and simple challenge that we can each implement throughout the rest of our week. And for us into the Christmas season. In honor of our theme to love Well, what is your small and simple challenge to show your love to the Savior that you will do throughout this week? To honor his birth?
Ben Truman 27:43 It's quite a challenge one to take seriously. You know, I think of the hymn I'm trying to be like Jesus, what that even means. It's a hard thing to go through your day when you have so many things on your on your brain that you're worried about you have to do to stop and ever ask yourself, well, what would Jesus do in this moment? How would he be? I think it's a great thing about the show that chosen I think that's why people like it so much. And because they kind of see an example of what that would even look like I guess my answer to your question is just tried to stop more often this week. And breathe a little bit. So that I have the chance to feel those old familiar feelings of faith and love and then act on them a little bit more consistently the way he would.
Chad Truman 28:25 100% I would echo that we, especially here in Utah County, Utah, there's a lot of energy. And sometimes that can turn into over hustle. And if we're not careful, that that will that that buzz and that excitement can be I need to be doing something always right versus sitting and being instead of being a human doing. We want to be human beings and be in the moment. We want to be there, wherever you are be there that President Monson quote, and of course right now it is for me this season is so beautiful to just be here. But in general in life, the adversary, but also just the ability to that we have to do so many things makes it makes us feel like we should do those things. Right. And I love that he's already given us priorities to start with. Because otherwise you can be doing a million things. There's always a million things that we need to do. The word need is conditional. You don't need to do anything. And so especially during this season, there's so much good that's happening. And we might miss it if we're kind of in the over hustle.
Kathryn Davis 29:30 I think about this question a lot because in my home, we have this tradition that I love. It's one of my favorite traditions and we have a shepherds dinner every year a few days before Christmas and we all dress up as shepherds and I lay everything out on the floor and we eat what I think would have been a traditional meal. And then we listen to part of the Christmas story and We think of especially the wise men as they brought gifts to the Savior. And we think of what gifts we can give to the Savior throughout the coming year, and write it down and we put it in a little box under our tree. And so my kids have something written down for every year that they can write. I think about what gift I can bring him this year. And as I've thought about that, I think it goes with kind of what you both have said, and that is time this year. I want to give him more of my time, and to be present in the moment and spend more time with him. That's what I can do to honor him. Yeah, through this coming weeks. And months. You guys, thank you so much for being here. Would you guys think of one more song you can share with us before you go. And also tell us a little bit about the song you want to share and tell the listeners where they can hear you and where they can find your music?
Ben Truman 31:03 Yeah, you can find our music at Desert book if you got one local. But of course we are on like Spotify and Apple Music, all the streaming services. So any of the songs that you're hearing today, you can go listen to them literally right now, if you have any of those streaming services, the song we want to share lastly is one that isn't necessarily a Christmas song, but is steeped in the lessons of Christmas. And I think while we're all running around as we've alluded to, and during this busy Christmas season out there among us are those who feel a little bit downtrodden and overlooked it's obviously our opportunity to reach out to those people and help them but also just to share this message that Christ was born for clearly very important reason. Or my favorite scriptures when it says that God sent His son out into the world to condemn it but to save it that's what we're celebrating. We have this incredible opportunity now to be saved he is mindful of us he's doing this for us this is what this song is about and we want to share with you now it's called Oh child.
Truman Brothers Singing 33:41 ["Oh Child" by the Truman Brothers]
Kathryn Davis 35:18 we hope all of you have a very Merry Christmas and we will see you again on the Magnify podcast in the new year. Please join us over on Instagram at magnify community where you can share your insights and participate in our content even more. We look forward to more next year.