• followHIM Favorites • August 10-16 • Come Follow Me - followHIM

Summary4 min read

followHIM Favorites: August 10–16 – Come, Follow Me (Book of Job)

Hosts: Hank Smith & John Bytheway
Release Date: August 6, 2026

Episode Overview

This concise episode of "followHIM Favorites" focuses on the Book of Job, part of the LDS Church’s Come, Follow Me study curriculum for the week. Hank Smith and John Bytheway share personal insights and a moving real-life story to relate Job’s unwavering faith and integrity to modern life. The hosts aim to encourage listeners to “hold fast” to their faith through difficult circumstances, just as Job did.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Challenge of the Book of Job

Complexity & Suffering:
- Hank notes that Job “is a bit of a difficult book to read. A lot of bad things happen to Job.” (00:07)
Job’s Integrity:
- John highlights Job 27:6:
  - "My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go. My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live." (00:17–00:28)
  - Job’s determination to maintain faith and integrity regardless of his circumstances sets the thematic foundation.

Modern Parallel: The Rescue of Cannon Nestlen

Setting:
- Elder David B. Haight’s account of Clarence Nestlen Jr. and his son Cannon, who fell into an icy crevice in Jasper National Park, Canada.
Crisis & Faith:
- Cannon, aged 11, is wedged in ice, facing a life-threatening situation over rushing, freezing water.
  - "Several young men… had a small rope, but realized that it was not strong enough… If it broke, Cannon would most assuredly fall… They ran to a nearby lodge… They rushed to the rescue. Time was short. Silent prayers were sent heavenward." (00:48–01:25)
Coping with Fear:
- Clarence, the father, keeps Cannon awake and praying:
  - "The father called down to him to keep praying, to wiggle fingers and toes and to sing favorite songs." (01:51)
  - Cannon repeatedly sings "I Am a Child of God" to maintain hope and consciousness.
Miraculous Rescue:
- The rangers finally arrive, unable to physically reach Cannon due to narrow ice walls. The solution is to lower a looped rope:
  - "The only chance was to lower a looped rope and pray that Cannon was alert enough to grasp it and hold on like Job." (02:33)
- Clarence offers "the most fervent prayer" of his life, feeling “a feeling of assurance” that his son would be saved. (02:50)
Outcome:
- Cannon, partially unconscious, manages to hold the rope:
  - “His fingers had miraculously frozen around the rope and had to be pried loose.” (03:15)
- A paramedic gives body heat directly to warm Cannon.
- Cannon later testifies that while trapped, he felt “an assurance that his life would be saved,” firm in knowing “God loves him, has a special mission for him to perform in this life.” (03:48)

Spiritual Reflection & Encouragement

Parallel with Job:
- John draws the lesson:
  - “So hang on. Like Job did. He trusted that heavenly Father would help him because he felt that assurance, and so did his father.” (04:10)
Hank’s Response:
- Hank underscores how we, like Job, may not know if our hardships will worsen or improve, but the commitment remains:
  - "It doesn't matter. I will hold fast." (04:23)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Job’s Enduring Faith:
- John: “My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go. My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.” (00:17)
On Cannon’s Hope:
- “Over and over Cannon sang, ‘I Am a Child of God…’ All listening were strengthened by Cannon’s faith and determination.” (01:57)
On Parental Faith:
- “Brother Nestlen, the father, tried to calm his son and soothe his fears… to keep praying… His father kept telling him help would arrive soon and Heavenly Father would hear his prayers.” (01:51–02:05)
On Holding Fast:
- “The only chance was to lower a looped rope and pray that Cannon was alert enough to grasp it and then to hold on like Job.” (02:33)
Testimony from Adversity:
- “He knows God loves him, has a special mission for him to perform in this life.” (03:48)
Final Encouragement:
- Hank: “Like Job, Job didn’t know what to expect… But his commitment was — it doesn’t matter. I will hold fast.” (04:23)

Timestamps for Important Segments

00:07 – Introduction to the Book of Job’s challenges
00:17 – “My righteousness I hold fast…” (Job 27:6, theme statement)
00:29 – Story of the Nestlen family and Cannon’s ordeal begins
01:51 – Singing “I Am a Child of God” to stay alert and hopeful
02:33 – The rescue plan and comparison to holding on like Job
03:15 – Cannon’s miraculous grip and physical rescue
03:48 – Spiritual takeaway: Feeling divine assurance and mission
04:10 – Direct encouragement: “So hang on like Job did.”
04:23 – Reflection on holding fast through the unknown

Summary & Takeaway

This episode employs a gripping, real-world parable to illuminate Job’s steadfastness in adversity. Both Job and Cannon exemplify tenacity—“holding fast”—with the assurance of God’s love and purpose, regardless of immediate outcomes. The hosts encourage listeners to embrace this same faith during personal challenges, making the ancient story of Job feel vivid and immediately relevant.

Next Steps:

Listen to the full episode with Dr. Marcus Martins for a deeper dive into Job.
Join followHIM Favorites next week for another uplifting story and lesson.

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Transcript7 lines

[00:03]
A
Welcome to Follow Him. Favorites this is where John and I share a single story to go with each week's Come Follow Me Lesson John we're in the book of Job, which is a bit of a difficult book to read. A lot of bad things happen to Job. Tell me the story that you have in mind.
[00:18]
B
I remember in Job 27, verse 6 he says, My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go. My heart shall not reproach me so
[00:28]
A
long as I live.
[00:29]
B
Job hung onto his integrity and his testimony of Christ no matter what, and it reminded me of this story. It's Elder David B. Haight. This was a while back, but he talked about Clarence neslin. Clarence Nestlen Jr. Took his family to Jasper national park in Alberta, Canada. It was an exciting experience until 11 year old cannon, attempting to jump across a crevice, missed and fell into the deep chasm. He became wedged between the walls of ice. Can you imagine this? As his father looked down some 30ft to where his son was trapped, he was further alarmed as he saw a river of icy water flowing beneath the crevice. Several young men were also exploring the glacier. They heard the cries and came running. They had a small rope, but realized that it was not strong enough to pull Cannon to safety. If it broke, Cannon would most assuredly fall into the rushing river of freezing water. They ran to a nearby lodge. They got a park ranger. They learned by telephone. Two park rangers were in the ice fields. They found them by radio. They rushed to the rescue. Time was short. Silent prayers were sent heavenward. Brother Nestlen the father tried to calm his son and soothe his fears, but hypothermia was settling in. Okay, so he's down here in this ice. You got the picture?
[01:45]
A
You're wedged in a canyon of ice. Yeah.
[01:49]
B
Young Cannon's shirt had been pushed up as he fell. His bare skin was pressed against the walls of the glacier to keep his son from unconsciousness. The father called down to him to keep praying, to wiggle fingers and toes and to sing favorite songs. Over and over. Cannon sang Guess I am a child of God. He has sent me here, has given me an earthly home with parents kind and dear. All listening were strengthened by Cannon's faith and determination. But he was beginning to weaken. His father kept telling him help would arrive soon and Heavenly Father would hear his prayers. Well, finally the two rangers came. Hank. They drove spikes into the ice ropes attached to the ranger and the ranger was lowered down to rescue Cannon. But the walls were too narrow for the ranger. The only Chance was to lower a looped rope and pray that Cannon was alert enough to grasp it and then to hold on like Job. As they tried to pull him out, Brother Nestlen said he offered the most fervent prayer of his life, pleaded with the Lord to save his son's life, and he said, a feeling of assurance came over me. I knew he would be saved. Well, Cannon had lapsed into unconsciousness. His father called down encouragement, rousing his son sufficiently that Cannon's icy fingers were able to catch hold of the rope. Hold on with all your might, his father called down to him. Ken was carefully pulled up, inch by inch, foot by foot, 30ft. When he was finally pulled to safety, he was unconscious, but his fingers had miraculously frozen around the rope and had to be pried loose. He was wrapped in blankets, rushed to an ambulance. There was not enough warmth to raise his body temperature, so this awesome paramedic undressed Cannon and took off his own coat and shirt and held Cannon against his bare chest so the body heat would radiate to the boy. Cannon soon responded to the loving care of his rescuers. Young Cannon Nestle and the newly ordained deacon is here in this audience tonight. Elder Haight says, we thank our Father in heaven that his life was spared. He was spared for a purpose. I wish I could have been there to look at that kid. He told his father that while wedged in the ice, he felt an assurance that his life would be saved. He knows God loves him, has a special mission for him to perform in this life. So hang on. Like Job did, He trusted that heavenly Father would help him because he felt that assurance, and so did his father. Amazing story.
[04:23]
A
Like Job, Job didn't know what to expect. He didn't know if it was going to get worse or get better. But his commitment was. It doesn't matter. I will hold fast. That's an incredible story. You had me. I was holding my breath there. Thank you, John. We hope you'll join us on our full podcast. It's called Follow Him. You can get it wherever you get your podcast. We're with Dr. Marcus Martins this week. He is fantastic. He walks us through the book of Job in a way that you've never been through it before. Join us there and then come back here next week we'll do another Follow him favorite.