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- [00:01]
Hank Smith
Welcome to part two with Courtney Rich.
- [00:04]
John Bytheway
Later in Luke 24:45 talks about then opened he their understanding that they might understand the scriptures. That's where he wants us to go. He talks about the scriptures as he's on the road to Emmaus. He's talking about Moses here again, he's like that they may understand the scriptures. He's reminding us if we have questions, if we have doubts, here's where you need to go. It's the scriptures and I will help enlighten your mind as you're doing that. I just love that reminder too and the pattern that he's teaching us of how to learn, how to gain a witness of him, how to have our minds enlightened.
- [00:45]
Courtney Rich
Seems like with both of these groups in Luke 24, these two and then the 12, he uses scriptures to bring them around with the two on the road to Mace. It says, let's talk through. It says he beginning at Moses. That's a wave is back. Let's start with Genesis. And how about we walk through all the scriptures and help you reevaluate your choices?
- [01:08]
Hank Smith
Yeah, Courtney, I love what President Freeman had you do with evidences. I remember a talk that Elder Holland gave, a classic talk because all of his talks seem to be classic. It was called Lord I Believe. But the point he made in the talk was you always start with what you know. Boy, that helped me tremendously as a bishop. When somebody would come in and I'm having this question, I'd be, I'm going to try to help you answer that. But first let's talk about some things that you know. That list gets longer and longer. To use a line from a hymn. It will surprise you what the Lord has done when you start talking about what you know. Thank you for showing me that in section 20. I'd never seen that by these things we know and here comes this boom, boom, boom, boom list. I think President Eyring had said at one point, that's what a journal is. It's not for your trips and your trophies. It's document the hand of God in your life. And then you have this place you can go like you did Courtney, here's my book of Evidences. And you go back there and say, oh yeah, but there's one other thing I wanted to add because it's Easter ish, but it's Book Mormon. You know how these guys are like, hey, wait, he did say that, didn't he? You know, this Jesus comes back and he's sitting with Nephi 3 in third Nephi and says, did you write down that thing that Samuel the Lamanite said? And what was it was about the resurrection, Right? It was very Easterish. Do you remember that some of the saints that slept arose and appeared unto many. Do you remember how I told you to write that down? So I think that's fascinating because it's about this very topic. When we were back in John, they didn't know the Scripture, that he would rise again. It's like, what? You didn't know that?
- [02:57]
Courtney Rich
And he has to, just like Courtney.
- [02:59]
John Bytheway
Said, remind us, just remind us how patient he is with us. I love how chapter 24, Luke 24, ends. As their minds are open to the understanding they're in the Scriptures. Christ reminds them, preach repentance and a remission of sins. You're my witnesses now. And he reminds them of that. Ye are witnesses of these things. Not that just happened right here, but this whole journey that we've been on together. And he blesses them and after he leaves. I love this example of discipleship and what it means. They were continually in the temple praising and blessing God, like that's what it means to be a witness, moving on and sharing that and praising Him. And they returned with great joy. So we end with that and 24. But then I think about chapter 20 over in John. This is one of my favorites because I think this also helped me have a better understanding of what it means to take upon his name, to witness of him, what it really means to be a disciple. When we have that moment where we're changed, we have these personal experiences with him. We are connected with him, and we're like, all right, what does that mean? Now what do I do? There's something just so relatable about this to me. This is when Simon Peter, he's like, let's. Let's go fishing. Christ had come to them. He's gone again. I just imagine them being like, I don't. Maybe I don't know what to do now. They go back to what they know, and they're back in the boat, they're fishing, and they're not catching anything. And that sounds pretty familiar, doesn't it? They see a man at the shore and they don't know who it is. The man says, and this is Jesus, but says, cast your net to the other side. John says to Simon, it's the Lord.
- [04:55]
Courtney Rich
I think it's him.
- [04:56]
John Bytheway
Yeah, I think it's him. Right? And Simon, you also just love that he, like, jumps out into the water and again, running, swimming as fast as he can to him. But it's the part later. So this is in verses 15 through 17. Peter's having the conversation with Christ. He is saying, lovest thou me more than these? And he saith unto him, yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, feed my lambs. He saith to him again. The second time, simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? And he saith unto him, yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He said unto him, feed my sheep. And then a third time, they have this same interaction, that same thing. And Peter seems a little, like, sad, because he said unto him the third time, lovest thou me? And he's like, lord, thou knowest all things. Thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, feed my sheep. And President Freeman was teaching this one time, and I just loved how she was. You're not a fisherman anymore. You are my disciple. Truly, Simon. The other disciples, Mary, their mission had changed, changed because years before that moment, they decided to walk the covenant path. They decided to walk with Christ. And I'm sure they stumbled and they felt inadequate, but they kept walking. They chose to stay. They chose to follow Jesus Christ, just like Mary did, just like you and I can. The idea of, yeah, you are actually a changed person when these moments happen as you become a disciple of Christ. I'm a big sports fan, and I played basketball growing up. And so when I started high school, we had just moved from Utah to California, and I tried out for the basketball team. I like no friends, and I just thought, okay, I'll. I'll do this, and that would be a great way to make friends. And I love basketball, and I made the team. And kind of. That worry about making friends went away. But as I was on that team, you have this, like, sudden sense of belonging. You put on that jersey. Mine was the Agora Chargers. There's a big lightning bolt. It was blue and yellow. And I felt like I was a part of something bigger, something important, something I wanted to live up to, I wanted to represent in a really positive way. I think about my discipleship, my moment. Do we take on the name of Christ like we would a sports team? Do we identify with Christ like we would with groups we're involved with, Whether that's friends or family or athletics, celebrities, musicians. You think about all the influences we have in our lives. President Lund shared this quote in one of his conference talks just a couple years ago. He said, you, discipleship isn't just a slogan on a T Shirt. It has become a part of your life, purposefully lived for others. So you go home and you do that. Be that carry the spiritual momentum into the rest of your life. Was talking about people's experiences with F S Y. Truly, I love that emphasis, that discipleship isn't merely that superficial expression or a fleeting trend, but it's deeply ingrained in the way that we live. And it's characterized by our purpose, how we serve others, what are we working towards. And when I look at Mary and the disciples and these events that we've been talking about today, I think we learn so much about what it means to become a disciple of Jesus Christ, what it means to have these personal experiences with him, and how in those intimate moments in our lives, it can lead to change within us that's actually so profound that we want to witness of him. We don't have to just read like we talked about. He's here in our stories right now.
- [08:38]
Courtney Rich
It gives me a sense of, you're gonna be okay. Yes, it's painful right now. Don't forget you signed up for this. Losses will be made up to you. I know you're hurting. Once you see what I see, you'll know why.
- [08:56]
Hank Smith
More than anything else, the resurrection is that message. He's a deliverer. He's a redeemer, He's a restorer. And everything is going to be made right, including death. Thanks for that, Hank.
- [09:11]
Courtney Rich
Courtney, I like that you pointed out in this story that, listen, you don't have an experience with the resurrected Lord and then just be like, well, I'm going to go back to what I was doing before. No, everything is different now. You don't get to go backwards. I use that story with those in my class who returned from a mission. You don't just go back to fishing. Everything has changed. This isn't the end. This is the beginning.
- [09:36]
John Bytheway
Yeah. Makes me circle back to Mary when she's in the tomb. She's there, she's waiting, she's staying, she's seeking after Christ. She's still like, no, I'm still a part of this. You're still a part of me. I don't know what's next, but I'm here, ready to wait and see what's next. That's what I'm looking for. And reminds us to turn our eyes, our hearts, our lives over to Him. As I looked at these stories and these verses, I just all of a sudden saw my life for me becoming a witness of him and having a witness that he lives today. And My story, it all started because I needed that personal relationship with him. I needed that personal experience, and I was desperate to find it. And as I did, as I dove into his life and trying to better understand him, I was able to better see his love for me and understand how much he can strengthen and heal me. President Nelson testified. I love this quote, too. The more you learn about the Savior, the easier it is to trust in his mercy, his infinite love, and his strengthening, healing, and redeeming power. I just also testify that that is so true. I saw that change in my life. The more that I learned about him, really understood him and saw him and his stories and his teachings, that trust has become easier. I'm still learning that trust. I'm still learning how to turn things over to Him. But what a difference it has made in my life. It's profound. It really is the way that he can change your spirit, your outlook, your understanding, and maybe not take all the burdens away, but help lighten the load, because he's carrying it with us side by side.
- [11:35]
Courtney Rich
And that's the message of Easter. There's a confidence that comes that really. I don't know if you can get in any other way. I'm not talking live with confidence in yourself, but a peace that comes. Elder Scott said that the difficulties of life are set against a background of a very beautiful thing. The trials are the clouds, but the Lord is the sky. He's there.
- [12:07]
Hank Smith
Paul talks about being settled and grounded. And I just. Those are good words for this understanding of the Savior's presence. There was a classic seminary video. Do you remember? The young lady comes in and just doesn't feel worthy. And the bishop does the coolest thing. He says, look outside. What do you see? And she says, I see a tree and some cars. And he says, I look out, I see the same thing. And the bishop says, I want you to look at this picture on the wall of the Savior and don't take your eyes off of it until we both see the same thing. You remember this video, Hank? And he says, you see someone who's so good, he wouldn't want you as one of his children. And she kind of nods her head. And he says, well, let me tell you, the Savior that I know. And he says, I see someone who is so good that he would love to have you as one of his daughters. What you just said, Courtney, the more we read about him, as President Nelson said, the more hope we have. We start to discover what he's really like and how merciful and forgiving and welcoming. He really is. If you're feeling like you're not good enough, you need to read more about him and read more about what he's really like. You'll start to see what this girl saw in the bishop's office.
- [13:30]
Courtney Rich
Courtney, so far, you've shown us how to navigate extreme difficulty, and we know we have listeners who are saying, this is me, whether it be mental health problems, death of loved ones, unmet hopes and dreams. John, speak to this as well. How do you see all that helping me? Who's out there listening, going, what do I do now? I want that. I want what you have. I want the confidence. I want the peace.
- [14:07]
John Bytheway
Something that I didn't realize I wasn't doing. I mean, I was. I was kind of doing the checklist of things growing up, the things that I thought you needed to do. Keep the commandments and check this off the list. Check this off the list. What I failed at for so long was creating the personal part of that relationship and understanding the why of that relationship beyond the checklist or the commandments or the things that I was being taught that I thought I was just supposed to do to do. You know, it's why I love the For Strength of Youth guide. Now, the way that it really talks about the why behind all the things that we are taught, helping our youth to really have an understanding and a connection to the Savior, because that gives all of this purpose, even if it is the checklist items. I think the difference maker was one. There was such a desperation I felt to know my Savior and feel like I was kind of at the last leg of the race and I didn't know what else. And here he was giving me an invitation to get to know him. And I took it, really spending that time focusing on him and learning of him and his life and his character rounded out to where I had this greater understanding that he knew who I was and that he loves me. Because it was that time I took to get to know him and I understood that greater love that he had for me. And I could hear his voice.
- [15:42]
Courtney Rich
It sounds backwards to say that your experience there, Courtney, was a blessing. But it can be a blessing for the Lord to put us in situations where we only have one choice. It's him. Where I've tried everything else. This is my last hope. And then, like you said, it's desperation. Lord, save me. As Peter would say.
- [16:12]
John Bytheway
President Nelson gave a talk called Drawing on the Power of Jesus Christ in Our Lives. This was back in 2017, and he was sharing the Story of the woman with the issue of blood suffering for 12 years. And then when she's near Christ, she has such great faith in the Savior, she's like, if I touch his clothes, I'll be made whole. He says this faithful, focused woman needed to stretch as far as she could to access his power. Her physical stretching was symbolic of her spiritual stretching. Many of us have cried out from the depths of our heart a variation of this woman's words, if I could spiritually stretch enough to draw the Savior's power into my life, I would know how to handle my heart wrenching situation. I would know what to do and I would have the power to do it. Now this next part, the best part. When you reach up for the Lord's power in your life with the same intensity that a drowning person has when grasping and gasping for air, power from Jesus Christ will be yours. When the Savior knows you truly want to reach up to him, when he can feel that the greatest desire of your heart is to draw his power into your life, you will be led by the Holy Ghost to know exactly what you should do. I thought it was so interesting that President Nelson pointed out, when the Savior knows you truly want to reach up to Him. When the Savior knows, because he knows our intentions, he knows we are sitting in our heart right now. He knows how hard we're working and what we've been trying to do to overcome these obstacles. Like he has not left that, but he can also feel it. He is prepared. And he knows the moment where you are grasping and gasping for air and he will come in, even if it's at that very last moment like it has been for me.
- [17:59]
Hank Smith
The verse that came to mind was that we just covered a few weeks ago. Section 19, verse 23. Learn of me, listen to my words, walk in the meekness of my spirit. And there's the focus part, and you will have peace. When you see a scripture that tells you where to find something, then by implication it also tells you where you won't find it, right? You'll find peace in me. In other words, you won't find it in social media, you won't find it in popularity, you won't find it in fame, you won't find it in wealth. You will find it in me.
- [18:34]
Courtney Rich
I was thinking about how we've watched Joseph Smith and the saints learn line upon line this year. Joseph Smith and Emma Smith are not strangers to heartache. Joseph Smith, the loss of his older brother Alvin stays with him through his entire life and then they lose child after Child, infant after infant, both in miscarriages, and then children dying so young. And yet he doesn't know everything. He doesn't know what's going to happen to Alvin. He sees him in the celestial kingdom. How is that possible?
- [19:14]
Hank Smith
I marveled. He says he never received the gospel.
- [19:18]
Courtney Rich
So part of maybe dealing with the heartbreak is allowing the Lord to teach you a piece at a time and being patient with that process, that you're not going to get it all, but you're going to be given a little line upon line, precept on precept here, a little there, a little. But it does come as Courtney's taught us today. Courtney, I would like to revisit a couple of things you've said before we let you go. We can't let you off this easy without some cake. Yeah.
- [19:52]
John Bytheway
If we had actually all been together, I would have brought cake. Just by the way, for future reference, if you ever have a repeat guest.
- [20:00]
Courtney Rich
Don't tell me that. Don't tell me that.
- [20:03]
Hank Smith
We'll take a cake check, they call it. Right? Yeah.
- [20:05]
John Bytheway
There we go.
- [20:05]
Courtney Rich
Yeah. Courtney, a couple of these things you've already hit, but I would be interested in them, and that is some of our listeners. I'm sure many of them struggle with faith. I want to believe. I want to know. I want to be able to say what I hear other people saying. You said this early on when you were struggling. I wanted to feel what they felt and be able to say the things they say. How do you know those answers when they come? You talked about being in the back of that conference and knowing that answer when it came. How do I recognize that that's real? That's from him?
- [20:48]
John Bytheway
That is tricky, discernment, discerning. Are these just my thoughts? Are these the whisperings of the spirit? I'll say that moment at that conference was so unique and different for me that I just was so sure of it. Like, there was not even a doubt in my mind. It was the voice of the Lord. It was so powerful and so distinct and so different from anything else. And then from that time on, you know, I'm about 42, so the last six years, I've really tried to be intentional about listening for his voice. And there have been these moments in my life where I'm like, was that the whisperings? Was that the promptings? I had a funny experience a couple years ago. It was like I just kept getting this feeling that I needed to be attending the temple more often. And I'm just like, is that in my head? Or I can do that later. I'll get to that. And it just kept coming back to me, like, get to the temple. Get to the temple. And again, I just kept putting it off and putting it off. And I'm like, five minutes away from a temple, which is ridiculous of me to do. And then one Sunday afternoon, my mom calls me and she says, hey, I've been thinking about you today. And as I was in the state conference and sitting there, I had this thought for you, this impression, and I just can't shake it. And she's like, I just had this impression that I needed to tell you to go to the temple every week for the next four weeks. I responded with a laugh. I don't. I'm sure she was like, why is she laughing? But in my head, I'm thinking, of course, here I am not listening to the whisperings of the spirit, not recognizing that that is the Lord telling me to go to the temple. And what does he do? He goes to my mom because he's like, I know she'll listen to her mom. If I tell her mom, and her mom tells her, she'll go. And I've had a couple moments like that where I've realized I can't risk not listening. So even if this good thought to go to the temple is just my thought, well, I'm gonna go do it. Even if this thought, to text this person I don't know very well from my ward is just my thought, I'm still gonna do it and act as if it's a whispering from the spirit, because I can't risk not listening. Because what I want is to be able to hear. I want that veil to be thinner. I want to be able to hear him in the small moments as I do the big moments. And it's something I've talked to my kids a lot about as they are discovering and developing their own testimonies. And they are in things and have passions for golf and for dance. And there's days that things don't work out. And they say to me, but I'm praying. But I fasted for this, and it didn't work out. Is he even there? Does he even want to help me? We've had these discussions of, well, yes, but also, let's look at all the other small pieces to this. You're looking at this one moment, maybe this big picture that you want to happen. But I'm trying to help them start to see where he is in the little things. At least this is what's helped for Me, if I can recognize more the spirit in the little parts and have the evidences of where he was in my day to day, the little mini miracles, the more I've been able or the better I've been able to hear him on some of these bigger things. As I talked about in today's podcast, I was just with Avery at a dance competition, and she was very nervous and anxious about doing a solo. And she's done it before, but she had kind of a mishap the last time she did it. She was so anxious. And we had said prayers, and we were walking down the hall and somebody stopped me, recognized me, and we started talking, and the lady next to her grabbed her daughter and said, she needs a hug, pointing to Avery. This girl gave Avery a hug, and they just were like, it's going to be okay. You are going to do great today. They didn't know what she was about to do or what was about to happen. They knew she was dancing. We walked away from that, and Avery tugged on me and stopped me in the hall and goes, mom, do you know what that was? And I said, oh, that was so nice. She's like, mom, that was a miracle. That was the Lord. That was his hand telling her to give me a hug. So as we start to connect the dots on those little things, I think they help build up to, like, those bigger moments, and we're more aware of them and we recognize them as the.
- [25:16]
Courtney Rich
Spirit and the Lord as we track them. Like you talked about with your journal, I think we tell the Lord, I want more of these. I will take them seriously. I will hold them sacred. I will write them down. John, what do you think?
- [25:31]
Hank Smith
My first thought when you asked the question was, go to Alma 32 and 33, where Alma uses this phrase. Even if you can know more than desire to believe, and maybe that's where you are. Heavenly Father, I want to believe this. But even if you can know more, the desire to believe. I love the phrase Alma uses, Give place. What's it called, Hank? A willful suspension of disbelief. Give place. That the word, which is Christ, can be planted in your heart and watch what happens. I think they use a plant on purpose because you can't rush it. You can't rush a seed. It's the tree of life. It tells us later on. And I think you can't rush that either. You plant an apple tree, you don't eat an apple for years.
- [26:18]
Courtney Rich
Yeah, it's going to be a while.
- [26:20]
Hank Smith
It's an exercise in patience and diligence. It's not just plant it, but then it's nurturing and patience and diligence. And I just say to my kids, then tell the Lord that. Tell him I want to believe this. Help mine unbelief. Help me keep going. And he's a good tutor. He knows when to give you what. So there's a trust element in there too.
- [26:43]
John Bytheway
Yeah. And that willingness, you know, I think about that. So my patriarchal blessing a couple times, the willingness. And I think he knows that He. He knows the intentions of our heart. If we've got that willingness, like you said, like that desire to try to experiment, test out some of the things that are mentioned here in the scriptures and in these lessons, test them out, have that willingness, and see what can happen as you plant the seed. I just believe he knows our intentions. So when they are pure and they are right and they're focused on him, good things are going to happen when we're trying. Rabbit journal. I brought mine. That's my book of evidences. It's just a little thing, and I'm filling it up. And it's changed my life the last couple years as I've gone back to it over and over again. And maybe for a while, the only evidence or the only truth you know is I know my Savior lives. Maybe that's the only thing. You just keep going back to it. That's okay. That's great. Start with one thing that you know. It doesn't have to be a whole list. Don't overwhelm ourselves. But that foundation can be built on one truth. And maybe you don't even know that one truth yet. So let's pray. Discover what that one truth may be in your life about the Savior that you can start to build that foundation upon and it's going to grow. That's a promise he makes throughout the scriptures.
- [28:01]
Courtney Rich
I can combine these two things together. My wife and my daughter Madeline and I were at the temple last week. When we came out of there and got in the car, we were all kind of three going, did that really just happen? Did we really just see the hand of God? In a way that was unmistakable. The first thing I did was I have a note on my phone that's my book of evidences. And I went there and added to my experiences these undeniable blessings that are personalized. The tender mercies of the Lord. Having lost both of my parents and my older brother, I find that if I want to be close to them, I don't go to the cemetery. I go to the Temple.
- [28:49]
Hank Smith
Exactly, Hank.
- [28:51]
Courtney Rich
The cemetery. I go there to pay my respects. But honestly, I think my dad would say, what are you doing? Why are you here? Go to the temple. That's where we're going to connect.
- [29:03]
Hank Smith
I had that happen to me. I went to Wasatch Lawn where my dad was buried, and I had that impression. Thanks for coming. But if you want to feel close, go to the temple. That's where we connect earth with heaven and where families are connected. And it was kind of one of those. Of course. Yeah. Sorry, dad.
- [29:24]
Courtney Rich
Right. Sorry about that. If anyone out there says, oh, I really feel peace at the cemetery, I don't think that's what. We're definitely not saying that. For me, personally, when I get myself into the temple, I think this is what I'm looking for. And even then, Courtney, it comes peace at a time, like, give me the whole thing. Overwhelm me with the angels.
- [29:47]
John Bytheway
The parting of the clouds.
- [29:49]
Courtney Rich
Right?
- [29:49]
John Bytheway
And I think that's what I thought it was for a long time. And I think what I've been tutored on and learning last six, seven years, even throughout the 20 that I felt like I was alone, was. It is little by little, and it's meant to be little by little, because that's how we learn. That's how we really soak it all in. If we were to have everything all at once, I'm not sure it would be as. As meaningful or as impactful. Like, it becomes information overload. I think it's these little things that become so meaningful. And as you get further along your path and you look back at what has happened and how the Lord has made your path, maybe it was winding and weaving and all these different ways, but you look back and you see the picture that he's painted and all makes sense. Like you said, I wouldn't take back 20 years of feeling alone and forgotten, because the nearly 20 years of that led me, me to a moment that I will never forget, that I am not alone and that my Savior sees me and is with me. And because of all that time and leading up to that moment, I am changed, and I wouldn't ever change that. And looking back, I can see how he's like, hang on just a little bit longer. I'm going to get you to this point where you're making cakes. I'm going to get you to Utah where you start to share it. I'm going to get you to this point where you can be involved in this conference, and you're going to learn. Just hang on a Little bit longer. Because it's all going to make sense. It's all going to work out. And it does. And sometimes it's a lot longer than we want it to be. A lot longer, darn it. But it is. But it's going to work out. And he promises that. And he is a God who does not break promises.
- [31:51]
Courtney Rich
Our friend Michael McLean wrote, Hold on, the Light Will Come.
- [31:59]
Hank Smith
Speaking of baking, when I was in seventh grade, we're signing up for our eighth grade classes. And my friends are like, let's take a cooking class. And I thought they were joking and they were going to trick me into taking this class while they all took P.E. but they said, let's take this cooking class. And I said, why? And they said, you get to eat. And I was like, oh, duh. We made brownies, like every day. They were sometimes more like burned offerings. But it was also had a really good girl to boy ratio. There was one table of boys us and about six tables of girls. So it was an awesome class. But I didn't know that halfway through the school year we would switch to sewing. So we were doing needlepoint. And I saved this, Hank, I have to find it. But it was like on a piece of burlap. And I sewed a lion's head with a mane. But I learned something about the needlepoint that if you look at the backside, you can't tell what in the world that's going to be because the threads are crisscrossing everywhere and there's knots and stuff like that. And I gave it to my mom, you know, in eighth grade. She's like, oh, that looks so nice. In the garage. Years later, I came across this poem. Elder Maxwell quoted it in a general conference talk. Just that idea came alive to me of the backside of my needlepoint. So it's not original to Elder Maxwell, but you can find the reference. This is the poem. I memorized it. My life is but a weaving between my God and me. I do not choose the colors he worketh steadily ofttimes he weaveth sorrow and I in foolish pride forget. He sees the upper and I the underside not till the loom is silent and the shuttles cease to fly. Will God unroll the canvas and explain the reasons why the dark threads are as needful in the skillful weaver's hands as the threads of gold and silver in the pattern he has planned. Oh, great poem. Love that we're seeing the underside going, what are you doing to me in my life? Or why this thread? Why here? Why now? And someday we'll turn it over and we'll see the reasons why.
- [34:26]
Courtney Rich
Courtney, we had joked about something while we were. We had a bit of a break here and I actually want to talk about it because I just thought it was so simple, yet so profound. Occasionally, Courtney will get emails from people who tell her that they didn't like her recipe or that something happened in the recipe and they're going to correct it. People do that to us too, John. Like they.
- [34:52]
Hank Smith
Oh, hardly ever.
- [34:54]
Courtney Rich
Occasionally people don't like the show and they let us know very directly. Courtney said there sometimes are people who will tell her that they changed the recipe and it just didn't work and they're surprised.
- [35:08]
Hank Smith
Imagine that. What?
- [35:10]
Courtney Rich
And they want to know what happened.
- [35:12]
John Bytheway
I know. I'm like trying to troubleshoot. I mean, I will say my Instagram community is the best of the best because they're the most supportive, kind, awesome group of people that choose to join me. And I'm so grateful for the blog is interesting because that's where the recipes are. You'll get comments and reviews. And so I do just kind of giggle sometimes before trying to reply as nicely as I can when I see the comment of, okay, I tried this recipe. It came out horrible. I changed this to this. I changed this to this. And they're listing all the changes that they made. And I think to myself, well, that's not the recipe I wrote. So I don't know what you just baked, I don't know, but it wasn't what the recipe I gave you. And my hope is I'm not perfect. My recipes aren't always perfect. But the hope is that if you follow it the way it's written, it will work out for you. Thinking about the analogy of the scriptures and the gospel and you know how easy sometimes we do. I mean, it's. We are just the natural man sometimes gets in us and we're like, well, I'm just gonna tweak this a little bit and then tweak this a little bit and this. And all of a sudden things really aren't working out the way that they've been promised to us or shown to us. And we're thinking, why? Well, we didn't follow the recipe the right way and how lucky we are to have. I'm putting my hands to my scriptures, my, you know, a living prophet and scriptures that are written for our day to give us the perfect recipe to get the outcome that we desire. And it's not one that we're gonna outcome that we're gonna have tomorrow or in 30 minutes, like a cake would bake. But it is promised that that will be our outcome. That eternal life, celestial glory, returning to our heavenly Father, being with our Savior, being with our loved ones that we have lost on this side of the veil. Like that is the promise. That's the ultimate goal. We'll get there. Gotta follow that recipe.
- [37:08]
Courtney Rich
I laughed about it because I thought, that is me. Or I said, lord, this looks nothing like you said it would. Okay. Did you do what I asked you to do? Sort of. I tweaked a couple of things. He's got to be just like you, Courtney going, well, I don't know what you made, but that is not. That's not what I had designed. Right. Instead of telling the Lord his recipes wrong, why don't we change the way we approach the cooking? John, what do you have there? Do you have any thoughts there?
- [37:42]
Hank Smith
And I don't want us to think everything is such an easy formula. I mean, Hank, you know my struggles finding someone that would accept my marriage proposal. Some mission companions got home and were married in six months, and some weren't. Some things didn't work out. But that's the whole point of this lesson. You keep our eyes on Christ, and there's an outcome that is so good. Although it's fun to go, Hank, isn't it? To a youth fireside and ask the adults in the room, raise your hand if your life turned out exactly the way you thought. And nobody raises their hands. And the youth look around, and they're kind of shocked.
- [38:25]
Courtney Rich
Yeah. Wait, what? Yeah, I think the Lord would say to me, okay, now, are you going to the temple regularly? Well, yeah. I mean, I drive by it on my way to work and my way back, and I feel like that's pretty close. I just can picture Courtney closing her eyes, going, okay, let me help you. Please don't switch out those things. I love the analogy. So thanks for humoring us there, Courtney. And, Courtney, thank you for being here.
- [38:55]
John Bytheway
Oh, my pleasure. Thank you for having me. What a privilege it was to be able to really spend the last couple few months thinking about the Resurrection and what that means to me, what it means for each of us, and being able to spend time in the stories of Mary and the disciples, putting myself where they were and seeing myself as them, and really making this a very personal, intimate study of Holy Week and of Easter.
- [39:27]
Courtney Rich
I'm grateful for the time you took to prepare. I know that our listeners are as well. I think there's many people out There going, she spoke to me. That lesson was for me. John, this is a great job.
- [39:43]
Hank Smith
Yeah, it is. I'm thinking about the first scripture that Courtney read. That was after the Kirtland Temple dedication, when Jesus appeared. I was a little kid when we used to watch the Ten Commandments every Easter. That movie used to come on. We didn't have videotapes back then or on demand, but luckily it came on every Easter. I used to wonder why until I learned that Passover Easter, you know, these things are connected. I always remembered when Moses was talking to God in the burning bush. He said, they're going to ask me what your name is. And he said, I am. And I thought as a kid, that doesn't sound like a name, but what a cool idea I am. When we see his appearance in the Kirtland Temple, it's like the Savior bearing testimony of himself. I'd love the verse, Courtney, that you started with from section 110 of the Doctrine and Covenants. When Jesus appeared, it's like he's bearing testimony of himself. I'm always fascinated with things the Lord repeats. He repeats I am four times in this verse. Just love. It's not I was not. I used to be. Not way back in the past. You can think about me. No, I am the first and the last. I am he who liveth. I am he who was slain. I am your advocate with the Father. Wow. That's the message of Easter. Not he was, but he is. He liveth right now. Thanks for beginning with that verse.
- [41:23]
John Bytheway
With that, the I am drives home. That point of, these blessings are ours. They're available to us now. I love that he follows that up with, lift up your heads and rejoice. Let your hearts of your brethren rejoice. And the hearts of all my people rejoice. Talk about repeating things. Rejoice. This is such a happy thing. I know that we just read about the sadness that Mary felt and the disciples and that disappointment and not knowing, but this is the most joyful thing because of the promises and what this means for each of us now in our lives. Like being able to have this gift of repentance, being able to join him again someday. Having a Lord who is so patient with us, that will remind us over and over again and is always there for us as we turn back to him. And the promise of, I will appear unto my servants, and I will speak unto them like I am here talking about that. Hearing him and knowing his voice, he's going to help us understand how he speaks to each one of us as we are diligent and willing and have the desire to listen and turn our hearts to him. That whole section right there, 4 through 8, is really so, so beautiful. I love the repetition as well.
- [42:43]
Courtney Rich
Yeah, that's great, John. And great additions there. Courtney, listening to you teach, Courtney keeps springing to mind the writer of Hebrews called the Savior, the high priest of good things to come. That seems to be a lot of your message. Good things are coming. Hold on. Stay there. We want to thank our friend Courtney Rich one more time. Go to Instagram. Cakebycourtney. We want to thank Courtney for being with us today. It has been a treat.
- [43:17]
Hank Smith
I see what you did there. That's good.
- [43:18]
John Bytheway
I like it. I like it.
- [43:21]
Courtney Rich
Happy Easter to all of you. Come on to YouTube or come over to followhim.co. send us a message or leave a comment on YouTube and tell Courtney where you're listening from. It's really fun to share that with our guests. And finally, we want to thank our executive producer, Shannon Sorensen, our sponsors, David and Verla Sorensen. And every episode, especially this Easter season, we remember our founder. We know he's still helping us. Steve Sorensen. We hope you'll join us next week. We're jumping right back into the Doctrine Covenants on Follow Him. Thank you for joining us on today's episode. Do you or someone you know speak Spanish, Portuguese or French? You can now watch and listen. Listen to our podcast in those languages. Links are in the description below. Today's show notes and transcript are on our website, followhim. Co. That's followhim. Co. Of course, none of this could happen without our production team. David Perry, Lisa Spice, Jamie Nielsen, Will Stoughton, Crystal Roberts, Ariel Cuadra, Amelia Kabwica and Annabelle Sorensen.
- [44:35]
Hank Smith
SA.