Summary3 min read

Podcast Summary: Elder Bednar’s Divine Soundtrack • followHIM Favorites • May 25-31 • Come, Follow Me

Podcast: followHIM
Hosts: Hank Smith & John Bytheway
Release Date: May 21, 2026

Episode Overview

In this "FollowHIM Favorites" mini-episode, hosts Hank Smith and John Bytheway draw a powerful parallel between a story from the book of Judges—Gideon's request for a "fleece"—and a personal experience from Elder David A. Bednar as he began his apostolic ministry. They dive into themes of divine reassurance, recognizing the Lord’s tender mercies, and the significance of seemingly small miracles.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Gideon’s Fleece: The Biblical Context

[00:03] The hosts set the scriptural context by recounting Gideon's fear before going into battle and his request for a sign ("fleece") from God for reassurance (Judges).
Main Insight: "The Lord does it for him," Hank notes, emphasizing God's willingness to comfort and reassure His servants during daunting tasks.

2. Elder Bednar’s “Fleece” – A Modern Example of Reassurance

[01:07] Hank shares Elder Bednar’s account of his first experience delivering a talk as a new apostle in April 2005. Bednar, then only 52 with a son still in high school, was understandably overwhelmed by the enormity and longevity of his new calling.
Elder Bednar recalled wishing for a specific hymn (“Redeemer of Israel”) before his testimony, not knowing music is selected months in advance.
- Quote (Elder Bednar, relayed by Hank, [02:09]):
  “If I had been invited to suggest a hymn for that particular session of conference... I would have selected my favorite hymn, Redeemer of Israel.”
When President Monson announced that exact hymn, Bednar received it as a personal, divine reassurance.
- Quote (Elder Bednar, relayed by Hank, [02:36]):
  “Tears filled my eyes as I stood with you to sing that stirring hymn of the Restoration. A loving savior was sending me... a most personal and timely message of comfort and reassurance through a hymn selected weeks previously.”
- Quote (Elder Bednar, relayed by Hank, [02:54]):
  “I testify that the tender mercies of the Lord are real. Or the fleeces, you might say, from Gideon of the Lord are real. They do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Often the Lord’s timing of His tender mercies, His fleeces, helps us both discern and acknowledge them.”

3. Recognizing Tender Mercies and Divine Timing

[03:43] John and Hank reflect on the significance of these “fleeces”—small signs or reassurances sent at the right moment—and how skeptics may label them coincidences, but believers see God’s hand.
- Quote (Hank, [03:52]):
  “Or perhaps it’s the Lord sending him a gentle message of reassurance. It’s not going to take away the difficulty. He still has obviously a long career of apostleship ahead of him.”
John connects the moment to a common Old Testament pattern (“The Lord was with him”).
- Quote (John, [04:04]):
  “But that thing we’ve heard in the Old Testament a lot, the Lord was with him, The Lord was with Joseph. The Lord is saying, I’m with you, David. Elder Bednar, I’m with you.”

Memorable Moments & Quotes

Elder Bednar’s experience with the hymn “Redeemer of Israel” being chosen as a personal message from God (relayed, [02:09]–[02:54])
Reflection on the meaning of “fleeces” in both biblical and modern contexts—divine reassurances that are more than coincidences.
Personal connection to the Old Testament:
“The Lord was with Joseph. The Lord is saying, I’m with you, David. Elder Bednar, I’m with you.” (John, [04:04])

Important Timestamps

00:03 — Introduction and Gideon's story
01:07 — Context: Elder Bednar’s calling and first general conference talk
02:09 — Elder Bednar’s wish for “Redeemer of Israel”
02:36 — Hymn is announced; Elder Bednar's sense of reassurance
02:54 — Elder Bednar’s testimony of tender mercies
03:43 — Hosts discuss how such experiences can be recognized or dismissed
04:04 — The Lord's reassurance, tying back to Old Testament stories

Tone and Delivery

The episode is conversational, warm, and faith-affirming, with Hank and John using storytelling and scriptural insights to illustrate the reality of personal revelation and comfort from God. They encourage listeners to watch for their own “fleeces”—moments of quiet reassurance—in daily life.

To Listen Further

For a deeper dive, the hosts invite listeners to the full-length episode with Dr. Laurie Denning, promising more educational and enjoyable discussion on Come, Follow Me topics.

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Transcript9 lines

[00:03]
A
Welcome to Follow Him Favorites John and I share a single story to go with each week's come follow me lesson. John, we are in the book of Judges this week. And you know the story of Gideon where Gideon is obviously very scared to go out to battle. Plus the Lord is taking away his numbers. Nope, that's too many soldiers. I want less. You want less? You want us to fight with less? Well, he asked the Lord for this fleece, like this animal skin, that the Lord will get it wet or keep it dry, just to give him some reassurance that he's doing the right thing. And the Lord does it for him. Well, I have a story for you that seems kind of like a fleece of reassurance. This was 20 years ago, John, when Elder David A. Bednar stood up for his very first talk in General conference. Now, Elder Bednar was very young when he was called. He was just 52 years old when he was called. And I know there's some people out there going, oh, that's pretty old. No, that is. That is not old.
[01:06]
B
No, it isn't.
[01:07]
A
In fact, I think Elder Bednar had a senior in high school still when he was called to be an apostle. Can you imagine, you go to seminary and your dad's on the wall. He stands up to give his very first full talk. And he says six months ago, this is April of 2005, and he's referring to six months ago when he was called to be an apostle. Six months ago, President Hinckley called me into his office and told me I was going to be an apostle. You'll get released when you die. And think about that, think about how long Elder Bednar, let's say he lives to be the age of President Nelson. That's a, that's almost a 50 year calling. You'll be released when you die. And we don't even know if that's the case. Can you imagine getting that calling, John? And then, oh, by the way, you're speaking to the entire church on Sunday. He stands up, he says to bear his testimony. Testimony. He doesn't have a full talk prepared. He's going to bear his testimony. President Uchtdorf, who had been called that exact same time, had just borne his testimony. And now it was Elder Bednar's turn. But before he would get up, there was going to be arrest hymn. Elder Bednar says if I had been invited to suggest a hymn for that particular session of conference just before, right. He speaks for the very first time of what is going to be many, many times Speaking in that conference center, he said, I would have selected my favorite hymn, redeemer of Israel. Now, John, obviously the music is chosen months before, so you can't really run up to the organist and do you take requests? Right. So he said, imagine how I felt when President Monson said, the choir and congregation will now stand and sing hymn number six, Redeemer of Israel. Now, some people would say that was a coincidence, but he said, tears filled my eyes as I stood with you to sing that stirring hymn of the Restoration. A loving savior was sending me, Elder Bednar says, a most personal and timely message of comfort and reassurance through a hymn selected weeks previously. He says, I testify that the tender mercies of the Lord are real. Or the fleeces, you might say, from Gideon of the Lord are real. They do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Often the Lord's timing of his tender mercies, his fleeces helps us both discern and acknowledge them.
[03:42]
B
Wow.
[03:43]
A
Some people might say, john, oh, that was just a nice coincidence. You know, there's 300 something hymns in the hymnbook. They have to choose one. They just happen to choose his favorite.
[03:51]
B
Oh, I love it.
[03:53]
A
Or perhaps it's the Lord sending him a gentle message of reassurance. It's not going to take away the difficulty. He still has obviously a long career of apostleship ahead of him.
[04:05]
B
But that thing we've heard in the Old Testament a lot, the Lord was with him, The Lord was with Joseph. The Lord is saying, I'm with you, David. Elder Bednar, I'm with you.
[04:13]
A
I'm with you. What a great tie there, John. We hope you'll join us on our full podcast. It's called Follow Him. You can get it wherever you get your podcasts. We are with Dr. Laurie Denning this week and if you want to have fun and learn a lot, you come join us over there. Then come back here next week. We'll do another Follow him favorites.