followHIM Favorites • December 8-15 • Come Follow Me

Summary

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followHIM Favorites • December 8-15 • Articles of Faith & Official Declarations

Podcast: followHIM
Hosts: Hank Smith & John Bytheway
Date: December 4, 2025
Episode Theme:
This episode centers on the power and importance of knowing the Articles of Faith, especially for this Come, Follow Me week’s focus on the Articles and Official Declarations 1 and 2. Through a beloved story shared by President Spencer W. Kimball, hosts Hank Smith and John Bytheway explore how the Articles of Faith can prepare anyone—regardless of age—to share and explain their beliefs with confidence and clarity.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Story: A Primary Boy and the Articles of Faith

[00:26–06:39]

• President Kimball’s Influential Tale
  John recounts a story President Kimball shared (originally from the October 1978 New Era), about a young Latter-day Saint boy traveling alone by train:

  • An observant gentleman, impressed by the boy’s manners, strikes up a conversation and discovers he is from Salt Lake City.
  • When asked about his beliefs, the boy sequentially recites the Articles of Faith, explaining each doctrine smoothly and with confidence.

• Progression through Doctrine

  • The boy begins with the first Article, stating belief "in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost."
  • He continues, one by one, to walk through all 13 Articles of Faith, impressing the gentleman not only with the church’s teachings, but also with how logically and completely they outline the faith's doctrine.

• A Model for Preparedness

  • President Kimball’s takeaway: Knowing the Articles of Faith equals always being “prepared with a sermon.” The story illustrates how children, through memorization and understanding, can become effective missionaries—sometimes even more so than adults.

Hosts’ Personal Reflections

[00:16–00:26, 06:39–07:13]

• Mission Calls as Generation Markers

  • John Bytheway notes that President Spencer W. Kimball signed his mission call, whereas Hank Smith had Gordon B. Hinckley—emphasizing their generation gap humorously.

• Relatability and Approachability

  • Hank jokes about needing to sing the Articles of Faith if asked on the spot. Both marvel at how impressive it is for a young boy to calmly relay deep doctrine, including using vocabulary like "paradisiacal glory".
  • They discuss how internalizing the Articles equips anyone, even children, to be missionaries.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Power of Memorization:

  • "Maybe this is why in Primary we’re memorizing the Articles of Faith."
    — John Bytheway [00:29]

• From the Story – The Boy’s Faithful Recounting:

  • “We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.”
    — The Boy [~01:30]
  • “We believe in the same organization that existed in the primitive church, namely apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists and so forth.”
    — The Boy [~03:29]
  • “We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly. We also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.”
    — The Boy [~04:19]

• Humor and Wonder:

  • "Imagine he says 'paradisiacal.' I know. He’s just like, what? Who is this kid?"
    — Hank Smith & John Bytheway [04:53–04:55]
  • "I think I would have to sing them. 'What do you guys believe?' We believe..."
    — Hank Smith [06:39]

• A Lasting Lesson:

  • “You’re always prepared with a sermon when you know the Articles of Faith.”
    — President Spencer W. Kimball (quoted by John Bytheway) [06:32]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:03] – Episode introduction and theme: using Articles of Faith in teaching.
• [00:16] – Hosts establish personal connections via their mission calls.
• [00:26–06:39] – The story of the boy on the train; step-by-step through the Articles of Faith.
• [06:39–07:13] – Reflections, humor, and encouragement to know the Articles by heart.

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Summary Takeaways

• Memorizing and understanding the Articles of Faith is empowering for members of all ages, enabling preparedness for any opportunity to share or defend one's beliefs.
• The story highlights both the logical, comprehensive nature of the Articles and their practical use as an “always ready” missionary tool.
• Hosts reinforce the value of fun and faithfulness in gospel learning, encouraging listeners to weave both doctrine and joy into personal study and teaching.

For more detailed discussion and further exploration on these topics, listeners are encouraged to check out the full-length episode with guest Tom Reed.

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Transcript

[A]

Welcome to Follow him. Favorites John and I share a single story to go with each week's lesson. John we are in the Articles of faith Official Declarations 1 and 2 this week for Come Follow me. You told me you have a good story.

[B]

Yes. In fact, President Spencer W. Kimball was the signature on my mission call. Who was on your mission call, Hank?

[A]

That would be Gordon B. Hinckley.

[B]

Wow. There is a generation gap here, isn't there? Yeah. I remember President Kimball telling this story and I just thought, wow, maybe this is why in primary we're memorizing the Articles of Faith. Here's an article that was printed in the October 78 new era. And I don't know where, but I remember hearing President Kimball tell the story. Some years ago, a primary boy was sitting on a train going to California. He was all alone. He sat near a window watching the telephone poles go by. Across the aisle, a gentleman was also going to California. The attention of the gentleman was called to this very young boy traveling without friends or relatives. He was neatly dressed and well behaved and this gentleman was quite impressed with him. Finally he said, hello, young man. Where are you going? I'm going to Los Angeles. Do you have relatives there? Yeah, I have relatives there. I'm going to visit my grandparents. They're going to meet me at the station and I'll stay with them a few days. Where did you come from? Where do you live? Boy said, Salt Lake City, Utah. The gentleman said, oh, you must be a Mormon. Do you remember when we used to call ourselves that?

[A]

Yeah, I remember those.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. The boy said, yes, I am. The gentleman said, that's interesting. I've wondered about Mormons and what they believe. I've been through the city. I've noticed the buildings, the tree lined homes, lovely streets, beautiful rose and flower gardens. He must not have seen my house. But I've never stopped to find out what makes them what they are. I wish I knew what Mormons believe. And the boy said, well, I'll tell you what we believe. We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in his Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. This businessman was surprised. The boy continued, we believe that men will be punished for their own sins and not for Adam's transgression. The traveling companion thought, this is rather unusual for a mere boy to know these important things. A boy went on, we believe through the atonement of Christ all mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel. The gentleman was amazed at the knowledge and understanding of a mere boy. He Was yet to be a scout. But he continued, we believe the first principles and ordinances of the gospel. First, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Second, repentance. Third, baptism by immersion for the mission of sins. Can you imagine laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost? This is wonderful, said the gentleman, I'm amazed you know so well the doctrines of your church. I commend you with a good start and encouragement. Johnny continued, we believe a man must be called of God by prophecy and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority to preach the gospel and administer the ordinances thereof. That's very solid doctrine, my boy. He said, I'm curious now how they get to be called of God. I understand how they could receive the call to be established by the laying on of hands. But who has the authority to preach the gospel? They discussed the matter of calling and sustaining, and then the lad said, would you like to own more? The gentleman thought it was very unusual and said, we believe in the same organization that existed in the primitive church, namely apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists and so forth. This brought some more discussion and so forth.

You mean your church has apostles like James, John, Peter, Paul and prophets like Moses, Abraham, Isaac, Daniel? The boy responded, yeah, even evangelists. We call them patriarchs. They are appointed in all parts of the church where there are our stakes. And by inspiration they give all the members of the church as required, what's called a patriarchal blessing. I've already had my patriarchal blessing. I read it frequently. Now we have 12 apostles who have the same calling and the same authorities. The twelve apostles in days of old. The gentleman came back. Do you speak in tongues? Do you believe in revelations and prophecies? The boy said, we believe in the gift of tongues. Prophecy, revelation, visions, healings, interpretation of tongues, and so forth. The gentleman said, well, this sounds like you believe in the Bible. We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly. We also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God. The gentleman discussed that we believe in both the scriptures and in revelation. The boy quoted, we believe all that God has revealed, all that he does now reveal, and we believe that he will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the kingdom of God. Then he continued, we believe. I know this is one of your favorites, Hank. Also in the literal gathering of Israel and then the restoration of the ten tribes, that Zion will be built upon the American continent, that Christ will reign personally upon the earth, and that the earth will be renewed and Receive its paradisiacal glory.

[A]

Imagine he says paradisia.

[B]

I know. He's just like, what? Who is this kid? The gentleman was listening. He showed no interest in crossing the aisle back to his own seat. Johnny continued, we claim the privilege of worshiping the almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience and allow all men the same privilege. Let them worship how, where, or what.

[A]

They may find this really funny.

[B]

I know, it just keeps going because the thing that was cool is how logically it came out. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law. And then, as a final contribution, the boy repeated the 13th article of faith. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and doing good to all men. Indeed, we may say, we follow the admonition of Paul. We believe all things. We hope all things. We have endured many things and hope to be able to endure all things, including this. Follow him. Favorite if there's anything virtuous, lovely, or good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things. The youngster relaxed now as he had finished the Articles of Faith. The gentleman was clearly excited, not only at the ability of this young boy to outline the whole program of the church, but at the very completeness of its doctrine. He said, you know, after I've been to Los Angeles a couple of days, I. I expect to go back to New York where my office is. I'm going to wire my company that I will be a day or two late. I'm going to stop in Salt Lake City en route and go to the information bureau and hear all these things in more detail about what you've told me. I'm wondering, President Kimball said, how many of you know the Articles of Faith? Have you repeated them? You're always prepared with a sermon when you know the Articles of Faith.

[A]

Oh, that's awesome. I would have loved to just watch that. I think I would have to sing them. What do you guys believe? We believe.

[B]

Yeah.

Right.

[A]

That's so funny. I would just love to watch a little boy just, oh, I know what we believe.

[B]

Well, I mean, yeah, you would be very impressed with the kid.

[A]

Yeah. Especially when he said, and so forth. You may say we follow the definition of Paul.

[B]

Of Paul, of course.

[A]

Well, hey, we hope you join us on our full podcast. It's called Follow Him. You can get it wherever you get your podcast. We're with Brother Tom Reed this week, and we have just as much fun with Brother Reed as we just did here. He is wonderful in every way. And then come back here next week we'll do another follow him favorites.