
Loading summary
A
Hello, everyone. Welcome to another. Follow him. Favorites this is where John and I are sharing a single story to go with each week's lesson. John, we're in the Book of Mormon. In the Book of Mormon, there's a three word phrase that I want to tell a story about. Ammon comes to this little boy Mormon. He's 10 years old. He says, you're a sober child and you are three words quick to observe. John, I have a story about a man who was not quick to observe. All right, I'm hoping you'll get a good laugh out of this. It was told by President Hinckley in conference years and years ago. Oh, does it involve bricks and a bucket hanging? It does. It does. Here we go. I can't wait. It appeared that a company in England owned a property, a building, in the West Indies. A violent storm damaged one of the buildings and a man was sent to make repairs of his experience. He wrote to the manager as follows. Dear sir, when I got to the building, I found that the hurricane had knocked some of the bricks off the top. So I rigged up a beam with a pulley at the top of the building and hoisted up a couple of barrels full of bricks. So if you don't know what a pulley is, it's like a wheel. You put the rope through and you can pull on one side of the rope and it raises up the other. He used that and he pulled up some barrels of bricks. I fixed the building, but there was a lot of bricks left over. So I pulled the barrel all the way up again and tied the line at the bottom and then went up and I filled this barrel that's hanging from this rope with all the extra bricks. Then I went to the bottom and I untied the rope. Unfortunately, the barrel of bricks was heavier than I was. Before I knew what was happening, the barrel started down, jerking me off the ground. I decided to hang on. Halfway up, I met the barrel coming down and received a severe blow on the shoulder. I then continued all the way to the top, banging my head against the beam and getting my finger jammed in the pulley. Oh. When the barrel hit the ground, it burst apart, allowing the bricks to spill out. I was now heavier than the barrel and started down again at high speed. Halfway down, I met the barrel coming up and received severe injuries to my shins. When I hit the ground, I landed on the bricks, getting several painful cuts from the sharp edges. At this point, I must have lost my presence of mind because I let go of the rope. So here comes what? The barrel came down, giving me another heavy blow on the head and putting me in the hospital. Then he finishes. I respectfully request sick leave. So Amaron says to Mormon, you are quick to observe. You can either be like Mormon and be quick to observe, or you can be like our friend here and not be so quick to observe. What would that be? Slow. Slow to realize. Slow to observe, I guess slow to observe and have a lot of pain in consequence. 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. Larry Nelson. This week he walks us through the life of Mormon from 10 years old to 70 something years old. You'll love what he does with these stories and then come back here next week we'll do another Follow him favorite.
Release Date: October 24, 2024
Podcast: followHIM: A Come, Follow Me Podcast
Hosts: Hank Smith & John Bytheway
In this episode of followHIM: Favorites, hosts Hank Smith and John Bytheway delve into a poignant story from the Book of Mormon, emphasizing the importance of being "quick to observe." The segment focuses on a memorable anecdote shared by President Hinckley, illustrating the consequences of not being observant.
Hank Smith kicks off the discussion by referencing a three-word phrase from the Book of Mormon, where Ammon advises a young Mormon, stating, "You are a sober child and you are quick to observe" (00:02). This sets the stage for the episode's central theme: the virtue of being observant and the pitfalls of neglecting this trait.
John Bytheway introduces a story that President Hinckley shared during a conference, highlighting a man's failure to be observant and the resulting mishaps.
At 00:02, Hank recounts:
“It appeared that a company in England owned a property, a building, in the West Indies. A violent storm damaged one of the buildings and a man was sent to make repairs due to his experience.”
The man employs a pulley system to hoist bricks for repairs. Despite successfully fixing the building, he faces challenges managing the excess bricks. His attempt to handle the leftover bricks leads to a series of accidents:
John adds humor to the narrative, hoping it brings a laugh while underscoring the story's moral.
The hosts circle back to the initial lesson from Ammon. Hank summarizes:
“Amaron says to Mormon, you are quick to observe. You can either be like Mormon and be quick to observe, or you can be like our friend here and not be so quick to observe” (00:02).
This highlights the contrast between the virtuous trait of being observant and the dire consequences of negligence. The story serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of attentiveness in both spiritual and practical matters.
Towards the end of the episode, Hank invites listeners to engage further with the followHIM podcast:
“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. Larry Nelson. This week he walks us through the life of Mormon from 10 years old to 70 something years old. You'll love what he does with these stories and then come back here next week we'll do another Follow him favorite” (00:02).
This invitation encourages listeners to explore more in-depth discussions and learnings about the Book of Mormon and its teachings.
This episode of followHIM: Favorites effectively uses storytelling to reinforce a key lesson from the Book of Mormon: the value of being "quick to observe." Through a relatable and slightly humorous anecdote, Hank Smith and John Bytheway engage listeners, making the spiritual lesson both memorable and applicable to everyday life.
For those interested in deepening their understanding of LDS teachings and seeking fresh, faithful, and fun study resources, subscribing to the followHIM podcast is highly recommended.
Connect with followHIM:
Note: The followHIM Podcast is not affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The opinions expressed on episodes represent the views of the guest and podcasters alone.