Heart Transplant from Grandson • followHIM Favorites • Apr. 6 - 12 • Come Follow Me

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Heart Transplant from Grandson"

Podcast: followHIM
Hosts: Hank Smith & John Bytheway
Release Date: April 2, 2026
Episode Theme: Remembering Sacred Moments & the Cost of Salvation
Come, Follow Me Focus: Exodus 7–13

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Overview

In this Follow Him Favorites episode, hosts Hank Smith and John Bytheway share a single, poignant story to accompany the week’s Come, Follow Me study of Exodus 7–13. The episode centers around the importance of remembering significant spiritual moments and the cost of deliverance—both ancient and personal—through a moving modern-day parable of loss, sacrifice, and unwavering gratitude.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Importance of Remembering Special Days

• Scripture Highlight:
  • John draws attention to Exodus 13:3, where Moses commands the people:

    “Remember this day in which you are come out of Egypt.”

  • John parallels this with personal milestones (anniversaries, birthdays) as essential days to remember (00:15–00:32).

The Heart Transplant Story (Elder Dale G. Renlund, April 2020)

• Backstory:

  • Thomas Nielsen, an older brick mason from Logan, Utah, required a heart transplant.
  • He shared a close bond with his eldest grandson, Jonathan.

• Tragedy and Sacrifice:

  • After a tragic accident, Jonathan (16) was declared brain dead.
  • Jonathan’s parents offered his heart for Tom’s transplant; a painful, unexpected way for Tom’s life to be extended (00:34–02:30).

• Reflections Post-Transplant:

  • Tom’s life was not just prolonged, but transformed.

    “The change went beyond improved health or even gratitude. He reflected every day—on Jonathan, on his daughter and son-in-law, on the gift he had received, what that gift had entailed.” (02:59, paraphrasing Elder Renlund)

  • Tom became more solemn, thoughtful, and kind-hearted, living another 13 years as a private benefactor and source of optimism (03:10–03:40).

• The Core Lesson:

  • Elder Renlund's conclusion:

    “Just as Tom did not take Jonathan's heart for granted... Tom remembered each day the tragedy that brought him extended life.” (03:45)

  • The story mirrors the spiritual message: salvation and blessings often come at a profound cost needing constant remembrance.

Tying Back to Exodus & Personal Application

• John drives home the connection:

  “I just thought, remember this day, said Moses. And every day he remembered that gift.” (04:05)

• Hank notes the embodied gratitude:

  “It's because you're looking in the mirror that you're going to remember, right? The fact that you're still breathing that you're going to say, wow.” (04:14)

• John connects to another Church leader (Elder Kevin Brown of the Seventy) who emphasized the impact of remembering the day one accepts the gospel, reinforcing Moses’ directive:

  “Okay everybody, don’t forget, remember this day.” (04:28, 04:47)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• John Bytheway on Milestones:

  “You remember those things. They're important days.” (00:32)

• Elder Renlund (quoted by John):

  “Even though his innate good humor and grit were still readily apparent, I observed that Tom was more solemn, thoughtful, and kind-hearted.” (03:17)

• Hank Smith’s Reflection:

  “What a powerful story about remembering. And it's because you're looking in the mirror that you're going to remember...” (04:14)

• John Bytheway (on Moses and remembering):

  “Remember this day, said Moses. And every day he remembered that gift.” (04:05)

• On the Cost of Salvation:

  “Salvation and exaltation came at a great cost.” (03:56)

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Key Timestamps

• 00:15 – Theme introduction: remembering sacred days (Exodus 13:3)
• 00:34 – Story of Tom and Jonathan: background
• 02:30 – Tom & Donna receive the offer of Jonathan’s heart
• 03:10 – Tom's changed outlook after transplant
• 03:45 – Elder Renlund's message: remembering the cost of blessings
• 04:05 – John and Hank connect the story to Moses and spiritual memory

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Conclusion

This episode is a powerful reminder to intentionally remember the days and experiences—both joyful and tragic—that mark our spiritual journeys. Through the story of a grandfather given new life at enormous personal cost, Hank and John tie the ancient story of the Exodus to contemporary discipleship, underscoring that true gratitude and spiritual transformation grow from remembering both the gifts we receive and the price at which they come.

Transcript

[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, Exodus 7 through 13. You've told me you have a story that fits. What is it?

[B]

Yeah, you remember after all these plagues, boy, Moses says the coolest thing. Exodus 13:3. Moses said unto the people, remember this day in which you're come out of Egypt. That idea of remembering a day. Hank, when's your anniversary?

[A]

That would be March 18th.

[B]

You remember that?

[A]

Absolutely.

[B]

Okay, mine's November 28th. When's your birthday? That would be May 12th, October 8th. So you just, you remember those things. They're important days. Elder Dale G. Renlund in April of 2020, gave a talk and he told this amazing story. He said, I became acquainted with Thomas Nielsen, a remarkable man who needed a heart transplant. He was 63 years old. That hits home. And lived in Logan, Utah, in the United States. Following military service During World War II, he married Donna Wilkes in the Logan, Utah temple, became an energetic and successful brick mason. In later years, he especially enjoyed working with his oldest grandchild, Jonathan, during school vacations. The two developed a special bond, in part because Tom saw so much of himself in Jonathan. Tom found waiting for a donor heart frustrating. He was not a particularly patient man. He had always been able to set and achieve goals through hard work and sheer determination. Struggling with heart failure with his life on hold, Tom sometimes asked me what I was doing to speed up the process. Jokingly, he suggested avenues I could pursue that would make a donor heart available to him sooner. Remember, Elder Renlund is a doctor, right? Yeah. One joyous, yet dreadful day, an ideal donor heart became available for Tom. The size, the blood type were a match. The donor was young, just 16 years old. The donor heart belonged to Jonathan, Tom's beloved grandson. Earlier that day, Jonathan had been fatally injured when the car in which he was riding was struck by a passing train. When I visited Tom and Donna in the hospital, Elder Renlund says they were distraught. It's hard to imagine what they were going through knowing that Tom's life could be extended by using their grandson's heart. At first, they refused to consider their proffered heart from Jonathan's grieving parents, their daughter and son in law. Tom and Donna knew though, that Jonathan was brain dead and came to understand that their prayers for a donor heart for Tom had not caused Jonathan's accident. Their prayers for a donor heart, Right. No. Jonathan's heart was a gift that could bless Tom in his time of need. They recognized something good might come out of this tragedy and decided to proceed. The transplant procedure went well. Afterwards, Tom was a different man. The change went beyond improved health or even gratitude. He told me he reflected every day, wow. On Jonathan, on his daughter and son in law, on the gift he had received, what that gift had entailed. Even though his innate good humor and grit were still readily apparent, I observed that Tom was more solemn, thoughtful and kind hearted. He lived an additional 13 years after the transplant, years he otherwise would not have had. His obituary stated that these years allowed him to touch the lives of family and others with generosity and love. He was a private benefactor and an example of optimism and determination. Now, just as Tom, Elder Renlund concluded, did not take Jonathan's heart for granted. In a joyful and reverent way, Tom remembered each day the tragedy that brought him extended life.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

The exuberance of knowing that we can be saved and exalted. We need to remember salvation and exaltation came at a great cost.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

I just thought, remember this day, said Moses. And every day he remembered that gift.

[A]

Wow. What a powerful story about remembering. And it's because you're looking in the mirror that you're going to remember, right? The fact that you're still breathing that you're going to say, wow, Hank.

[B]

And you remember Elder Kevin Brown of the 70 gave a talk a conference or two ago and how he remembered the day, right? Remembered the day that he accepted the gospel. These are important days. And here's Moses saying, okay everybody, don't forget, remember this day.

[A]

That's beautiful. 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 Dave Hadlock this week. He has quite a background in Biblical Hebrew and he shows us some really fun things about the Book of Exodus you've probably never seen before. And then come back next week, we'll do another Follow him favorites.