I Can't See That Movie • February 10 - 16 • Come Follow Me

Summary

Podcast Summary: followHIM – "I Can't See That Movie • February 10 - 16 • Come Follow Me"

Release Date: February 6, 2025
Hosts: Hank Smith & John Bytheway

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Introduction

In the episode titled "I Can't See That Movie," hosts Hank Smith and John Bytheway delve into the nuances of spiritual guidance as outlined in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Come, Follow Me curriculum. Focusing on Section 11, verses 12 and 13, the hosts explore the profound influence of the Holy Ghost in everyday decision-making and personal interactions.

Exploring the Holy Ghost (Section 11, Verses 12-13)

John initiates the discussion by highlighting the scripture's emphasis on the Holy Ghost's role in fostering virtues such as honesty, humility, and fairness. He remarks, “It’s a great description of the Holy Ghost. It’ll lead you to do good, to be honest, to be humble, to not judge people unfairly. And then it says in verse 13 that the Spirit can enlighten your mind” ([00:02]).

A Personal Story: Navigating Adolescent Dating and Spiritual Promptings

To illustrate the scripture's application, John shares a heartfelt anecdote about his wife’s experience during her high school years. He narrates:

“There was this one point where a boy that she really liked... her date said, let's do it. That sounds so great… She knew she wasn't going to go see it, but I was surprised at how nervous I got to tell him” ([02:32]).

John recounts how his wife, eager for a meaningful and genuine connection, planned an ideal evening with Brandon, a boy she admired. However, the situation took an unexpected turn when Brandon brought along a group of older peers, creating an uncomfortable dynamic for his wife, who was significantly younger and less experienced in such social settings.

Faced with the dilemma of declining the movie date, John’s wife felt a moment of hesitation. As she attempted to express her discomfort, Brandon’s reaction was dismissive, turning off the music and creating an awkward silence. Amidst this tension, another participant in the car mocked her righteous stance, saying:

“So, what do you want to do, Ms. Righteous?” ([03:39]).

Insights on the Guidance of the Holy Spirit

In this critical moment, John's wife experienced a divine prompting that shifted the evening's course. She recalled a fond memory of playing indoor soccer at the church cultural hall and proposed an alternative plan:

“I know my family has keys to the church. What if we went and played indoor soccer?” ([04:05]).

This spontaneous idea was met with enthusiasm from the group, leading them to engage in an enjoyable activity that fostered genuine connections without the pressure of an uncomfortable date scenario. John reflects on this incident, noting:

“It was a moment where she felt the spirit enlightened. Her mind gave her a little flash of, here’s what you can do” ([04:55]).

Brandon adds a relatable analogy to explain this enlightenment:

“And it's like the light bulb going on above your head. Boop. Here comes the idea. Just in time” ([04:55] – [05:05]).

Reflections and Conclusions

The story underscores the Holy Ghost's capacity to provide timely guidance, steering individuals away from potentially awkward or uncomfortable situations towards more positive and fulfilling experiences. John expresses immense pride and gratitude towards his wife for her faith and responsiveness to spiritual promptings:

“To my wife, Sarah. You’re amazing. You’ve always been amazing” ([05:13]).

Upcoming Episodes and Farewells

As the episode concludes, John invites listeners to explore the full "Follow Him" podcast available across various platforms, including YouTube. He also teases upcoming content, specifically lessons from Sections 10 and 11 with Sister Chelsea Chipman, promising enriching teachings that align with the podcast’s mission to make LDS study fresh, faithful, and fun.

“You are going to love what she shows us in these sections. But then come back here next week. We'll share another” ([05:18] – [05:19]).

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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 guests and podcasters alone.

Transcript

[John]

Hello, everyone. Welcome to Follow Him. Favorites. This is where John and I are sharing a single story to go with each week's lesson. John, I have a story for you. Section 11, verses 12 and 13. Talk about the Holy Ghost. It's a great description of the Holy Ghost. It'll lead you to do good, to be honest, to be humble, to not judge people unfairly. And then it says in verse 13 that the Spirit can enlighten your mind. I like to think of that as give you ideas, give you a prompting. Something comes to mind. All right, so I have a story for you. I have a wonderful, wonderful wife who has always tried to live the gospel. I can't say the same for her husband when he was younger, but I can say that for her. There was this one point where a boy that she really liked. Now, John, I have to tell you, this is before me, and I gotta tell you, I do not like this boy. Not because of anything he's done, but because my wife liked him. So she really liked him. And we'll call him John. Pick a name. Bill. Bill? Really? Bill? That's what you.

[Brandon]

No, let's come up with another one. Brandon.

[John]

Brandon. All right. Yeah, I loved Bill. All right, so Brandon, she was trying to flirt with, hoping that he would ask her out. And he did. Asked her out. She was so excited. She was a little bit younger. She's, I think, a junior in high school, and he was a senior, or maybe she was a sophomore and he was a junior. Anyway, he was older than her, and she was very excited. She got ready. My wife is someone like your wife, John. She doesn't have to get ready. She looks great any second of any day. But she really wanted every hair in place. She wanted this to be a great night. This boy Brandon, shows up to get her, and she's very excited. And this was going to be like a triple date or even maybe more than that. Maybe there was eight people. She gets in the car. Brandon is driving, and she's there in the passenger seat. It's a big vehicle, like a Suburban. She sees in the back that there are. I think. I think it was six more people, three more couples, and they were all older than her. She's a junior. They're seniors, you know, she was nervous as any high school kid is trying to fit in, trying to make sure she says all the right things and does all the right things. And I think she asked Brandon at one point, what movie are we gonna go see? And he responded with a movie that my wife was not gonna Go. See, it wasn't that she was trying to teach anyone. It was just her standard, like, I've made this choice. She said, I knew I wasn't going to go see it, but I was surprised at how nervous I got to tell him. So she said, hey, I don't think I can see that movie. Well, he didn't quite hear her. And so he said, what was that? And he turned the music off in the car. Now, John, I don't know if you've ever been with a group of teenagers and they're talking, they're having fun with the music playing, and then you turn the music off, everyone, they all stop.

[Brandon]

Yeah.

[John]

And they're all listening. He said, what was that? And she said, I don't think I can see that movie. Now, John, what is this young man supposed to do? Something like, I am so sorry I put you in that situation. I. Something.

[Brandon]

Brandon. Brandon, Brandon.

[John]

He doesn't say anything. He just gets quiet, and it's pretty awkward. Oh, and she said from the back, one of these boys was back there, you know, these kind who are like, I got muscles. I don't need the gospel. He says, so, what do you want to do, Ms. Righteous? And she thought, that's not what I was going for, Ms. Righteous. She said, at that moment, a picture came into her head of a church cultural hall. It was a flash of memory that when she had met Brandon months ago, they had talked about how they both liked indoor soccer. She said, well, I know my family has keys to the church. What if we went and played indoor soccer? Her date said, let's do it. That sounds so great. And the other kids in the car said, yeah, that sounds really fun. Let's go do that. And they went and played soccer, indoor soccer. Sadly for Brandon, they never went out again. So, sorry, Brandon. I bet, yeah. It was a moment where she felt the spirit enlightened. Her mind gave her a little flash of, here's what you can do. Yeah.

[Brandon]

And I love that the word light is in. Enlighten. And it's like the light bulb going on above your head. Boop. Here comes the idea.

[John]

Yep.

[Brandon]

Just in time.

[John]

Yeah, just in time. It's often the Lord's timing, isn't it? Yeah. Oh, that was so helpful.

[Brandon]

Yeah. Thank you.

[John]

So, to my wife, Sarah. You're amazing. You've always been amazing.

[Brandon]

Good job.

[John]

Yeah, good job, Sarah. We hope you'll join us on our full podcast. It's called Follow Him. You can get it wherever you get your podcasts, including YouTube. We're in sections 10 and 11 with Sister Chelsea Chipman. She is quite a teacher. You're going to love what she shows us in these sections. But then come back here next week. We'll share another. Follow him. Favorites.