I Looked Out the Window and What Did I See? Earth! • followHIM Favorites • January 6 - January 12 • Come Follow Me

Summary

Summary of "I Looked Out the Window and What Did I See? Earth!"

Podcast: followHIM Favorites
Episode Title: I Looked Out the Window and What Did I See? Earth!
Release Date: January 2, 2025
Hosts: Hank Smith (A) & John Bytheway (B)
Come, Follow Me Lesson: Hearken, O ye people. Doctrine and Covenants, Section One

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1. Introduction to the Episode

[00:02] Hank Smith (A):
Hank welcomes listeners to "Follow Him Favorites," a segment where he and John Bytheway share stories related to each week's "Come, Follow Me" lesson. This episode focuses on Doctrine and Covenants, Section One, titled "Hearken, O ye people."

2. Exploring Doctrine and Covenants, Section One

[00:26] John Bytheway (B):
John explains that although it's labeled Section One, it wasn't the first revelation chronologically. It was actually the 67th revelation, revealing the preface to what was initially called the "Book of Commandments."

[00:35] Hank Smith (A):
Hank adds that early church leaders like Sidney Rigdon, William McClellan, and Oliver Cowdery attempted to compile the revelations but struggled until Section One was divinely revealed.

[00:36] John Bytheway (B):
John emphasizes the profound impact of Section One, citing:
"Hearken, O ye people of my church, saith the voice of him who dwells on high, whose eyes are upon all men... Behold, I am God and have spoken it. These commandments are of me and were given unto my servants in their weakness." [00:35-00:36]

He marvels at how the Lord's revelation surpasses any human attempt to articulate divine commandments, highlighting the power and authenticity of God's voice.

3. The Story of Apollo 8 and the Overview Effect

[00:52] John Bytheway (B):
John transitions to a story inspired by Sister Tamara Runya's General Conference talk on the "overview effect." He delves into the Apollo 8 mission—the first lunar orbit mission—in 1968, which featured the iconic "Earthrise" photograph.

[03:33] John Bytheway (B):
He recounts how the astronauts were instructed to deliver a message to Earth on Christmas Eve, despite the planet being engulfed in turmoil due to events like the Vietnam War and the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy. John notes the astronauts' challenges in crafting a meaningful message under immense pressure.

[03:34] John Bytheway (B):
John narrates astronaut Frank Borman's message:
"In the beginning, God created the heaven and the Earth. And the Earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, let there be light. And there was light." [03:34]

He highlights the profound connection between this biblical passage and the astronauts' experience, drawing parallels between divine revelation and human endeavor.

4. Connecting Ancient Revelations to Modern Insights

[04:49] John Bytheway (B):
John showcases a commemorative stamp from Apollo 8, featuring the "Earthrise" image and the phrase "In the beginning." He asserts the significance of divine inspiration in both ancient scriptures and modern achievements.

[05:00] Hank Smith (A):
Hank reflects on the lesson’s theme:
"We think, I'm trying my own way. I'm trying my own way. I'm trying my own way. It's not working. Why don't you try the Lord's way? Give it a try." [05:00]
He encourages listeners to seek divine guidance rather than relying solely on personal efforts, illustrating how God’s direction can lead to remarkable outcomes.

5. Key Takeaways and Inspirational Messages

[05:15] Hank Smith (A) & John Bytheway (B):
Both hosts underscore the episode's main message: entrusting God with the direction of our efforts can lead to extraordinary results, much like the perfect preface in Doctrine and Covenants, Section One, or the harmonious message delivered by Apollo 8 astronauts.

[05:35] Hank Smith (A):
Hank invites listeners to engage with the full "Follow Him" podcast, featuring Dr. J.B. Hawes discussing the history and significance of Section One, and encourages them to return for future episodes of "Follow Him Favorites."

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Notable Quotes

• John Bytheway (B) [00:35]:
  "Hearken, O ye people of my church... Behold, I am God and have spoken it. These commandments are of me and were given unto my servants in their weakness."

• Hank Smith (A) [05:00]:
  "We think, I'm trying my own way... Why don't you try the Lord's way? Give it a try."

• John Bytheway (B) [03:34]:
  "In the beginning, God created the heaven and the Earth... And God said, let there be light. And there was light."

Conclusion

In this episode of "followHIM Favorites," Hank Smith and John Bytheway adeptly intertwine the divine revelation of Doctrine and Covenants, Section One with the human experience of the Apollo 8 mission. Through engaging storytelling and insightful connections, they illustrate the profound impact of seeking divine guidance and the transformative power it holds. Listeners are encouraged to explore these themes further by accessing additional resources and episodes available on their podcast platforms.

Transcript

[A]

Hello, everyone. Welcome to Follow Him Favorites. This is where John and I share a single story to go with each week's lesson. John. The Come follow me lesson this week is Hearken, O ye people. Doctrine and Covenants, Section one. And I know you have a story that fits perfectly with what happened. You need to know how the section came about first to understand the story.

[B]

Yeah, because we call it section one, but it wasn't the first one to be revealed in order. In fact, it would have been what, Hank, about number 67 or 67.

[A]

Yeah. In the 60s.

[B]

So they had all these revelations that are putting them together. You know, we should write a preface for this book of commandments we're going to make, as they early called it. So they had Sidney Rigdon, they had William McClellan, Oliver Cowdery had made attempts to writing it, and they all got picked apart. Suddenly, the Lord reveals his preface to Doctrine and Covenants, Section one. And it is amazing. Like verse one. Hearken, O ye people of my church, saith the voice of him who dwells on high, whose eyes are upon all men. Yea, verily, hearken ye people from afar, and ye that are upon the islands of the sea. Listen together. Whoa. And you go to verse 24. Behold, I am God and have spoken it. These commandments are of me and were given unto my servants in their weakness. I mean, it's like, whoa. Better than anybody could have written. And it reminded me of this story. And as you read section one, I mean, please do. It is so powerful, this preface to the Doctrine and Covenants. But Hank, I got interested in this because of a talk that Sister Tamara Runya gave in General conference about the overview effect. And I started reading about Apollo 8. It was so interesting to me because Apollo 8 was the first lunar orbit mission. They didn't land on the moon. That was Apollo 11. But they were the first to go to the moon in orbit. And they got so far away from the Earth, took that photograph, amazing photo of the Earth that Sister Runia talked about. The astronauts said they could reach out their thumb and cover up every memory they'd ever had, every person they'd ever known, every experience. They could cover up the whole planet with their thumb. And that overview effect is a physiological thing. Well, I got really interested in this and I started studying Apollo 8. I discovered that timing was Christmas Eve, 1968. NASA told the astronauts, okay, guys, you're going to have the largest listening audience ever in the history of planet Earth. Think of something to say on Christmas Eve. And they talked to A few people. I mean, this is like the same story. Can you write something? We'll try. Can you write something? We'll try? None of it really worked. The story is one of the astronauts asked one of their wives, what should we do? And she wisely said, why don't you just start at the beginning? Please remember, too, 1968. What's going on? The Earth's in turmoil. Vietnam, Robert F. Kennedy assassination, riots. It's a tough place. What they said is an overview effect for the planet. You can watch it on YouTube or I can just read to you what happened. And Hank, I'm such a nerd. I gotta show you this. My son, who has a 3D printer, made an Apollo 8 command module for me.

[A]

They were in that little capsule.

[B]

They were in this little thing in this part up here. Very cramped quarters. Largest audience on planet Earth listening ever. And this is what Frank Borman, the astronaut, said. We have a message to you on Earth. And this is what he said. In the beginning, God created the heaven and the Earth. And the Earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, let there be light. And there was light. And if you listen on the YouTube, you'll hear them pass a paper. And the other astronauts, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders, will also read this creation story. It was amazing. And then at the end, Frank Borman says something like, good luck and may God bless you. Bless all of you on the good Earth. This overview effect. So I want to show you something, Hank. This is a stamp of those three astronauts or an envelope, a commemorative envelope, says Apollo 8. Can you see that stamp? It's a picture of the earthrise over the moon. And something you might not see on stamps very often. It says, in the beginning.

[A]

God, that's fantastic.

[B]

If you really need a good preface, have the Lord write it. If you really need a good message from Apollo 8, have the Lord write it.

[A]

No, John. And it's such a good lesson for all of us. We think, I'm trying my own way. I'm trying my own way. I'm trying my own way. It's not working. Why don't you try the Lord's way? Give it a try.

[B]

Perfect. Have the Lord do it. Yeah.

[A]

You might see something incredible, like Section one, or like that moment for those astronauts. Wow. I love it.

[B]

I hope people will go and find it on YouTube and watch. And the audio's terrible and the video's terrible, but the message on Christmas Eve from the astronauts was beautiful.

[A]

That is awesome. That's awesome. We hope you'll join us on our full podcast. It's called Follow Him. You can get it wherever you get your podcast. And we're with Dr. J.B. hawes this week as he walks us through section one and the history behind it. He is wonderful in every way. Then come back here next week. We'll do another Follow him favorites.