Podcast Summary: Just Beet It! • followHIM Favorites • December 1-7 • Come Follow Me

Podcast: followHIM
Hosts: Hank Smith (A) & John Bytheway (B)
Date: November 27, 2025

Overview

In this “followHIM Favorites” episode, Hank Smith and John Bytheway focus on a powerful story of service, grief, and unity, connecting it to the messages in Doctrine and Covenants Sections 137 and 138. Amidst the backdrop of personal and community suffering—particularly during periods of great loss and upheaval—the hosts highlight the themes of collective support, empathy, and faith central to the Come, Follow Me lesson for the week.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Context of D&C 137 and 138

• Sections Discussed:

  • These revelations were given 80 years apart but are paired for this study.
  • Section 138 was received by President Joseph F. Smith in 1918—a year marked by World War I and the Spanish flu pandemic, emphasizing an era of widespread death and mourning.
    (00:21)

• Host Reflection:

  • Hank chooses to focus on the personal impact and societal context in which Section 138 emerged, setting the stage for a poignant narrative of loss and service.

The Story of George Goates ("Just Beet It")

• Background:

  • George Goates, a farmer from Lehi, Utah, experienced devastating personal loss in 1918—the same year as the flu epidemic and after an early winter ruined much of his sugar beet crop.
    (01:17)

• Tragedy and Service:

  • Within a span of six days, George lost his son Charles and three grandchildren. He personally brought the bodies home, made coffins, dug graves, and even helped with burial clothing.
  • After these heartbreaks, George and his surviving son Francis return to their beet field only to witness their neighbors' remarkable act of service: the entire crop had already been harvested by local farmers, leaving the field empty. (01:55)

• Moment of Realization:

  • Upon realizing what had happened, “George got down off the wagon, picked up a handful of the rich brown soil he loved so much, and then a beet top. And he looked for a moment at these symbols of his labor and he could not believe his eyes.”
    (02:37)
  • Overcome by emotion, this resilient man breaks down and cries, expressing deep gratitude not for the crop, but for “the elders of our ward.”

• Powerful Quote:

  • “This amazing man, who never faltered nor flinched, nor wavered throughout this agonizing ordeal, sat down on a pile of beet tops and sobbed like a child… Then he arose, wiped his eyes, looked up to the sky, and said, ‘Thank you, Father, for the elders of our ward.’”
    (03:32)

Reflection and Application

John Bytheway's Personal Experience

• John parallels the story with his own experience of loss: after his house fire, “the ward just showed up, unloaded everything. I'll take that. I'll take that. Let me get your suit clean. Talk about following the example of the Savior. That's more than mourning with those that mourn. That's helping them do what they need to do as well.”
  (03:48)

• Hank summarizes:

  • “It's farming with those who mourn. Right? Farming for those who mourn.” (04:12)
  • John responds: “Bringing in the harvest.” (04:17)

Spiritual Takeaway

• Hank closes with a direct connection to the concept of Zion:
  • “This is Zion. One mind and one heart, and there was no beats among them.” (04:21)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Service and Unity:
  • “That's more than mourning with those that mourn. That's helping them do what they need to do as well.” (John Bytheway, 03:48)
• On Community in Action:
  • “This is Zion. One mind and one heart, and there was no beats among them.” (Hank Smith, 04:21)
• Deep Gratitude:
  • “‘Thank you, Father, for the elders of our ward.’” (Hank narrating George Goates’ words, 03:40)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:02] – Podcast opening, main theme introduction (D&C 137 & 138, 1918 context)
• [01:17] – Introduction of George Goates story
• [01:55] – Details of Goates family tragedy and community hardship
• [02:37] – Turning point: discovery of the harvested beet field
• [03:32] – George Goates’ emotional moment and expression of gratitude
• [03:48] – John Bytheway’s personal parallel story of community support
• [04:12] – Summary on collective service (“farming with those who mourn”)
• [04:21] – Conclusion on Zion and community unity

Additional Notes

• The hosts encourage listeners to join the full-length episode featuring Dr. Laura Wilkinson, who delves deeper into the spiritual lessons and historical relevance of these D&C sections.

Summary Prepared For: Those Seeking Inspiration, Community Insights, and Deeper Gospel Understanding
Podcast Tone: Warm, empathetic, uplifting, and personal