Making Sense of Death's Timing • followHIM Favorites • April 14 - 20 • Come Follow Me •

Summary

Podcast Summary: “Making Sense of Death's Timing” | followHIM Favorites | April 14 - 20, 2025

Hosts: Hank Smith & John Bytheway
Release Date: April 10, 2025
Episode Title: Making Sense of Death's Timing
Podcast Title: followHIM
Description:
Join hosts Hank Smith and John Bytheway in this heartfelt episode of followHIM Favorites as they delve into the profound topic of death's timing through inspiring personal stories and faith-based insights. Perfect for anyone seeking comfort and understanding within the framework of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Come, Follow Me study, this episode offers a blend of poignant narratives and spiritual reflections designed to uplift and educate listeners of all ages.

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1. Introduction to the Theme

The episode opens with Hank Smith welcoming listeners to Follow Him Favorites, a segment where he and John Bytheway share meaningful stories aligned with the week's lesson from the Come, Follow Me curriculum. Hank sets the stage by highlighting the significance of Easter, prompting John to share a particularly touching Easter story that resonated with both hosts.

Key Quote:
John Bytheway [00:15]: “Easter's the most important holiday. If without Easter, there's no Christmas, right?”

2. Jason’s Inspirational Story

John recounts a moving narrative shared by Elder Orlando A. Castellanos in the April 2025 issue of the Liahona. The story centers around Jason, an 11-year-old diagnosed with a recurring illness. Despite his health challenges, Jason exemplified unwavering faith and joy, receiving the Aaronic Priesthood at twelve and consistently fulfilling his responsibilities with enthusiasm.

Notable Points:

• Jason’s Resilience: At age 15, during a hospital visit, Jason’s father shared a profound moment where Jason, despite his suffering, reaffirmed his faith in Jesus Christ with a resolute declaration: “Never” [00:19].
• Family’s Mission Call: Just a week before Jason's passing, the family received a mission call for his brother Kyle. A photograph capturing Jason holding Kyle’s mission call symbolizes their eternal bond: “Called to serve their missions together on both sides of the veil” [02:42].

Key Quote:
John Bytheway [00:19]: “With his affirmation never was etched into my soul. That day my heart filled with joy because my Heavenly Father had blessed me with being the father of such a great and noble young man.”

3. Reflections on Loss and Faith

Hank and John transition to sharing personal experiences related to loss, emphasizing how faith provides comfort during times of grief. John recalls his time as an Eagle Scout Fellowship (EFY) counselor in the 1980s, where he had to deliver the sad news of a young person's death. A session director’s comforting analogy of life’s journey as train travel—where separations are temporary and reunions are assured—left a lasting impact on him.

Key Quote:
John Bytheway [03:00]: “I remember him telling this beautiful story about a man who crossed the country in a train... the separation is temporary. You're going to the same place.”

4. Personal Anecdotes on Coping with Grief

Hank shares his own struggle with grief following his father's passing. He describes a moment of frustration with the Lord over the untimely death but received a profound spiritual reassurance that his father is joyfully reunited with loved ones: “He’s having a pretty good time right now with his parents and his friends and people he has lost” [04:51]. This revelation helped Hank reframe his perspective on death, focusing on the hope of eternal reunion.

Key Quote:
Hank Smith [04:51]: “He’s having a pretty good time right now with his parents and his friends and people he has lost... I will be there, too, one day.”

5. Overcoming the Fear of Death Through Christ

The hosts discuss how the resurrection of Jesus Christ, celebrated on Easter, fundamentally changes the human perspective on death. They highlight President Russell M. Nelson’s story of being on a troubled airplane, where his unwavering testimony in Christ transformed his fear into a hopeful anticipation of reuniting with family in the afterlife.

Key Quote:
John Bytheway [06:02]: “President Nelson tells a story... I’m going to see my family. Totally different because of our testimonies of Christ.”

6. Conclusion and Reflections on Eternal Perspective

Hank and John conclude by emphasizing that Christ’s atonement removes the fear of death, allowing believers to look forward to eternal life with loved ones. They express a sense of peace and excitement about the inevitable reunion in the afterlife, reinforcing the episode's central message of comfort and hope amid loss.

Final Thoughts:
Hank Smith [05:43]: “From everything we've heard, you might say, John, that one of the most important things Christ did was take away the fear of death.”

7. Invitation to the Community

Hank wraps up the episode by inviting listeners to join the full followHIM podcast for further discussions and personal stories. He teases the upcoming episode featuring Courtney Rich, promising more heartfelt experiences that aim to inspire and comfort the audience.

Closing Remark:
Hank Smith [06:23]: “Well, come join us on our full podcast. This week we're looking at the Easter holiday. You don't want to skip this one...”

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Conclusion:
In this deeply moving episode of followHIM Favorites, Hank Smith and John Bytheway explore the profound themes of death, faith, and eternal life through personal stories and spiritual insights. By sharing inspiring accounts of resilience and divine assurance, the hosts provide listeners with comfort and a reaffirmed perspective on life’s inevitable transitions. Whether grappling with personal loss or seeking to strengthen faith, this episode serves as a beacon of hope and understanding, underscoring the eternal bonds that transcend earthly separations.

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Connect with followHIM:

• Show Notes: followhim.co
• YouTube: FollowHimOfficialChannel
• Instagram: instagram.com/followhimpodcast
• Facebook: facebook.com/followhimpodcast

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.

Transcript

[Hank Smith]

Welcome to Follow Him Favorites this is where John and I are sharing a single story to go with each week's lesson. John, it's Easter at Follow him and you've told me that you have a touching story for Easter.

[John Bytheway]

Easter's the most important holiday. If without Easter, there's no Christmas, right?

[Hank Smith]

Yep.

[John Bytheway]

There's a story that Elder Orlando A. Castellanos, an area 70, told. It was published in the April 2025 Liahona he said, two weeks ago I received a touching letter from a father of children who wrote about his family and in particular his son Jason, who contracted an illness at age 11. In the following years, Jason's illness recurred several times. The father commented on Jason's positive attitude and cheerful temperament. Despite his health problems, Jason received the Aaronic priesthood at the age of 12. Always magnified his responsibilities willingly and excellently, whether he felt well or not. Last summer, shortly after Jason turned 15, he had to be hospitalized again. During one of his visits, his father found Jason with his eyes closed. Not knowing if his son was asleep or awake, he began to speak to him softly. Jason, he said, I know you faced many difficulties in your short life. Your condition is tough. Although you have a great battle ahead. I never want you to lose your faith in Jesus Christ. The father said he was startled when Jason immediately opened his eyes and said, never. In a clear and resolute voice. Then Jason closed his eyes and said nothing more, his father wrote. With that simple declaration, Jason expressed one of the most powerful and pure testimonies of Jesus Christ I have ever heard. With his affirmation never was etched into my soul. That day my heart filled with joy because my Heavenly Father had blessed me with being the father of such a great and noble young man. That was the last time I heard him bear his testimony of Christ. Although the family hoped this would be just another routine hospitalization, Jason passed away in less than two weeks. At that time, Jason's older brother and sister were serving as missionaries. Another brother, Kyle, had just received his mission call. In fact, the call arrived earlier than expected. On August 5, just a week before Jason passed away, the family gathered in the hospital room to open Kyle's mission call letter and share it with the whole family. In the letter his father wrote to me, he also sent a photograph of Jason in the hospital bed with his older brother Kyle by his side, holding the mission call. At the bottom of the photograph, they had written, called to serve their missions together on both sides of the veil.

[Hank Smith]

Wow.

[John Bytheway]

Yeah, isn't that a beautiful way to look at it.

[Hank Smith]

It's so tender.

[John Bytheway]

And, Hank, it reminds me of when I was an EFY counselor. EFY is now fsy. Think 40 years ago, Hank. Think. 80s, 1980s.

[Hank Smith]

It was a good decade. Yeah.

[John Bytheway]

Yeah. I was just a counselor, and we had to report some really sad news to somebody. I can't remember if it was a family member or friend, but we had to go tell a young teenager that some beloved friend or family member had just died. I went with the session director. Our session directors were typically, you know, really experienced institute teachers or seminary teachers. Hank, I don't even remember who this was, but I remember him telling this beautiful story about a man who crossed the country in a train. The way train travel is not like airplanes, where you get on and the same group that got on the plane gets off, right? People get off at different stops. You stop for dinner, you get back on the train. You travel, you stop for lunch, you get back on the train.

[Hank Smith]

Right.

[John Bytheway]

It's a journey. This man and this friend, they became dear friends on the train, get off and have dinner together, and they'd get back on again and have lunch together and sometimes travel overnight. Just became close. Well, one time there was a night stop and they got off and were separated or something. One of these men got back on the train and sat down and was like, where's my friend? And his friend was gone. And the conductor, I guess, found him and said, oh, I'm so sorry. Something happened. And he had to take an earlier train out. But you're going to the same place. He just caught an earlier train. I don't remember who that session director was, but that was a very comforting story. You know, the separation is temporary. You're going to the same place. He just caught an earlier train. Yeah, I like that way of looking at it. The time part of it hurts. And Jesus says, it's okay to mourn with those that mourn. There's a reunion coming in a wonderful place.

[Hank Smith]

I love that, John. I remember after my father died, I was pretty frustrated with the Lord. I told him so that I felt the timing was. Was. Wasn't so good. I remember it was getting a response, I think, from the spirit, something like this. He's having a pretty good time right now with his parents and his friends and people he has lost. You sure you want me to take that away from him and bring him back so you can feel better? I said, well, anything sounds bad when you say it like that, right? But it was one of those moments. I will be there, too, one day.

[John Bytheway]

Yeah. That's right. And all of it because the tomb was empty that first Easter morning. Then all of us will have those reunions to look forward to and they're in a great place.

[Hank Smith]

From everything we've heard, you might say, John, that one of the most important things Christ did was take away the fear of death.

[John Bytheway]

Yeah.

[Hank Smith]

You and I almost look forward to it. I don't want to die, but if it's going to happen, I'm, I've got people I am excited to see, talk to, laugh with.

[John Bytheway]

President Nelson tells a story of being on an airplane where what happened? It was like a propeller driven airplane and the engine, like something was loaded or something. He said that people on the plane were screaming and he was thinking, I'm going to see my family. Totally different because of our testimonies of Christ. Right?

[Hank Smith]

I love it. I love it. Well, come join us on our full podcast. This week we're looking at the Easter holiday. You don't want to skip this one. We're with Courtney Rich and she shares some personal experiences that touch John and I, I think will touch you as well. And then come back next week we'll do another follow him favorites.