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Hello everyone. Welcome to Follow Him Favorites John and I are sharing a single story to go with each week's lesson. John this week, Doctrine Covenants 51 through 57 I have a story. It's right in the beginning of this section. 51 verse 9 the Lord says, and he's talking about Zion. Let every man or woman deal honestly and be alike among this people, and receive alike that you may be one. I keyed in on that word dealing honestly. And I remember about 20 years ago a talk was given by Bishop Richard C. Edgley. I don't know if you remember Bishop Edgley, John. He had that big deep voice, beautiful voice. He tells actually two quick stories from his personal life. He says, quote In 1955, after my freshman year of college, I spent the summer working at the newly opened Jackson Lake lodge in Moran, Wyoming. My mode of transportation was a 14 year old 1941 Hudson automobile that should have received its burial 10 years earlier. Among the car's other identifying traits, the floorboards had rusted so badly, if not for a piece of plywood, I could have dragged my feet along the highway like the Flintstones. Yeah, yeah. The positive is that unlike most 14 year old cars in this time period, it used no oil. Just lots of water in the radiator. But no oil. I could never figure out where the water went and why the oil continually got thinner and thinner and clearer and clearer. Oh no. Okay, he says. In preparation for the 185 mile drive home at the end of the summer, I took the car to the only mechanic in Moran. After a quick analysis, the mechanic explained that the engine block was cracked and was leaking water into the oil. That explained the water and the oil mystery. I wondered if I could get the water to leak into the gas tank and I would get better gasoline mileage. Now he has a confession. After the miracle of arriving home, my father came out and happily greeted me. After a hug and a few pleasantries, he looked into the backseat of the car and saw three Jackson Lake Lodge towels. The kind you cannot buy. With a disappointed look, he merely said, oh, I expected more of you. I hadn't thought what I had done was all that wrong. To me, these towels were a symbol of a full summer's work at a luxury hotel. A rite of passage. Nevertheless, by taking them, I felt I had lost the trust and confidence of my father, and I was devastated. The following weekend, I adjusted the plywood floorboard in my car, filled the radiator with water, and began the 370 mile round trip back to Jackson Lake Lodge to return the three towels. My father never asked why I was returning to the lodge and I never explained. It just didn't need to be said. This was an expensive and painful lesson on honesty that has stayed with me throughout my life. John he goes on in this talk to share another little quick story of where he's now in the other side of this. He's in the role of watching someone else be dishonest. He said he was with a bunch of businessmen and they were in the o' Hare Airport in Chicago, Illinois. One of these men, he said, had sold his company for tens of millions of dollars. But as they were passing by a newspaper vending machine, if you don't know what that is, you'll have to ask your grandpa. This individual, he put a quarter in the machine, opened the door, there was a big stack of newspapers in there. He began dispensing all the unpaid for newspapers to everybody in the group. When he handed me a newspaper, I put a quarter in the machine. And trying not to offend him, but trying to make a point, I jokingly said, Jim, for 25 cents I can maintain my integrity. A dollar maybe, but 25 cents? No, not 25 cents, he says. You see, I remember the experience of the three towels and a broken down 1941 Hudson. A few minutes later, we passed the same newspaper vending machine and I noticed that Jim had broken away from our group and was stuffing quarters into the machine. So he's back there. He finishes with this. He says, my prayer is that Latter Day Saints will be known as among the most honest people and in the world. Great story. 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 are with Emily Utt this week, a church curator. If you don't know what that is, you've got to come over and listen to her talk about church history. It's incredible. Then come back here next week. We'll do another Follow him favorites.
Release Date: May 22, 2025
Hosts: Hank Smith & John Bytheway
Podcast: followHIM
Episode Focus: Exploring themes of honesty and integrity through personal stories aligned with Doctrine and Covenants 51-57.
In this episode of followHIM, hosts Hank Smith and John Bytheway delve into the concept of honesty as emphasized in Doctrine and Covenants 51:9, which calls for individuals to "deal honestly" to achieve unity within the community. The episode centers around personal anecdotes that highlight the importance of integrity in everyday actions.
Timestamp: [00:03 - 04:30]
Speaker: Host A (Hank Smith) introduces Bishop Richard C. Edgley's memorable tale from his youth, illustrating a profound lesson in honesty.
Key Points:
Setting the Scene:
The Engine Trouble:
The Misguided Attempt:
The Consequence:
The Redemption:
Notable Quote:
"This was an expensive and painful lesson on honesty that has stayed with me throughout my life."
— Bishop Richard C. Edgley (03:45)
Timestamp: [04:31 - 09:15]
Speaker: John Bytheway shares a personal observation on witnessing dishonesty among peers, contrasting it with Bishop Edgley's experience.
Key Points:
The Vending Machine Incident:
Confronting Dishonesty:
Jim's Retaliation:
Reflections on Integrity:
Notable Quote:
"My prayer is that Latter Day Saints will be known as among the most honest people in the world."
— John Bytheway (08:50)
Both stories shared by Hank and John serve to illustrate the teachings found in Doctrine and Covenants 51:9 about the necessity of honesty for achieving unity and trust within the community. The personal narratives underscore that honest actions, even when challenging, are foundational to lasting relationships and personal integrity.
The hosts tease upcoming content, highlighting the next podcast featuring Emily Utt, a church curator, who will share insights into church history. They encourage listeners to subscribe to the followHIM podcast for more engaging and educational discussions.
Call to Action:
"Join us every Wednesday morning to make your LDS study fresh, faithful, and fun--no matter your age."
— followHIM Hosts
This episode of followHIM effectively uses personal stories to convey the critical importance of honesty and integrity in the lives of Latter-day Saints. By aligning real-life experiences with doctrinal teachings, Hank Smith and John Bytheway provide listeners with both inspiration and practical lessons to apply in their own lives.
Connect with followHIM:
This summary captures the essence of the "My 370 Mile Mistake" episode, highlighting key discussions on honesty through memorable personal stories, accompanied by direct quotes and timestamps for reference.