Summary4 min read

Podcast Summary: Should've Listened to My Mum

Podcast: followHIM
Hosts: Hank Smith & John Bytheway
Episode: Should've Listened to My Mum • followHIM Favorites • April 20-26
Date: April 16, 2026

Episode Overview

This "followHIM Favorites" mini-episode centers on the theme of honoring parents, tying directly to the commandment "Honor thy father and thy mother" from the week's Come, Follow Me lesson on the Ten Commandments. Hosts Hank Smith and John Bytheway share a compelling story from Elder Patrick Kieron to illustrate the wisdom and protection inherent in heeding parental guidance—paralleling the loving intent behind God's commandments.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Story: Elder Patrick Kieron's Childhood Lesson

Setting: Seven years old, living in the Arabian Peninsula, camping in the desert
Parental Instruction: Always wear shoes to protect against desert dangers: snakes, scorpions, thorns
Incident:
- Patrick chooses flip flops over shoes, thinking, "What could possibly happen?"
- While wandering, he is stung by a scorpion ("I felt something like a thorn going into the arch of my foot. I looked down and saw not a thorn, a scorpion." — Hank (quoting Elder Kieron), [00:42])
- His parents come running, with his father killing the scorpion and another adult attempting, somewhat awkwardly, to suck out the venom
- They drive him two hours to the nearest hospital. The pain is severe, and young Patrick fears for his life

Reflection & Lesson

At the hospital, the doctor explains that the sting is only life-threatening for infants or the severely malnourished; a local anesthetic relieves the pain
Elder Kieron realizes:
- He knew better ("I had known that when my parents told me to wear shoes, they did not mean flip flops. I was old enough to know flip flops did not [offer] the same protection.")
- He was "both lazy and a little rebellious, and I paid a price for it."
The hosts highlight this as a vivid metaphor for keeping commandments—not as arbitrary rules but as protections rooted in love and experience

The Purpose of Commandments

Memorable Dialogue:
- John Bytheway: "Are commandments just to control us, or is there really a loving intent behind them?" [03:00]
- Hank Smith: "The safety in commandments. Honor thy father and thy mother when they tell you to wear shoes. That thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." [03:06]
- John (joking about the desert): "Or in this case, upon the sand." [03:18]
The episode emphasizes that commandments—and parental counsel—are given for our personal safety and flourishing, not restriction

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Elder Kieron's Painful Realization:

"At this moment, I thought I was going to die... I sobbed while my parents loaded me into a car and set off across the desert at high speed toward the nearest hospital, which was over two hours away." — Hank (quoting Elder Kieron), [01:44]
Insightful Reflection:

"I had known that when my parents told me to wear shoes, they did not mean flip flops... I disregarded what I knew to be right. I ignored what my parents had repeatedly taught me. I had been both lazy and a little rebellious, and I paid a price for it." — Hank (quoting Elder Kieron), [02:35]
Hosts’ Connection to the Lesson:

"How many times, John, have you ever said, 'I should have listened to my parents?'" — Hank Smith, [02:54]
On the Spirit of the Commandment:

"There’s safety in commandments. Honor thy father and thy mother... That thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." — Hank Smith, [03:06]

Timestamps for Important Segments

[00:02] — Introduction and weekly theme: The Ten Commandments
[00:25] — The story of Elder Kieron in the desert
[01:44] — Climax: the scorpion sting and dash to the hospital
[02:35] — The reflection on personal responsibility and lessons learned
[03:00] — Discussion: Are commandments loving or restrictive?
[03:18] — Joke about "upon the sand" instead of "upon the land"
[03:20] — Invitation to the full episode with Dr. Aaron Shade

Final Thoughts

The story vividly illustrates the principle "Honor thy father and thy mother" through real-life experience and personal consequence
The hosts use a balance of humor and sincerity to drive home the lesson: that loving guidance—whether from parents or God—is a safeguard, not a restriction
Invitation to further study with their guest Dr. Aaron Shade, promising deeper insights

This episode is a concise, relatable reminder of the real, loving reasons behind commandments and parental counsel—perfect for Come, Follow Me participants of all ages.

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Transcript7 lines

[00:02]
A
Welcome to follow him. Favorites this is where John and I share a single story to go with each week's lesson. John, we're in the Ten Commandments this week. I read Honor thy father and thy mother and I have a story for you. This is Elder Patrick Kieron. Sixteen years ago in General conference, he said he was seven years old. He lives in the Arabian Peninsula. I don't know why he's seven and lives there but three, he says. I was consistently told by my parents to always wear shoes. He has a way better accent than me. Yeah, he said. I knew that the shoes would protect my feet against the many threats of the desert. Snakes, scorpions, thorns. I like he put those in order. Snakes, scorpions, even worse. Thorns. Thorns, yeah. One morning, after a night's camping in the desert, I wanted to go exploring. But I didn't want to bother putting on my shoes. I rationalized that I was only going for a little wander and I would stay close by the camp. So instead of shoes, I wore my flip flops. I told myself, flip flops or shoes? Sort of what could possibly happen? As I walked along the cool sand in my flip flops, I felt something like a thorn going into the arch of my foot. I looked down and saw not a thorn, a scorpion. As my mind registered the scorpion and I realized what had just happened, the pain of the sting began to rise from my foot and up my leg. I grabbed the top of my leg and tried to stop the pain from moving farther. I cried out for help and my parents came running from the camp. My father battered the scorpion with a shovel. An adult who was camping with us heroically tried to suck the venom from my foot. Thanks.
[01:44]
B
That's awkward.
[01:45]
A
Yeah. At this moment, I thought I was going to die. Oh, poor kid. I sobbed while my parents loaded me into a car and set off across the desert at high speed towards the nearest hospital, which was over two hours away. The pain all through my leg was excruciating, and for the entire journey. Journey, I assumed I was dying. When we finally reached the hospital, however, the doctor was able to assure us that only small infants and the severely malnourished are threatened by the sting of that type of scorpion. He administered an anesthetic which numbed my leg and took away the pain. Within 24 hours, I no longer had any effects from the sting of the scorpion. But I had learned a powerful lesson. I had known that when my parents told me to wear shoes, they did not mean flip flops. I was old enough to know flip flops did not the same protection as a pair of shoes. But that morning in the desert, I disregarded what I knew to be right. I ignored what my parents had repeatedly taught me. I had been both lazy and a little rebellious, and I paid a price for it. I love the lesson. I love the story. I mean, I'm sure he doesn't, but I love the story. How many times, John, have you ever said, I should have listened to my parents?
[03:00]
B
Yeah. Are commandments just to control us, or is there really a loving intent behind them?
[03:07]
A
The safety in commandments. Honor thy father and thy mother when they tell you to wear shoes. That thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
[03:19]
B
Or in this case, upon the sand.
[03:21]
A
Upon the sand. We hope you'll join us on our full podcast. It's called Follow Him. You can get it wherever you get your podcasts. We're with Dr. Aaron Shade this week. He is a Hebrew expert. He walks us through these chapters. He shows us things we've never seen before. We think you'll love it. Then come back here next week. We'll do another Follow him favorites.