followHIM Podcast Summary: "Easter Part 2 • Courtney Rich • April 14-20 • Come Follow Me"

Release Date: April 9, 2025
Hosts: Hank Smith & John Bytheway
Guest: Courtney Rich

1. Introduction to Easter Discussions

The "followHIM" podcast kicks off Part Two of their Easter series with Courtney Rich joining hosts Hank Smith and John Bytheway. The discussion centers around profound scriptural interpretations, personal testimonies, and insights into discipleship within the context of Easter.

2. Understanding Scriptures and Discipleship

John Bytheway opens the conversation by delving into Luke 24:45, emphasizing how Christ opened the minds of His disciples to understand the scriptures. He highlights Jesus’ method of teaching by referencing Moses and Genesis, encouraging listeners to use the scriptures as a foundation for enlightenment and gaining a personal witness of Christ.

John Bytheway (00:03): "He reminds us if we have questions, if we have doubts, here's where you need to go. It's the scriptures and I will help enlighten your mind as you're doing that."

Courtney Rich adds that Jesus used scriptures to guide His disciples, urging them to reevaluate their choices through a deep, scriptural understanding.

Courtney Rich (00:45): "It uses scriptures to bring them around... help you reevaluate your choices."

3. Building Faith Through Personal Experiences

Hank Smith shares insights from President Freeman's teachings and Elder Holland's talk, "Lord I Believe," which emphasize starting with what one knows about the gospel to build faith. He discusses the importance of creating a "book of evidences" to document spiritual experiences and growth.

Hank Smith (01:08): "When somebody would come in and I'm having this question, I'd try to help you answer that by first talking about some things that you know."

Courtney Rich reflects on her experiences, emphasizing that discipleship leads to profound personal transformation, akin to joining a meaningful team where one strives to live up to its values.

4. Trusting Jesus Christ: Overcoming Doubts and Challenges

John Bytheway shares his favorite Scripture from John 20, illustrating the transformative moment when Simon Peter recognizes Jesus after His resurrection. He draws parallels between the disciples' uncertainty after Jesus' ascension and personal moments of doubt, highlighting the journey of discipleship as one of continuous growth and reliance on Christ.

John Bytheway (04:55): "And then they go back to what they know, and they're back in the boat, they're fishing, and they're not catching anything. And I just imagine them being like, I don't know what to do now."

Courtney emphasizes that becoming a disciple means not reverting to old habits but embracing a transformed life dedicated to Christ.

Courtney Rich (09:10): "Everything has changed. This isn't the end. This is the beginning."

5. The Gospel as a Recipe: Following Doctrine Correctly

John Bytheway uses the analogy of baking recipes to explain the importance of following gospel teachings meticulously. He likens altering scripture-based practices to modifying a recipe, which can lead to unintended and disappointing results. This analogy underscores the necessity of adhering to divine instructions to achieve the promised spiritual outcomes.

John Bytheway (35:07): "It's like tweaking the recipe and then things really aren't working out the way that they've been promised to us."

Courtney concurs, sharing her experiences with recipe modifications and drawing parallels to personal spiritual practices.

6. Patience and Growth in Faith

Hank Smith and Courtney Rich discuss the concept of planting seeds of faith, referencing Alma 32-33. They highlight that faith development is a gradual process requiring patience, diligence, and nurturing, much like tending to a seed until it blossoms into a tree.

Hank Smith (25:31): "It's an exercise in patience and diligence. It's not just plant it, but then it's nurturing and patience and diligence."

Courtney relates this to her own spiritual journey, emphasizing the importance of allowing God to teach and guide believers line upon line.

7. Recognizing Spiritual Moments in Daily Life

The hosts share personal anecdotes illustrating how small, seemingly mundane moments can be divine interventions. John recounts how subtle promptings led him to attend the temple more regularly, while Courtney shares a story of her daughter Avery experiencing what she describes as a "miracle" during a dance competition.

John Bytheway (24:06): "I want that veil to be thinner. I want to be able to hear him in the small moments as I do the big moments."

Courtney Rich (25:16): "Do you know what that was? ... She says, that was a miracle. That was the Lord. That was his hand telling her to give me a hug."

These stories reinforce the idea that God communicates through both significant and subtle experiences, encouraging listeners to remain attentive and recognize His presence in everyday life.

8. Encouragement and Final Insights

As the episode draws to a close, the hosts offer words of encouragement, reminding listeners of the ultimate message of Easter: Christ as a deliverer, redeemer, and restorer. They emphasize the importance of holding onto faith, trusting in God's promises, and recognizing that every experience, good or challenging, contributes to one's spiritual growth.

Courtney Rich (08:55): "More than anything else, the resurrection is that message. He's a deliverer. He's a redeemer, He's a restorer."

John Bytheway (42:42): "The promise of, I will appear unto my servants, and I will speak unto them like I am here talking about that. Hearing him and knowing his voice..."

The hosts conclude by thanking Courtney Rich for her participation, reiterating the Easter message's significance, and encouraging listeners to engage with future episodes focusing on the Doctrine and Covenants.

Key Takeaways:

• Scriptural Understanding: Delving deeply into scriptures is essential for gaining a personal witness of Christ and navigating life's challenges.

• Discipleship Journey: Becoming a disciple involves continuous growth, transformation, and reliance on Christ's guidance.

• Personal Testimonies: Sharing and reflecting on personal experiences can strengthen faith and provide relatable insights for listeners.

• Faith Analogies: Comparing gospel principles to everyday activities, like baking, helps illustrate the importance of adhering to divine instructions.

• Patience in Faith: Spiritual growth is gradual, requiring diligence, nurturing, and patience, much like tending to a seed.

• Recognition of Divine Moments: God communicates through both significant experiences and subtle, everyday moments, urging believers to stay attentive.

• Easter's Core Message: The resurrection signifies hope, redemption, and the eternal presence of Christ, encouraging believers to trust in His promises.

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