Follow Him: A Come, Follow Me Podcast - Cross My Heart and Hope to Live • followHIM Favorites • November 25 - December 1 • Come Follow Me

Episode Date: November 21, 2024

SHOW NOTES/TRANSCRIPTSEnglish: https://tinyurl.com/podcastBM48ENFrench: https://tinyurl.com/podcastBM48FRGerman: https://tinyurl.com/podcastBM48DEPortuguese: https://tinyurl.com/podcastBM48PTSpanish: https://tinyurl.com/podcastBM48ESYOUTUBEhttps://youtu.be/m0yxMEBL1m4ALL EPISODES/SHOW NOTESfollowHIM website: https://www.followHIMpodcast.comFREE PDF DOWNLOADS OF followHIM QUOTE BOOKSNew Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastNTBookOld Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastOTBookWEEKLY NEWSLETTERhttps://tinyurl.com/followHIMnewsletterSOCIAL MEDIAApple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/followHIMappleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/followHIMpodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/followhimpodcastThanks to the followHIM team:Steve & Shannon Sorensen: Cofounder, Executive Producer, SponsorDavid & Verla Sorensen: SponsorsDr. Hank Smith: Co-hostJohn Bytheway: Co-hostDavid Perry: ProducerKyle Nelson: Marketing, SponsorLisa Spice: Client Relations, Editor, Show NotesJamie Neilson: Social Media, Graphic DesignWill Stoughton: Video EditorKrystal Roberts: Translation Team, English & French Transcripts, WebsiteAriel Cuadra: Spanish Transcripts"Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise" by Marshall McDonaldhttps://www.marshallmcdonaldmusic.com

Hello everyone, welcome to Follow Him Favorites. This is where John and I share a single story to go with each Come Follow Me lesson. John, we're in the last lesson of the Book of Ether, Ether 12-15, and I have a story for you. I think you've heard it, but for those who haven't, this is the story of all stories. Resident Nelson told this story about when he was a heart surgeon, a very good heart surgeon, he said he met with a state patriarch down in southern Utah. The man had a heart problem. This was 40 years ago, he says, during the pioneering days of heart surgery. He said this saintly soul was hurting because of his failing heart. He pleaded for my help.

He said we did extensive evaluations and found that he had two faulty valves. I didn't even know my heart had valves, but okay. He said one of these we could fix with surgery. The other couldn't do it. We could not fix it even with surgery. He said, so I didn't advise him to have surgery, right? Because I can only fix half your problem.

You're still going to have this problem and now you're going to be recovering from heart surgery. He received this news. President Nelson says, of course, with great disappointment because that means he has a shortened life. He kept coming back. Finally, President Nelson says, in desperation, he spoke to me. Dr. Nelson, I have prayed for help and have been directed to you. The Lord will not reveal to me how to repair that second valve, but he can reveal

it to you. Your mind is prepared. Then he said something, John, that no friend should ever say to another friend, if you will operate on me, the Lord will tell you what to do. If someone ever says that to you, say, I refuse. I can see a missionary companionship going, let's not go to the hospital. If you operate, the Lord will tell you what to do. He said, please perform the surgery. President Nelson said his great faith had a profound effect on me. How can I turn him away? I'm thinking easy. Just tell him I can't do it. But he said, we both prepared for that fateful day.

I prayed over and over again, but still did not know what to do for his leaking tricuspid valve. Of course, leaking tricuspid valve, John, that's pretty easy fix. He said, even as we started the operation, his assistant said, what are you going to do for that? And he said to the surgeon, can you imagine? I don't know. I mean, this is incredible. He says, we began the operation after relieving the obstruction of the first valve, we exposed the second valve. This is the one he doesn't know how to fix. We found it to be intact, but so badly dilated, it couldn't function as it should. His exact words, while examining this valve, a message was distinctly impressed upon my mind. Reduce the circumference of the ring.

I announced that message to my assistant. The valve tissue will be sufficient if we can effectively reduce the ring towards its normal size. And then he explains a little heart surgery to us. He says, how was I supposed to do this? You couldn't have a little belt that goes around it like you would on a pair of pants. It'd be like the saddle on a horse. You couldn't cinch it up. Now, John, this is incredible. Then a picture came vividly to my mind, showing how the stitches should be placed. A picture came to my mind. To make a pleat here and a tuck there would accomplish the desired objective. President Nelson says, I still remember that mental image complete with dotted lines,

where the sutures, the stitches should be placed. The repair was completed as diagrammed in my mind. We tested the valve and found the leak to be reduced remarkably. My assistant said, it's a miracle. John, you know what hard surgery entails? They use a saw saw like an actual electric saw. Just incredible. Well, ether chapter 12, John is about faith. And this one specifically, I know you know it ether 12 six. Faith is things which are hoped for, not seen. Dispute not because you see not,

for you receive no witness until after you start the surgery, until after the trial of your faith. A lot of faith to say, I don't know what I'm gonna do, but I'm gonna open this guy up anyway. Now, we should probably say, do not try this at home, right? Yeah. When President Nelson said his mind was so prepared, that's because he studied and went to medical school and had done this thing many times. But absolute incredible faith to move forward on a prompting to say, I do not know how this is going

to work out, but the Lord knows what he's doing. What did Nephi said, John? I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do. Not knowing what was going to happen. We hope you'll join us on our full podcast. It's called Follow Him. We're with Dr. Doug Benson this week, walking through these chapters. He's a psychologist and he gives us so many helps for regulating our emotions and helping our relationships. You're going to love it. You can get it wherever you get your podcasts. Then come back here next week. We'll do another Follow Him, Faithless.