followHIM - followHIM Favorites • December 8-15 • Come Follow Me

Episode Date: December 4, 2025

Welcome to follow him favorites. John and I share a single story to go with each week's lesson. John, we are in the Articles of Faith, official declarations one and two this week for Come Follow Me. You told me you have a good story. Yes, in fact, President Spencer W. Kimball was the signature on my mission call. Who was on your mission call, Hank? That would be Gordon B. Hinkley.

Wow. There is a generation gap here, isn't there? Yeah. I remember President Kimball telling this story. And I just thought, wow, maybe this is why in primary we're memorizing the Articles of Faith. Here's an article that was printed in an October 78 new era. And I don't know where, but I remember hearing President Kimball tell the story. Some years ago, a primary boy was sitting on a train going to California. He was all alone. He sat near a window watching the telephone polls go by across the aisle a gentleman was also going to California. The attention of the gentleman was called to this very young boy traveling without friends or relatives. He was neatly dressed and well behaved, and this gentleman was quite impressed with him. Finally, he said, hello, young man, where are you going? I'm going to Los Angeles. Do you have relatives there? Yeah, I've relatives there. I'm going to visit my grandparents. They're going to meet me at the station and I'll stay with them a few days. Where did you come from? Where do you live? Boy said,

Salt Lake City, Utah. And the gentleman said, oh, you must be a Mormon. Do you remember when we used to call ourselves that? Yeah, I remember those, yeah. Yeah. The boy said, yes, I am. The gentleman said, that's interesting. I've wondered about Mormons and what they believe. I've been through the city. I've noticed the buildings, the tree-lined homes, lovely streets, beautiful rose and flower gardens. He must not have seen my house. But I've never stopped to find out what makes them what they are. I wish I knew what Mormons believed. And the boy said, well, I'll tell you what we believe. We believe in God, the eternal father, and in his son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. This businessman was surprised. The boy continued. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins and not for Adam's transgression. The traveling companion thought, this is rather unusual for a mere boy to know these important things. A boy went on. We believe through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel. The gentleman was amazed at the knowledge and understanding of a mere boy.

He was yet to be a scout. But he continued, we believe the first principles and ordinances of the gospel are. First, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Second, repentance. Third, baptism by immersion for the mission of sins. Can you imagine? Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. This is wonderful, said the gentleman.

I'm amazed you know so well the doctrines of your church. I commend you. With a good start and encouragement, Johnny continued. We believe a man must be called of God by prophecy and by the laying out of hands by those who are in authority to preach the gospel and administer the ordinances thereof. That's a very solid doctrine, my boy, he said. I'm curious now how they get to be called of God. I understand how they could receive the call to be established by the laying out of hands, but who has the authority to preach the gospel?

They discussed the matter of calling and sustaining, and then the lad said, would you like to know more? The gentleman thought it was very unusual and said, we believe in the same organization that existed in the Parenthood Church, namely apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth. this brought some more discussion and so forth you mean your church has

apostles like James John Peter Paul and prophets like Moses Abraham Isaac Daniel Boy responded yeah even evangelists we call them patriarchs they are appointed in all parts of the church where there are stakes and by inspiration they give all the members of the church

as required what's called a patriarchal blessing I've already had my patriarchal blessing I read it frequently now we have 12 apostles who have the same calling and the same authorities the 12 apostles invasible the gentleman came back

do you speak in tongues do you believe in revelations and prophecies the boy said we believe in the gift of tongues prophecy revelation visions healings interpretation of tongues and so forth the gentleman said well this sounds like you believe in the Bible we believe the Bible to be

the word of God as far as it is translated correctly we also believe the book Mormon to be the word of God the gentleman discussed that we believe in both the scriptures and in Revelation. The boy quoted, We believe all that God has revealed, all that he does now reveal, and we believe that he will yet reveal,

many great and important things pertaining to the kingdom of God. Then he continued, we believe, I know this is one of your favorites, Hank, also in the literal gathering of Israel, and then the restoration of the ten tribes, that Zion will be built upon the American continent, the Christ will reign personally upon the earth, and that the earth will be renewed and receive its parodicyical glory. Jesus, Bear just like, I know. He's just like, what? Who is this kid? The gentleman was listening. He showed no interest in crossing the aisle back to his own seat. Johnny continued, we claim the privilege of worshiping the Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience and allow all men the same privilege. Let them worship how or what they may. I find this really funny. I know. It just keeps going. Because the thing that was cool is how logically it,

came out. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, magistrates in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law. And then as a final contribution, the boy repeated the 13th article of faith. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, doing good to all men. Indeed, we may say we follow the admonition of Paul. We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things, including this follow him favorite. If there's anything virtuous, lovely, or good reporter, praiseworthy, we seek after these things. The youngster relaxed now as he had finished the Articles of Faith. The gentleman was clearly excited not only at the ability of this young boy to outline the whole program of the church,

but at the very completeness of its doctrine. He said, you know, after I've been to Los Angeles a couple of days, I expect to go back to New York where my office is. I'm going to wire my company that I will be a day or too late. I'm going to stop in Salt Lake City en route and go to the Information Bureau and hear all these things in more detail about what you've told me. I'm wondering, President Kimball said,

how many of you know the articles of faith? Have you repeated them? You are always prepared with the sermon when you know the articles of faith. Oh, that's awesome. I would have loved to just watch that. I think I would have to sing them. What do you guys believe?

We believe in God. Yeah, we believe. We believe, da, da, da, da, da, right. It's so funny. I would just love to watch a little boy just, oh, I know what we believe. Well, I mean, yeah, you would be very impressed with the kid. Yeah, especially when he said, and so forth. You may say we follow the admonition of Paul.

Of Paul. Of course. Well, hey, we hope you join us on our full podcast. It's called Follow Him. you can get it wherever you get your podcast. We're with Brother Tom Reed this week, and we have just as much fun with Brother Reed as we just did here. He is wonderful in every way.

And then come back here next week. We'll do another follow him favorites.