Hank Smith: 00:02 Hello everyone. Welcome to another followHIM Favorites. My name’s Hank Smith. I’m here with John Bytheway, and we are sharing a single story to go with each week’s lesson. John, we’re in 3rd Nephi 8 through 11. This is the big moment for the Book of Mormon. I brought a story for you that is absolutely one of my favorites, and it’s going to tie into basically the Savior’s call in 3rd Nephi 8, 9, 10, 11 to repent. He says, specifically in 3rd Nephi 9, “Return unto me, repent of your sins, be converted, that I may heal you.” I really like this story because so often we have things in our lives when we repent that we need to let go of, and sometimes we don’t want to. So I thought this story goes really well with this. This was told by President Monson. He’s quoting a different story from 1974. Someone wrote this story, 1974. It’s the story of Benjamin Landart, 1888 in Utah, 15 years old, works on a farm. I know you love working on a farm, John.

John Bytheway: 01:00 Oh, wow. Yeah.

Hank Smith: 01:02 Also plays the violin. It said, “Occasionally his mother would lock up the violin until his farm chores were done. So great was his temptation to play the violin.” They don’t have a lot of money. Benjamin’s around 19 years old, 18, 19 years old, he’s invited to try out for the territorial orchestra. Well, they’re going to play in Denver. This is huge. He’s going to play for a guy named Mr. Dean, and Mr. Dean says that he is the most accomplished violinist he has ever heard west of Denver. He said, “Report for the orchestra in the fall. You’ll be earning enough for you and enough to send home to your family, quite a bit to send home to your family.” Unbelievable. Yes, this is so great.

  01:48 A week after Benjamin hears this news, his bishop calls him into his office, and asked him if he couldn’t put off playing the orchestra for a couple of years. The bishop told Benjamin that before he started earning money, he owed something to the Lord. He asked Benjamin to accept a mission call. He promised their bishop if there was any way they could raise the money for him to serve a mission, since they don’t have any money, he would accept the call. He goes home and he tells his mother about the mission call. She’s overjoyed, like most moms. She told him that his father always wanted to serve a mission, but he had been killed before that opportunity could come.

John Bytheway: 02:33 Oh, wow.

Hank Smith: 02:33 But then they discussed the financing of the mission. Benjamin said, “We can’t sell any more land to go,” and John, listen to this. Now think about-

John Bytheway: 02:43 Oh no, I think I know what’s coming.

Hank Smith: 02:46 … the Lord’s saying, “Turn to me with your whole soul. Turn to me.” Then she says, “There is a way we can raise this money. The family has one thing of great enough value to send you on your mission. We can sell your violin.” Six days later, John, on March 23rd, 1893, Benjamin wrote in his journal, “I awoke this morning and took my violin from its case. All day long, I played the music I love. In the evening when the light grew dim, I could play no longer. I placed the instrument in its case, it is enough. Tomorrow I leave for my mission.” And then this great quote for those of us who think, “Oh, I can’t give that up. I love that thing,” whatever it is, “too much.”

  03:35 That violin in your life, whatever the Lord is asking you to give up, whether it be a sin or anything else you sacrifice for the Lord’s work. 45 years later, June of 1938, Benjamin wrote in his journal, “The greatest decision I ever made in my life was to give up something I truly loved to the God I loved even more. He has never forgotten me for it.” The Lord knows, John, when we give up something that is truly a sacrifice to us for Him. I think He’s going to let us know how grateful He feels. Isn’t that a great story?

John Bytheway: 04:08 That is a great story. I was hoping it would be, “We’ll take the violin on your mission and play in sacrament meeting,” or something like that.

Hank Smith: 04:17 You get to play in a worldwide orchestra, right? It’s a beautiful story of I am willing to give up all. I bet you’re thinking of King Lamoni’s father.

John Bytheway: 04:27 Yeah. I’ll give away all my sins to know thee… Yeah.

Hank Smith: 04:31 Just tell me what to give up. I’ll give it. I love it. Join us on our full podcast. It’s called followHIM. You can get it wherever you get your podcasts. We’re with Dr. Eric Huntsman this week, walking through these pivotal chapters. You’re going to love it. Then come back here next week, we’ll do another followHIM Favorites.