Hank Smith:                      00:03                   Welcome to followHIM Favorites. This is where John and I are sharing a single story to go with each week’s lesson. John, we’re in sections 85, 86, and 87. I saw a verse in Section 85 that reminded me of a story. I’m going to read the verse to you and then tell you the story. This is actually verses one and two where the Lord says, I want a record kept of all the consecrated people, all the consecrated people. I want you to write down all those things that transpire for them. Verse two, their manner of life, their faith and their works. Well, it made me think of this story. It’s from Elder Quentin L. Cook. He talks about being 25 years old and going to two funerals back to back. I want you to hear this. He said, I was 25 years old. I had just graduated from Stanford Law School. John that’s huge. He said, I just started employment with a law firm. I spent my workday with highly educated people who had amassed significant material possessions. I don’t know if I fall into that category, John of amassed significant material possessions.

John Bytheway:               01:15                   Significant. I have a private jet, but it’s this long, and it says, Mattel on the bottom right.

Hank Smith:                      01:23                   Flies around my office every day. He says, they were kind on the whole, gracious and attractive people. He said, the church members I associated with were much more diverse. Very few of them had material wealth. They were also wonderful people and had meaning in their lives. He says it was this point where he had two funerals back to back. One was a man he calls in this story, this is the March 2017 Ensign, I believe he calls the first man rich and the other man faithful. He says, these two funerals are cemented in my mind because they clarified, I think to him as a young man, the significance of the choices people have in front of them. Elder Cook that we know and love is at a crossroads in his life. These two funerals, they make the difference. Apparently, he said both rich and faithful served missions as young men.

                                           02:27                   By all accounts, they were both dedicated missionaries. After they attended college, their lives began to diverge. Rich married a beautiful woman who over time became less active in the church. Faithful married an equally beautiful woman who was completely active in the church. More than any other factor, this decision framed the remaining decisions of their lives. I will now share more about Rich. He had wonderful people skills. He cared a great deal about people. He began employment with a major US corporation and ultimately became the president of the company. He had a large income and lived in a very large, beautiful home set on spacious grounds. That is why I decided to call him Rich. It would be fair to say that his career choices were not just good or better, but were the best. His family and church choices, however, were not so good.

                                           03:27                   He was a good man and did not engage in personal choices that were in or of themselves evil, but his family choices and the influence on his children focused almost exclusively on education and employment. Essentially, the resume virtues that are so valued in the marketplace. His sons embarked on excellent careers. They did not, however, remain active in the church. They all married young women who are not members. I am not aware of all the facts about his sons, but in each case, these marriages ended in divorce. Rich and his wife became less active. They were primarily involved in high profile, social and community activities. He always considered himself a member of the church and was proud of his mission, but he didn’t attend church. He would, from time to time, contribute to building projects and assist members in their careers. He was an influence for honesty, integrity, and goodwill in all the positions he held. His funeral was at a non-denominational chapel at a cemetery.

                                           04:27                   Top executives, dignitaries attended the funeral, including the governor of the state where he lived. Except for his children and grandchildren and me, everyone attending the funeral was over the age of 50. It was a somber funeral. Basic principles of the plan of happiness were not taught. Little was said of Jesus Christ. Rich’s life was based almost exclusively on resume virtues. Okay, now listen to this John. How many of these next type of funerals have you been to? Faithful’s employment decisions were far less successful. He made an effort to start a small business, but the business burned and he lost everything. He subsequently created a small business but could barely make his required payments. He had a very small but adequate home. He enjoyed his work and his interaction with people. His career was good and certainly satisfactory, but not distinguished. It was not a resume virtue career.

                                           05:25                   His family and church choices, on the other hand, were the best. He and his wife were completely active in the church. He served as called, often as a teacher, attended the temple frequently and was a faithful priesthood holder. He had wonderful relationships, especially with his large family and his many grandchildren. They were all well educated, but his main emphasis to them was on living a Christ-like life. In his retirement, he and his wife served a mission together, though he faced trials including the death of a son in World War II, he achieved satisfaction and joy throughout his life because of the purpose and meaning provided by his family and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Now, listen to this John. His funeral in the ward meeting house was large and joyful. People of all ages attended, including large numbers of grandchildren and young people he had served.

                                           06:16                   The plan of happiness was taught, and the Savior was at the center of the service. It was an exemplary, Latter-day Saint funeral. The talks were about his character, kindness, concern for others, faith in and love of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, listen to what Elder Cook said. I have indicated that these two funerals came at a defining time for me. I had served a mission. I loved the church. I was just starting my career and was becoming impressed with those having material and occupational success. I realized that the choices I was making would define my happiness in this life and determine the legacy I would leave. I also realized the eternal significance of the choices that were before me. It was clear to me that choices have eternal significance. What was most important to me about the lives I just described is that I realized that the most significant choices can be made by everyone regardless of their talents, abilities, opportunities, or economic circumstances. I realized that for me, my future children, and everyone I would have the opportunity to influence, putting the Savior, my family, and the church first was essential. Doing so would result in the good life, and we can see what route Elder Cook chose.

John Bytheway:               07:35                   Yeah.

Hank Smith:                      07:36                   Can’t we?

John Bytheway:               07:37                   What a great thing to encounter at 25 at such a crossroad type age of your life.

Hank Smith:                      07:44                   Can you imagine if Elder Cook had decided he’s in it for the money and the career?

John Bytheway:               07:49                   What did he call it? Resume.

Hank Smith:                      07:51                   Resume virtues.

John Bytheway:               07:53                   Yeah. That the world wants on a resume.

Hank Smith:                      07:56                   Yeah. It wasn’t like the man he called Rich, it wasn’t like he was a bad guy. He wasn’t a bad guy.

John Bytheway:               08:00                   Yeah.

Hank Smith:                      08:01                   Had priorities, different priorities. I think, John, that goes back that the Lord wants us to know those who are consecrated, their manner of life, their faith and their works. It’s important that those are recorded because of those moments like Elder Cook had.

John Bytheway:               08:20                   Yeah. We could call those heavenly resume virtues.

Hank Smith:                      08:23                   You’re right. You show up to heaven. Here’s my resume, right? From 2009 to 2011, I was primary teacher. Let me in.

John Bytheway:               08:33                   Oh, you’re in. You’re in.

Hank Smith:                      08:34                   Yeah, you’re good. Hey, we hope you’ll join us on our full podcast. It’s called followHIM. You can get it wherever you get your podcasts. We’re with Dr. Bob Freeman this week. He is a scholar of saints, Latter-day Saints and war. He brings with him some wonderful stories into this episode. We hope you’ll join us over there with him. Then come back next week and we’ll do another followHIM Favorites.