Ever dreamed of doing something, only to face a setback that led you to something even more fulfilling? That's exactly what happened to our guest, country music singer-songwriter, Cole Hartley. Initially set on a military career, an unexpected allergy diagnosis led him to fully pursue his passion for music. Cole shares his journey, the unforgettable experiences of opening for big names in the music industry, and his aspirations of providing for his family through his music.
Imagine possessing gifts and talents to fulfill a divine purpose. We converse about this intriguing belief, how humility and attentiveness to God's promptings can help us harness our potential effectively. Cole offers an intimate view of his missionary service and how it honed his ability to recognize and act on divine guidance. We also touch on the strength that faith imparts in face of adversity and the commanding message from President Monson about fearlessly standing alone in faith.
Finally, we get to experience the transformative power of music as Cole performs 'Hand of God'. This song serves as a testament to music's potential to effect change and the profound influence of belief. The conversation concludes with a motivating discourse on using our talents for global betterment. Listen in and get inspired by Cole Hartley's compelling narrative of faith, music, and determination.
Instagram
@colehartleycountry
@remember.podcast
Find the song "Hand of God" by Cole Hartley on Apple Music, Spotify, iTunes and any other music streaming service.
The Inspiration by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Ever dreamed of doing something, only to face a setback that led you to something even more fulfilling? That's exactly what happened to our guest, country music singer-songwriter, Cole Hartley. Initially set on a military career, an unexpected allergy diagnosis led him to fully pursue his passion for music. Cole shares his journey, the unforgettable experiences of opening for big names in the music industry, and his aspirations of providing for his family through his music.
Imagine possessing gifts and talents to fulfill a divine purpose. We converse about this intriguing belief, how humility and attentiveness to God's promptings can help us harness our potential effectively. Cole offers an intimate view of his missionary service and how it honed his ability to recognize and act on divine guidance. We also touch on the strength that faith imparts in face of adversity and the commanding message from President Monson about fearlessly standing alone in faith.
Finally, we get to experience the transformative power of music as Cole performs 'Hand of God'. This song serves as a testament to music's potential to effect change and the profound influence of belief. The conversation concludes with a motivating discourse on using our talents for global betterment. Listen in and get inspired by Cole Hartley's compelling narrative of faith, music, and determination.
Instagram
@colehartleycountry
@remember.podcast
Find the song "Hand of God" by Cole Hartley on Apple Music, Spotify, iTunes and any other music streaming service.
The Inspiration by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Hey everyone, welcome back to the Remember Podcast. I'm your host, Dalyne Butler, and it's good to be here. Makayla, who do we have with us today?
Speaker 2:So today we have Cole Hartley, who is a country singer who goes all over the place in Utah and the Eastern, all over in the Southern area.
Speaker 3:All over the place.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So he's here joining us today and he's just going to talk to us about, you know, his journey getting to where he is and what's brought him to where he is, and like his journey with God, and so we're super excited. And, cole, just take it away.
Speaker 3:Okay, sounds good. So, like she was saying, my name is Cole Hartley. I'm a country music singer-songwriter. I grew up in Alpine, utah, and I'm still living there currently. I served a mission in Dallas, texas, which was one of the best experiences I've ever had. Looks like you're pretty excited about that.
Speaker 2:Go Texas.
Speaker 3:Yeah, maybe go Texas. Anyway, I served there back in 2017 to 2019 and loved every single second of it. I started writing songs back in high school, just kind of as a hobby, just because I love music and just wanted something to do with it, and didn't really dive into songwriting as more of a lifestyle until after my mission. I got home and was hanging out with a buddy and played one of the songs that I'd written and he was like you've got to find a studio, you got to start doing this. And up until that point, my life's goal was actually to join the military, and I wanted to do that from about the time I was three until I got medically disqualified for having an allergy which, if you didn't know, we'll disqualify you from service. And so I got disqualified and three months later I wrote this song and took it to the studio and started recording it, and so that was a big, big testament to me in how the Lord's timing works. I think one of my favorite favorite quotes from General Conference was Elder Neal A Maxwell, and he said faith in God includes faith in his timing, and I think that has been more evident in my life in recent years than ever before. So anyway, I recorded that song, fell in love with the studio and with singing and with all of that and just kind of took it up from there More still as a hobby.
Speaker 3:I was going to Utah State at the time and studying agricultural business, which I just loved.
Speaker 3:But as music got more and more prominent into my life and I got busier and busier with shows and with being on the road and whatnot, I ended up needing to put that aside and focus on music, which has been just absolutely incredible.
Speaker 3:We've been fortunate to open for some big, big names in the music industry, from Diamond Rio to Joe Nichols to Lone Star.
Speaker 3:In a few weeks we're opening for Lee Bryce, which I'm really, really excited about, at the Utah State Fair, which is going to be super, super fun and just little things like that just kind of come with the Lord's timing and I think a lot of the blessings I've been able to experience come from me serving the mission. I feel like that ties in perfectly with blessings and stuff. I remember there's a scripture I can't remember where it is, but it says the blessings will be poured out upon you so great you won't be able to receive them, or something along those lines and I feel like I definitely witness that more and more every day as I get calls from people in Nashville asking me to write, people with songs on TV shows like Yellowstone calling me and asking me to write, and just little things like that stacking up little by little by little and I've been able to quit my day job and do music full time and I owe that completely to the Lord.
Speaker 1:That's awesome.
Speaker 3:You've got people talking to you from Yellowstone, yeah so there's a guy named Garrett Bradford who's got a song called this Wave Life on Yellowstone. It's all about how the cowboy lifestyle is kind of dying, but he's not giving up on it, and so he sent me a message she's kind of out of nowhere earlier this week and said hey, dude, here's my cell phone number. Give me a call, it's set up on time to write will you come to Nashville next? And I was like well, I'll be there in September. He's like cool, that's right when you're here. I'm like all right, let's do it. What was that?
Speaker 1:That's awesome.
Speaker 3:I'm really excited for that. I've been a fan of his for a couple of years now.
Speaker 1:That's fantastic and he reached out to you.
Speaker 3:He did.
Speaker 1:So what you're saying is you're going to be rich and famous and we're blessed to have this opportunity to visit with you.
Speaker 3:I'd love for something like that to work out. You know, I think the biggest goal I have with music is sure selling out stadiums and being as famous as Zach Bryant or whatever. That'd be great, That'd be fun. But I think my biggest goal is to be able to provide for myself and provide for a family. I think if I can do that then I've made it.
Speaker 1:I love that. I think that's absolutely awesome. I think I I don't know if this is the one you were referring to, but I was looking for a scripture that kind of went along with what you said about blessings be given out to you. And this is 35, 24, verse 10. It says bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be meat in my house and prove me now here with say it, the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
Speaker 3:I think that's the one yet.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I, you know, kind of going along with what you said. There's so many things that are happening in my life right now that I know would not be happening if it wasn't for a mission. It was giving those two years to the Lord and just like, like, and I look back like man, like I didn't want to be there. I served 2019 to 2021.
Speaker 3:So I was during that was a rough time to be there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was a rough time, and I was in California too, so it was a rough time, but, that being said, it was one of the greatest times of my life in order to grow with the Savior and I. There's so many things that make up who I am now. Because of that, that sacrifice that I, that I.
Speaker 3:I completely agree with that. Isn't it cool how, when we put ourselves through tribulation in the name of the Lord, we grow from it. We become better people, we become better disciples of Christ, we become just better in general?
Speaker 1:Absolutely, and it's like it's not just going to bless me, but it's going to bless everyone around me. There's another scripture oh, I'll have to see if I can find it but it talks about spiritual gifts. It's in the doctrine of covenants and says like you haven't, Well, no, but that's what I was going to lead into. But see, we're just in sync right here.
Speaker 3:Good thing, you guys run this thing together, right?
Speaker 1:Yeah, seriously, I just lost my no, we're good. So it says something along the lines of not everyone has every gift, but to one is given one and then to another is given another, so that all may be profited thereby. And so the more that we spend time with the Lord, the more spiritual gifts he gives to us, and those are gifts that are very, very tailored to us as individuals, like you're a very good singer I imagine I haven't heard you, which I'm going to. We'll talk about that later but I cannot sing. We're at the dark. I remember I was dating a girl and I started singing a song and she just looked at me. She looked shut up, like don't stop, you're hurting my ears, like okay, okay.
Speaker 3:Hey, if it makes you feel better, I've been told the same thing before, so based Maybe I just need to learn how to sing.
Speaker 1:So maybe I'll hook up with you sometime and we'll get together and you'll teach me how to sing. There's some voice lessons, yeah. But the point that I'm trying to make is, like you know, you didn't know what you were going to do until, like, you came back from the mission and then things kind of became and you're nodding your head, you're agreeing with me Things become more clear of what you're going to do with your life.
Speaker 3:I think a big part of that is when you're on a mission you really learn how to decide for when the Lord is talking to you, whereas before your mission, when you're in high school, you might get a prompting here and there but you probably aren't paying much attention because you're 16, 17 years old. But as you go through the trial by fire as a missionary, where you have to rely on the spirit to learn what these people you're teaching need gospel and a gospel aspect and doctorly then you have to really force yourself, I guess, to become humble enough and quiet enough to listen and hear those promptings and understand what the Lord is saying to you. I think if I hadn't served a mission, I don't know that I ever would have heard or been prompted to with the lyrics that I was prompted with to write that song that started my career.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. Yeah, I want to tie back into, like, the gifts aspect. I don't know, I just think it's cool that kind of what you said, like everyone's gifts are tailored to them and I love that because that goes with anything like our personalities, our struggles, even our strengths and weaknesses are all tailored to us and it's so of our talents. And one of the scriptures that I pulled up okay, so it was in Maronai, stop diving our time tonight, maronai, and it's the very. It's 17 and 18. Maronai 10, verses 17 and 18, it says and all these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ and they that come unto every man severly, according as he will. And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that you remember that every good gift comes of Christ and so kind of to tie along with what you were saying, cole, about like knowing the whisperings of the Spirit, knowing what influences you Also remember that your gifts are also being influenced by God and how are you going to use those gifts to spread the gospel? Actually, we're doing. Come follow me. I have my little notebook but I just I don't know. I love this week's because it was in Corinthians, it was first Corinthians and I love that chapter because it's just so strong. It's just so powerful and I don't know.
Speaker 2:Knowing Christ and how he influences your life is so crucial, knowing the difference between words that come from men and words that come from God, and that can go hand in hand with talents and gifts too. Knowing whether or not your strengths or even weaknesses can become strengths too, and how you can turn those those talents into sharing the gospel, into sharing God's light. I don't know. So what I at least learned this week is that God does not complicate things. God is simple. And to know the difference between what influences you, between man and God. When the natural man, like it, mentions that the words of men are in a way flawed, that you shouldn't trust them, you shouldn't trust what the words of, like the knowledge that comes from man, because it's deceived in a way, like it's from your own perspective, it's your hypotheses or your emotions, in a way, and that can be strong. And when you know, when you try to share the gospel or whatever people, of course, are going to defend what they believe, defend what they think they know as what you think you know, and so that can over complicate things. And what I struggle with is I struggle with doubt. So when people kind of come at me when I am sharing something, I'm like I think I know what I'm talking about and like maybe you know more, I don't know, but it complicates things and that's how Satan can get to us, because it causes contention.
Speaker 2:And what I learned throughout this week is that to know what is true, to know how you can be a better disciple, is only by turning to God, turning to the word of God. There's only so much you can do by yourself, but even your talents and your strengths, what are you going to do to help bring that simplicity of the word of God, the simplicity of Christ's attributes, to others? And there was a verse that I loved so much. I don't let me look it up, but it said basically, I was not here to, I'm not here to baptize people. I'm here to preach, to teach the word of God, and I love that too, because that can go hand in hand with missionary work too and just being a disciple.
Speaker 2:Your role here I mean that's up to God is to convert them and transform them into who they were meant to be.
Speaker 2:But it's up to you on how you're going to preach the gospel.
Speaker 2:It's up to you and how you're going to give that light and spread it.
Speaker 2:It's by through your actions, through your talents, through your sacrifices. That is how you can be the Lord's hand here on earth. That's how he can minister and his grace can be shown is through your actions, and there's only so much you can do, right, like you can do all this stuff you can love and everything. But it's up to their agency and up to how God is going to use you and bring that light to whatever they need. So it's just a lot of thoughts that are coming into my mind, but I just feel like what you mentioning about how God has influenced you and brought you to the path that you're on is so strong and that people should realize that it just takes that sacrifice. You went on a mission and you went to school and I'm in that boat where I'm like I don't know what I'm going to do with my degree, but I'm just going to keep on going and hope that something works out. But in the end I know that it will benefit me. So I don't know. Dying would be the thought.
Speaker 1:Um, it's a great question. I was. I was thinking about a question. Um, that's kind of popping into my mind Just trying to follow the spirit. Cole, did you have anything to add to what Michaela was so beautifully saying before I changed the subject?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I was, um, I think, uh, the only thing that's come into my mind, michaela, is with you not knowing what you're going to do with your life. I guess, I think one of the things that comes to my mind, I think it was a elder bed in our quote. He said, uh, if it's a good idea, it's off the spirit, and if you feel like studying child development was a good idea, then I'm sure the Lord has some kind of purpose or some kind of plan in store for you with that degree, whether it's being a mother or we're doing something in that career field. I I couldn't tell you, cause I'm not God, but I can tell you that I'm sure he's got something in store.
Speaker 2:Mm, hmm, exactly, it just takes that, that first step. You can think all the things, you can hope all the things, but you got to do that first step in that action and God will take care of the rest. So that's kind of what I'm holding on to is like hey, well, I know that I like this and this will. This is what's going to keep me in school because I enjoy learning. I better hope that after four years that it gets me something. But now it's just that like just hoping that in some way it'll benefit me and bring me the good that I intentionally was that innocent Lee was going into. Is that degree, I guess?
Speaker 1:So I kind of like I kind of want to shift gears a little bit, but not too far. So it kind of sounds like like we've talked a lot about spiritual gifts, not too in depth, but we, we have established that everyone has their own spiritual gifts and we're all here for a reason. But I kind of wanted this shift gears and sounds like that's kind of what we, where we've been headed anyways. So I wanted to ask you how have you developed the ability to hear the Lord and receive revelation? What has that, what has that process looked like on your mission and how does it look like today?
Speaker 3:That's a great question. Um, I think the biggest way that it came to be on the mission. I mean, as you know, you're immersed in teaching people about the gospel and you meet so many different people every day and you and your companion spend hours praying about these individuals and asking the Lord for, for guidance on how to, how to help them. And I guess as you mature as a missionary and in general, you come to recognize when the Lord is prompting you and stuff by different feelings you get in your in your heart, or feelings of peace you get in your mind when it comes to an idea you and your companion might have for a specific lesson plan or something like that. And in regards to to the music stuff it's, it's kind of similar.
Speaker 3:When I have an idea like, say, there's someone I want to reach out to in the music industry who I've never spoken to before, where there's like a county fairboard I want to draft the proposal for and send them like my resume of who I've opened for and the things that I've accomplished and whatnot, I will sit and seek the spirit and pray and ask the Lord hey, what on earth do I say to this guy? Like, how do what? What do I need to say to get myself in the door Because this feels like something you want me to be doing with my life. And so I guess, just over time I've been doing music for about four years now and I guess just over those, over those four years, I've kind of come to, I guess, just recognize when I'm being spoken to by the Lord. I guess the trial and error of trying different things and then catastrophically backfiring to praying about it, trying something and getting asked to open for Libra. There's something like that. I love that.
Speaker 1:And I love what you said. You'll receive a prompting to talk to somebody and then you'll immediately go and pray about it and it's kind of like where where your focus is. I know that there was a general conference talk a few years or a couple of years ago maybe, I don't know. I feel like it was recent. They all blurried. But there was one where the gentleman that was speaking he talked about when he was learning to drive a car and he was just driving like he thought he should be driving, but then his dad and the passenger so he was getting super car sick he's like oh my gosh, you're all over the road. Like, don't focus on what's right in front of you, focus on what's ahead. And the message and I related to that like a ton because I was just I was like a ton because that's how I learned how to ride my dirt bike Right you focus further ahead on your trail and you plot your course through that.
Speaker 3:Yep, look at the ground in front of you. You're going to wipe out.
Speaker 1:Exactly, if you look at a cactus, you're going to hit a cactus. I've hit a lot of cactuses.
Speaker 3:Of course the horse is going to go where you're looking.
Speaker 1:Exactly, and so Going to go left, right, follow your path.
Speaker 1:Exactly, and so these that principle can be related to so many things. Of course it can be related to the gospel. You're only going to go where you're looking. And if you're looking at that sin or at the devil, if you're focusing on oh my gosh, like I'm such a sinful person, I keep making mistake over and over and over again, you're going to keep making that mistake. But if you focus on the Lord and you look at him, you look to him and he will help you out of any trial that you're in, any struggle that you're in.
Speaker 1:If you focus on the Lord and I think relating that to your story, to what you're doing, is as you're striving to build a reputation for yourself you have God in it. You're constantly focusing on him and it's like it's not my reputation, it's his right, yeah, and I love that so much. I think that's If anybody can take anything from this episode. I think that would be such an amazing thing to implement into their lives as to not strive to build up things for yourself, but to build it up for the Lord, to keep him as your focus Because, at the end of the day, like he's where we're trying to get right Exactly. That's right? Yeah, I want to.
Speaker 4:I have a story that I want to share with you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I want to. I have a scripture. I was reading Alma five last night and also great scripture has lots of powerful stuff in it. But it kind of goes in what we're talking about, how we can have our focus and like what that looks like on the Lord and not going astray and listening to the spirit, to the whisperings of Satan. And so it's Alma five, verse 37 and 38, up to 41. But I won't read all that. You guys can look it up if you really want to. But I'll just kind of go through it a little bit. But I'll read 37 and 38.
Speaker 2:It says oh ye, workers of iniquity, ye that are puffed up in the vain things of the world, ye that have professed to have known the ways of righteousness, nevertheless have gone astray as sheep having no shepherd. Notwithstanding. A shepherd hath called after you and is still calling after you, but ye will not hearken unto his voice. Behold, I say unto you that the good shepherd doth call you Ye, and in his own name he doth call you, which is the name of Christ. And if ye will not hearken unto the voice of the good shepherd, the name by which he are called, behold, ye are not the sheep of the good shepherd, so, and it just goes on up to 41. It's really, really good, but it just says that you know, like, if you don't focus on him, he's still calling your name, he's always going to be there. He's going to go and leave the 99 for the one, but are you going to listen to that voice? Are you going to listen to him and choose to still follow him? Because if you're, you know, prideful, if you, you know, are puffed up with the vain things of the world, if you follow the worldly things and not look unto the righteous stuff or turn to him, like immediately, which is so awesome, that's such a great example of instantly turning to the Lord for advice and seeking his guidance.
Speaker 2:If you don't get into that habit, you will slowly start walking away and not recognizing his voice. And so what are you going to do, like, what are you doing right now in your life? Are you being distracted by the worldly things? Are you going to do the things that allow you to hear his voice and see his light day by day? So when you are kind of lost or confused or struggling, you'll more easily hear his voice and recognize that he is there and that he is coming for you and he will always be there for you.
Speaker 2:So I just think it's very, very important that we all recognize what it's like to receive revelation, but also what it's like to have that relationship with God and knowing how to communicate with Him efficiently. And I just think it's so important to have that relationship too, because he knows you so well and he's always going to be there. But your choice is in your way of you know it's up to you to seek that relationship and have a friendship with Him, and it's up to you if you're going to leave that pathway open or make it more narrow and close it.
Speaker 1:And I had the thought, as Makayla was talking, it's like and I have a saying that the Lord has enough sheep. He needs more shepherds. And the thought that I just had is, like you know, like we know, that Jesus will leave the 99 and go for the one. But what if we're the way that he's doing that? What if he needs us to go find the 99 on His behalf, because we're? Here on the. I don't know. It was just kind of a sobering thought that I just like.
Speaker 3:I mean especially because, when we're baptized, we covenant with the Lord to be an example of Christ, to carry His name through our lives and make sure everybody around us knows hey, I'm a disciple of Jesus Christ, and so I completely believe that He'll use us to go find the one who's been separated from the herd.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, and so we need to be prepared to do such things. You know, we need to constantly surround ourselves, focus on the Savior and I think when we're focused on the Savior, when we're striving to search for the lost sheep you know, to leave the 99 and find that lost sheep the Lord will be with us and he will give us so much revelation because, you know, this is His work and His glory and if we can be instruments in, you know, completing that and furthering His work, then he will be right there next to us the whole way. And I think part of that goes into how we not only how we live our lives, but where we find success in life, such as your music career and, hopefully, this podcast. I'll do it. You guys out, that'd be awesome. But we, you know our Heavenly Father. He loves each and every one of us. He wants us to succeed in life, especially when we give ourselves to the Lord.
Speaker 1:And it's just like with our missions. We have been blessed so much, you and I both, and Makayla, her family. I know her family pretty well. I haven't talked to them in a while, but they're amazing people and they have been so blessed because of her older brother's missionary service. I served with her older brother. Oh, heck, yeah, and like, we have made that sacrifice and we've received so many blessings, but you don't have to serve a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to receive those same blessings. Heck, we as members are missionaries, right.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and so I think the thing coming home from my mission was a President Monson quote where he said something like now that you've got your tag removed from your shirt, it's time to paint it on your heart. There's something along those lines.
Speaker 3:I know it's been a few years since I got home, but just remembering that just kind of helped me make sure that as I went forward in the years after my mission that I included the Lord and that I made sure that everyone around me knew this is what I'm a part of. I'm not ashamed of it. You are welcome to investigate and join me if you feel so inclined.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, and I think the big thing there is not be ashamed of it, like I just went to Alaska and I was the only member in the entire town.
Speaker 3:Where in Alaska did you go?
Speaker 1:I was in Haynes. It's right by Skagway.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I know Well. I uh 2020, when you were locked down. I left and went to Alaska for three months. My buddy and I went and worked up there.
Speaker 1:Oh really, what did you work in?
Speaker 3:We worked for a hunting and fishing outfit, so we helped guide beers of the Black Bear Hunts and then helped people catch King Salmon come summertime.
Speaker 1:Heck, yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker 3:And same thing. It was he and I were the only members in the entire town.
Speaker 1:Everybody, everybody that I worked with, were a bunch of, so to say, hippies and throch, and they amazing people I learned it's a little different. Yeah, a little different, amazing, amazing people.
Speaker 3:I learned a lot from those guys, but like I especially learned how I don't want my life to be, but that's one of the biggest things I've noticed with with my music career is when I'm out in Nashville, A lot of the meetings that I have and a lot of the things that I do with people are in bars, and so it's a very I guess it's definitely not a spiritual environment by any means, but a lot of the guys that I've worked with and written with and stuff their lives have turned to crap because they become addicted to alcohol or they become addicted to drugs or to sex or other things like this and little by little they lose their humility and lose and turn away from God.
Speaker 3:And being able to see that from having served a mission and having a little bit of a different perspective on the Lord and how he works, I've been fortunate enough to steer away from some of that stuff and been able to actually teach the word of wisdom like three or four times and like a few different bars, which has been kind of fun.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I had a. When people ask you, hey, like you want to drink, and they offer you a beer and you have to say no, it's all my goodness. Such an amazing teaching opportunity.
Speaker 3:Or are they like, hey, can I get you something to drink? And I tell them ginger ale, and they're like what? They're like, what's wrong with you?
Speaker 1:And those are such awesome moments that you can just laugh about, but it definitely leaves an impression on the people more than you would think.
Speaker 3:One of the things that I do when I'm not on the road is I'm a full time hunting guide here in Utah for deer and elk and whatnot. And I was actually at the camp earlier today and one of the clients we had in camp we talked about that he converted from Islam to Christianity when he was a kid. He moved here from Iraq and he has the craziest background story, but anyway, we were talking and he actually offered me a beer this morning and then I said now he's like all right, well, you want to shot a whiskey? And I'm like no, I don't drink at all. He's like really, and so it, let me tell him, part of that is because of the religious beliefs that I have and in part I know it makes you stupid. I didn't tell him that part, but it was a good opportunity for me to show him like hey, I'm 24 years old but I'm drinking, and it kind of took a big part.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. Those are little seeds, little impressions that we can put into people's minds, because the people that I worked with in Alaska, worked with over the summer, they like Like, once they knew that I wouldn't drink, they would act differently around me and it's like you know, it's kind of contagious, right.
Speaker 5:Yes, yeah.
Speaker 1:So I don't know, that's something that's super cool to see and it's like oh, I forget who says it, but some one of the apostles said that we are a peculiar people. We're meant to stand out.
Speaker 3:Thank you as President Nelson.
Speaker 1:I was the president Nelson, I wouldn't. It's kind of what I was thinking. So I wouldn't be surprised if it was. But but we are meant to stand out and I think it's so easy. I used to do it especially. I don't know. I kind of love being in the spotlight, I love to talk, but then, once everybody's eyes are on me, I just like you know I cower back, but Believe it or not, we understand that. I'm sure you're pretty used to the spotlight.
Speaker 3:It's different when I'm singing. If I'm talking, then it's a whole other story.
Speaker 1:Exactly. And when talking about the gospel, like all of a sudden, I mean, I feel like I'm in this huge spotlight. You know what I'm saying. It's just like all eyes are on me when really there's not that many eyes on me, but it just feels that way. It feels like there's so much more at stake when we're talking about the gospel. And I used to cower, you know, because, like I don't want to portray something that's not true, right? But I think and if anybody else is struggling with this, any of our listeners like the advice that I would give and I'd open it up to you to give your advice as well on this but the advice that I would give is to just say it anyways. Say it, do your part, just speak words, and then Lord will take it from there, I think the fear that people get when it comes to sharing the gospel comes from the natural man.
Speaker 3:As we learn in the book of Mormon, the natural man is an enemy to God and I think that in part is because we fear the judgment of others who might not like members of the church or might not or may have had a bad experience with church members in the past, and so we we tend to fear that we're going to get judged by these people harshly. And I think once we move past that and focus on the fact that the Lord has asked us to share the gospel, he has asked us to stand alone and be a witness, then it becomes a lot easier to overcome that fear. I mean there's I can't remember where it was talked about, but it might have been President Hinkley, I don't remember for sure, but I remember a talk where they compared the gospel members of the church to being a White House on a hill in like a stormy sea. There's also that song the lower lights be burning and that ties into that. We're supposed to be this beacon that stands out, that is different than the rest of the horizon.
Speaker 3:President Monson said dare to be a Mormon, dare to make it known dare to be a Mormon, dare to stand alone. And I think when we truly love the Lord and we want him to know we love him, we will. We'll stand alone, we'll speak up for what we believe is right and we'll be blessed for it, because the Lord knows you're nervous about it. He knows that it's something you have to overcome and he recognizes that and will bless you for overcoming your fears in his name.
Speaker 2:I've had many moments for I mean growing up in Texas like it's completely diverse over there, so a lot, and it's in the Bible belt, so there's a lot of strong Baptists and Christians and Catholic like just everywhere, and one of my friends was she's a Baptist, but I would go over to like their Bible studies or whatever Many moments they would bring up Mormonism and have the fall of Christ in front of like 40 year olds.
Speaker 2:I had to stand up, being like a 16 year old and the strength that comes with that.
Speaker 2:Like I'm shy, I'm more of an introvert and so like especially standing up in front of like a ton of people who know what they're talking about too and like you know, they're just very knowledgeable with the Bible and in all that stuff, but sharing my testimony in front of all of them, like I felt all the eyes on me, but it wasn't as strong as how God strengthened me, if that makes sense. Like I felt like I wasn't even talking, like in those moments, like I felt like God was speaking through me and like I don't remember like half the things I've said, but like afterwards it was like silent and it was so like like there's a lot going on in the background right now and it felt like that, like no one knew what to do and I didn't know what to do. I was like I don't know what's going on, but like it just felt. I just felt so much love for them and like that's just how God was and it just I felt like I was in God's shoes but like I saw everyone how God sees us. And so don't be afraid to stand up, even though it's hard Like I know it's hard but like just stand up and share what you got to share, get it over with and, like God, take care of the rest.
Speaker 2:Like it's up to them how they're going to take it, but you did all you could.
Speaker 3:Exactly how it feels to serve a mission like to a T. That's how it works. You are a mouthpiece for the Lord and half the time Don't remember what you said or when you're giving a priest a blessing. It's literally a mouthpiece for the Lord. I don't remember anything. I say in half the blessings I give, but that, going back to what we talked about earlier, you don't have to serve a full time mission for the church to be a missionary, and what you just shared is a perfect example of that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely. I think those are some of the coolest moments, when it's like like you get put into a situation and everybody kind of seems like they're attacking you, but then you say something and you're like I don't know where that came from, and everyone's blown away just collectively and it's just like, oh my gosh, like God is with me and he is aware of me. I always feel so, so loved in those moments, just like God cares enough for Dallin butler to step in in this moment.
Speaker 1:Just how amazing is that? Yeah, we're kind of getting a little long, cole, but I had one request and you can say no if you would like to.
Speaker 3:Well don't you.
Speaker 1:I do want you to say oh shoot.
Speaker 3:I figured this was coming. Where's your?
Speaker 2:guitar at man.
Speaker 3:Oh, you got it handy. I keep it next to my desk just in case I get a vibration or whatever.
Speaker 1:That's awesome.
Speaker 3:All right. So this, this one I'm going to sing, actually kind of ties in with a little bit of what we've been talking about, but more so. It's like so the story behind this song. I met a guy named Pete Salas and he's been nominated for three or four Grammys. Here and there he's a, if you know, shut Up and Fish by Maddie and Tay. He wrote that song. He's written songs for Andy Grammar, for Philip Phillips and anyway, for some reason he was dumb enough to meet up with me and write a song.
Speaker 3:But we met together and it was shortly after that, shooting down in Texas at the Uvalde school, and we wanted to kind of write a song to give people hope in dark times and whatnot. And so we wrote this song called Hand of God, and basically the premise behind the song is if I were the hand of God, here's how I would make the world a better place, like if I had the power that God has. This is what I would do. Obviously we don't, but as instruments in the Lord's hands, we still have the power to make a difference on our own, in our own ways.
Speaker 3:And so this is called Hand of God.
Speaker 5:If I was the hand of God, black and white wouldn't be color and we'd all love one another. Every day, peace would be overflowing and every sunset would be golden. Parents wouldn't teach their kids to hate. Call me a dreamer, but I'm a believer that we could be better than yesterday. Call me crazy, but I'm thinking. Maybe we can make the world a better place. If I was the hand of God, there'd be no more war, no pieces on the floor from a broken heart. Every line would catch a fish. Every child got their wish when they see the night light up from a shooting star.
Speaker 5:Call me a dreamer, but I'm a believer that we could be better than yesterday. Call me crazy, but I'm thinking. Maybe we can make the world a better place If I was the hand of God. If you think that you can't make a difference with what you got, remember every tidal wave starts with a drop. Call me a dreamer, but I'm a believer that we could be better than yesterday. Call me crazy, but I'm thinking maybe we can make the world a better place. Well, I made this song come true and never stopped. If I was the hand of God, if I was the hand of God.
Speaker 1:That was absolutely awesome, thank you. Thank you so much for that. Where can people go to to find your music?
Speaker 3:You guys can find my music anywhere on Apple, Spotify, iTunes, Amazon, YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram. Just look up Cole Hartley.
Speaker 1:Cole Hartley, it was an absolute pleasure to have you on with us.
Speaker 3:It's been such a treat.
Speaker 2:Yes it's been awesome I love to have that private concert too. It's so awesome.
Speaker 3:I could indulge.
Speaker 1:I was just sitting there thinking like, wow, should I post this on my Snapchat story? No, I'll just sit here and enjoy it. Such a pleasure. Thank you so much. Thank you to our amazing listeners. Yeah, so check him out. Check out the Instagram. If you haven't checked that out yet, it is at rememberpodcast. What's your Instagram?
Speaker 1:It's at Cole, hartley Country. Give him a follow, give us a follow and thank you guys so much for listening to our amazing episode and listening to Cole. Thanks for that. Yeah, you guys take care and hear him or follow him, what is it? Remember him? Oh, my goodness, I was cutting that out. Remember him, thank you. Thank you.