What comfort this sweet sentence gives!

HE LIVES, HE LIVES, who once was dead.

HE LIVES, my ever-living Head.

HE LIVES to bless me with his love.

HE LIVES to plead for me above. 

HE LIVES my hungry soul to feed. 

HE LIVES to bless in time of need. 

HE LIVES to grant me rich supply.

HE LIVES to guide me with his eye.

HE LIVES to comfort me when faint.

HE LIVES to hear my soul’s complaint.

HE LIVES to silence all my fears.

HE LIVES to wipe away my tears.

HE LIVES to calm my troubled heart.

HE LIVES all blessings to impart.⁣

HE LIVES, my kind, wise heav’nly Friend.

HE LIVES and loves me to the end.

HE LIVES, and while he lives, I’ll sing.

HE LIVES, my Prophet, Priest, and King.

HE LIVES and grants me daily breath.

HE LIVES, and I shall conquer death.

HE LIVES my mansion to prepare.

HE LIVES to bring me safely there.⁣

HE LIVES! All glory to his name!

HE LIVES, my Savior, still the same.

Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:

“I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVES!”

It’s a song that we hear often, but one that you might be missing out on singing with a congregation today.

And in its words, it holds the greatest collection of truths I have ever found in one place about our Savior.

HE LIVES. And he has innumerable roles as he helps me to become more like him.
⁣
I find that different lines of this song stick out to me at different times in my life. Right now, I really like: HE LIVES, my hungry soul to feed.⁣

Which phrase is the one that stands out to you today?

There is no end to the blessings that come to us because HE LIVES. ⁣

Happy Easter! 

“The Resurrected Christ” by Wilson J. Ong

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Easter Sunday: HE LIVES first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I think everyone has wondered on this question at some point. ⁣

There are SO many people on the earth that still don’t know who Jesus Christ is.

And there are even fewer who see him as the Savior.

And there are even fewer who have actually been exposed to the full blessings of the gospel, with its saving ordinances.

But Christ answered this question, too. ⁣

In between his crucifixion and his resurrection, Christ was teaching the people who had already passed away in the spirit world. ⁣

He was with our glorious Mother Eve, Father Adam, and the faithful daughters and sons from throughout the generations.

And he was showing them how to preach the gospel to those who had not received it on earth. To those who had heard it and rejected it. To everyone.

What a merciful plan! ⁣

EVERYONE will get a chance to hear and accept the true gospel. ⁣

“The dead who repent will be redeemed.”

It’s a continuation of the perfect messages from Easter Week:

We are NEVER too far away for his redeeming love.

AND those who know the truth that our Savior is our redeemer, share that knowledge.

*I recommend reading D&C 138 sometime today to read President Joseph F. Smith’s miraculous revelation.*

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post The Spirit World – SATURDAY first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Make sure to read Matthew 27 sometime on this Good Friday. It will bring tears to your eyes. ⁣

There was nothing fair about his “trial”⁣

The soldiers stripped him and put him in a scarlet robe⁣

They put a crown of thorns on his head⁣

They bowed down on one knee, mocking him and saying “Hail, King of the Jews”⁣

They spit on him and hit him on the head with a reed⁣

They gave him vinegar to drink⁣

They cast lots for his clothes⁣

They wrote THIS IS JESUS KING OF THE JEWS above his cross⁣

They mocked him as he hung on the cross⁣

AND THEN JESUS cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”⁣

Christ was asking, begging, pleading why his Father in Heaven had forgotten about him. ⁣

Why had these people been allowed to be so cruel, so purely evil to the Savior of the world?⁣

I don’t know the intricacies of the answer, but I guarantee that Heavenly Father had NOT forgotten about His Only Begotten Son, the Lamb of God, who was being mocked, tortured, and slain. ⁣

Christ’s crucifixion teaches us that we are NEVER forgotten by our God above. 

Even when it feels like we have been. 

Even when terrible things are happening to us. ⁣

But it’s also okay to FEEL like we might be forgotten in our lowest lows. Christ did. ⁣

Because the greatest miracle of all time was just three days away. God knew the suffering would come to an end. He knew the big picture. ⁣

And God knows the big miracles that are just around the corner for us. ⁣

THAT is what is GOOD about this Friday: What is to come.

“Christ at the Cross” by Carl Bloch

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Crucifixion – GOOD FRIDAY first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

The event that saved the souls of everyone who had lived or would yet live upon the earth.

One of the “three pillar” most important events in the history of the world. ⁣

An event that is important for literally everyone, yet still feels so personal and intimate.

And despite its grandiose significance, here is what my big brother’s atoning sacrifice means to me.
⁣

• Because of my Savior’s atoning sacrifice on this day in the Garden of Gethsemane, I know that I WILL mess up, and I WILL get to try again. ⁣

• ️ Because of Him, I know that I am always loved. ⁣

• ️Because of Him, I know that I will be judged with grace and understanding for everything I have done. And I can extend that same grace and understanding to those around me. ⁣

• ️Because of Him, I know that I can keep working on my weaknesses. ⁣

• ️Because of Him, I know I can do hard things. ⁣

• ️Because of Him, I know how to love and serve others better. ⁣

• ️Because of Him, I know exactly the person I am striving to be, and I won’t give up until I get to become her. ⁣

• ️Because of Him, I have direction and peace in my life. ⁣

️⁣I would recommend taking some time to write down some things that our Savior’s atoning sacrifice means in your life sometime today.

If you’d be willing to share some reasons, I’d love to hear them too.

Let’s #sharegoodness and get our minds prepared for a historic and solemn fast for Good Friday. 

 Artwork: “The Agony in the Garden” by Frans Schwartz

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Garden of Gethsemane – THURSDAY first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

If this is a thought you’ve had run through your mind recently, you are not alone.

Christ taught his disciples about the signs of the Second Coming through preaching some of his most famous and most poignant parables. ⁣⁣

1️⃣ Do we have oil in our lamp?⁣⁣

2️⃣ Have we multiplied our talents? ⁣⁣

3️⃣ Are we serving those who are in need around us?⁣⁣

THAT’S how we prepare for the Second Coming. ⁣⁣These are all deep personal development questions.

⁣⁣- Are we filling our spiritual oil lamps each day? Are we adding good, uplifting things to our mind?⁣⁣

– Are we growing as a person? Do we take the time to understand the spiritual and physical talents God has already blessed us with, and then actually use them? Do we try new things, no matter our age or experience?⁣⁣

– Do we serve those who are in need around us? Do we see a need and jump into action instead of waiting for them to “let us know”?⁣⁣

THIS is the spiritual inventory to take to prepare for the Second Coming. Not getting caught up in the signs (although those are great to study and be aware of). ⁣⁣

These are some heavy questions to consider and be honest with yourself about. They are lifelong goals. ⁣

And I think they would make a perfect inventory to take this week in particular.⁣

The cool thing is, is that our Heavenly Father wants us to meet these goals too. He will help us.⁣⁣We just have to ask with real intent.

When we do this, we will be given experiences that will help us improve our personal study, multiply our talents, and serve others.

And that’s the best preparation we can make, no matter when we will see him again.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Teaching about the Second Coming – WEDNESDAY first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Many leaders, threatened by Christ’s natural power, conspired and asked him questions with the intent to make him contradict himself. ⁣

They asked where he got his power and authority from. ⁣
Christ taught them about hypocrisy through multiple parables. ⁣

They asked him if it was lawful to pay taxes. ⁣
He told them, “Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites”?⁣

The Sadducees and Pharisees were asking about taxes and power and authority. But Christ knew they needed to learn lessons about being humble and getting rid of hypocrisy before they would even appreciate the answers to the questions they asked. ⁣

Sometimes WE are the ones asking our Savior difficult questions.

Questions that truly confuse and baffle us. Questions that seem really important. Questions we long to know the answer to. ⁣

We think we don’t get an answer. ⁣

BUT what if he is responding to what the real problem is? ⁣

What if he is teaching us the things we need to do and to change in our lives BEFORE we will even begin to understand the answers he would love to give us?⁣

Food for thought.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Teaching in Jerusalem – TUESDAY first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

How dare people set up businesses within the temple, right?⁣

But people traveled a long distance to get to temples in those days.

They needed a sacrificial animal, and so someone decided to sell doves to make it convenient.

The travelers had different currency than the local town, so they needed a money exchange for convenience to buy these doves. ⁣

I can’t help but think of the phrase “careful or casual”. ⁣

Casual worship often means convenient worship. ⁣

Are we more inclined to live our religion and show devotion to God when it is convenient? Do we bend some rules here and there because it’s just a whole lot easier than keeping a commandment ALL the time? Do we hope that someone at the temple can exchange our money and give us a sacrificial animal? ⁣

On the other hand, careful worship is often difficult worship. It is inconvenient. ⁣

It means staying up a few extra minutes to get that studying in. It means going out of your way to check on someone in need. It means time and sometimes even money. It means preparing to go in to the temple far before you step on temple grounds. ⁣

Christ reminds us during this Holy Week that convenient, casual worship is not acceptable in the House of the Lord. ⁣

He is looking for devoted, careful worshippers.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Cleansing the Temple – MONDAY first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Christ made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem for what he knew was the beginning of the end of his life, less than a week away.

People lined the streets and shouted HOSANNA.

What a beautifully symbolic and reverent experience to participate in a Hosanna shout as we commemorate the original Hosanna shout.

Palm leaves. White handkerchiefs. Hands.

We unite with saints past, present, and future, in waving and shouting.

JOY
ENERGY
REVERENCE ⁣
EXCITEMENT ⁣
GRAVITY⁣
LOVE⁣

All of these emotions encompassed in one single word: HOSANNA.

And that word reminds us that we can find these complicated but important emotions each and every day.

We can find HOSANNA moments.
At a repetitive job.
After taking care of a baby all day.
After writing yet another paper.
After staying inside day after day.
After a historic proclamation is read to the world.

When some person is just riding a donkey into town.

It’s because of our intention and our testimonies.

When we understand who our Savior is, then we look for and FIND all the good, God-filled moments around us. ⁣

What an emotional and memorable beginning to Easter Week. #PalmSunday

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post The Triumphal Entry – SUNDAY first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.