I’ve had a lot of vivid and realistic dreams lately. Probably a side effect of needing to wake up every few hours ????‍????⁣

Isn’t it funny how when you are in the middle of a dream, it seems real?⁣

There are weird, vague events. Sudden scenery changes. Mergers of different people that we know. ⁣

And we just go along with it!⁣

But then we wake up. ⁣

And suddenly, it is clear that THIS is reality. ⁣

It seems strange to have even believed that our abstract dreams were reality. ⁣

There are times in my life when I have felt like I was dreaming when it came to my spiritual connection to God. ⁣

I didn’t fully realize that I was dreaming at the time. It seemed like it was just reality. God just seemed like a tricky person to actually connect with. Not much I could do about it. ⁣

And then something wakes me up. ⁣

Sometimes it’s a big trial that humbles me. Sometimes it’s a powerful talk or lesson. Sometimes it’s a spiritual awakening in a haphazard personal study.

But all of a sudden, I REALIZE how “asleep” I had been in my worship. ⁣

And the contrast is stark to feeling AWAKE. ⁣

I become an active participant in my spiritual progression. I feel the connection to God. I reach out to people around me and share my light. ⁣

Sometimes, we just need a reminder to AWAKEN our souls. ⁣

But this can be tricky when we don’t even recognize how spiritually asleep we are. ⁣

Nephi’s passionate plea, “Awake my soul!” can remind us that we have the power to wake ourselves up from our dreamlike state. ⁣

We can wake up and take the reigns of our relationship with God. We can wake up and choose to act. We can wake up and share our testimony with others. ⁣

Awake, my soul!

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Awake, my soul! first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

And what did these newly dubbed “Nephites” do in order for Nephi to claim that they lived after the manner of happiness?

• tried to keep all of the commandments (v10)
• planted food and raised animals for their future needs (v11)
• brought the scriptures (v12)
• prepared for their enemy’s inevitable arrival (v14)
• learned new skills working with new materials (v15)
• built a temple (v16)
• worked hard with their hands so that they weren’t idle (v17)

So does this mean that all the Nephites were happy all the time?

Of course not. 

But when we live after the MANNER of happiness, I believe we give ourselves the best fighting chance to feel that happiness every day. 

What can we learn from this pattern that the Nephites set for us? 

Here are just a few parallels:

• do our best to keep the commandments
• prepare for the future the best we can (financially, food storage, wise decisions) 
• make the scriptures an important part of our lives
• prepare ourselves before temptations and trials inevitably come
• learn new skills (professionally, spiritually, personally)
• make the temple an important part of our lives
• avoid extensive periods of idleness 

THIS is how we set ourselves up for success! 

We live after the MANNER of happiness – knowing that hard times and sorrow will still be there. 

But making it as easy as possible to feel that happiness each day!

What helps YOU live after the manner of happiness each day? Share by commenting below, or adding your comments to my Instagram post!

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post The manner of happiness first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

How does this emotion play a role in your life?

Pres Uchtdorf taught:

“When someone opposes or disagrees with us, it’s tempting to assume that there must be something wrong with them. And from there it’s a small step to attach the worst of motives to their words and actions…

“When we do so with anger or hate in our hearts—when we lash out at others to hurt, shame, or silence them—chances are we are not doing so in righteousness.”

In Nephi’s record, he refers to ANGER quite often.

Usually, his brothers are angry at Nephi for their circumstances.

Other times, his brothers are angry because they have been rebuked.

And yet, even when Nephi was tied up and in dire situations, he never felt anger toward his brothers.

Do we attach “good intentions” to our actions while automatically assuming everyone else who disagrees with us is motivated by hate or selfishness?

That’s what brews anger.

Or do we recognize that our own discipleship has pretty much nothing to do with the actions of people around us – that we have been commanded to love our enemies?

In Nephi’s tender lamentation, he mourns that he feels anger because of Satan’s hold in his life.

Anger at ourselves for our sins is a fruitless endeavor, too.

We can’t hate ourselves into righteousness, and Nephi recognized his own tendencies to feel anger because of his sins and temptations.

Nephi knew that eliminating anger in his life meant always showing love to his brothers, but also finding peace within his own mind.

Love for our enemies, and love for ourselves.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Angry at ourselves? first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

We talk of trials and afflictions and tend to think of the “big ones” in our lives. ⁣

But honestly?⁣

Most of my afflictions are small.

Monday mornings. Lack of sleep. Crying kid. Bad attitudes. Lists of chores and errands. Not enough time. Small miscommunications with friends. Frustrations. Too many commitments. ⁣

Does God consecrate these small (but many) afflictions for my gain, too?⁣

I think 2 Nephi chapter 2 explains this perfectly over and over again:⁣

It is my choice whether or not to accept that my Heavenly Father will dedicate these mundane trials for my ultimate benefit. ⁣

Am I going to use my kid having a meltdown as fuel for my frustration OR as a way for me to practice my patience and love?⁣

Am I going to let my to-do list add to my overwhelm OR use it to practice prioritizing what matters most? ⁣

Chapter 2 is one of the most empowering chapters in the Book of Mormon because it’s a fresh reminder that we are in control of our ultimate fate. ⁣

And I love the reminder that we are also in control of how much we allow God unto our lives. ⁣

Do we only wait until a big trial drags us to our knees in desperation?⁣

Or do we call on His help and consecration for the daily afflictions that every “natural man” experiences, knowing that they can all be for our gain?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Afflictions: Big and small first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Performing in this choir concert requires a lot of standing still, crowded by people all around you, lots of hot bright lights shining on you, major breath support, and not a lot of eating or bathroom breaks.

I was 8 months pregnant at the time.

I knew it was going to be rough.

I did my best to prepare for Thursday night, but I was honestly pretty miserable. I left to drive home at 10:30 pm, just grateful that I had survived and determined to last two more nights.

On Friday, I drove to the concert with a friend in the choir. She talked about how cool Thursday’s performances were. How she felt the spirit so strongly. How she felt the joy of singing in a high quality choir with orchestra.

I nodded and said, “yeah!”, but in my head I thought, “Yeah, I’m just in survival mode right now. I think my ‘joy’ will come from not passing out!”

Our director gathered us together for warmups and some final run-throughs before the first concert started.

Then, our director said, in the kindest way: “Stop being miserable. This is hard for everyone. My shoulder is killing me from conducting. Everyone’s feet and backs hurt. Some of you are in deep emotional pain.

“Stop thinking you have it worse than everyone else.

“And start focusing on why you are here. Invite the spirit to be with you. Share your joy with the audience. Share your testimonies of the Savior. Don’t throw away this experience just because you are in pain.”

Woah. Talk about a message meant straight for me.

Joy.

It is not the absence of pain. It is not the absence of sorrow.

It is focusing on the Savior, even when enduring hard things.

I learned through those concerts that I can be in pain and be miserable OR I can be in pain and still feel pure joy.

I felt the spirit. I shared the spirit. I sang the best that I could and felt the power of singing with choir and orchestra. And in our final song, “Joy to the World”, I felt JOY.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Feeling joy AND pain first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.