“He did ease the burden of the people, by which he did gain favor in the eyes of the people.” (Ether 10:10)

He took away all of their grievous taxes and let them live wonderful lives!

But the catch?

“He did do justice unto the people, BUT NOT unto himself because of his many whoredoms; wherefore he was cut off from the presence of the Lord.” (Ether 10:11)

He sought to gain favor with his subjects and to ease their burdens.

But he never turned to the Lord and repented of sins.

He was a blessing outwardly to many people, but he didn’t save his own soul and turn to the Lord.

Did you know it’s possible to do good things without gaining a relationship with Christ?

It’s possible to go to church and fulfill your calling just to socialize.

It’s possible to pay tithing just to keep your temple recommend, so you aren’t left out of the temple for the upcoming wedding.

It’s possible to post a bunch of #givethanks pictures just so other people don’t judge you for not doing it. 

But…

We often hear that we gain testimonies of principles as we follow them – so how do we do this without being hypocrites?

I think it all comes down to one thing.

Desire.

When we are struggling to want to go to church in order to worship the Lord, we can still go with a desire to want to go to church more often in the future.

If paying tithing becomes a big challenge, we can still pay it with a desire to gain a stronger testimony of it in the future.

If we don’t want to participate in another social media challenge, we can try to post with a desire that it will become more authentic and fill us with gratitude and peace.

Doing righteous actions is fantastic. Blessing lives through our example, our service, our money, our testimony… that is amazing.

But are we neglecting our own hearts? Or are we using our actions to turn our hearts to our Savior?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Actions and desire first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Power.

Power over people.

Power to make them do whatever you want.

Power to give yourself more privilege and leniency.

People wanted power, and they were willing to do whatever it took, including destroying families and friends, to grab it and keep it.

What a contrast to Jesus, right?!

He was the perfect example of humble “servant-leadership” – someone who gains authority by serving others.

I want to follow my Savior, not because I am told to, but because of what he has done for me.

He’s paid the ultimate price for me, and given me the ultimate service.

And that’s why I choose to follow.

Not many of us are seeking high positions of power, but all of us have had some kind of leadership positions.

In church callings, in work, and even as parents.

So what’s our leadership style?

Is it to assume that our title gives us power, or to seek for even more?

Or is it to serve those “beneath” us so much, that we build our own loving authority and influence?

I think of the leaders that I’ve loved and admired in my life.

The teachers who reached out to me and asked how I was doing. The bishops who were willing to help out or speak. The bosses who would help me improve and provide me with resources. The leaders who are always available with a listening ear.

That’s really what makes a good leader – those who see it as a greater service opportunity.

And I look at our beloved prophet.

He’s a natural leader. Not because he was given a title. But because he cares about those whom he serves. He teaches, guides, serves, prays for, and blesses.

That is true leadership.

Seek to serve, and not to gain power.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Servant-leadership first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Knowing that there was no way to steer?

Commending yourself entirely to the Lord your God?

What anxiety, doubt, and fear I’m sure flashed through their minds.

But what did they CHOOSE to do?

They sang praises to the Lord.

They thanked the Lord all day long.

And when the night came?

They didn’t cease to praise the Lord.

Thanksgiving always brings a special spirit to me.

I’m not sure why, but I’ve always loved it.

And I think this Thanksgiving gives us a special opportunity to reflect:

Have we lost ourselves in the “list” of things we are thankful for, sometimes wallowing in what isn’t on the list, or jealous of what we think should be on the list?

Or have we used this year to practice our attitude of gratitude?

We don’t have to be grateful for 2020.

We can be. But we don’t have to have it on our list.

President Uchtdorf put it so eloquently:

“This type of gratitude transcends whatever is happening around us. It surpasses disappointment, discouragement, and despair. It blooms just as beautifully in the icy landscape of winter as it does in the pleasant warmth of summer.”

We are grateful to God IN our circumstances.

Whether we are trapped in a tiny, wooden barge, traveling hundreds of miles through the ocean.

Or whether we are dealing with job loss, loss of loved ones, financial insecurity, faith crises, or any other type of despair.

We can develop and show gratitude.

Through prayers, through scripture study, through service, and through singing.

We can always feel gratitude.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Singing praises first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

And I realized how grateful I am that I haven’t had to deal with that.

With a two-year-old and a baby, I haven’t needed to explain to them how the world is different right now.

I haven’t needed to explain why things are cancelled or changed.

I haven’t had to deal with any fear or anxiety on their parts.

But, I know that as they grow up, there are going to plenty of tumultuous and horrifying events that will rock their worlds.

And I’ll have to address all of these conversations I’m being spared right now.

As the Jaredites crossed the ocean, they were buried in the depths of the water.

“When they were buried in the deep there was no water that could hurt them, their vessels being tight like unto a dish”. (Ether 6:7)

They couldn’t be harmed by the water, because their vessel was tight.

Imagine that sense of security – knowing that the thing you are in is so impenetrable that it doesn’t matter if you encounter a giant whale, a huge wave, or anything else.

You know you’ll be safe because nothing can get in.

And so I’ve been thinking a lot recently about how I want my family environment to be tight like a dish.

To immerse our family in so much prayer, scripture study, service, family fun, temple work, church activities…

That there is no room for the adversary’s storms to enter.

I want to show my kids that while we absolutely cannot control what goes on around us, there is no reason to feel fear.

Of course, we are mortal, and valid anxiety and emotions will seep through from the heavy weight of the water.

But we can continue making our vessel as tight as possible.

We can create and feel security that will carry us emotionally through the tumultuous waves outside.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Tight like unto a dish first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

It seems like the winds never stop.

I try to block things out for a bit – but when I resurface with my emotions, the wind is still there.

I keep trying, but I can’t get rid of it.

It can be exhausting.

To want to fix a problem. To want to eliminate the wind and keep the calm sea for just a bit. To feel in control.

But the wind still blows.

And so these two verses jumped out to me:

“The Lord God caused that there should be a furious wind blow upon the face of the waters…” (Ether 6:5)

“The wind did never cease to blow…” (Ether 6:8)

The Jaredites experienced constant and furious winds.

For weeks and months on end, the wind blew and there wasn’t a thing they could do about it.

But guess which part of the scriptures actually jumped out to me?

The second half.

Read those same verses again, now with the endings added:

“The Lord God caused that there should be a furious wind blow upon the face of the waters, towards the promised land.” (Ether 6:5)

“The wind did never cease to blow towards the promised land.” (Ether 6:8)

The winds weren’t blowing just for fun. The Lord didn’t forget about calming the sees of their journey.

The winds were exactly what was driving them towards the Promised Land.

Maybe some Jaredites prayed for the wind to stop or at least slow down.

But that actually would have gone against their prayers for safety on their journey.

The winds WERE the answer. They were what was driving them towards the result they wanted. The result He knew they needed.

And so I received the reminder I so desperately needed.

I don’t think my winds are going anywhere right now.

Because they are actually blowing me towards my destination.

Thanks, furious, never-ending wind.

Artwork: Jonathan Arthur Clarke

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Where the winds blow first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.