When I read the history of the Jaredites, there seems to be one common theme that is the root of all of their problems:

Power.

“And he gave battle unto Shule the king, in which he did obtain the land of their first inheritance; and he became a king over that part of the land.” (Ether 7:16)

These men wanted power.

They wanted power over other people so that they could make them do whatever they wanted.

They wanted power to give themselves more privilege and leniency.

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

What a contrast to Jesus.

He was the perfect example of humble “servant-leadership”

— Someone who gains authority by SERVING others. ⁣

Now, not many of us are seeking high positions of power.

But all of us have had some kind of leadership positions…

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

So what’s our leadership style?

Do we assume that our title gives us power, and we look for ways to get even more?

Or do we take leadership roles as a chance to serve those “beneath” us so much that we build our own loving authority and influence?⁣

Good leaders see opportunities of greater responsibility as a chance to do even greater service!

“The world teaches that leaders must be mighty; the Lord teaches that they must be meek.” – Stephen W. Owen

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Powerful leaders  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. ⁣

I have faith that my destination will be even greater than what I have in mind.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post The wind doesn’t stop  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I’m not sure exactly the emotions, but I’m willing to bet there was anxiety.

Doubt.

Probably some fear.

All flashing through the Jaredites’ minds to some degree.

But what did the Jaredites choose to do?

“They did sing praises unto the Lord; yea, the brother of Jared did sing praises unto the Lord, and he did thank and praise the Lord all the day long; and when the night came, they did not cease to praise the Lord.” (Ether 6:9)

I’ve always loved the holiday of Thanksgiving!

It’s fun to hear all the people around me express their gratitude for the things they are thankful for.

But when we focus on our “gratitude list,” it can be easy to be jealous of what others have.

Or it can even be tempting to wallow in self-pity for what we are missing out on.

Instead, we can take inspiration from the Jaredites and feel joy and gratitude to the Lord no matter our circumstances.

“I’m suggesting that instead of being thankful for things, we focus on being thankful in our circumstances—whatever they may be.” – Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

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

Whether we are dealing with other really rough times.

Whether we are concerned for the wellbeing of others.

We can always choose to feel gratitude to the God who gives us life and love.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Gratitude in the barge  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.