In both a priesthood blessing and a group prayer that were offered while waiting for emergency medical personnel to arrive, while the fate of this individual was still unknown, there was a unique experience. ⁣

No one prayed for nor was this person blessed with healing. ⁣

All of the blessings were for comfort for family members and for those of us in the room. ⁣

Everyone knew, in an unspeakable, powerful way, that healing was not what we should be praying for. ⁣

Some of my most holy moments have been similar, in much less dramatic ways.

Where it wasn’t me praying for my own will, but instead feeling my will being distinctly pulled to my Father’s will. ⁣

Moroni promised us that:

“Whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him.” (Mormon 9:21)⁣

But Moroni also clarified how we know that our prayers will truly be answered. ⁣

We must “ask with a firmness unshaken”. (Mormon 9:28)⁣

That is what the “unshaken firmness” feels like to me. ⁣

It’s when I’m praying with such pure intent and faith that I feel my will being gently molded and aligned. ⁣

Father and child. ⁣

I know what to ask for, and what not to ask for. ⁣

The job, the friend, the mission, the child, the opportunity. ⁣

My will is aligned. ⁣

And with firmness unshaken, I know that the prayer will be answered.

“Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other”. (Bible Dictionary, Prayer)

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Firmness unshaken first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Bosses can be inconsistent.

Friends can be selfish.

Spouses can be forgetful. ⁣

Prophets (like Moroni admits) can have terrible writing or speaking skills.

It’s all normal. ⁣

In church, we like to say, “Nobody’s perfect.” ⁣

We say it matter-of-factly, throw it into lessons and talks, and sometimes even chuckle while we say it. ⁣

But then we have to actually interact with each other!

Those imperfections can become roadblocks ranging from frustrating to full-on impossible to work with. ⁣

This is life. ⁣

⁣But Moroni reminds us of an important element to dealing with imperfections in other people:

“⁣Condemn me not because of mine imperfection.”(Mormon 9:31)

While we most certainly are aware of the weaknesses of the people we interact with every day, we should not CONDEMN others because of them.

Judging, criticizing, or labeling people by the worst things they’ve done isn’t what the Savior does.

We honestly just can’t avoid noticing other people’s imperfections.

But we can avoid using other people’s imperfections to condemn them.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Rude people first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Dressing up nicely?

Caring for the things that we own?⁣

These are the questions that swirl in my head when I read Mormon 8:37:⁣

“Ye do love money, and your substance, and your fine apparel…”⁣

The remainder of verse 37 seems to have the answer, though.⁣

“MORE THAN ye love the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted.”⁣

What do we love MORE?

Looking great and making lots of money? ⁣

Or caring for the less-fortunate around us?⁣

As with almost every gospel principle, it’s a subject that’s difficult to judge from the outside, looking at others.⁣

(Actually, it’s pretty easy to judge other people about this, but very difficult to ACCURATELY judge, no matter how well we know them.)⁣

There are wealthy people with beautiful homes who open up their house for every occasion, give generously, and love the Lord. ⁣

And there are wealthy people who let their abundance turn into fulfilling selfish desires and stinginess.

There are people who love enhancing their beauty with makeup and cute clothes, but aren’t afraid to get dirty in the name of service, or donate items they no longer need.⁣

And there are people who let their pride keep them from being seen in ways that wouldn’t keep up with their appearance.⁣

It’s okay to seek for a better-paying job in order to create financial stability, to buy new clothes that help you feel amazing, to enjoy your latest gadget that you saved up for…⁣

But it’s when these things become MORE THAN our love for God and our fellow man, that we can’t possibly imagine living without them, that we lose our gratitude and humility…⁣

That’s when they become sins.⁣

So what can we control?

It actually doesn’t matter how much money you have in your bank account, or how many clothes are in your closet, in order to fall victim to LOVING them more than God and others.⁣

Which makes this a beautiful month to use our gratitude to reflect on what we’ve been given from God, and how we can use however little or however much we’ve been given in order to build up the kingdom of God.

Make sure we can always confidently say that we love God more.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Which do we love more?  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

First:

I was in a church class where everyone commiserated about how difficult it is to read their scriptures every day.

Many people confessed how often they forget to read.

Now, studying scriptures is a habit that is pretty solid in my life and their study is a skill that comes pretty naturally to me.

So I started thinking about how I must be doing a great job!

Second:

I was in a group discussion where everyone started talking about how they’ve learned to be good ministering sisters.

Everyone was sharing about great opportunities they’ve had to reach out and connect in divine ways.

I wasn’t doing all the great thing these sisters were doing.

I started thinking that I was completely inadequate and failing at living the gospel.

What was wrong with BOTH of these situations?!

For better and for worse, I was judging and justifying my own righteousness based solely on what other people around me were or weren’t doing.

But what does Moroni advise us?

“Come unto the Lord with all your heart, and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him.” (Mormon 9:27)

Before who?

Before HIM.

We are asked to humbly and sincerely work out our own salvation directly with the Savior.

Our salvation isn’t worked out by comparing ourselves to what our neighbors are doing.

I may have a lot of room to improve on my scripture study, regardless of the struggles of people around me.

I may be doing the absolute best ministering that I can do right now, regardless of the strengths of the people around me.

Or maybe not.

But the people around me don’t affect my salvation.

And I want to do better at working out my own salvation directly before the Lord.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post I am the best… and the worst first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.