Martin had felt a pull to this young Joseph, and wanted to help him financially. ⁣

He went on a journey of “proof” to find professors in New York who could verify the ancient letters. ⁣

He felt like he needed to volunteer to scribe for Joseph. ⁣

And his wife thought this was all one big deception. ⁣

And the two of them temporarily moving into the Smith home for the translation just made things worse. ⁣

Lucy was skeptical, sneaky, and just a not-so-great guest. ⁣

And so Martin had an idea after his wife returned back home:⁣

If he could just show her some of these beautiful messages that he had been writing down, he could change her mind toward this whole operation, and ultimately, restore his image in her eyes. ⁣

But the Lord said no. ⁣

But… did the Lord really understand how embarrassing this might be for Martin to continue helping Joseph while his wife spiraled?

Did the Lord get that people were making fun of Martin for giving Joseph money?⁣

Did the Lord know that Martin’s life would be a whole lot harder if there wasn’t any proof?⁣

Of course the Lord did. ⁣

Because the Lord asks us to do really hard things. ⁣

He asks us to put Him above all. ⁣

Above being popular. Above being stylish. Above being funny. Above being well-respected. Above being rich. Above having power. ⁣

Above being liked. ⁣

Above everything we often crave. ⁣

And it’s easier said than done. ⁣

But it’s the most important choice we learn to make –

Out of the Lord or our peers, who do we want to “save face” with more? ⁣

Whose opinion matters more right now?

“While it certainly takes courage to face perils, the true badge of courage is overcoming the fear of men.” – Lynn G. Robbins

“You should not have feared man more than God.” (D&C 3:7)

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post  Lucy and Martin  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

In Spot-It, there is a stack of circular cards, and each card is filled with multiple various pictures.

But here’s the mind-blowing part:

You can pick up ANY two cards from the deck, and ONE AND ONLY ONE picture matches between the two cards.

I recently decided to play the game with my daughter, and we had fun looking at random pairs of cards and trying to find the singular picture that matched.

The concept may sound simple.

But some of the matching pictures take a surprisingly long amount of time to find!

There were many moments when I wanted to say, “I promise, there is no match on these cards!”

But each time I was sure there was no match, I would tell myself:

“They wouldn’t create an impossible game.”

That assurance gave me the confidence to keep looking until I found the answer.

Because I wouldn’t actually give up if I knew there really was an answer I would find any second.

When we look at God’s commandments, He will never ask us to do something impossible.

No commandment comes without a way to obey.

No temptation comes without an escape path.

The Lord promises, “I will provide means whereby thou mayest accomplish the things which I have commanded thee.” (D&C 5:34)

Take a second right now and think of the one commandment you struggle the most to obey.

Remind yourself, “There IS a way.”

Temptation is not a game with a nonexistent solution.

We CAN obey the most difficult commandments.

We CAN avoid our greatest temptations.

God has provided us with a way.

And the assurance that this IS possible can give us the confidence to keep trying.

“Your greatest protection against temptation is an active and vibrant testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which binds us to our Heavenly Father.” – Rulon G. Craven

Do you know the game “Spot-It”?

It’s one of my favorites.

In Spot-It, there is a stack of circular cards, and each card is filled with multiple various pictures.

But here’s the mind-blowing part:

You can pick up ANY two cards from the deck, and ONE AND ONLY ONE picture matches between the two cards.

I recently decided to play the game with my daughter, and we had fun looking at random pairs of cards and trying to find the singular picture that matched.

The concept may sound simple.

But some of the matching pictures take a surprisingly long amount of time to find!

There were many moments when I wanted to say, “I promise, there is no match on these cards!”

But each time I was sure there was no match, I would tell myself:

“They wouldn’t create an impossible game.”

That assurance gave me the confidence to keep looking until I found the answer.

Because I wouldn’t actually give up if I knew there really was an answer I would find any second.

When we look at God’s commandments, He will never ask us to do something impossible.

No commandment comes without a way to obey.

No temptation comes without an escape path.

The Lord promises, “I will provide means whereby thou mayest accomplish the things which I have commanded thee.” (D&C 5:34)

Take a second right now and think of the one commandment you struggle the most to obey.

Remind yourself, “There IS a way.”

Temptation is not a game with a nonexistent solution.

We CAN obey the most difficult commandments.

We CAN avoid our greatest temptations.

God has provided us with a way.

And the assurance that this IS possible can give us the confidence to keep trying.

“Your greatest protection against temptation is an active and vibrant testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which binds us to our Heavenly Father.” – Rulon G. Craven

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Spot-It first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I had just met a cute guy named Kyle, things were going well, but I still felt like I wanted to serve a mission. ⁣

I asked Heavenly Father over and over in prayer to point me in the right direction, and I finally heard a weighty answer:

“You can decide. Whatever you want to do.”⁣

I realized that I was going to have to make this decision and own it. ⁣

After a lot of deliberation, I solemnly but excitedly decided to forgo the mission. ⁣

I made Kyle promise me that we would serve a mission someday as a couple, because I didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to serve. ⁣

Now, I still totally want to serve a full-time mission when I’m older, but I’m also realizing that I kind of missed the point. ⁣

We are reminded by the Lord’s revelation to Joseph Smith Sr. that “if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work”. (D&C 4:3)⁣

Desires = mission call. ⁣

Instead of packing up my entire life and moving across the world though, I get the crazy, scary, exciting, agency-packed honor of picking my mission.

Each of us with a desire to serve gets to create exactly how and when we serve!⁣

Maybe you have created your own custom mission call to lift up those who are having hard times around you. ⁣

Maybe you have created your own custom mission call to spread light to your coworkers every day. ⁣

Maybe your call is to teach the rising generation of the saints how to eat their vegetables and share toys and use the toilet. ⁣

Maybe your call is to organize service activities with precision and enthusiasm. ⁣

Maybe your call is to work on strengthening your own testimony for a bit before you have the opportunity to share it with other people. ⁣

The possibilities are endless, and constantly evolving, and extremely personal. ⁣

So what does your mission call look like today?⁣

How can you help build the kingdom?⁣

How can you help gather scattered Israel?⁣

What’s your custom mission call?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Congrats on your call!  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Shoutout to Jansport for making the most durable backpacks ever.

Because that black with purple and blue polka dotted backpack went through A LOT in those 9 years.

Countless heavy textbooks, notebooks stuffed with papers and assignments, lunchboxes, water bottles, a laptop…

I just look at that backpack (which I still have and use for travel now)…

And my back starts to ache.

So heavy.

I’m guessing I’m not alone when I say that I grew up viewing repentance as a punishment—

Something you “have to do” after messing up.

Repentance seemed like a complicated list of steps I had to endure each time I sinned.

It seemed that repentance was like putting ON a heavy backpack. 

I have been so happy to learn, though, that repentance is really a positive change that brings me closer to the Savior.

The Lord spoke to Joseph:

“And now I command you, my servant Joseph, to repent and walk more uprightly before me. . . .” (D&C 5:21) 

Did you catch that?

When Joseph repents, then he can walk more UPRIGHTLY.

Repentance isn’t a heavy backpack— it is what removes that heavy backpack so that we can walk more uprightly.

I picture that heavy load of guilt and pain all bundled up in a large backpack being lifted off of weary shoulders so that Joseph could stand up straight and get back to work.

Instead of waiting until that backpack of rocks becomes unbearable before I decide to take it off, I try to now practice the habit of daily repentance.

It has been life-changing.

I’m changing and turning back to the Lord a little bit more each day.

I’m taking that heavy backpack off.

And it is such a relief to be able to stand up just a bit more straight as I take off the load of sin.

Don’t forget— repentance is taking the backpack off.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post An ode to my backpack first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.