Because sometimes, His path for my life and His blessings just seem completely out of left field. ⁣

Right out of BYU, I thought I had this one teaching job in the bag. ⁣

I loved the job, I wanted it, and I knew the staff and principal liked me. ⁣

And then I found out that I didn’t get the job due to some unforeseen complications. ⁣

I was devastated. ⁣

And I was humbled. ⁣

Instead of relying on my networking to get me a job, I had to turn to cold interviews. ⁣

My humility was through the roof. I was relying on God like I hadn’t in a long time. I was praying constantly. I was turning my will over to His. ⁣

And then, suddenly, a random recommendation, an interview, and a job offer that changed my life for the better. ⁣

Out of left field. ⁣

But the miracle came because I had humbled myself. ⁣

I think about young Joseph, who had been so excited after the First Vision. He was ready to learn about this new church!⁣

But after three years, his heart was growing weary. He felt weak and unclean from sins. ⁣

So he went to his knees in humility, wanting to repent and turn his heart back to God.⁣

“While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I discovered a light appearing in my room”. (JS-H 1:30)

I can almost guarantee he wasn’t expecting an ancient prophet from a forgotten civilization showing up in his bedroom and telling him about gold plates buried in a hill three miles away!⁣

But that was exactly the unexpected miracle that Joseph, and all mankind, needed. ⁣

Miracles happen. Unexpected miracles happen. Completely unexpected and unlikely miracles happen. ⁣

But the first requirement that I’ve seen over and over?⁣

Humility.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Out of left field first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

But. . . he could try his best.

And that’s exactly what he was asked to do.

Angel Moroni promised Joseph,

“If I [Joseph] would use all my endeavors to preserve them . . . they should be protected.” (JS-H 1:59)

Joseph had to try his absolute best to keep the plates from being stolen by the many curious neighbors who attempted to view these ancient records multiple times, sometimes even with extreme violence.

As long as Joseph kept his efforts up, God would make sure they were not discovered.

I’ve seen this time and time again in my life.

I make a tiny, imperfect effort to improve my prayers…

And then I can feel God’s strength being added to mine.

I start telling my kids a scripture story, and then someone is distracted because they need a snack.

But I can still feel my Savior’s grace magnifying my efforts.

God didn’t say that He would protect the gold plates if Joseph carelessly left them on his front porch.

And God’s not going to step in and teach my kids what I’m deliberately neglecting to do.

But when we give Him an inch, He takes a mile in the best way possible.

“God magnifies those He calls, even in what may seem to you a small or inconspicuous service.” – President Eyring

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Joseph wasn’t powerful enough first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Does that phrase (or a variation of it) find a place in your prayers right now?⁣

The past year or so, I’ve really been focused on removing this in my prayers. ⁣

I’ve been trying to avoid casual asks for forgiveness from sweeping generalizations of “weaknesses” and “sins”.⁣

I was really struck by the in-depth sincerity with which young Joseph prayed to a loving Heavenly Father in his bedroom. ⁣

“I betook myself to prayer and supplication to Almighty God for forgiveness of all my sins and follies.” (JSH 1:29)⁣

He was in his bedroom, weighed down by the sins he was committing, and asking for forgiveness. ⁣

It wasn’t an add-on to a prayer he was already going to say.

That WAS the prayer.

Pleading. Calling. ⁣

Thinking through each sin. ⁣

I personally have found exponentially more power and access to my Savior’s atoning sacrifice when I take time to be specific and to reflect. ⁣

Instead of, “Please forgive me for my weaknesses today.”

My prayers have transformed as I’ve transitioned to:⁣

“I am so sorry that I lost my patience earlier today. I knew that my daughter was in a stressful situation and I was putting my needs before hers. Please forgive me for this shortcoming, and help me to improve my patience and love for her. What does my daughter need? What could I do to help her? Hmmm… I think that next time this situation happens again, I can try…”⁣

So much more useful, right?!⁣

I find myself starting a real conversation.

I find myself listening to promptings.

I find myself pleading for true forgiveness instead of just saying it. ⁣

And ultimately, I’ve found myself changing much more!⁣

Which is the point of repentance – that we feel Godly remorse, turn to our Savior, and truly and sincerely try not to repeat it again. ⁣

Have you tried making this change before? Do you want to try it now?⁣

Make those prayers of forgiveness heavy, real, and specific…⁣

And I believe true miracles can come from this sincerity of heart.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post I’ve taken this out of my prayers first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I hear people saying something similar to this whenever we read the scriptures on a specific study schedule.

(Looking at you, Come Follow Me…)

Here’s my favorite advice I always share with people who are concerned:

Stop trying to catch up and just join us where we are!

My reasoning?

The gospel is so repetitive.

You will NOT miss some big essential gospel truth you would never have learned about if you didn’t read one particular chapter.

If you missed the scriptures talking about personal revelation and asking questions last week, you will most certainly hear about it again soon.

I think about Joseph experiencing the Angel Moroni coming to his room three times in one night and telling him the same words, and then appearing to him the next day to remind him to tell his father.

“. . . He then again related unto me all that he had related to me the previous night, and commanded me to go to my father.”(JSH 1:49)

I imagine Joseph then going to the Hill Cumorah, only to be told that he can’t take the plates yet but needs to return the next year.

And then the next.

And then the next.

This gospel is so repetitive in the best way possible!

We can learn about charity and service as a little kid…

And then the principle can take on new meaning as we learn a lesson on charity in a Young Women class…

And then after a loved one passes away, a scripture about charity takes our understanding to an even deeper level.

“Repetition is a law of learning”. – President Gordon B. Hinckley

Just be in the scriptures each day, and the Lord will take care of the rest!

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post  I’ve fallen behind! first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.