The choir I was accompanying sang every note with conviction. ⁣

By the time I played the chord along with their final “to rule again!”, the Spirit was palpable. ⁣

I remember thinking I could have cut the air with a knife. The Spirit was so strong. ⁣

I lifted my fingers off the keys and sat in awe during the powerful closing prayer for the fireside we were at. ⁣

Once the prayer finished, I was in the unique position to look up at the faces of everyone in the choir. ⁣

Everyone was beaming. There was light emanating from each face. ⁣

The fireside that had just concluded?

It was given by a sculptor who had an exhibit of depictions of Christ. ⁣

She had spoken of Christ the entire time. ⁣

The pure Spirit was present as she bore testimony and taught of Him. ⁣

So for us to punctuate her testimony with ours in musical form, still preaching purely of Christ…⁣

It was unforgettable and undeniable. ⁣

I have testimonies of prophets and tithing. ⁣

I have testimonies of church and service. ⁣

I have testimonies of families and miracles. ⁣

But at the end of the day, at the center of it all, is my Savior, Jesus Christ. ⁣

He is the reason for everything else. ⁣

So when I bear record of Jesus Christ, and what His life, sacrifice, and example mean to me, that is when the Spirit is the strongest. ⁣

Because I know that He lives, I can be of good cheer. ⁣

I can let my fears be absorbed into peace. ⁣

Because I know He is standing by me. He never leaves me, even though my heart is prone to wander from Him. ⁣

My Savior is at the center of it all. ⁣

I treasure all aspects of this gospel and of my testimony. ⁣

But when I bear pure testimony of my Savior, I am brought even closer to Him. ⁣

My fear dissipates, my joy increases, and I am reminded of His constance. ⁣

I believe in Christ. ⁣

“I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come.” – D&C 68:6

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post I Believe in Christ  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

As my hand got close to the metal plates, I could feel extreme heat near my fingertips.

I had forgotten I had already turned it on a few minutes previously and it was already completely warmed up.

I was grateful at that moment for the warning that the heat from the straightener gave me.

And I was able to avoid burning my fingers.

I love that the Lord gives us so many positive words of encouragement.

But it is also so important to look at the direct warnings He extends to us.

The Lord gave some of the Saints in 1831 this warning:

“Now, I, the Lord, am not well pleased with the inhabitants of Zion, for there are idlers among them; and their children are also growing up in wickedness; they also seek not earnestly the riches of eternity, but their eyes are full of greediness.” (D&C 68:31) 

Did you notice those four specific warnings?

Don’t be idle, teach your children, be earnest in good things, and don’t be greedy.

Well, don’t those seem pretty appropriate for those of us who, today, are still trying to build up Zion?⁣

Don’t be idle—⁣

Our time on earth was meant to be for more than being entertained. ⁣

Teach your children—⁣

We can’t control their choices, but that doesn’t mean we can drop the ball on teaching them like their lives depend on it.

Be earnest in doing good things—⁣

We can’t wait to be commanded or be put in an organization that will force us to do good things. We’ve gotta be proactive, just like our Savior is. ⁣

Don’t be greedy—⁣

Thinking that we deserve more than others is a manifestation of pride that brings us away from God. ⁣

SUCH great warnings that the Lord gives. ⁣

Warnings don’t have to be rough, mean, or heavy. ⁣

In fact, I feel enlightened when I read about truths that I need to work on and fix.

Correcting loved ones and hearing correction from the Lord doesn’t have to be harsh or rude. ⁣

I am grateful that the Lord gives me warnings, and invites me to be better.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Heat warnings  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

It seemed like this was a big focus when I was a teen— to write in a journal.

And so I’d write what happened each day for a couple days in a row, and then I’d forget for a few days and try to catch up…⁣

And then it would be months until I had another church lesson about writing in a journal and I’d start the process all over again.

Somewhere along the way, I’ve gradually started to “spiritually mature” when it comes to what I believe I need to be writing down. ⁣

And I was excited when I saw that the Lord said something similar about John Whitmer, too:⁣

“He shall continue in writing and making a history of all the IMPORTANT THINGS which he shall observe and know concerning my church”. (D&C 69:3⁣)

The idea that my great-great-great grandchild is someday going to want to know what I ate for breakfast on Wednesday doesn’t really appeal to me. ⁣

(Although, if you love writing all the details of your life, go for it!)⁣

Maybe someday, someone will read what I write, but I’m not necessarily doing it for them. ⁣

Instead, I’ve been motivated by two ideas:⁣

I am writing down IMPORTANT THINGS due to the value of writing things down. (Idea formation/memory/pondering)

And⁣

I am writing things down in ways that seem natural and simple to me. ⁣

In my life, this looks like:⁣

A note in my phone where I write down one or two words for what I’m thankful for that day. ⁣

A physical journal where I write down my emotions and impressions after General Conference. ⁣

A google doc where I quickly jot down funny stories from my kids that I want to remember. ⁣

Social media posts where I document important life events. ⁣

The margins of my scriptures where I write down spiritual impressions and ponder. ⁣

And so on. ⁣

When I’ve found my own unique ways to follow the counsel to write important things down, I feel blessed. ⁣

I’m able to slow down, process, and see the joy in my life as the Spirit brings certain, important things to my mind.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Guilt about journaling…  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Their lives look so awesome!

I want to do what they are doing!

Why is my life so boring?!

The Lord taught some of the Saints who argued about who could write the most eloquently to:

“. . . strip yourselves from jealousies and fears.” (D&C 67:10)

But how do we do that?

How do we get rid of the jealousy that creeps up when we see someone whose life seems better than ours?

Here’s what I’ve tried recently:

I become their cheerleader.

Are you going on an amazing vacation?

Awesome!

I want to hear all about it and see all your pictures.

I want to feel genuine joy that you got to have that experience.

Life here on earth is going to be unfair.

Some people will always have more than we do.

And some people will have much less.

But we are all equal in God’s eyes.

Truly.

The amount of money people may or may not have for a vacation has no bearing whatsoever on the things that really matter.

What really matters is that I follow His commandment to love everyone, including the people who take cooler vacations than I do.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Vacation photos first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

“We all sin.”⁣

All of us. ⁣

Me. You. The last person you spoke to. The person you think that has a perfect life. Your loved one. Your church leader. The prophet. ⁣

Save our Savior, every single person on the earth has sinned and commits sins. ⁣

So… what sets righteous people apart?⁣

There’s a giant spectrum of righteousness, so how do we move closer and closer to our Elder Brother’s example, if we are all sinning anyway?⁣

Saints are sinners who repent. ⁣

People who feel remorse from a sin and then have a desire to never do that again.

And their desire is so strong… that they change their nature. They refine that rough edge just a little bit more. ⁣

As Joseph was returning from his mission to Missouri, there was drama and contention between some of the men. ⁣

And, in a surprisingly transparent moment, the Lord told the men about Joseph:⁣

“He has sinned.” D&C 64:7⁣

It interesting to see that written out about the prophet of the Lord, huh?⁣

Joseph sinned. ⁣

But what allowed Joseph to still hold the keys of the kingdom and not be removed?⁣

“Nevertheless, he has sinned; BUT verily I say unto you, I, the Lord, forgive sins unto those who confess their sins before me and ask forgiveness”. (D&C 64:7⁣)

So what made Joseph unique?⁣

He would sin. And then he would bring that sin to the Lord through confession. And then he would ask for forgiveness. ⁣

The Lord wants to help us to change, so this sounds like the ideal situation. ⁣

He asks us to talk about sin with Him in our prayers. ⁣

And then He asks us to leave that sin behind as we ask for forgiveness in return. ⁣

Everyone sins. ⁣

So do we let the sin fester? ⁣Do we enjoy and indulge?

Or do we immediately confess and ask for forgiveness?⁣

Because, I think that that decision makes all the difference.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post We all sin!  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

This couple was amazing!

They guest-taught Sunday School lessons.

They hosted youth activities.

They made ward and individual goals.

They did home visits.

They helped me learn how to do family history work, and I took my own family names to the temple for the first time.

It was really cool.

I was so impressed by how they chose to take a calling that others could perceive as small, insignificant, or unnecessary and magnify it using their unique talents and strengths.

What callings do you have right now?

Official ward callings are great but also think about your callings as a ministering brother or sister, parent, teacher, sibling, honorary grandma, spouse, or organizer.

The Lord taught:

“Thou shalt magnify thine office, and push many people to Zion with songs of everlasting joy upon their heads.” (D&C 66:11) 

Creation isn’t just for artists, writers, and musicians.

We all get to create when we figure out exactly how we will fill the roles we have, the callings we’ve been given, and the assignments we receive.

Just like things grow larger when they are magnified…

We can grow and create when we magnify our roles.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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

I’ll start having a conversation with someone who I really want to know how she is doing…⁣

And then my kid runs out of sight and I have to run after them.

I’ll see a new family after church that I want to get to know better…

And every time I start walking their way, one of my kids desperately needs my urgent attention.

I catch up with another friend I haven’t seen in a while…⁣

And then I have to go help a kid who is feeling anxious.

I want to be friendly. I want to meet new people. To connect. To show love. ⁣

And yet I feel distracted and disconnected.

I recently prayed for a new perspective and some clarity, because I didn’t like how frustrated I was feeling.

Eventually, the Spirit brought two things to my mind:

First, I remembered the different uplifting interactions I had with people BECAUSE my kids are being kids.

New friendships being made. Other people serving ME. ⁣

And secondly, the Spirit brought to my mind this scripture:

“Out of small things proceedeth that which is great.” D&C 64:33⁣

I often feel like I’m missing out on some great things at church.

Because I am instead stuck doing a bunch of little, insignificant things. ⁣

Pulling out a Jesus book to distract, opening another pack of fruit snacks, pulling a hand away from a cord, picking up the kid trying to lick the A/C vent (again), picking up the goldfish, talking out of a meltdown, teaching about reverence in the chapel…

I do a lot of small things. ⁣

But I do them for three little kids that I love. Because right now, they need the fruit snacks. They need the carrying. They need the teaching. They need the constant attention.

And out of all of these small, little things…

Comes all the REALLY great stuff.

Seriously, these kids are going to be amazing grownups. I can tell already.

And because I will become greater as I step into my role as their mother.

Parenthood is doing a lot of the small stuff. The diaper changes, wiping up the spill, giving a hug, over and over.

Small stuff. All day, every day.

But it’s out of these small things.

The songs sung during the diaper change, the invitation to help mommy clean up the spill, the loving smile and little tickle when I give the hug.

Out of these small things proceedeth that which is great.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Small things first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

It had been one of those really busy days.⁣

And I wished that I could just take a day off the next day to watch Netflix and rejuvenate, because boy, did I need it. ⁣

But of course, I couldn’t do that. ⁣

My packed to-do list for the following day was still there. ⁣

I felt exhausted and prayed for strength to get through the following day. ⁣

And here’s an example of when the Lord used my scripture reading to answer my prayers and needs in an immediate way. ⁣

As I was reading my scriptures that night, I happened to read D&C 64:33.⁣

Here, the Lord says: ⁣

“Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing”.⁣

That phrase, that I’ve heard a million times before, hit me like lightning. ⁣

Doing good things and being a good person is literally the whole point of this life. ⁣

NOT to get my work out of the way so that I can watch Netflix as much as possible. ⁣

Yes, I need to make sure I’m not running faster than I have strength and that I’m sleeping well. ⁣

But then… I WANT to let the good things that I’m doing energize me instead of drain me. ⁣

And it may sound overly-simplistic, but that’s what I chose in that moment. ⁣

I simply CHOSE to let the good things that I’m doing ENERGIZE me instead of drain me. ⁣

And… it worked. ⁣

I know, I know, it sounds too easy. But I think the mind is a powerful thing. ⁣

Deciding to not complain about all the good things that I’m doing opened the door for gratitude and energy to come in to my life in an even greater capacity.

And I even gained some clarity on a few things in my life that I thought were the awesome, but were not necessary. ⁣

Piece by piece, I’ve started finding that joy even more. ⁣

I’ve stopped glorifying my “busy-ness” and my fatigue. ⁣

I’ve got a lot of really great, really important things on my plate. ⁣

And I’m gonna keep on going and finding the joy. ⁣

Because God wants me here on earth to DO good and BE good, AND have joy.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post What if you ARE weary?  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Listen to your first thought or prompting, and act on it right away. ⁣

I have been working on that as much as I can these past few weeks, and some days are better than others, but I’ve had some pretty cool experiences. ⁣

It was exactly the advice that I needed to gain a little more clarity in my life, and invite even more spiritual promptings to come. ⁣

“What lack I yet” is a question I ask pretty often in prayer, and it’s a principle I even use to guide my scripture study and look for personal applications. ⁣

The reason I love asking this question so much is because it keeps me focused on improvement. ⁣

I’ve found that the Spirit is always eager to bring my attention to one area I can focus on in particular. ⁣

Instead of being overwhelmed by everything that I lack, I can be shown what one thing would get me started in the right direction. ⁣

When I was reading about the Lord’s comments about Sidney Rigdon this week, I was really intrigued by this connection:⁣

“I, the Lord, am not pleased with my servant Sidney Rigdon; he exalted himself in his heart, and received not counsel”. D&C 63:55⁣

Sidney was exalting himself in his heart, which is definitely a problem. ⁣

But what an interesting side effect, right?!⁣

Because of this pride, he didn’t receive counsel!⁣

He wasn’t asking “what lack I yet?”— he was thinking something like, “I’ve got it all figured out. I’m good enough.”⁣

Pride is so sneaky. ⁣

The adversary wants us to stay as we are, and reject any advice that’s given to us, whether through prayer or through other kind loved ones. ⁣

And yet our Savior invites us to change. His atoning sacrifice is the reason we CAN change. ⁣

But we don’t have to tackle this impossible task of “becoming Christlike” all on our own. ⁣

The Spirit can whisper to us exactly what the next step is.

Being so gentle and kind in giving us just what we can handle next.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post “What lack I yet?” first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

You can’t prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, in a way that all bystanders would agree with, that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true.⁣

To me, yes, there is tons of evidence to prove it. ⁣

Enough for me to feel completely confident turning my heart over to Him and dedicating my life to this work. ⁣

But we can’t actually prove it to other people. ⁣

It will always take just a little bit of faith. ⁣

A little bit of trust. A little bit of listening to your feelings and your heart more than your head. ⁣

The Lord taught the saints in Ohio in D&C 63:9 that: ⁣

“Faith cometh not by signs, but signs follow those that believe.”⁣

Proving the gospel is true and that Christ really exists, is never going to be enough to really convert someone.⁣

Including ourselves. ⁣

Piling up all the evidence can only get my mind so far.

I have to rely on the faith that comes in my heart to keep me truly converted. ⁣

Faith can not come by signs, or proofs, or total knowledge.⁣

In fact, I usually am not so great at recognizing signs or miracles until AFTER they have happened. ⁣

Hindsight is 20/20, right?⁣

Our Heavenly Father WANTS us to have faith. ⁣

He wants us to believe first. ⁣

The world thinks that it’s a little silly. ⁣

But that’s okay, for I’m learning to overcome what the world thinks, anyways. ⁣

Belief and faith first, and then come the miracles. ⁣

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post No way to prove  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.