Your life on earth has ended. ⁣

You get to meet God the Father, face to face. ⁣

You are waiting right outside the door. (Or gate? Or garden?)⁣

What is your mind doing?⁣

Really think about that for a second. ⁣

What are you thinking about?⁣

Maybe your mind is going to some of your shortcomings on earth. The times you forgot about Him. ⁣

Maybe you have some stories you want to tell Him that would make Him smile. ⁣

Maybe you have questions you want to ask. ⁣

Maybe you don’t know if you’ll say anything at all. ⁣

Maybe you are excited out of your mind. Maybe you are nervous. ⁣

I’ve thought about this reunion a lot, and how it will go changes pretty dramatically in my mind all the time. ⁣

But I’ve always been fascinated by this promise of what we can feel in God’s presence:⁣

CONFIDENCE⁣

Not pride or superiority. But a righteous and humble confidence. ⁣

And where does this confidence come from?⁣

“Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God”. (D&C 121:45⁣)

The confidence comes from our thoughts. Virtuous, loving, God-focused thoughts. ⁣

But it’s actually not so much about that future, glorious moment, as it is about right now. ⁣

We can be in God’s presence here, even though we may not see Him. ⁣

So what are our thoughts like on a daily basis? What are our thoughts like in the temple? What are our thoughts like at home?⁣

Because we can’t fake those. Our thoughts often reveal our heart. ⁣

And the great news about thoughts? If our thoughts aren’t always where we want them to be right now, if they aren’t always virtuous and loving, we can change them. ⁣

And when we slowly change our thoughts to reflect the most important things on our heart, we gain confidence before the Divine.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Confidence wax strong  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Cramped conditions. ⁣

In a jail. ⁣

Terrible food. ⁣

Poor lighting. ⁣

Freezing cold. ⁣

Isn’t it tempting to consider our outside circumstances as a sign of how we are doing in life?⁣

“How are you doing right now?”⁣

“Terribly. Because of all these things that are going wrong…”⁣

But Elder Cook made a wise assessment: 

“Joseph’s time in Liberty Jail demonstrates that adversity is not evidence of the Lord’s disfavor nor a withdrawal of His blessings.”⁣

If we look at the physical trajectory of Joseph’s life, it doesn’t really look awesome. ⁣

A humble farmer boy. A poor young couple, accepting financial support from others. Moving to Ohio and getting a little more established. Being beat up by a mob. Reputation ruined by false rumors. Serious financial distress. Forced to move to Missouri with a hopeful promise for the future. Hope quickly being turned to conflict and fear. Arrested and stuck in a miserable jail for months. ⁣

This trajectory looks terrible, honestly. ⁣

But as with virtually everything, the Lord looks on the heart. ⁣

What was the trajectory of Joseph’s heart throughout his life?⁣

Consistent spiritual enlightenment. Moments with the Divine. Priesthood power. Peace and certainty. Forgiveness and meekness. A growing love and concern for all. Teaching others and sharing his light. Inspired scriptures that have touched millions. Peace and comfort found in a miserable little jail cell. ⁣

Our physical circumstances have virtually no indication of how blessed we are. ⁣

It’s all about the status of the heart. ⁣

Has your heart been growing, softening, turning to the Lord throughout your life?⁣

Then I might humbly suggest that you are living a very blessed life indeed, just like the prophet Joseph.

⁣Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Joseph’s terrible trajectory first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I usually kept things super high energy and busy on the first day, so that the kids didn’t have an option but to be engaged and get to know me. ⁣

And within just a few minutes, this particular student was already being defiant and apathetic. ⁣

So I made it a goal to say 5 positive, non-behavior-related comments to him each day. ⁣

⁣I complimented his shoes. I asked him what they did in P.E. today. I asked him to help me hand out pencils. He wrote a sentence about a movie when I had asked for a paragraph, and I talked to him all about my favorite parts of the movie. ⁣

He seemed surprised at first. ⁣

But he started to warm up to me. ⁣

Then, I slowly introduced private conversations about his behavior. ⁣

“Hey, I get that you were trying to be funny when you made that comment earlier, but it really derailed the entire class for a while. Could you help me out and save those kinds of comments til after class or when we have some free time?”⁣

And then, when he’d start to talk out in class again, I’d give him a little “knowing” look.⁣

He caught on. ⁣

Honestly, he was a good kid. He really struggled academically, but the behavior issues subsided to the point that they weren’t so disruptive. ⁣

I made A WHOLE LOT of mistakes while teaching. ⁣

But I never let a child leave my classroom without knowing that they were seen as a real human being, and that they were loved. ⁣

I LITERALLY thought of this scripture often, and even taught a training to my co-workers using this “saying that I once heard”…⁣

“Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy;” (D&C 121:43⁣)

I now use this in my parenting all the time.

When the positive comments VASTLY outweigh the corrective or negative, no matter how many there are, there is a feeling of love and “I’m on your team”-ness. ⁣

God sees us as more than our mistakes, and I think He wants us to emulate that, too.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post The defiant 6th grader first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

It’s easy to assume that life will be so much better when we get something new.

Or when we finally accomplish a big goal.

But then we discover that what we thought would solve our problems doesn’t bring us the happiness we are searching for.

I think the same thing applies to peace.

Peace doesn’t have to wait for some magical outside circumstance.

Joseph Smith received a similar message in the depths of Liberty Jail when the Lord said, “My son, peace be unto thy soul.” (D&C 121:7)

The Lord didn’t promise peace in the future.

Under those brutal circumstances, He told Joseph to feel peace right at that very moment.

Personal peace is a blessing available to each of us, no matter what our grass looks like right now.

No matter your kid’s choices.

No matter the diagnosis.

No matter the family drama.

No matter the financial struggle.

The answer can be found in one of my favorite songs:⁣

“When there’s no peace on earth,⁣

“There is peace in Christ.”⁣

Christ is the answer. ⁣

Christ is the answer to still feeling peace in our hearts.

Joseph found that peace while enduring months of confinement, starvation, and mental torture because true, lasting peace is found in Christ.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post There is peace in Christ  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

⁣Not a single person who spoke at his funeral said anything about his home. ⁣

⁣Nothing about his car. ⁣

⁣Nothing about his possessions. 

⁣It was all about who he was and how he made other people feel. ⁣

⁣It was about the moments he comforted, and joked around, and led, and taught. 

⁣He was so so so loved, and it was all because of how he made other people feel. ⁣

⁣The Lord told the two men who kept waiting around in Ohio to wrap up their business endeavors:⁣

⁣“Let them repent of all their sins, and of all their covetous desires, before me, saith the Lord; for what is property unto me? saith the Lord.” (D&C 117:4⁣)

⁣What is property unto me?⁣

⁣What will we be keeping with us when we leave this world behind?⁣

⁣What will our loved ones on this side actually care about and remember the most when we depart this life?⁣

⁣And so that brings me to this question that’s been on my mind these past few weeks that I’d love to extend to you:⁣

⁣How will I use my choices today to reflect my real priorities?

How can I keep my eyes focused on what actually matters in the eternities?

The post What is property to me?  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

It was the expectation that my sisters and I would help set the table and get the food ready to be served. ⁣

The problem was… ⁣

They always asked me to come and help at the most inconvenient times.

I was always in the middle of some math problem, or writing an essay, or reading a book, or talking with a friend. ⁣

It was never a good time. ⁣

And so, more often than I care to admit, about five minutes later, the call would come up the stairs again, “Cali, we need your help! Come on down!”⁣

The thing about calls to service are that they rarely come at a convenient time. ⁣

Whether it’s your mom, your kid, your neighbor…⁣

I’m sure I’m always “in the middle of something”. ⁣

But what I’ve learned as I’ve matured, and thank goodness that teenage Cali matured, is that service isn’t about us. ⁣

My parents weren’t trying to inconvenience me and annoy me and make my life harder. ⁣

They just straight up needed help. ⁣

My mom or dad had already just made dinner for me (DEFINITELY did not appreciate that as much as I should have!), and they were asking for help getting everything ready to go on the table. ⁣

And my sisters who may had already gotten downstairs needed help with their tasks so it wasn’t all on them. ⁣

This was not about me and if I was in a convenient stopping point. At all. ⁣

It was about the people who needed help. ⁣

When the Lord called someone to serve in D&C 117:14, the reason given for him to come speedily to fulfill his assignment wasn’t just because the Lord wanted him to be rushed and inconvenienced. ⁣

It was “for the benefit of my people.”⁣

People around us need help. And when they ask for help or when we feel that prompting, it’s not about what works best for us. ⁣

(Although yes, I’m all for setting healthy boundaries when needed.)⁣

But ultimately, it’s all about the benefit of the person in need.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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

You are surrounded by little people all day, and yet you can feel pretty lonely. ⁣

I have felt this, a lot. ⁣

I’ve also had other solitary moments in my life where I may have looked fine, or been surrounded by friends, but I still felt all alone. ⁣

Have you felt like this before? Or maybe, do you feel it right now?⁣

Attending school, being given certain callings… these things can lead us to feel like we are in a solitary, draining place. ⁣

And honestly, it’s hard to feel like I can give service when I’m feeling drained and alone. ⁣

I don’t feel like getting out there and being proactive and doing things. ⁣

But the Savior is real. ⁣

He can take my solitary place and give it the nutrition that it needs. ⁣

To give it the light that it needs to still grow, even if it’s all alone. ⁣

To recognize that even when I feel completely drained, the Savior makes it possible for me to still give. ⁣

And not just give, but to be overflowing with ABUNDANCE.⁣

“Therefore, will I not make solitary places to bud and to blossom, and to bring forth in abundance? saith the Lord.” (D&C 117:7⁣)

He sees you in your lonely place. ⁣

But he doesn’t want you to stay there. ⁣

He wants to see you blossom and bring forth abundance, even when it seems impossible.⁣

Because honestly, impossible is what Jesus does.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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

This was a few years ago, and I was serving the youth.

Huge fan of Facebook groups for callings, by the way.

But here’s a pattern that I noticed happening over and over again:

Someone new to the group would post that they just received this calling.

They were very overwhelmed.

And they wanted everyone’s best advice and tips.

It was pretty clear that the person asking the question was HOPING for answers like:

“Here’s exactly how to delegate to your counselors and secretary!” or “Here’s the link to the binder I bought that will solve all your problems,” or something similar.

And YET… time and time again,

The thread filled up with similar comments that always warmed my heart:

“I wish someone would have told me not to worry about anything and just love the girls.”

“Get to know the girls and just love them!”

“I wish I hadn’t been so judgmental of these girls at first and just worked on loving them exactly as they are.”

When we serve at church, it is easy to unintentionally “. . . neglect the more weighty matters.” (D&C 117:8)

Susan H. Porter told a story about a man who had left the church for a long time, but then undeniably felt God’s love and just knew that he needed to return.⁣

But when he received his first calling after becoming active again, he said his perspective about callings changed completely:⁣

“Now the question for him became not ‘How can I fulfill this calling?’ but ‘How can I show God’s love through my service?’ ⁣

“With this new approach, he felt joy, meaning, and purpose in all aspects of his calling.”⁣

There are important things for us to do.

There are Ward Councils to attend and activities to organize and plans to execute. ⁣

But at the end of the day, are we unintentionally choosing to: “neglect the more weighty matters?”

Or are we focusing on what matters most— showing God’s love?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post The more weighty matters first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

The thought came into my mind. ⁣

Again. ⁣

“Yes, yes, I definitely need to. Let me do that later.”⁣

Is what I said back to my mind. ⁣

Again. ⁣

A few weeks later, I was chatting with a friend. ⁣

She started to tell me about the coolest experience she had recently—⁣

She had reached out to a mutual acquaintance (the person for whom I kept ignoring the prompting), and had served her. ⁣

She told me how unexpectedly emotional it ended up being. ⁣

How the two of them had really bonded and raw feelings had been shared. ⁣

She mentioned that she really felt like she was literally being an answer to this sister’s prayers. ⁣

And the pit in my stomach grew and grew as she talked. ⁣

I had missed out. ⁣

I had delayed the prompting for so long that the Lord had found someone else to replace me in the service. ⁣

The Lord warned David Patten, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve:⁣

“Inasmuch as there are those among you who deny my name, others shall be planted in their stead”. (D&C 114:2⁣)

God has a great work to do. He has countless people to bless and serve and minister to…⁣

And we are often His hands to get the work done. ⁣

So if we aren’t going to be the answer, then He will find someone else with a willing heart. ⁣

But I have to finish my story from earlier. ⁣

Because after the pity party that I threw myself while my friend was telling me what she assumed was an uplifting story, I had another thought:⁣

“You can still serve her.”⁣

I realized she still needed help. She still needed friendship. ⁣

I may have missed a big opportunity, and I felt the good guilt from ignoring that prompting. ⁣

But I still had a chance to repent and serve. ⁣

Repentance is real. ⁣

If we aren’t doing what we should, God will find others to serve instead. ⁣

But our Savior’s atoning sacrifice makes it possible to try again the next time, and for that I am eternally grateful.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post My missed opportunity first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Immediately, I was bombarded with responses that all sounded very similar:

The girls needed to learn their self-worth and true identity.

The Lord invites us to look at the people around us and “Let thy love be for them as for thyself.” (D&C 112:11)

We need to love others, but we also need to take the time to love ourselves. ⁣

To trust that God loves us exactly as we are, which means we can, too. ⁣

To be empathetic and understanding to ourselves, and to others. ⁣

In my mind, it fits perfectly with the Lord’s earlier command to “be thou humble” in D&C 112:10. ⁣

I’ve learned that true humility is recognizing that ALL of us, every single one of us, including you, are perfectly loved by God. ⁣

No one is greater. No one is lesser. ⁣

And putting anyone on a different spot other than the equal line that we are all standing on, is pride. The opposite of humility.

Thinking that your bishop is more loved by God than you are because of his calling, is pride. ⁣

Thinking that you are more loved by God because you are a member of the restored Church of Jesus Christ than your neighbor down the street, is pride. ⁣

Thinking that you have failed God and that you are completely out of the reach of His love, is pride. ⁣

Thinking that it doesn’t matter whether or not you keep up on small spiritual habits because you can handle life without all of that, is pride. ⁣

Pride is believing anything other than the fact that we are all equally loved by God and that we are all His children. ⁣

And humility is getting everyone, including yourself, back on that same playing field. Recognizing that God loves all of His children equally. ⁣

Let your love for others be the same as the love for yourself. ⁣

And whether that means you need to work on realizing your exact relationship with God a little better, or recognizing other people’s relationship with God better, or maybe a little bit of both…⁣

Then you are following the counsel to be thou humble.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post A different view of pride first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.