That’s one of the questions that I get asked the most in my DMs.

Anytime I mention how the Savior is my friend, people start asking.

Because I think so many of us crave that kind of relationship with Jesus.

We all want more friends, right?!

And we all want to be friends with the one who knows us better than anyone else because He experienced it all.

But… how?

My first answer is a question:

Am I a good friend to the Lord?

Do I only contact Him when I need something from Him?

Do I want to learn everything about Him and what He’s done for me, or do I only want to talk about my life?

Do I think of Him often, in both casual and more serious times?

When I’ve focused on becoming a better friend to Jesus, then I’ve discovered a powerful sense that He is my friend, too.

But my second answer is a bit more honest:

I’m never going to be a “good enough” friend to my Savior.

At least not here on this earth.

I’m going to forget about Him. I’m going to be selfish. I’m going to need to take a whole lot more than I give.

And yet… I still believe He is my friend.

“He lives, my kind, wise heav’nly Friend”.

“I will call you friends, for you are my friends”. D&C 93:45

I can’t earn that friendship.

But I can still do what I can to discover my part in it.

He is already my friend. And your friend. And anyone’s friend.

It’s in those moments when I decide to reach out and build our relationship that I feel the friendship starting to grow.

When I treat my Savior as I would a friend, I gain the best, most forgiving, most reliable, kindest, most loving eternal friend that I could ever imagine.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post He is my friend first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

This short message from our prophet in the most recent General Conference stuck out to me the moment he said it.

That analogy of watching workers dig out debris from the Salt Lake temple during its enormous renovation.

And then a prophet of the Lord asking me to pray to discover what I can remove from my life.

My thoughts and prayers used to center around what I was doing wrong that I needed to change.

The music that I needed to clean up, the prayers that I was forgetting to say, the visiting teaching assignment I wasn’t doing.

And slowly, this phrase started being added to more and more of my prayers:

“Please let me know what I can let drop out of my life that will help me to feel the Spirit more.”

And that’s why I loved President Nelson’s short talk so much.

This idea that we all have the junky debris that is keeping us from our full potential.

It’s not straight up sin or filled with evil.

But it’s keeping the Spirit from being as present as possible in my life.

It’s keeping me zoned out and enjoying a dramatic storyline, instead of having that thought to text a friend.

It’s keeping me scrolling through a feed looking at pictures I don’t really care about, instead of spending a few more minutes in the scriptures being taught a lesson I need to hear.

It’s keeping me with frustratingly impossible standards for my family members, instead of learning how to love unconditionally.

The debris blocks out a lot if I let it pile up.

The Lord also gave this advice to Joseph Smith’s own family in D&C 93:48:

“Your family must needs repent and forsake some things”.

Repent = change

Forsake = forget

Your family needs to forget some things they are doing, and make some changes.

Don’t we all need to hear that message?!

I want to build so many great things in my life. I want to build places of beauty, of love, and of safety.

I want to build sacred places in my life.

But even with the best intentions and the perfect building plans…

The first thing I have to do is clear out the debris.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Clean out the debris first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Section 93 talks all about light and truth.

Light and truth is knowledge and intelligence.

Light and truth are powerful ideals, that I don’t think I can even begin to fully comprehend right now.

But boy, do I want more light and truth in my life.

And the Savior seems to paint this picture of these universal laws and elements, and that everything is in accordance with this eternal light and truth.

But He also makes a point that we have our agency to do what we will with this light and truth here on the earth.

We started off innocent at birth, and we have agency to do whatever we choose with light and truth.

D&C 93:39 caught my eye though, because here the Lord teaches:

“And that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers.”

In this grand physics lesson, it’s not so much that the adversary adds darkness into the mix.

Because… darkness doesn’t really exist.

Darkness, like a dark room, or a dark night sky, really just means the absence of light.

And that’s what the Lord sticks with here.

The wicked one takes away light and truth.

That’s how he creates his darkness— by removing the light.

And did you catch HOW the adversary takes away light and truth?!

Through disobedience.

We gain light and truth through obedience, while the wicked one takes away light and truth through disobedience.

Obedience isn’t the most popular word.

Our hearts need to be in the right place for obedience to be as powerful as it can be.

Want more light and truth?

Take it to the Lord and ask, “How can I become a little more obedient today?”

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Light and truth and obedience first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Like literally, what do you picture in your head when you hear that phrase?

In some ways, this phrase is really big, and can encompass so many different actions.

But in other ways, this phrase is really vague and can easily not really translate to anything at all.

That’s how I’ve felt for the longest time.

What does it really mean to “worship Jesus”?

This is why I love Section 93 so so so much.

Because we are being taught more about the Savior.

Not just what He did on the earth, although that is important (head to the New Testament for all those beautiful details!).

But we are learning more about who He is, and how He grew, and what He is really really like.

We learn new titles for Him, we learn about different roles that He has played, and we learn about the power that He holds.

And SO MUCH MORE.

Why are we learning so much about Jesus?

In D&C 93:19, the Lord Himself tells us why in some of the most plain wording:

“I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness.”

Through studying these words, we learn HOW to worship, and we learn WHAT we worship when we worship the Savior.

The more we get to know Him, the more natural it is to worship.

For me, the more I know about His nature, His involvement, His power, the more I see Him everywhere.

In the physical world around me, yes.

But also in the small little miracles, the fun moments between friends, the magical moments with a child.

My worship becomes gratitude, love, passion, music, prayer, happiness, and service.

So if your mind drew a vague blank when I asked what it looks like to “worship Jesus Christ”…

Studying Section 93, in addition to any time we learn more about our Savior, can teach you.

It can teach you what you are worshipping, and how to do it.

Because the more we learn about Jesus, the better we can worship Him.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Who do you worship? first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I love learning new things, and so the prospect of walking across campus and sitting down in various classes to learn from people who are experts in these subjects was just fascinating to me.

Looking at a syllabus to see how we could fill an entire semester with hours of learning about different facets of one subject was exhilarating.

Call me a nerd, I know.

And it’s not like I totally loved the act of reading every assigned book and writing every research paper.

But ultimately, I felt the spirituality that was inherently intertwined with learning.

Gaining knowledge was spiritual to me.

The thing that made me sad though were some of my fellow classmates who learned from the same classes that I did and eventually reasoned their way out of their gospel beliefs.

Gaining knowledge had become a worldly pursuit that pulled them further from God.

“The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth.” D&C 93:36

The ultimate glory of God is intelligence.

Intelligence is vital and it is championed by God.

And what is intelligence?

It’s not just knowledge. It’s not just getting a good test score.

Intelligence is light and truth.

Intelligence is the light of Christ, the presence of the Spirit, at the same time as the acquisition of truth.

It’s learning under the influence of the Spirit.

And then it leads to intelligent action that is completely congruent with what we’ve learned.

We are created to crave learning.

Maybe it’s math. Maybe it’s music. Maybe it’s recipes. Maybe it’s emotional strategies. Maybe it’s history. Maybe it’s education pedagogy. Maybe it’s public service. Maybe it’s the scriptures.

When we are truly aligned in our spirituality, when we are inviting the Spirit into our lives with every action and thought, I believe that our curiosity is ignited.

There is so much knowledge out there.

And God is looking for righteous, spiritual individuals who are going to learn and then act.

I want to hear— when YOU are aligned spiritually, what is an area you feel your curiosity is led toward?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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

She had a second home in Providence, was unmarried, enjoyed a lot of social clout, and earned quite a bit of wealth by her 40s.

She obtained a copy of the “Mormon Bible” and read it, but was pretty indifferent to it.

Until one night, as she prayed, she had a “vision of the Book of Mormon”, and she felt she should ask if it was true scripture.

She immediately received her answer.

She traveled to Ohio to be baptized, and then returned to Boston to help missionaries establish a branch of the church.

About a year later, she said goodbye to Boston for good and headed to Ohio.

She freely gave of all her money to the church, and her giant $1400 contribution directly helped Joseph purchase land for the upcoming Kirtland temple.

And then Vienna was asked to move to Missouri.

“It is meet in mine eyes that she should go up unto the land of Zion, and receive an inheritance…“That she may settle down in peace inasmuch as she is faithful”. D&C 90:30-31

Peace, rest, and a land of inheritance was being promised to her.

Literally a month later, mobs attacked the printing press in Missouri, scattering manuscript pages and tarring and feathering the Bishop.

Vienna knelt in the night, gathering as many pages of the Book of Commandments as she could.

When the saints finally arrived in Nauvoo and started to build up the great city, Vienna was present when the very first baptisms for the dead were performed.

She received her own endowment in the Nauvoo temple before being forced out yet again.

Where was her peace? Her rest? Her inheritance? Her blessing for consecrating her money to the Lord?

She arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847 and was given a city lot.

She called that her “inheritance” for the remainder of her 40 years left on earth.

She was a powerful scriptorian, fiercely independent, and self-sufficient. She loved the temple, she loved the prophet, and she had faith in Jesus Christ.

She died at the age of 96 and others said she was “strong and full of faith in the principles of the gospel”.

There is true power in faith, and Vienna lived that.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post The amazing faith of Vienna first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I really liked the post, and agreed with a lot of the things this person was saying.

And then I read one line with a thought I had never heard before.

I said a quick little prayer: “Hmmm I’ve never thought of this that way. Is that true?”

And almost immediately, I heard a voice.

“That is not truth.”

It was calm and quiet.

But it was firm and sure.

I closed the post and moved on.

The Holy Ghost knows what truth is.

“The Spirit manifesteth truth”. D&C 91:4

And in a day when everyone has unprecedented access to publish and spread their opinions far and wide, I think the need to discern truth is greater than ever.

And I think it’s also important to realize how much work it takes to keep the Spirit with us.

Because we are also humans with brains who have opinions and varying backgrounds.

And when we read something that goes along with our opinions, our brains like it.

God doesn’t want us all to think exactly the same way, so I don’t believe the Spirit is given to us to change every opinion and thought that we have.

But I’ve found that it feels different when the Spirit is confirming something or warning me.

Instead of, “Yeah, I agree!”

I feel a calm but firm feeling.

“This is truth.”

I’ve also found success when I ask.

When I say a deliberate prayer to ask if this is truth or not, I virtually always get a response.

Or a prompting on what I need to do in order to get the Spirit’s constant presence back with me before I can be ready to receive an answer.

Just as it was important for saints of all generations, we need to make sure that we know what is truth for the things that matter most.

We will all still have different opinions and viewpoints and personal revelation for how to apply something specifically to our life.

But we can still feel the Spirit testify of the things that are eternal truths.

Or warn us of things that are not.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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

It wasn’t until she walked away that I realized… this was not what I had ordered. 

I had ordered a burger.

Ugh. I knew what this meant.

I sat there and silently gave myself the pep talk that I knew I needed.

I saw the waitress serving a few tables away, and she wasn’t walking anywhere near me. 

Finally she got close enough and I waved her over. 

“Excuse me! I am so sorry, but I ordered a burger, so I think I got the wrong order.”

I seriously felt so rude, even though I knew I was technically saying nice words. 

I was just so uncomfortable about asking for something and disrupting the normal flow of a server/customer dynamic. 

“Oh, you are totally right!” She quickly said. 

“You can actually go ahead and keep that sandwich, and I’ll be out with your burger in just a minute.”

In D&C 90:1, the Lord is giving a revelation to Joseph Smith, and he starts by saying: 

“Verily, verily I say unto you my son, thy sins are forgiven thee, according to thy petition, for thy prayers and the prayers of thy brethren have come up into my ears.”

Did you catch what the Lord said that Joseph had been doing?

Joseph had been petitioning the Lord in prayer for forgiveness from his sins.

I know that I fall victim to sinning, feeling remorse, and wanting to improve without ever actually asking my Father in Heaven for forgiveness.

But it’s not rude to ask. 

It’s not pretentious. 

It’s just good communication and a necessary part of creating a good, honest relationship. 

When we need something, we have to ask.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post We have to ask first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

It has things to do and things not to do. 

It’s got advice.

It was given “for the benefit” of the saints. 

But my absolute favorite part of it right now comes at the very end. 

The very end of section 89 has some of the most beautiful and real blessings I’ve seen in all of the Doctrine and Covenants. 

Read through these four verses and let me know which phrase stands out to you the most:

“And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;

“And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;

“And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.

“And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen.” 

D&C 89:18-21

Aren’t those beautiful blessings and promises?! 

Powerful, specific protections are promised us as we “keep and do these sayings” in section 89.

One thing I’ve discovered is that when I am choosing foods that are really nourishing for my body, I feel more alert in my mind.

That wisdom, that knowledge, it comes much more easily.

I also recognize that following the direction in section 89 doesn’t mean you’ll be immune from health problems your entire life.

But that doesn’t negate the real, tangible blessings that come from obeying the Word of Wisdom. 

I want to keep the Word of Wisdom even better than I am now.

Not because I love keeping lots of rules.

But because I have a testimony that there are promised blessings waiting in store for me when I obey the laws on which those blessings are predicated.

What blessings have you seen in your life from obeying the counsel found in section 89? What promise stood out to you from reading section 89?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post The Word of Wisdom first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

That takes a whole lot of faith to believe.

Not everything that I have to deal with is good.

Some things are lame, some are frustrating, and some are just heartbreaking.

There is sad and tired and confused and bored.

Not all of it is good.

But, do I believe that it actually all works together for my good?

Honestly… why not believe that?!

What a fun idea, really.

All the lame and disappointing and frustrating is actually for my good.

For my development.

For my glorious future. 

Fear not, the Lord is on my side.

Life’s hills, no matter how steep, seem a little more manageable because I know how this all ends.

Spoiler alert!

This all is going to be okay.

Not even just okay, but it will make me good.

It doesn’t take away the sad and the tedious and the frustrating.

But it doesn’t add to it either.

It’s a little lighter of a burden to bear.

I continue doing my part the best I can.

I search the scriptures and other fountains of doctrine diligently.

I pray as often as I can.

And I believe in Jesus Christ and believe what He has promised me.

And I won’t just randomly have things go my way.

No, the orchestrater of the universe has promised me that all things will actually work for my good.

So I’ll keep my faith.

“This is rough, but this is working for my good. I’m going to be okay in the end.”

Happy Studying!

–Cali Black

The post It’s all for my good first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.