But… Joseph 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.” JSH 1:59

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

Joseph was promised that if he would constantly put his best effort toward keeping them safe, then they would be protected.

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

This is what I’ve seen in my life time and time again.

One area I’ve noticed recently is with teaching my daughter about the gospel.

I’m not amazing at it, and I don’t present her information in the most developmentally-appropriate way…

But I’m trying.

And it amazes me at how much I can feel God adding to my efforts as I try.

The little primary song that I could only sing to her one time, the scripture story I got interrupted ten times during my retelling, the real life example where she wasn’t paying attention.

I can feel my Savior’s grace being added to my efforts, amplifying them to become even more powerful than I could ever be on my own.

President Nelson loves teaching that “the Lord loves effort”.

And I think one of the reasons is that we’ve got to give Him something to work with.

He’s not going to magically protect the gold plates as Joseph leaves them on his front porch, and He’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.

His grace allows me to be infinitely more effective, righteous, and faithful than I could ever be with my own efforts.

What a beautiful message of hope and grace.

As President Hinckley taught, “All the Lord expects of us is to try, but you have to really try!”

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Trying and some grace! first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I’ve had this overwhelming emotion in my life plenty of times – where there are so many people that I know who are in need of help or love, but there’s no way that I can reasonably help everyone.

And yet, my heart shows me the way.

I truly believe that our natural desires and intuitions are often Heavenly Father’s way of showing us our personal path.

I usually feel drawn to just a couple people who I know that I can help.

My heart is turned toward them.

I feel that godly love for them, I feel compelled to action, and I know my energy is being spent in the right way.

Family history work is not a topic that I am amazing at. At all.

But I want my heart to be turned to my predecessors.

I want to feel that pull, to love them, to be compelled to action on their behalf…

Why?

Because I think it’s a beautiful concept.

Starting from Father Adam and Mother Eve, God has done nothing but pour out blessings and covenants upon those who remember Him.

And yet, I feel that the adversary tries to convince me that I am completely isolated in my faith journey – I can only look at what has happened to me and what miracles I’ve seen as evidence.

But when my heart is turned to my mothers and fathers, from immediate to distant relatives, I remember that I’m not alone.

Just as I hope my children can rely on the strength of their family members, and so on.

We have help. We have people, both on this earth and on the other side, cheering us on.

And when we allow our hearts to be turned, filled with love and action, we can feel that tender reminder that we are not alone.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Where is my heart turned? first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

“I’ve totally fallen behind on the assigned readings! I feel so overwhelmed/inadequate/frustrated!”

Sound familiar to anyone out there?!

You are NOT alone if you have ever fallen behind – whether it’s one week or many months.

Like… not alone at all!

But here’s my favorite advice that I always share to those who fall behind that you may or may not agree with:

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

My reasoning?

The gospel is so repetitive.

You are NOT going to miss some big essential gospel truth that you never would have learned about if you didn’t read one particular chapter!

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

I think about Joseph experiencing the Angel Moroni coming to his room 3 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.

And then Joseph going to 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 it can take on new meaning as we learn a lesson on charity in Young Women’s.

And then after a loved one passes away, those charity lessons become even sweeter.

Repetition is the way we learn.

Secular lessons. Spiritual lessons. Life lessons.

So I’m working on feeling more gratitude for repetition.

Instead of, “Well, another lesson about Sabbath day observance.”

I’m trying, “Sweet. I’m so grateful I get to learn this at a deeper understanding than I ever have before!”

The gospel is repetitive. Thank goodness.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Over and over again first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

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.

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.

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.

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 losing patience with my kids 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. In fact, 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.

Artwork by Michael Malm

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Pleading and calling first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.