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 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.

The 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.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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

I love that there are so many positive words of encouragement that the Lord gives us, cuz boy do I need them.

But I think it’s also important to look at the direct warnings that He gives us.

Cuz boy, do I need those, too!

The Lord spoke about the saints in the church at the time, that I feel like could be pulled into 4 separate warnings:

“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 catch those 4 specific warnings?

1. Don’t be idle
2. Teach your children
3. Be earnest in good things
4. 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 4 warnings first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

It seemed like this was a big focus when I was a youth— 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.

Can anyone else relate?!

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 and why that was different than Tuesday doesn’t really appeal to me.

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

In fact, the idea of recording my life for future generations doesn’t seem very compelling for me either.

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.

So I’m not writing every detail of my life. Instead, I’m focusing on writing down the important things.

And then I’m writing them down in simple ways.

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.

An app 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.

For me, the idea of compiling every detail of my life into a single journal is not something that I’ve been impressed to do.

But 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 Journaling first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I played a musical number on the piano in church last week, and someone came up to me and said that.

In the same moment I both laughed and cringed.

I realized that I just happened to have recently shown off a few of my strengths at church by playing the piano, speaking, and teaching.

I thanked my friend for the compliment, but reassured her that I was plenty bad at plenty of things.

You will never see me publish a cookbook. Or if I do, please, please, don’t buy it.

But I also cringed because I suddenly realized that she was feeling about me the same way that I have felt about other people!

“They have it all together!” “They have so many talents!” “Their life is so easy!” “They take so many amazing vacations!”

I’ve been there.

And I think most of us have been there, too. Jealousy is an emotion that happens in this fallen world a whole lot.

The Lord taught some of the saints, who were arguing about who could write the most eloquently, in D&C 67:10 to:

“Strip yourselves from jealousies and fears”.

But how do we do that?

How do we get rid of the jealousy that creeps up everytime we see someone who has things better than we do?

Who has more talents or more friends or a stronger testimony or better behaved kids than we do?

I learned one solution a few years ago that has totally transformed my attitude:

I become their cheerleader.

You are going on an amazing vacation? Awesome! I want to hear all about it and see all your pictures, and I want to feel genuine joy that you got to have that experience.

You are experiencing a success that I wished I had? I take that little ping of jealousy that creeps up and I turn it into thinking about how happy you must feel. How proud you must be to accomplish that goal.

You are moving into THAT new house? In THIS market?! AWESOME! Way to go! That will be so cool for your family, and I hope it turns into your forever home that you love.

Its pretty powerful.

It puts things in perspective to shift from a competition where I’m winning some races and losing others…

To instead think about how we all have our own race to run.

It doesn’t help to compare the races, whether that makes me feel better or worse about myself.

Instead, I just want to cheer everyone on with any little progress they make on their pathway home.

To strip myself of all jealousies and just love, encourage, and cheer my brothers and sisters on.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Getting rid of jealousy first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

My Heavenly Father knows and loves everyone on this earth and directs everything.

Each event and each element and each person is in His loving care.

“The heavens and the earth are in mine hands” D&C 67:2

It’s powerful to think about the whole world being in God’s hands.

God is mighty and all-powerful.

But, right before declaring that the heavens and the earth are in His hands, He mentions to the groups of saints gathered:

“Whose prayers I have heard, and whose hearts I know, and whose desires have come up before me.” D&C 67:1

He hears every prayer that I say.

He knows every single desire, every single yearning of my heart.

He knows things about myself that I haven’t told anyone else.

He knows what I really want and what I really fear, even if I’m not sure what I want or fear.

So the God of heaven and earth, who holds everything in His hands, ALSO knows my every desire.

And what does He do with this unfathomable power and this knowledge?

Holding the whole world while also knowing everything about me?

“The riches of eternity are mine to give.” D&C 67:2

He wants to pour out the riches of eternity upon me.

He’s got the whole world in His hand. He also knows my every personal desire and plea.

And He wants to bless me in ways that I can’t imagine.

“O ye elders of my church, who have assembled yourselves together, whose prayers I have heard, and whose hearts I know, and whose desires have come up before me.

“Behold and lo, mine eyes are upon you, and the heavens and the earth are in mine hands, and the riches of eternity are mine to give.” D&C 67:1-2

The riches of eternity are His to give to the whole world.

And thanks goodness I am in His hands.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post In His hands first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.