(We were talking about the 4 gospel writers with their similarities and differences.)

“Wouldn’t it just have been easier if Jesus Himself wrote down everything that He did and said?!?”

I had to laugh.

I mean… YES.

Can you imagine?!

Jesus writing down what He actually did and experienced and said?

Honestly, I think we couldn’t really comprehend it.

It would be too much.

But I got this kid’s point.

Why don’t we have more clear facts about Jesus?

A cohesive timeline about what He did?

A plethora of details that are missing from every story in the four gospels?

That would be so nice for my little mortal logical brain to have and to study.

But we don’t get that.

We get lots of messy, possibly mis-translated accounts from a couple thousand years ago.

Now Anna and Simeon had one of the coolest experiences ever:

They got to SEE baby Jesus at the temple.

But… I guess a lot of people technically probably saw this little infant that Mary and Joseph had with them.

But Anna and Simeon had a testimony-building experience where they witnessed of the Messiah’s divinity.

“She coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.” (Luke 2:38)

“Anna and Simeon were eyewitnesses to the infant, but… their knowledge of his divine mission came through the witness of the Holy Ghost.” -Dallin H. Oaks

That’s the cool part.

We don’t actually have to see baby Jesus.

We don’t actually need an itemized list of what He did and when.

In order to KNOW Him and TESTIFY of Him.

The Spirit can witness to us of Jesus’ reality and divinity.

And we can go and share.

We can have the same experience that Anna and Simeon had in the temple that day in Jerusalem.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Anna and Simeon first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I honestly didn’t think too much of what I was doing.

But while I was volunteering, something took my by surprise.

In a very mundane moment during my volunteering, I felt completely overwhelmed with the Spirit.

Like, it still remains in my personal top ten list for spiritual moments.

I felt a strong impression that what I was doing, while it didn’t seem “spiritual,” was actually a really good thing my Father in Heaven wanted me to do.

Twelve-year-old Jesus taught His parents a beautiful lesson about His primary purpose on earth.

When Mary and Joseph found their son talking with and listening to the doctors in the temple, Jesus said,

“Wist​ ye not that I must be about my ​​​Father’s​ business?”⁣ (Luke 2:49)

Our “Father’s business” certainly does not only look like serving a full time mission or preaching about the scriptures.

(Although those are great!)

What other good things can we do with our time that might contribute to our being about our Father’s business of bringing light and truth and progression toward all of His children?

I have found spiritual confirmations while getting a good education.

While caring for family members.

While excelling at work, having quality family time, and strengthening my talents.

“Throughout His life our Savior showed us how to use our agency. As a boy in Jerusalem, He deliberately chose to ‘be about [His] Father’s business.’” —Robert D. Hales

And I think it’s important to consider what it looks like to NOT be about our Heavenly Father’s business, too.

What is wasting my time?

What is distracting me from the important stuff?

What is driving the Spirit away?

I don’t always need to be going to church or listening to the scriptures at every moment in my life.

But whatever I choose to do, I hope my Savior can see that I am always trying to be about my Father’s business.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post My Father’s business first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Every time I would think about it, I would get panicky or sad or frustrated.

So I just tried not to think about it.

I kept pushing it down.

But it kept bubbling up and making me frustrated and overwhelmed all over again at very inconvenient times.

I was on edge.

And I didn’t have any time to deal with it.

Then one night, I couldn’t sleep.

I was feeling in a real funk, so I decided to pull up the scriptures on my phone and start reading a bit.

I honestly could not even tell you which book of scripture I pulled up.

Because as my eyes scanned the words and my finger scrolled, my mind wandered.

It wandered back to my big concern.

But this time, it felt different.

I gave myself permission to just think about it.

I thought about my concerns in detail, I cried over what I was sad about, I logically thought through different options and paths forward.

I formally addressed Heavenly Father every once in a while, but my mind just kept going for the most part.

I just… pondered.

And then I fell asleep.

And the next morning, I felt so… calm.

So content. So peaceful. Even, happy.

It didn’t make sense though.

The concern was technically still there.

I didn’t have a clear answer, an obvious path forward, an elimination of every tough part.

But I truly, deep down, felt content.

“Pondering often precedes contentment.” —Neal A. Maxwell

I believe that with all my heart.

It’s something I can’t really explain very well. It probably doesn’t make sense to the rest of the world.

“Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19)

Pondering.

Without distraction, in communion with God, inviting the Spirit…

It is powerful.

And pondering has changed my life.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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

It looks so sleek, and whatever the new features are seem incredible.

The camera quality seems noticeably sharper.

I just want to show my new phone off to everyone!

…And then fast forward a month, and it’s all changed.

It doesn’t seem quite so special or exciting anymore.

It seems like every other phone I’ve had.

I even get a little bit frustrated when the app doesn’t load as quickly as I am now used to.

I’ve lost all the “awe” I had with my phone.

Look at how the shepherds reacted after seeing baby Jesus:

“And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.” (Luke 2:20)

They had come with great speed.

But they left in awe, worshiping Jesus!

Do we find that same kind of awe and joy in the Savior?

It’s tough.

When life gets serious and challenging, it’s hard to remember.

Everything seems like such a big, weighty deal.

But every once in a while, I remember that having the ability to worship my Savior should fill me with so much happiness and joy!

It’s happy! It’s light!

It is worth praise and joy!

It is glorious to be able to worship!

How can you still find ways to be in “awe” of Jesus?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Stay in awe first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.