Do you remember anything that someone told you when you were 10 years old?

If you do, it’s probably something pretty important or impactful.

This makes me think of quite a few church lessons I received in my youth that focused on spiritual gifts.

The teacher would often ask each of us to write down or tell each other the spiritual gifts we recognized in them.

Such a sweet idea, by the way.

The only hitch was that I’ve always been pretty musically talented.

So every time I was part of one of these lessons or activities, the messages my friends would write to me would all be fairly similar:

“You are so musically talented!”

Don’t get me wrong, I am so grateful for my talents.

But as a teen, I also always wondered what my SPIRITUAL gifts were.

I knew there was more to me than just my musical gifts.

It wasn’t until an activity at a Young Women camp where I had a leader write a little note to me:

“Cali, I love that for every activity this week, you’ve made sure that everyone was included. You have such a gift for helping others not feel left out.”

I remember that note and that sweet leader to this day.

I’m not sure exactly what Ammaron and Mormon’s relationship was like. ⁣

But I know that Ammaron told young, 10-year-old Mormon that he was, “. . . a sober child, and. . . quick to observe.” ⁣

And Mormon said: “I remembered the things which Ammaron commanded me.” (Mormon 1:2,5) 

And then Mormon wrote Ammaron’s compliment and commandment down, AT LEAST 14 years later.

Sometimes, it’s really hard to recognize our own spiritual gifts. ⁣

But I think it’s actually pretty easy to see the spiritual gifts that others have. ⁣

If you want to make a huge impact on someone’s life right now, tell them the spiritual gifts and talents that you see in them.

They might just remember it for the rest of their lives.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Remembered 14 years later first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

So all those lessons growing up in Primary and Young Women’s where we would have to write down everyone’s spiritual gifts or talents?

I always got the same messages on my post-it notes:

“You are soooo good at playing the piano!”

“You are an amazing singer!”

“You did great when you played ____ in the musical last year!”

It always made me wonder what my spiritual gifts were.

Because I knew that my talents that I had been given, and then worked hard to cultivate, weren’t actually of big consequence in the grand scheme of things.

I KNEW I was musically talented, and that I was smart in school, but I also knew that Heavenly Father gave me more to help build up His kingdom.

I just didn’t know what it was.

Until I went to a Girls’ Camp, and we did this activity yet again, where we wrote everyone’s special strengths and gifts on sticky notes and put them on each other’s backs.

When I took my sticky notes off of my back, one of my camp leaders had written: “You know that you are crazy talented. But I love that you always make sure everyone is included. You have such a gift for noticing who is being left out and trying to include them in whatever fun things are going on.”

I never forgot that note.

I’m not sure exactly what Ammaron and Mormon’s relationship was like.

But I know that Ammaron told young, 10-year-old Mormon that he was “a sober child, and… quick to observe.”

And Mormon said: “I remembered the things which Ammaron commanded me.”

And Mormon wrote Ammaron’s compliment and commandment down, at least 14 years later. (Mormon 1:2-5)

Sometimes, it’s really hard to recognize our own spiritual gifts.

But I think it’s actually pretty easy to see the spiritual gifts, strengths, and talents that others have.

When we tell other people the gifts that we see in them, it can make a lifetime of an impression.

Especially to young kids.

So here’s today’s slightly uncomfortable challenge:

Tell someone, young or old, family member or new acquaintance, what spiritual gifts or special qualities they have.

And I have a feeling your words will never leave them.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post An unforgettable compliment first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.