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 for us 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. ⁣

My 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. ⁣

“I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come.” – D&C 68:6

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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

I was 14 years old.

It was summertime.

I went to read my scriptures for a church assignment I needed to complete. ⁣(Personal Progress, anyone?!)

The assignment said to read Mosiah 4:9-12 and journal something.

I wouldn’t say I didn’t believe in God or Jesus at this time…

But I was nonchalant about my testimony.

I had never really thought about it seriously.

Church was just a bunch of rules.

But I opened up my black leather scriptures to Mosiah 4:9 and started reading:

“Believe in God.”

And suddenly, I did.

I kept reading:

“. . . believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.”

It was an overwhelming experience!

I felt like my heart would beat out of my burning chest.

I didn’t want the feeling to ever leave me!

This church wasn’t just a bunch of rules, this was all about a loving God and building a relationship with Him.

I have believed ever since that day in the most sincere and authentic ways I can.

I’ve had to do a lot to nurture and grow my testimony.

I’ve had to figure out how the Spirit speaks to me in much more subtle ways most of the time, too.

But it all started with Mosiah 4:9.

What verse changed your life?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post The verse that changed my life  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

And two different styles of believing. ⁣

I think it’s interesting that both of them followed their father and mother into the wilderness BEFORE receiving their own witness that they were really following the Lord. ⁣

They had borrowed their parents’ faith. ⁣

But after a few days in the wilderness, they both needed to know for sure. ⁣

“I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father…” (1 Nephi 2:16)

NEPHI prayed. He cried unto the Lord. The Lord softened his heart. ⁣

“And I spake unto Sam, making known unto him the things which the Lord had manifested unto me by his Holy Spirit. And it came to pass that he believed in my words.” (1 Nephi 2:17)

And SAM believed Nephi’s words. ⁣

“Don’t be discouraged if you find yourself having to believe on the testimony of others. That in and of itself is a gift.” – Elder Rasband

I think a lot of the time I’m like Nephi. I need to know for myself. I plead with the Lord and He eventually softens my heart. ⁣

And other times, I am like Sam. The experience and strong witness of others is good enough for me. In fact, it is often accompanied by my own quieter spiritual confirmation. ⁣

But Sam might have had a hard time believing if Nephi hadn’t shared his experience.

Nephi shared his witness. And then Sam believed. ⁣

When I am like Nephi and I gain a strong witness of a principle or a doctrine, am I sharing it with the people I love? ⁣

Am I sharing it with the people around me who may benefit from it? Or just keeping my testimony and witness to myself?⁣

Conversion is powerful and personal. ⁣

But we also have the chance to uplift the Sams around us who may NEED to hear our story in order to start their own conversion. ⁣

How many times have WE been grateful for the touching stories that others have shared that have encouraged further conversion in our lives?⁣

Sometimes we are Sam, and sometimes we are Nephi.

And when we are Nephi, let’s have his courage to share what we have learned to help convert others.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Sometimes Sam and Sometimes Nephi first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Like, “we believe the prophet will still receive revelation for things in the future”.

But it’s just as powerful to realize that this is a personal statement, too.

I believe all that God has revealed to me personally in the past.

Those promptings about choices to make, those confirmations, that guidance.

I believe all that He does now reveal in my life.

I am seeking out and actively believing the personal revelation that I need right now.

And I believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things that will help me build up the kingdom of God.

I believe this.

I know that I will continue to have difficult questions.

I know that I will continue to have choices to make.

I know that I will experience heartbreaking circumstances in the future.

I know that things will not go according to my plan.

And yet, I believe that He will reveal to me everything that I need to know in order to make it back to Him and improve myself.

I believe that.

And that belief leads to a great deal of trust and confidence as I prove Him right, time and time again.

Personal revelation is a miracle.

Not just as a distant concept of hoping the prophet is doing his part to lead the church.

But as a personal principle that has led me in the past, steers me right now, and gives me confidence in my future.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post He will yet reveal to me 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.