For a Jesus who encourages, accepts, and loves. ⁣

For a Jesus who doesn’t shame, but who invites. ⁣

For a Jesus who is fair and understanding. ⁣

Jesus Christ visited Joseph and Oliver in the Kirtland temple just days after its dedication. ⁣

And the words He spoke to them are so telling of His character and nature. ⁣

“Let the hearts of your brethren rejoice, and let the hearts of all my people rejoice, who have, with their might, built this house to my name.⁣

“For behold, I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house.” (D&C 110:6-7⁣)

Love. Acceptance. Mercy. Power. Patience. ⁣

There are only limited words that I can read that I know my Savior spoke. ⁣

And these few messages and words that He spoke in the Kirtland temple that April day let me know that He is one and the same. ⁣

He is kindness and love and mercy. ⁣

I am so grateful for any opportunity I get to learn more about Jesus Christ. ⁣

To study His words and know that Jesus is my kind, wise heavenly friend.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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

Would you think of Joseph and Emma Smith in a log cabin?

Would you picture the Kirtland temple being built?

Would you think of saints gathered in Nauvoo?

Those are great images of certain aspects of the gospel being restored.

But did you know you could also picture yourself right now?

You.

Doing your ministering, serving your family, sitting in church on Sunday, or listening to General Conference…

You are part of the Restoration, too.

Like, really.

The 9th Article of Faith reminds us: “We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.”

How have you seen the Restoration roll forward just in your own lifetime?

After you think about that, try asking someone older than you how much the Church and their understanding of the gospel has changed throughout their life.

The change is real.

The progression is real.

The Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ is ongoing!

The Restoration Proclamation reminds us: “We gladly declare that the promised Restoration goes forward through continuing revelation.”

It might not seem as dramatic as some of the events that Joseph Smith experienced…

But that doesn’t mean revelations aren’t coming step-by-step.

Are you ready and listening for the next steps closer to God?

“When our time in mortality is complete, what experiences will we be able to share about our own contribution to this significant period of our lives and to the furthering of the Lord’s work?” – Elder Uchtdorf

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post YOU are the restoration! first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Does being dunked underwater cleanse your soul?

Does someone placing their hands on your head remove sickness from your body?

No!

These actions mean absolutely nothing…

Without the power of Jesus Christ.

It is our Savior’s atoning sacrifice that allows us to partake of the sacrament and have our sins forgiven.

It is our Savior’s atoning sacrifice that allows us to be baptized and have our souls cleansed.

It is our Savior’s atoning sacrifice that allows us to receive a blessing that can heal us.

And that same power has been given to people here on earth to allow all of God’s children the opportunity to repent, be cleansed, be healed, and so much more.

We know this as priesthood power.

It was a quiet day in May of 1829 when Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were the first people in this dispensation to receive this now-restored priesthood power.

The Restoration Proclamation teaches: “The resurrected John the Baptist restored the authority to baptize by immersion for the remission of sins.”

This simple priesthood restoration would eventually flood the earth.

“Priesthood keys distinguish The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from any other organization on earth.

“Many other organizations can and do make your life better here in mortality.

“But no other organization can and will influence your life after death.” – President Russell M. Nelson

What a miracle it is to be alive when God’s priesthood power is available to each of us to cleanse, heal, and empower us.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Does bread have power?  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I consider myself pretty strong at math.

And I truly wanted to learn each element of calculus.

But I had to ask a lot of questions as I learned how to do calculus.

The problem was that my high school teacher was never clear in her responses to questions.

I’d ask questions in class, meet with her at lunchtime, or send her an email, and yet I always left our sessions feeling more confused than when I first went in.

Every question seemed to lead to a tangent or a vague explanation.

It was honestly so frustrating.

I vented to my mom about how confused I felt, and she told me to call my grandpa, who had been a math professor.

After asking my grandpa just a few questions and listening to his responses, my brain was finally calm and clear.

I was learning!

I understood concepts.

I could accurately solve problems on my own.

I felt relieved.

I think about young Joseph Smith, trying to get his own answers to spiritual questions.

But he was left feeling quite frustrated.

In the Restoration Proclamation, we read:

“He had questions regarding the salvation of his soul and trusted that God would direct him.”

Can you imagine?

Asking the basic questions of the soul and not finding any sort of satisfactory answer?

The apostasy was a time of spiritual confusion.

It was a time where everyone had the same questions and yearned for truth but could not get correct answers.

Joseph felt this himself.

And at the right time, God used Joseph to bring much-needed clarity and relief to his children.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Calculus class first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

That’s how I feel every time I get to this final verse in the Book of Mormon!

Sweet Moroni signs off with an emotional:

“And now I bid unto all, farewell.” (Moroni 10:34)

What lessons have you learned from the Book of Mormon over the past 365 days?

Maybe you learned that very real and imperfect people can make miracles happen when they work with Jesus.

Maybe you were reminded that the blessings for believing in Christ aren’t always temporal blessings.

Maybe you were taught that pride is the biggest trap because it is so easy to justify.

Maybe you gained a testimony that God answers prayers. ⁣

And maybe you’ve learned more about who Jesus Christ is and what He does.

This book has been life-changing for me personally, and is consistent as the foundation of my testimony of Jesus Christ.

It’s a useful, practical, heartbreaking, inspirational, and powerful book.

As we finish up this final verse, I invite you to think about what lessons the Book of Mormon has taught you.

What is your big takeaway from the greatest book ever written?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post The final verse first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

She was not a member of our church, but she was very spiritual and religious. ⁣

She had just shared what she felt her “spiritual strength” was:

She said she could sense other people’s emotions, even when they wanted to hide them. ⁣

I told her that I felt that the Spirit told me truths all the time, both eternal truths, and also about things that I needed to know would happen in the future.

We had an interesting discussion together about how we both felt that these “powers” were meant to be kept privately. ⁣

She totally believed the few sacred experiences I shared with her were true, and she shared some of her beautiful experiences, too. ⁣

I’ll never forget that conversation.

It was reverent, it was sacred, and it was respectful. ⁣

Although she used different vocabulary than I usually would, we really were just speaking freely about the powers of the Spirit that can make a real difference in our lives⁣

The Spirit has told me the truth many times.⁣

I’ve had pure gospel truths confirmed to me, like the validity of the Book of Mormon. ⁣

I’ve had truths revealed to me about my relationships, like who to become friends with or who to distance myself from. ⁣

And I’ve had truths about future events revealed to me, like whether or not I was getting a job or whether something I was worried about would actually happen. ⁣

And each time, the Spirit tells me truth in the most peaceful and meek way. ⁣

I don’t feel any pride. I don’t feel the need to tell others. I don’t boast. ⁣

I just know the Truth. ⁣

And I know that God knows that I know. ⁣

I think that the truth is quiet. It is powerful and confident, but it is quiet. ⁣

And I also think that the Spirit can bring that same truth to anyone who seeks. ⁣

I know that I can’t know the answer to every question. I can think of many times when I’ve asked, and NOT received truth. I’ve just received nothing. ⁣

But those moments are even still a little comforting. Because I know that if I’m not having the truth revealed to me, it means I’m not meant to know yet. ⁣

And then I feel peace. ⁣

We can seek for truth. God wants us to know truths, and He gives us His Spirit to let us hear the truths we need.

“And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.”

(Moroni 10:5)

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post My mentor teacher  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I sometimes think about how I could literally do anything I wanted to right now. ⁣

I could take off running down the street and never come back.

I could lay in bed all day.

I could drive anywhere.

I could stop doing things that I’m doing right now. ⁣

I could also call someone right now and catch up with an old friend.

I could make a treat and drop it on someone’s doorstep.

I could immerse myself in General Conference talks.

I could make a goal and take a step to achieve it.

I could do something super fun.

Like… isn’t it overwhelming the amount of freedom that we have every single day?!⁣

Obviously, I don’t have freedom from any consequences.

But I can do literally anything that I want at anytime. ⁣

Which was what I thought of when I read Moroni’s warning exhortation to us in Moroni 10:8:⁣

“Deny not the gifts of God”.⁣

I know that there are some spiritual gifts that I’ve been given. ⁣

And I’m also very aware of my imperfections. ⁣

So… what if I asked God to give me gifts of the Spirit that will help turn my imperfections into glorious strengths?!⁣

I have the agency to ask that. ⁣

And Pres Dallin H. Oaks encouraged us to do just that:⁣

“We should seek after spiritual gifts. They can lead us to God. They can shield us from the power of the adversary. They can compensate for our inadequacies and repair our imperfections.”⁣

We can ask. ⁣

We can pray and ask for more personal revelation. We can pray and ask for a stronger testimony. We can pray and ask to understand the scriptures better. We can pray and ask to behold angels in our lives. We can pray and ask to be better teachers. ⁣

I want to ask.

Humbly, meekly, with the intent to serve others and grow closer to the Divine. ⁣

I want to ask for the spiritual gifts that will strengthen my imperfections and bring me closer to my Savior.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post I can do anything!  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Growing up in Northern California, I felt like we were always taking road trips.

Whether it was across Nevada to visit family, down south to Disneyland, or just to the mountains.

I learned from a young age that I like to just stare out the window of a car.

My mom would get really fun activities for my sisters and me…

But I would still find myself spending half the day just staring out my window, thinking.

Does this make me weird?

Probably.

But I love just letting my mind wander!

My life is much busier now, so it takes a lot more effort to find time to be still and think.

But making time to ponder has completely transformed my relationship with God.

Moroni counsels us to, “. . . receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.” (Moroni 10:3)

All of my moments of transformation have come from letting my mind think on things.

When I’ve made big decisions, when I’ve had greater resolve to keep a commandment, when I’ve received impressions of which relationships to pursue and which to let go, and even when I’ve grown my testimony…

I’ve been pondering.

Because when I stop everything and let my mind run free, I find that God speaks.

“Being still is an act of faith and requires effort.” – L. Todd Budge

At the busiest time of year, how can you show an act of faith and WORK to stand still and ponder on the simple truths of the doctrine of Christ?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Staring out a window first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Scary health issues.

Scary potential futures.

Scary financial situations.

Scary social or political concerns.

Scary moments of personal growth.

But can I be honest?⁣

When the opportunities for fear have surrounded me, I feel like I’ve had a pretty peaceful life.⁣

I’ve felt a lot of stretching and growth.

I’ve gained new perspectives and refined priorities. ⁣

But I haven’t felt a lot of fear. ⁣

To be clear, I don’t say that with a sense of pride or superiority. ⁣

In fact, I am well aware that this is a special spiritual gift that I have, and I have been specifically told that. ⁣

But… there are still scary things.

And in those moments when I have felt that fear start to creep up, I have tried to turn to my Father in Heaven. ⁣

In humility, in meekness.

In love. ⁣

Loving my Heavenly Father is what casts out those little inklings of fear. ⁣

Loving my Savior is what transforms my fear to peace and confidence. ⁣

Fear isn’t a bad emotion to feel, but it’s honestly just not a feeling I want to indulge in very often.

I’m not perfect at it, but when I have been in my most desperate times, I have still been able to find moments of pure and perfect love.

Pure and perfect devotion to the Divine. ⁣

And I have found for myself that these moments of true, pure, perfect love for Heaven have cast out my fear.

“Behold, I speak with boldness, having authority from God; and I fear not what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear.” (Moroni 8:16)

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Casting out fear first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I’ve been pondering on that this week. ⁣⁣

I think most of us can recite that “charity is the pure love of Christ”.⁣⁣

But then I hope I’m not alone in often picturing charity as an action.

Reaching out. Making a call. Pulling weeds. Making beds. Being a listening ear. ⁣

(Which are all amazing actions to take, of course!)⁣

But I think it’s important to remember that charity is actually just a feeling. ⁣

In fact, according to the Bible Dictionary, charity is “the highest, noblest, strongest kind of love”. ⁣

In the scriptures, the word “charity” is never even used to refer to good deeds. ⁣

Instead, it is an emotion we feel inside of ourselves. ⁣

It can totally be the motivating factor for us to then reach out and perform acts of service for other people! ⁣

But charity is love. ⁣

Feeling love NEVER fails US. ⁣

I clarify “US” because our acts of service can certainly fail other people. ⁣

I may think I’m being a fantastic ministering sister, while someone complains that I don’t fulfill my assignment very well. ⁣

I may think I’m being a helpful volunteer, while someone thinks that I’m wasting my time. ⁣

I may think I’m being thoughtful, while someone thinks I’m being overbearing. ⁣

I can’t control how the pure love that I feel in my heart is then perceived by other people.

(Of course, tact and sensitivity are always qualities I strive for, too! But at the end of the day, I can only do my best.)⁣

But the Godly love that I try to cultivate can change me.

It can save me. ⁣

What a timely message, right?!⁣

The more love we feel for other people, the more Christlike we become. Because He loves everyone, too. ⁣

Everything else will fail in the end. ⁣

But feeling a deep love, a love that is kind, patient, and humble… THAT will sustain us through everything.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Charity never fails… who? first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.