I mean, they kept growing and multiplying, and who knew what would happen next?! ⁣

And so what did this king do? ⁣

“He said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: Come on, let us deal wisely with them… Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens.” (Exodus 1:9-11)⁣

The pharaoh was literally so afraid about the hypothetical military power this group of people could have in the future, that he did everything he could do to keep them oppressed. ⁣

Do you know what I can’t help but think about here? ⁣

“Unity and diversity are not opposites. We can achieve greater unity as we foster an atmosphere of inclusion and respect for diversity.” – Quentin L. Cook

One of the biggest messages our modern church leaders have been teaching over and over again is: ⁣

UNITY⁣

We can have cultural and social differences and still find unity when we realize that we are all identified as children of God, first! ⁣

Can you even imagine if the new king said:⁣

“Hey Israelites! You keep growing and growing, and we love you guys. What can we do to help you feel more included? Do you have any new ideas for how to make our kingdom even better?” ⁣

And yet, this king chose division and labeling people as “others”. ⁣

Which then led to him inflicting pain and burdens. ⁣

So how can you create unity where you live right now? ⁣

Who are you tempted to think about in divisive ways, and how can you turn that into love and unity instead?⁣

Kicking other people out or purposefully increasing their burdens just to keep another group comfortable isn’t the way the Savior worked, and it’s not how He wants us to work, either. ⁣

Unity looks like hard work. It takes effort. It requires people to get uncomfortable. ⁣

And the end result is so much more love, peace, and Christlike charity. ⁣

Unity is worth the effort.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Fear and oppression  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Well, maybe not super easy. ⁣

But at least, I think could do it. ⁣

But…

Some of my highest highs AND my lowest lows in life have come from interacting with other people. ⁣

I’ve laughed til my belly aches and cried in moments of vulnerability with good friends. ⁣

And I’ve endured awkward moments and painful misunderstandings with good friends, too. ⁣

I’ve experienced more love than I ever thought possible with my family members. ⁣

And I’ve had to practice patience and forgiveness more than I ever thought possible with my family members. ⁣

I’ve been uplifted and edified by things that my fellow ward members have said. ⁣

And I’ve been shocked and frustrated by things that my fellow ward members have said. ⁣

I’ve had sweet, kind interactions with strangers at parks, stores, or schools. ⁣

And I’ve had terribly rude interactions with strangers at parks, stores, and schools. ⁣

Getting outside of ourselves is where life gets extra messy, but also extra beautiful. ⁣

And I think that’s why the Lord reminds the Saints as they prepared to move to Ohio that they HAD to look out for each other. ⁣

They couldn’t just each take the journey on their own with their own resources. ⁣

Well, maybe a few of them could have made it in their own that way, but they would have left a lot of people in the dust in New York. ⁣

And so the Lord cautioned in D&C 38:27, “If ye are not one ye are not mine”.⁣

We NEED each other. ⁣

The second great commandment is to love our neighbor as ourselves. ⁣

And so if the adversary can get us to just think about ourselves all the time, he’s won half the battle. ⁣

We have to be one. ⁣

We have to experience the messes that come from meeting new people, awkward moments, and misunderstandings so that we can also practice living the gospel in action. ⁣

Unity and oneness can’t begin if we don’t even know each other. ⁣

And if we are not one, then we are not His.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Kind strangers, frustrating strangers  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

It will never fail us to not envy. ⁣

It will never fail us to not puff ourselves up with pride. ⁣

We won’t fail if we don’t anger easily.

We won’t fail if we don’t rejoice in doing iniquity. ⁣

We cannot fail if we rejoice in the truth.

Bear all things.

Believe all things.

Hope all things.

Endure all things. ⁣

“Charity never faileth” (1 Corinthians 13:8).

Charity, the true love of Christ, will never fail us.

And having charity will never fail those around us who we desperately hope to help.

Which parts of charity do you feel like are your strengths? ⁣

Which parts of charity are you working to cultivate right now?⁣

Paul’s teachings found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 are world-famous for good reason!

He gives us a literal checklist to work on to develop this elusive quality of “charity”. ⁣

How could we ever love purely in the way that Christ does? ⁣

How could we ever become truly Christlike?

By developing these qualities over a lifetime of trial, error, repentance, and refinement. ⁣

For when we have charity, or are working to develop charity, we cannot fail.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Charity never faileth first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

In other words, don’t be jealous.

Why?

Why would this make the Lord’s Top Ten List for basic commandments that He wanted the children of Israel to follow, and that He still asks us to follow today?

I think I’ve realized that jealousy is one of the biggest signs of where our heart is.

If I’m over here spending all my time jealous of my friend’s beautiful new backyard, or that trip that they just went on, or the bonus I know that they got…

Then I’m not spending my time loving them.

I’m probably a lot less likely to want to serve them.

I probably am not praying for them.

And it also means my heart isn’t showing gratitude.

I’m probably not overwhelmed and grateful with how dependent I am on the Lord.

I might not be as willing to pay tithing.

My heart starts to worry about the wrong things.

This is a tough one in today’s super materialistic world, and it’s not a commandment I’ve conquered yet.

But I think it is worth every effort to try and root out that pride and jealousy.

Because then we make a little bit more room to love.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Jealousy and charity  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Never fails… whom?

I’ve been pondering on that this week.

And I really think that charity never fails US.

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 Highest, Noblest, and Strongest Love first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Oh wait.

These past few weeks, I’ve seen friends move homes, have babies, celebrate birthdays, return from missions, and mourn losses all without the close physical support of their loved ones who would usually be there.

It’s tough to watch someone you love go through an important event and not be able to help them out.

Really tough.

I like to imagine our Heavenly Parents looking down on us in the same way.

With never-ending love, but not able to physically be with us as we experience the highs and lows of mortality.

And this is where the famous scripture from Mosiah 2 becomes pretty literal:

When we help each other, when we serve and celebrate and mourn and surprise, we are serving God.

We are His hands.

“Quarantined” away from him physically, but never spiritually.

And so, He depends on us.

He depends on us to look around.

To look around with the knowledge that everyone is a child of God.

And then to act as a loving parent would.

So I challenge you today: How can you serve someone outside of your normal comfort zone?

How can you feel the love of God for them, pray for inspiration, and then act?

How can you serve the all-knowing, all-loving, all-gracious God in Heaven today?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post In the service of our God first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.