I mean, even with a group of people who I like, trying to make plans together for a group date or something, things can get messy.⁣

Making decisions in our callings at church, ⁣

Making decisions as a family, ⁣

Making decisions in a committee at work, ⁣

Completing a group project for school, ⁣

Or even just look at groups of legislators who have to make decisions for a country together…⁣

Making decisions in a group of people is often rough.⁣

And that’s what I find so appealing and soothing about the Lord’s directions to church leaders in D&C 107:30:⁣

“The decisions of these quorums, or either of them, are to be made in all righteousness, in holiness, and lowliness of heart, meekness and long-suffering, and in faith, and virtue, and knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity;”⁣

What were just listed?! ⁣

Christlike attributes.⁣

So if we possess Christlike attributes, it is much easier to make decisions together. ⁣

And I just have to share this beautiful promise the Lord gives them right afterward in verse 31: ⁣

“Because the promise is, if these things abound in them they shall not be unfruitful in the knowledge of the Lord.”⁣

If we abound in Christlike attributes we are promised that we will gain the knowledge of the Lord.⁣

We will not be unfruitful if we harness these qualities. ⁣

Of course, we can’t control the attributes of everyone around us in a group.

(But if you are a leader in a group, you can at least encourage and model these positive qualities.)⁣

But what we can control is ourselves, right? ⁣

We can trust that being more personally righteous will lead to better decision-making. ⁣

That becoming more meek will lead to better decision-making. ⁣

That having more patience, showing charity, gaining knowledge, and living virtuously will lead to better decision-making. ⁣

Christlike attributes lead to better decision-making.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Group decision making  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

These are two very desirable…

(but in my opinion, very DIFFICULT)

…Christlike attributes to obtain. ⁣

“That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.” (Philippians 1:10)

I see being SINCERE as an outward quality.

It’s an attribute that affects what I say or do toward others. ⁣

How can I become more sincere?⁣

Here’s a few things I’ve been working on:⁣

-Expressing gratitude for other people often

– Acting on promptings as soon as I receive them⁣

– Not being afraid to speak up when I feel differently about a situation than others (not just saying “I agree!” to keep the peace)⁣

– Making sure my outward actions reflect my inner thoughts⁣

– Praying earnestly to have my natural thoughts be more kind so that I can then act with sincerity on desires to serve, and not out of obligation ⁣

The other Christlike quality is to be WITHOUT OFFENCE. ⁣

I see this quality as a more inward characteristic.

It has to do more with how I react to what other people are saying. ⁣

How can I avoid being offended more often?⁣

Here’s some more things I’ve been working on:⁣

– Recognizing that when I perceive something as “rude”, it most likely is not from someone who actually intends emotional harm.

-Acknowledging that other people’s words and actions have nothing to do with who I am.

– GIVING IT TIME. This is a huge one for me. Right after something “offensive” has happened, I’ve found it helpful to not wrestle with it right afterwards because my emotions get in the way. When I give things time, it is so much easier to see the bigger perspective. ⁣

– Praying to see the situation as my Father in Heaven sees it. Eventually, I get a glimpse of that Christlike love for the other person that seems to make the situation much more bearable. ⁣

I’m still working on adding sincerity and avoiding offence each day. ⁣

But the peace that comes from the moments when I do get it right teaches me that this is how the Savior wants me to live. ⁣

How have you become more sincere?

How do you avoid taking offence?⁣

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Sincere and without offence   first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I’m not sure if that statement made you cringe as much as I do when I think about it, but yikes.

It can be tough.

I mean, even with a group of people who I like, trying to make plans together for a group date, things can get messy.

Making decisions in our callings at church,

Making decisions as a family,

Making decisions in a committee at work,

Completing a group project for school,

Or even just look at groups of legislators who have to make decisions for a country together…

Making decisions in a group of people is often rough.

And that’s what I find so appealing and soothing about the Lord’s directions to church leaders in D&C 107:30:

“The decisions of these quorums, or either of them, are to be made in all righteousness, in holiness, and lowliness of heart, meekness and long-suffering, and in faith, and virtue, and knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity;”

What were just listed?!

Christlike attributes.

So if we possess Christlike attributes, it is much easier to make decisions together.

And I just have to share this beautiful promise the Lord gives them right afterward in verse 31:

“Because the promise is, if these things abound in them they shall not be unfruitful in the knowledge of the Lord.”

If we abound in Christlike attributes we are promised that we will gain the knowledge of the Lord.

We will not be unfruitful if we harness these qualities.

Of course, we can’t control the attributes of everyone around us in a group, so that complete spiritual unanimity will probably be a rare occurrence.

(Or if you are a leader in a group, you can at least encourage and model these positive qualities.)

But what we can control is ourselves, right?

We can trust that being more righteous will lead to better decision-making.

That becoming more meek will lead to better decision-making.

That having more patience, showing charity, gaining knowledge, and living virtuously will lead to better decision-making.

Christlike attributes lead to better decision-making.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Christlike decisions first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

He crawls and climbs over everything.

He saw his milk bottle and started crying for it.

I gave it to him and it made him happy for a bit.

And then he picked up a smaller toy and put it by his mouth.

I jumped up and grabbed the toy out of his hand, putting it on the counter.

He started crying.

He wanted that toy as much as he had wanted that bottle.

I gave him the bottle and took away the toy.

While I was trying to find something else for him to play with, I thought about his sweet little naive lack of patience.

He just wants whatever he thinks he wants, and he has virtually no understanding for why he can’t have everything he wants right now.

And I know he’ll learn as he gets older – why he can’t put everything in his mouth, why mom can’t give him everything, why some things are dangerous.

But… do we ever really learn all the way?

Just this week, I needed what I thought was an urgent answer to a prayer, but it didn’t come right away. I felt frustrated.

But it turned out that taking more time was exactly the answer I needed.

“Patience is tied very closely to faith in our Heavenly Father.

“Actually, when we are unduly impatient, we are suggesting that we know what is best—better than does God. Or, at least, we are asserting that our timetable is better than His” Neal A. Maxwell.

Impatience = pride.

And boy, does pride take a lifetime to remove.

But learning patience is worth it.

It’s the gateway to all other Christlike attributes.

Because at the root of patience is faith in God. Real faith, real trust.

And so I’ll keep learning patience a little more and more every day.

Just like my one year old.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post The gateway Christlike attribute first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.