It was early, it was outside, and I had a million other things to do. ⁣

When I arrived, I was disappointed to learn that none of my friends from my ward had even showed up, even though they said they would.⁣

Sooooo I spent the rest of the activity performing service with a terrible attitude. ⁣

Annoyed that I had come, tired, cold, and a little bit sore from all the hard physical work. ⁣

Clearly, I was missing the entire point of the service activity, and my heart certainly was not happy. ⁣

The Lord taught the Israelites to serve the poor and needy in their community. ⁣

“Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him”. (Deuteronomy 15:10) ⁣

We are asked to give freely to those who are need, which is so important. ⁣

But we also need to make sure our hearts are not grieved, annoyed, or resentful when we give service. ⁣

So would it have been better to just sleep in that Saturday morning and not go to the service project? (Like all my friends decided to do?!)⁣

I don’t think so. ⁣

Service was still performed. Someone else got to feel gratitude for a lightened load. The leaders who had organized it didn’t have to sacrifice as much time away from their families because so many youth bailed.⁣

And it has now become an anchor learning opportunity for me about how NOT to perform service. ⁣

(But just to be clear, that was not an immediate lesson I learned. Reflection and growth take time and maturity!)⁣

I still try to show up to things, even when I don’t totally feel like it because I know at least other people’s loads get lightened. ⁣

But it’s so much better when I prepare my heart and mind with love beforehand! ⁣

Giving with a happy and willing heart makes all the difference.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Bailing on the service project  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

We are sent into this world with so much going in our favor, regardless of our physical circumstances. ⁣

We are here on a beautiful earth. ⁣

We are given bodies that are totally unique and have been especially created for us, with minds that can think and problem-solve. ⁣

We are given the light of Christ to point our consciences toward good and righteous things. ⁣

And we are given a Savior who keeps rushing to our assistance every single time we make a mistake, as long as we sincerely call on Him for help. ⁣

And so can you imagine how Jesus Christ feels when we actively choose to turn away from Him?⁣

“They are the workmanship of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge”. (Moses 7:32)⁣

Christ weeps. ⁣

Not to try and guilt us into choosing the right. ⁣

Not to shame us. ⁣

Not to make us feel bad for Him. ⁣

But He weeps because He knows what brings true happiness and peace, and He is so sad to see us bring more pain into our lives. ⁣

Christ weeps out of pure compassion. ⁣

Pure love. ⁣

As our Creator, as someone who has given us absolutely everything, He weeps. ⁣

He has probably wept for you and wept with you many times. ⁣

He loves you so much and He cares so much about the decisions you are making each day. ⁣

What does it mean to you to know that the Lord weeps?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post The Lord weeps first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I’ve wondered a lot this week about why Enoch was the guy who created this literal Zion city here on earth. ⁣

There have been so many mighty prophets and righteous people beforehand and since, and I don’t know that Enoch was objectively THE most righteous. ⁣

But what was his special gift, his spiritual superpower that made him perfect for this particular role of creating a Zion community?⁣

And the word COMPASSION couldn’t help but jump out as I read Moses 7. ⁣

This guy wept when he learned of terrible destruction that would happen.

He wept when he saw the Savior crucified. ⁣

He wept when he saw latter-day destruction. ⁣

But he didn’t just cry and feel sad about these things:⁣

He always tried to do something about it. ⁣

He saw Noah’s flood?⁣

⁣Enoch wept, and he also pled with the Lord to make a covenant to bless Noah’s seed who would remain on earth.

He saw even more destruction?⁣

Enoch wept and asked the Lord when our poor Mother Earth would get relief from having to bear the pains of mankind. ⁣

He saw more wickedness and the Savior being slain? ⁣

Enoch asked if the Lord would come again to bring peace. ⁣

What a fantastic example of compassion, right?!⁣

He saw the suffering of others, whether it was his fellow man, the Earth, or the Savior. ⁣

And he wept because of the pain they were enduring. ⁣

And THEN, he did what he could to try to relieve their suffering, or to at least learn about what would relieve it. ⁣

We don’t get many details about what Enoch actually did in his city with the righteous people who lived there. ⁣

But I imagine this pattern was repeated day in and day out. ⁣

Tough times would happen. Someone would come to battle against them. Someone would lose a loved one. Someone would mentally and emotionally have a rough day. ⁣

And people would notice, mourn, and do what they could to help. ⁣

Over and over. ⁣

Compassion. Enoch showed it, the Lord shows it, and each member of a Zion community shows it, too.

“Compassion is a fundamental characteristic of those who strive for sanctification.” – Elder Ulisses Soares

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post What made Enoch the guy?  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

How to walk into a room and not worry about who you are going to sit by— just sitting down and knowing you’ll be fine no matter what. ⁣

How to make decisions and feel confident about them. ⁣

How to plan events and host. ⁣

And it’s not like these things aren’t important… ⁣

Being confident has blessed my life in many ways. ⁣

But I’ve recently been starting to get a glimpse of something much more important. ⁣

Love and service. ⁣

Walking into a room and looking for someone I could sit next to who might need a friend. ⁣

Not always making the most efficient decisions because they would leave some people out. ⁣

Hosting in a way that I’m still able to connect with others, and not in self-serving ways. ⁣

With this idea sitting in my mind a lot recently, I couldn’t help but see a new perspective to this pretty popular verse:⁣

“For their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation, as Paul says concerning the fathers—that they without us cannot be made perfect—neither can we without our dead be made perfect.” D&C 128:15⁣

Why can’t we be perfect without performing proxy ordinances for every single person who has ever existed?⁣

Because that is the loving and compassionate thing to do. ⁣

It isn’t enough to just be righteous and confident people who keep to ourselves. ⁣

It isn’t enough to just worry about ourselves. ⁣

Why?⁣

Because Jesus isn’t just worried about Himself. ⁣

So if we are asked to become like Jesus…⁣

Then we can’t just worry about “our own salvation”.⁣

Because “our own salvation” requires us to become Christlike. ⁣

Which means we are filled with so much compassion and love that we HAVE to, no, we WANT to do the work for absolutely everyone else. ⁣

We would never be content with just our own perfection. ⁣

Because Christ isn’t content just with His.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Better than confidence first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

BUSY

members of the church spend time researching names

and then attending the temple to do temple work?⁣

There’s all the technical doctrinal reasons.

The reasons that help explain this super unique aspect of our Christian religion.

In addition to baptizing people in behalf of those who have passed away, we also know that all temple ordinances are made available by proxy for people who have died. ⁣

“Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?” (1 Corinthians 15:29)

But why do we continue to attend the House of the Lord?

I think the real answer is

Christlike love and compassion. ⁣

Have you ever thought about how that’s what temple work really is?⁣

We literally are spending time, effort, and often some amount of money in the form of gas, food, or childcare in order to show love and compassion for those who were not able to perform temple ordinances in their lifetime. ⁣

And, these deceased people might not even accept our work. ⁣

And yet, we still go. ⁣

We love them so much,

OR we at least understand that Christ loves them so much,

that we are willing to give up our time in order to give them a chance. ⁣

That is such extreme love and compassion. ⁣

And I think that’s one of the reasons why it’s so important to go to the temple!

Even when it’s difficult.

We are developing a truly advanced ability to love others when we sacrifice so much for what may not be accepted at all. ⁣

In fact, that sounds an awful lot like what our Savior did for all of us. ⁣

When we attend the temple, we get to experience just a small portion of what He did as He sacrificed His comfort in order to give everyone the opportunity to develop spiritually. ⁣

I’m so grateful that attending the temple helps me become more Christlike, from the things that I learn as I worship in the House of the Lord, to the mere physical act of just being willing to attend.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Why do we do baptisms for the dead? first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

COMPASSION.

Have you noticed it in the parable of the Good Samaritan?

First, a priest and a Levite pass this “half-dead” man on the side of the road.

Probably pretty good people.

Probably with legitimate excuses to be somewhere.

Probably knew this guy didn’t really have a chance, or maybe even deserved the trouble he was in. ⁣

But then…

“A certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him”. (Luke 10:33)

The Samaritan passes the man and is filled with COMPASSION.

How are we doing with feeling compassion towards other people?

When we see a homeless individual on the side of the road, do we make fun of them and make some snide remark?

Or are we filled with COMPASSION?

When someone tells us they are going to do something and then they don’t, do we think negative thoughts about them or even “tell the story” to someone else?

Or are we filled with COMPASSION?

When a family member disappoints you, do you take it personally and add drama to it?

Or are you filled with COMPASSION?

But this Good Samaritan didn’t even stop at compassion!

After he was filled with COMPASSION, he acted.

He got right to work to solve the problem. ⁣

I love that. ⁣

When other people aren’t acting the way we think they should, let’s be filled with COMPASSION and then GET TO WORK. ⁣

When bad things happen to people we know, let’s be filled with COMPASSION and then GET TO WORK. ⁣

When we see people in need, let’s be filled with COMPASSION and then GET TO WORK.

COMPASSION and then GET TO WORK.

It’s a beautiful duo.

A divine duo.

The perfect combination to make this famous Samaritan “good”.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Compassion in the Good Samaritan first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I’ve thought about this question a lot.

I can clearly and embarrassingly think back to times in my life where I was super judgmental and worried about other people.

From things as silly as clothing choices to things as serious as how others have handled trials, I’ve judged and compared.

Sometimes to make me feel better about myself.

And other times as a way to feel I wasn’t good enough.

Either way… not great.

As I’ve tried to “spiritually mature”, I’ve really been focused on the idea that the cure to comparison is COMPASSION.

Seeing a mom handle her kid in a way I wouldn’t and feeling compassion.

Seeing a mom celebrate a minor holiday in an elaborate way that her kids love and feeling compassion.

Hearing someone who is struggling with their relationship with the church and feeling compassion.

Hearing someone with much more gospel knowledge and greater study habits than I have and feeling compassion.

The prophet Micah taught:

“He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us”. (Micah 7:19)

The Lord has endless compassion.

Over and over, He turns toward us and extends His compassion and His understanding.

And I think He invites us to feel that same kind love for each other.

To be freed from the weight of needing to nudge and compare, to put down others or ourselves, and to add distance.

And to instead experience just a portion of the same compassion He encompasses.

Compassion over comparison.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Compassion over comparison  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Which somehow immediately signaled to my children that this was now a toy to play with.

I looked over from my prep work and saw them jumping on the foot pedal and slamming the lid up and down.

“Hey, please stop playing with the trash can like that! You’re going to break the trash can or one of you is going to get hurt.”

Within 5 seconds of me saying that, the howl of pain came.

My daughter’s toe got a nice little cut on it from the foot pedal on the trash can that started bleeding all over the floor.

I immediately stopped what I was doing and helped her get comfortable, cleaned up the mess, and cuddled with her after the bandaid had been put on.

My heart was filled with compassion for this cute little girl who just wanted to have fun, ignored mom’s warnings, and was now having to deal with the painful consequences.

It’s tough being 4 years old and figuring out how the world works.

And I have to imagine that our Heavenly Father feels that to an even greater degree.

He sees us downplaying commandments, skipping the small but important things, and placing our value in things that don’t last.

And yet what does He do?

“But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.” (Lamentations 3:32)

He has compassion on us in our own self-inflicted suffering.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Self-inflicted struggles first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

You know those spoiled, wealthy kids who have parents that give them a giant sum of money to “help them get started” and then continuously bail them out of every ridiculous decision they make?

I don’t think we are too far off from that, spiritually.

We are sent into this world with so much going in our favor, regardless of our physical circumstances.

We are here on a beautiful earth.

We are given bodies that are totally unique and have been especially created for us, with minds that can think and problem-solve.

We are given the light of Christ to point our consciences toward good and righteous things.

And we are given a Savior who keeps rushing to our assistance every single time we make a mistake, as long as we sincerely call on Him for help.

And so can you imagine how Jesus Christ feels when we actively choose to turn away from Him?

“They are the workmanship of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge”. (Moses 7:32)

Christ weeps.

Not to try and guilt us into choosing the right.

Not to shame us.

Not to make us feel bad for Him.

But He weeps because He knows what brings true happiness and peace, and He is so sad to see us bring more pain into our lives.

Christ weeps out of pure compassion.

Pure love.

As our Creator, as someone who has given us absolutely everything, He weeps.

He has probably wept for you and wept with you many times.

He loves you so much and He cares so much about the decisions you are making each day.

The Lord weeps.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post The Lord’s compassion  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I’ve wondered a lot this week about why Enoch was the guy who created this literal Zion city here on earth.

There have been so many mighty prophets and righteous people beforehand and since, and I don’t think that Enoch was objectively THE most righteous.

But what was his special gift, his spiritual superpower that made him perfect for this particular role of creating a Zion community?

And the word COMPASSION couldn’t help but jump out as I read Moses 7.

This guy wept when he learned of terrible destruction that would happen.

He wept when he saw the Savior crucified.

He wept when he saw latter-day destruction.

But he didn’t just cry and feel sad about these things:

He always tried to do something about it.

He saw Noah’s flood?

Enoch wept, and he also pled with the Lord to make a covenant to bless Noah’s seed who would remain on earth.

He saw even more destruction?

Enoch wept and asked the Lord when our poor Mother Earth would get relief from having to bear the pains of mankind.

He saw more wickedness and the Savior being slain?

Enoch asked if the Lord would come again to bring peace.

What a fantastic example of compassion, right?!

He saw the suffering of others, whether it was his fellow man, the Earth, or the Savior.

And he wept because of the pain they were enduring.

And THEN, he did what he could to try to relieve their suffering, or to at least learn about what would relieve it.

We don’t get many details about what Enoch actually did in his city with the righteous people who lived there.

But I imagine this pattern was repeated day in and day out.

Tough times would happen. Someone would come to battle against them. Someone would lose a loved one. Someone would mentally and emotionally have a rough day.

And people would notice, mourn, and do what they could to help.

Over and over.

Compassion. Enoch showed it, the Lord shows it, and each member of a Zion community shows it, too.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Enoch’s compassion first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.