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.

What does this account help me think about or do?

In other words…

What is the “fruit” of following this account?

I seriously think about this all the time!

There have been some accounts I’ve started following because they seem funny…

But then I notice they make me feel more judgmental or rude at the expense of others.

There have been some accounts that I’ve started following because they seem like they have positive messages…

But then I realize they have me focusing on things that don’t matter way too much, or spending more money than I need to.

It’s the fruit!

That’s how I judge “the tree”.

“He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.” (Matthew 13:22)

Those thorns choke the goodness, and cause it to become unfruitful.

And on the flip side, I’ve followed so many amazing accounts that have helped me focus on becoming better, feeling connected, and laughing in uplifting ways!

“But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” (Matthew 13:23)

The goodness even compounds!

The fruit is good, and it helps other fruit to grow, too!

I’m not going to lie, it can be really tricky to always clearly discern what is worthy of our time and what is not.

Work. A fun TV show. Working out. Social media. Perfectionism. Hobbies. Hanging out.

An easy measuring stick for me has been:

Does it cause me to become fruitful or unfruitful in the gospel of Jesus Christ?

And then, the answer seems clear.

Ye shall know them by their fruits.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Fruits and thorns  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.