I’d read professional development books.

I totally got into podcasts.

I studied the scriptures a lot and read supplemental materials.

I love learning, I had the time and the mental capacity to do it, and so I did.

Fast forward a few years and three little kids later, and it blows my mind how little time I have for that anymore.

I started a podcast episode that I was super excited to listen to last week, and it took literally all week, listening to 5 or 10 minute portions here and there, to finally finish it.

My scripture study has become much more focused on the essential basics.

I can only read articles on my phone for as long as I have before my baby slaps my phone out of my hands with her newly discovered fingers.

My speed of personal improvement has slowed down so much.

So much to the point that it’s tempting to think, “What’s the point! I’m failing at it all.”

“Your direction is more important than your speed.” -Richard L. Evans

Why were the people in Jerusalem in spiritual trouble?

It wasn’t because they had slowed down the speed of their spiritual progression.

“They hearkened not… and went backward, and not forward.” (Jeremiah 7:24)

They were going in completely the wrong direction.

A step in the right direction, no matter how small, is still a step.

Three verses of scripture read on my phone before zonking out in bed knowing I’ll only have a few hours before a kid wakes me up is a step in the right direction.

Listening to half of a conference talk because I only have 5 minutes in the car is a step in the right direction.

Sending a text to someone when I’ve been meaning to do so much more to serve them is a step in the right direction.

Forward. Not backward.

(Or when I go backward, repenting and taking that little step forward as fast as I can again.)

Always trying to move a little bit closer to the Lord, inch by inch.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Forward and backward first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

It had been a few days since dishes had been done, and for some reason, everything seemed to have multiplied.

There were stacks of random things on the counters, the sink was piled high, and the stove was covered in pots and pans, too.

It doesn’t usually get this bad… but, here it was.

I kept looking around.

I didn’t even know where to start.

I felt overwhelmed.

I kept pulling my phone out to find the perfect podcast to listen to while I cleaned. And then I remembered I wanted to eat some snacks before I started.

And then my babysitter texted that she was on the way.

This was it– I HAD to get this kitchen clean.

Finally, I had the thought:

“Just start! It doesn’t matter where you begin!”

I picked up the piece of junk mail nearest to me and threw it away.

Then I noticed the other junk mail on the other counter and grabbed that.

Pretty quickly, it snowballed into me getting to work, and I was able to tackle the kitchen pretty well before my sitter arrived.

Section 80 in the Doctrine and Covenants can often be written off as “one of those mission call sections”.

Stephen Burnett asked for a revelation, and the Lord gave him a call.

But there was one element of this mission call that made me laugh a bit.

In verse 3, the Lord tells Stephen:

“Wherefore, go ye and preach my gospel, whether to the north or to the south, to the east or to the west, it mattereth not, for ye cannot go amiss.”

IT MATTERETH NOT, FOR YE CANNOT GO AMISS.

In other words:

There’s literally SO much missionary work to get done– just go somewhere and start, and you’ll be good.

How many times have I waited to be prompted on who exactly I should serve.

Which new family I should try to help feel more welcome in our ward.

How exactly I can serve a ministering sister.

I’ve prayed for specific promptings on what to do for each of those.

(Which I don’t think is bad, in and of itself!)

But meanwhile, the Lord is probably lovingly looking at me and saying:

“Oh Cali, just do SOMETHING!

“There is so much work.

“You cannot go amiss.”

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post You cannot go amiss first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.