But guess what the Lord says?

“Mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts.” (D&C 29:7)

What if the Lord isn’t just mentioning the characteristics that the already “elect” people have?

What if He is telling us what to do to become “elect”?

That means people are “elect” or “chosen” because they CHOOSE to hear the Lord’s voice and not harden their hearts.

How do we choose to hear the Lord’s voice?

To me, this looks like trying to listen to promptings, studying General Conference messages, and spending time in His holy house.

It means I actively seek more opportunities to hear His voice and learn His will.

And the “elect” children of God then choose to hear God’s word with humility!

To me, this looks like asking, “Lord, is it I?” instead of thinking about how other people should change.

It looks like hearing something I’m not doing great at and softening my heart so I can improve instead of just growing bitter.

God pours out extra blessings and gives bounteous service opportunities to those who hear Him with a soft and willing heart.

“It takes conscious and consistent effort to fill our daily lives with His words, His teachings, His truths.” – President Nelson

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Are you elect?  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

She made the big decision to be baptized…

But it seemed like as soon as she was baptized, the storms of the adversary blew in with full force.

Hecklers gathered around the baptism site, followed Emma, Joseph, and their friends back into their home, and eventually arrested Joseph.

Emma was afraid.

She prayed with other women for her husband for two days.

Finally, Joseph was released.

The two of them escaped back to Harmony.

She knew their family had felt opposition before, but this was a new level.

She needed comfort because her desire to follow her heart and move forward with joining the Church seemed to add even more struggles.

And so Emma was given a divine revelation.

She was called by her name.

She was told, “Behold, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou art an elect lady, whom I have called.” (D&C 25:3)

God knew how difficult Emma’s past few months had been and how much more difficult they would become.

So He comforted her and promised her blessings.

He also told her she had some duties and responsibilities.

It was the exact divine message that she needed after her trials.

God sees us in our trials.

He always remembers His elect daughters and sons.

He knows when we need comfort.

He knows when we need encouragement.

And He knows when we need to be invited to do more.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post What do you need? first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I know a lot of people have different opinions on why some people are considered “elect” or “chosen”, and we could dive into some deeeeeep doctrine if we wanted to.

But I want to keep it simple with a little phrase that jumped out to me in D&C 29:7.

“Mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts”.

When I’ve read this before, I’ve thought that the Lord was just mentioning what characteristics elect people have.

But… what if THAT is what makes people “elect”?

What if people are elect and chosen BECAUSE they choose to:

• Hear the Lord’s voice

• Not harden their hearts when they hear His voice

God pours out extra blessings and gives service opportunities to those who are willing to hear Him with a soft and willing heart.

What do you think?

I think these are interesting points to ponder as we look forward to General Conference in just one week.

Are we going to listen?

Or if we can’t listen live for any reason, will we make it our top priority to listen/read as soon as we can?

And as we listen to the words being spoken, will we try to connect with the spirit and really, truly #hearHim?

Will we approach each message with a “Lord, is it I?” mindset, ready to change in any way we are inspired, even if it is unexpected?

Will we keep a soft heart?

I really think that these qualities are what make people elect.

Part of the chosen House of Israel, being gathered together unto Him:

Those who are willing to listen to what God has to say.

Those who make it a priority to listen, even when it is difficult.

Those who hear difficult commandments and soften their hearts in response.

Those who are always looking for ways to improve and to draw closer to Christ.

We can all choose to be part of God’s elect.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post One of God’s elect first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

She made the big decision to be baptized into the Church.

She joined with her good friends, the Knights, down in Colesville, New York, along with other people in the area.

Emma was baptized!

But it seemed like as soon as this happened, the storms of the adversary blew in with full force.

Hecklers gathered around the baptism site.

They followed Emma, Joseph, and their friends back into the home.

The hecklers were so loud, rude, and disruptive that Emma and the others could not have the Holy Ghost conferred upon them.

Emma and Joseph tried running out to a different house, but Joseph was arrested and taken away.

Emma was afraid. She prayed with other women for her husband.

For two days.

And then finally, Joseph was released. They escaped back to Harmony, Emma still without the gift of the Holy Ghost.

She knew their family had felt opposition before, but this was a new level.

And she needed comfort.

Her desires to follow her heart and move forward with joining the Church seemed to cause intense and dramatic struggles.

And so Emma, through her husband, received a divine revelation. (Section 25)

She was called by her name.

Emma.

Her sins were forgiven.

She was told that she was an elect lady.

And she was told that as an elect lady, she had some duties and responsibilities:

To expound the scriptures
To exhort the church
To comfort her husband
To make a selection of hymns
To lift up her head and rejoice
To keep the commandments

God knew Emma.

He knew how difficult the past few months of her life had been.

And He knew how much more difficult it would become.

And so He comforted her. He promised her blessings.

And, He gave her things that only she could do in order to make a real difference.

Emma Hale Smith was an elect, chosen lady who handled the load she was given by relying on the Lord.

Because elect women suffer and struggle. They feel like every righteous effort is met with more opposition.

But elect women are also blessed beyond measure, even if the blessings don’t look like what they’d hope they would be.

And elect women have work to do.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post An elect lady first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.