You can’t prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, in a way that all bystanders would agree with, that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true.⁣

To me, yes, there is tons of evidence to prove it. ⁣

Enough for me to feel completely confident turning my heart over to Him and dedicating my life to this work. ⁣

But we can’t actually prove it to other people. ⁣

It will always take just a little bit of faith. ⁣

A little bit of trust. A little bit of listening to your feelings and your heart more than your head. ⁣

The Lord taught the saints in Ohio in D&C 63:9 that: ⁣

“Faith cometh not by signs, but signs follow those that believe.”⁣

Proving the gospel is true and that Christ really exists, is never going to be enough to really convert someone.⁣

Including ourselves. ⁣

Piling up all the evidence can only get my mind so far.

I have to rely on the faith that comes in my heart to keep me truly converted. ⁣

Faith can not come by signs, or proofs, or total knowledge.⁣

In fact, I usually am not so great at recognizing signs or miracles until AFTER they have happened. ⁣

Hindsight is 20/20, right?⁣

Our Heavenly Father WANTS us to have faith. ⁣

He wants us to believe first. ⁣

The world thinks that it’s a little silly. ⁣

But that’s okay, for I’m learning to overcome what the world thinks, anyways. ⁣

Belief and faith first, and then come the miracles. ⁣

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post No way to prove  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Considering we literally refer to him as “doubting Thomas”, I think he gets a bad rap for wanting proof before believing. ⁣

But do any of us really have a testimony without having any “proof”?⁣

What’s your proof for knowing your Savior lives?

That you have a loving Heavenly Father?

That the gospel and Book of Mormon are true?⁣

My proof is very personal, and honestly wouldn’t make sense to anyone else if I tried to describe it. ⁣

But I still have proof. ⁣

My proof is in overwhelming presentations of the spirit.

My proof is in the undeniable love and peace that I feel.

My proof is in the manner I live my life and the small blessings I notice. ⁣

We have to have some sort of “proof” to believe. ⁣

What’s cool about Thomas, though, is that he totally believed after seeing and feeling the proof. ⁣

“Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed”. (John 20:29)

I bet you could rattle off names of scriptural figures who saw signs and angels and never believed. ⁣

But Thomas did. ⁣

He simply asked the Lord for a little proof.

A little piece of evidence. ⁣

But it seems like he asked with a willing and humble heart. ⁣

Now Jesus says that we are blessed for not seeing. ⁣

We can’t have that same proof as Thomas, at least not right now. ⁣

And Christ gives us credit!

It is hard to believe something without seeing.

But we still can get proof.

Thank goodness for the Holy Spirit.

“The truths that mark the way home to God are verified by the Holy Ghost.” —Henry B. Eyring

That is the Spirit’s job.

To give us the small, intangible, hard-to-relay moments of proof that give us the evidence we need to believe.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post What’s your proof?  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I spent all summer feeling very divided.

I made the pros and cons lists, I did my research, I talked with my friends at each school…

But I still felt divided. I could not decide.

Finally, I had a friend at one of the schools that started inviting me to lots of things.

She knew the school counselor and had me go in and meet with her to see what classes I might take.

My friend was involved with Student Council and had me attend one of their summer planning meetings. (They even offered me the role of class secretary because the person who had won the election had dropped out!)

She told me about the teachers, the traditions, the rallies…

Guess which school I ended up choosing?

The one that my friend had pretty much immersed me in!

When Hosea was teaching about the wicked people in the land, he described them by saying: “their heart is divided”. (Hosea 10:2)

Do you feel like your heart is divided right now?

Do you have a part of it for the Lord, but also part of it on something else that keeps taking you away from Him?

I’ll give you the same advice I ended up doing that summer in high school:

Give yourself more experiences with the one you WANT to choose.

Talk about Jesus with your loved ones even more. Read even more about Him. Listen to other people talking about Him. Watch shows that promote the things that He taught.

Being divided is tough when you don’t know which way to go.

But if you KNOW which way you WANT to want, and your heart is still divided…

Give your heart all the evidence it can take to sway it to the Lord.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Give your divided heart evidence  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I had just been pondering on Alma’s counsel in Chapter 40 that in the next life, we will partake of the fruits of our labors.

And it made me think:

What am I laboring in right now?

Would I be able to be clearly labeled as a Christian if someone was scrutinizing my life?

To me, this question doesn’t focus my mind to “outward appearance” measurements.

Yes, I have pictures of Christ in my home, my clothing is modest, and when church is in session, I attend.

Those are all great and important outward measurements of being a follower of Christ.

But the real conviction comes from how I conduct myself and interact with others.

Do I reflect Christ in my day-to-day living?

When the restaurant forgets my order and it takes another 30 extra minutes?

When my toddler has a meltdown because she didn’t get to eat the crouton she wanted?

When I’m feeling left out from activities with friends?

Do I still behave as a Christian would?

Not that there’s a clear, exact way Christ would handle any of those situations, but there are clear ways in which I deviate from the examples He showed.

And then, other times, I feel my entire will being melded with His.

When a gossipy conversation arrives, and I quietly excuse myself.

When I react to a tough situation with love and grace, instead of impatience and anger.

When I teach my daughter about how Jesus loves us.

My labors are good.

Which means my fruit will be good.

But I know I can work on making my labors even better.

That everyone I interact with will know that I have a special relationship with my Savior, even if we never talk religion.

That I can be the most obvious Christian.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Is there enough evidence? first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.