Literally one of my top favorite things to do.

I’ve learned throughout the years that to be a good choir member, I need to be facing the conductor.

In fact, that’s kind of the whole point of choral singing.

A choir is a group of people who sing together under the direction of a conductor who can hear all the sounds and see the big picture of the music. 

It can be tempting to stop looking at the conductor though.

Especially when you already know a song very well.

You start to trust your own ability to understand what’s going on.

Or maybe you start looking in the audience for a loved one.

Or perhaps you are thinking about what the other choir members are doing around you. 

But when a choir isn’t facing its director, the unity is lost.

Solomon learned this when he started to turn away from the Lord despite the beautiful harmony he had previously experienced.

“And the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice.” (1 Kings 11:9)

Where is your heart facing right now?

Is there a part of you thinking, “Yeah, yeah, I know this part. I know what the conductor wants here. I’m fine.”

Or are there ways we can turn completely to the perfect Conductor of our souls, trusting that He will constantly, in real time, show us the way?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Face the conductor first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

My son yelled that at me last week as he jumped off a giant beanbag. ⁣

I was working on my computer but turned my head to watch the jump. ⁣

“Great job!” I said.

And then I turned back to my computer. ⁣

This happened about ten more times.

And then one time when he finished his jump, he said:

“Mommy, wait! Don’t look at your computer! Watch me the whole time!”⁣

And I felt a little sting. ⁣

He didn’t really care about my praise for his jump—

He just wanted my attention.

Which way do we face?

Where are we giving our best attention?

Jesus commands us to:

“Turn, all ye Gentiles, from your wicked ways.” (3 Nephi 30:2) 

He doesn’t want our entire bodies and souls facing toward someone or something else.

He doesn’t want us only turning our hearts to Him when it’s time for church, a prayer, or a lesson.

And then turning our head back to whatever we were doing before the “church stuff” interrupted.

Jesus wants us to fully turn away from the lesser things of the world and give Him our full attention.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post “Hey mom, watch this!” first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I’ve noticed that there are times when I start to get really down on myself for how often I’m making the same mistakes over and over.

But I can feel the Spirit whisper that I am facing the right direction.

I feel remorse when I sin.

I want to become better.

I don’t give up on trying to become more Christlike.

Sure, I might be taking steps forward and backward.

But I am still facing the Savior.

One thing that I noticed about the Israelites though, is that they seemed to have made some pretty big mistakes while they were waiting for Moses on the mountain.

Breaking covenants, not keeping commandments, those are all not super awesome things to do.

But even more concerning is what we learn in Exodus 32:8:

“They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them”.

They were facing the wrong direction.

They needed a whole lot of support and intervention before their hearts desired repentance. Before they desired to try to do better.

The Lord knew what kind of commandments and priesthood they needed, what kind of temple worship they needed, what kind of ordinances and covenants they needed in order to keep their hearts facing toward Him.

We will all take plenty of steps both forward and backward along the path back to eternal life.

But when we make those mistakes, what are our desires afterward?

Do we want to keep trying to go back to that comfortable sin? Do we want to be sneaky so others don’t notice? Do we want to find more situations to do the same thing?

Or do we desire to do better?

Even if it takes an entire lifetime filled with sinning and repenting, a desire to repent shows us which way we truly face.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Which way do you face?  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.