Do you think he ever drove his parents crazy and made big messes?⁣

Oh, I’m sure. ⁣

And then he had to deal with the tragic death of his father at a young age.

I think it can be tempting to look at someone like President Oaks and think, “Wow, he is different. His gospel knowledge and spiritual strength are unparalleled.”⁣

Now of course, President Oaks has received gifts of the spirit and powerful abilities from his mantle and priesthood keys. ⁣

But… he also had to grow and develop like anyone else.

He had to figure out his relationship with the gospel of Jesus Christ. ⁣

He had to decide if he thought it was true. ⁣

He had to study the scriptures and pray and learn how he best receives personal revelation. ⁣

He had to endure heartbreaking trials and devastating setbacks. ⁣

He had to practice serving others and communicating well. ⁣

He learned how to teach and speak with priesthood authority. ⁣

Of course, we aren’t all aspiring to become the prophet, but we can still grow in the Lord.

David was the king of all Israel… who started out as a sheep herder. ⁣

“And David went on, and grew great, and the Lord God of hosts was with him.” (2 Samuel 5:10)⁣

David had to learn to be great, too.

Knowing how to study the scriptures isn’t just for the old guy in your gospel doctrine class. ⁣

Loving and understanding the temple isn’t just for that sister who’s been serving for 20 years. ⁣

We can all grow great! ⁣

What are the next steps for you? How do you want to “grow great” next?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Grow great first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

She would drive by our home every week and drop off a scripture activity.

She would say “hi” to my daughter at church.

She remembered every detail of their conversations.

She was the BEST.

And my daughter loved her!

Later, I learned that this teacher had served in many notable leadership callings in the church throughout her life.

Now, with her calling as a teacher to a group of three-year-old kids…

She planted herself.

She blessed the lives of so many people, including my own and my daughter’s.

I’ve been planted in a lot of places in my life.

I’ve been in different locations, wards, callings, jobs, friend groups, and schools.

Sometimes, it’s hard to be planted or “all-in” when I’m in a circumstance I don’t really enjoy.

I just think about what I’m missing, or how I know things could be better.

But I love that when the Lord told a few different families to move from Ohio to Missouri permanently, He said:

“And thus let those of whom I have spoken be planted in the land of Zion.” (D&C 57:14)  

He didn’t want them looking backward, wondering when this would end.

He didn’t want them being envious of those who got to stay behind.

He just wanted them to be planted where they were.

When I put my roots down in whatever situation I may be in and decide to truly “plant” myself, I feel so much more peace, calm, and happiness.

But looking at my daughter’s Primary teacher has given me a new perspective on this, too:

When we plant ourselves well and embrace our current environment, we can better serve and love the people around us.

We plant our roots “all-in” where we are, bloom where we are planted, and help the other flowers grow, too.

“Whatever your calling, I urge you to see it as an opportunity not only to strengthen and bless others but also to become what Heavenly Father wants you to become.” – Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Plant yourself first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Gaining a testimony is not the finish line. ⁣

That girls camp testimony meeting, your mission, that moment in the temple…⁣

It wasn’t the finish line. ⁣

It wasn’t the peak spiritual experience in your life, and now everything is just downhill. ⁣

The Lord reminds Sidney Gilbert that:

“He only is saved who endureth unto the end.” (D&C 53:7)⁣

To me, THAT’S what I’ve learned it really means to “endure to the end”.⁣

It means that I’m working to maintain what I’ve already felt and learned. ⁣

AND I’m working to create even more spiritual anchor moments. ⁣

I’m trying to keep the general trend going upward. ⁣

I’m thinking back on my anchor moments, and using them to fuel my day-to-day living. ⁣

I’m reading the scriptures to support the knowledge I already have and dive into the new. ⁣

I’m putting myself in holy places so that I can work on feeling the Spirit more often.

And then even more often. ⁣

I’m not even close to the finish line, and that is exciting to me!⁣

I didn’t “make it” by getting sealed in the temple.⁣

Or having that one strong spiritual experience. ⁣

It’s consistency. ⁣

It’s the daily workouts at the gym, instead of doing a marathon each summer and calling it good. (Figuratively speaking…)⁣

A testimony is great.

Having a strong witness that your Savior died and lives for you is amazing. ⁣

But after the amazing, anchoring spiritual experiences, I want to think:⁣

“It’s only going up from here.”⁣

And truly… it doesn’t always go up from there. There are dips and valleys and trenches along the way. ⁣

But I keep climbing back up and out as I keep turning to my Savior to lead the way. ⁣

He is the one who truly helps transform my “enduring” into “growing”.⁣

Gaining a testimony isn’t the finish line. ⁣

It takes work to keep the flame going and growing.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post It’s all up from here first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Her response was, “I want to be an astronaut and a builder and a farmer and a cowboy.”

She is so excited to become all of those things.

And I will be there cheering her on whether she’s in a spaceship or a tractor!

Kids are so good at seeing their future potential.

They know they don’t know everything yet, and that’s okay!

They will learn!

But as we get older, it gets a little more difficult for some reason.

We have our “fixed mindset” that we are the way we are.

“Oh, I’m just not good at studying the scriptures.”

“I’m not a natural teacher.”

“It’s really hard for me to want to serve others.”

We are locking down our potential when we say or think these things.

Absolutely every skill worth having can be obtained with hard work and practice.

“Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.” (Matthew 13:31-32)

This littlest, tiniest seed doesn’t look special.

But someone with foresight can see the endless POTENTIAL in that one seed.

They know that it can become something useful, purposeful, fruitful.

Something that is able to serve and produce.

In what areas of your life are you still staying small?

Maybe it’s figuring out how to access your priesthood power, how to gain an education, or how to be kinder in all your interactions.

With Jesus, we don’t have to stay small.

We can grow into the biggest mustard tree we can be!

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Staying small first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

It’s a piece of parenting advice I’ve been leaning into recently.

I’ve proved it time and time again.

One of my kids kept doing something they shouldn’t do over and over, and any correction I was giving was clearly going in one ear and out the other.

“What you focus on, grows.”

I wanted to keep correcting, but I decided to ignore the behavior and instead start asking him questions about a fun play date he had recently.

He got so excited and started talking all about it.

I was able to build positive interactions and compliment him.

The bad behavior stopped, and it ended up being a fun little connection moment with him.

“What you focus on, grows.”

I’ve found it to be so true in my life, too.

When I keep complaining, my problems seem bigger and worse.

When I keep showing gratitude, my blessings seem bigger and better.

When I try to find more opportunities to serve, I serve more.

When I judge someone, I start finding more and more things to judge about them.

“Let God be magnified.” (Psalm 70:4)

I want God to become more and more magnified in my life.

I want to continue to focus on Him day after day.

I want to think of Him, speak of Him and love Him.

I want to make more space for Him in my mind and in my schedule.

Because what I focus on, grows.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post What you focus on grows first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Do you think he ever drove his parents crazy and made big messes?

Oh, I’m sure.

Did you know his parents weren’t active in the Church? He wasn’t baptized until he was 16 years old.

I think it can be tempting to look at our beloved prophet, Russell M. Nelson, and think, “Wow, he is different. His gospel knowledge and spiritual strength are unparalleled.”

Now of course, President Nelson has received gifts of the spirit and powerful abilities from his mantle and priesthood keys.

But… he also had to grow and develop like anyone else!

He had to figure out his relationship with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

He had to decide if he thought it was true.

He had to study the scriptures and pray and learn how he best receives personal revelation.

He had to endure heartbreaking trials and devastating setbacks.

He had to practice serving others and communicating well.

He learned how to teach and speak with the priesthood authority.

We aren’t all aspiring to become the prophet, but we can still grow in the Lord!

David was the king of all Israel… who started out as a sheep herder.

“And David went on, and grew great, and the Lord God of hosts was with him.” (2 Samuel 5:10)

David had to learn to be great, too!

Knowing how to study the scriptures isn’t just for the old guy in your gospel doctrine class.

Loving and understanding the temple isn’t just for that sister who’s been serving for 20 years.

We can all grow great!

What are the next steps for you? How do you want to “grow great” next?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Growing great first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Gaining a testimony is not the finish line.

That girls camp testimony meeting, your mission, that moment in the temple…

It wasn’t the finish line.

It wasn’t the peak spiritual experience in your life, and now everything is just downhill.

The Lord reminds Sidney Gilbert that: “he only is saved who endureth unto the end.” (D&C 53:7)

To me, THAT’S what I’ve learned it really means to “endure to the end”.

It means that I’m working to maintain what I’ve already felt and learned.

AND I’m working to create even more spiritual anchor moments.

I’m trying to keep the general trend going upward.

I’m thinking back on my anchor moments, and using them to fuel my day-to-day living.

I’m reading the scriptures to support the knowledge I already have and dive into the new.

I’m putting myself in holy places so that I can work on feeling the spirit more often. And then even more often.

I’m not even close to the finish line, and that is exciting to me!

I didn’t “make it” by getting sealed in the temple.

Or having that one strong spiritual experience.

It’s consistency.

It’s the daily workouts at the gym, instead of doing a marathon each summer and calling it good. (Figuratively speaking…)

A testimony is great. Having a strong witness that your Savior died and lives for you is amazing.

But after the amazing, anchoring spiritual experiences, I want to think:

“It’s only going up from here.”

And truly… it doesn’t always go up from there. There are dips and valleys and trenches along the way.

But I keep climbing back up and out as I keep turning to my Savior to lead the way.

He is the one who truly helps transform my “enduring” into “growing”.

Gaining a testimony isn’t the finish line.

It takes work to keep the flame going and growing.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Going and growing first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.