imperfections - Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black

Rude people

caliblack25 — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 16:33:15 +0000

Relief Society presidents can be rude.

Bosses can be inconsistent.

Friends can be selfish.

Spouses can be forgetful. ⁣

Prophets (like Moroni admits) can have terrible writing or speaking skills.

It’s all normal. ⁣

In church, we like to say, “Nobody’s perfect.” ⁣

We say it matter-of-factly, throw it into lessons and talks, and sometimes even chuckle while we say it. ⁣

But then we have to actually interact with each other!

Those imperfections can become roadblocks ranging from frustrating to full-on impossible to work with. ⁣

This is life. ⁣

⁣But Moroni reminds us of an important element to dealing with imperfections in other people:

“⁣Condemn me not because of mine imperfection.”(Mormon 9:31)

While we most certainly are aware of the weaknesses of the people we interact with every day, we should not CONDEMN others because of them.

Judging, criticizing, or labeling people by the worst things they’ve done isn’t what the Savior does.

We honestly just can’t avoid noticing other people’s imperfections.

But we can avoid using other people’s imperfections to condemn them.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Rude people first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Enoch’s imperfections

caliblack25 — Mon, 17 Jan 2022 13:30:00 +0000

It’s January. A lot of us are focused on changes we want to make in our life. Improvements that we want to see.

I love this!

I’m very aware of all my weaknesses and struggles.

And I love working to improve them!

But again… I’m VERY aware of all my weaknesses and struggles.

And I think this is why I love Enoch so much.

The Lord called him to preach repentance to those around him.

Enoch’s first response?

“He bowed himself to the earth, before the Lord, and spake before the Lord, saying:

“Why is it that I have found favor in thy sight, and am but a lad, and all the people hate me; for I am slow of speech; wherefore am I thy servant?” (Moses 6:31)

Isn’t Enoch all of us?

We get asked to serve.

Maybe it’s an official calling that’s extended to us.

But maybe it’s a general calling from the Lord that we feel when someone gives a talk about missionary service, or ministering, or temple service, or family history.

Or maybe it’s a unique calling you feel the Spirit has told just you.

It’s easy to immediately go to all of our shortcomings.

“I’m too young!”

“I’m not that popular.”

“That’s not something I’m good at.”

Do you think God doesn’t already know all this? The loving Creator and Father of our souls?

He’s not looking for servants who think of every reason they can’t serve.

He’s looking for His children who will get to work.

Despite their age. Despite their lack of talent. Despite their fears. Despite their limitations and busy schedules. Despite their pride.

He’s looking for people who aren’t concerned with the HOW.

He’s just looking for people who are ready to serve in their own imperfect way, with God as their guide.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Enoch’s imperfections first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

How do you deny a spiritual gift?

caliblack25 — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 13:00:00 +0000

Do you ever feel intimidated by the amount of agency you have?!

I sometimes think about how I could literally do anything I wanted to right now.

I could take off running down the street and never come back. I could lay in bed all day. I could order any food that I wanted and eat it. I could drive anywhere. I could stop doing things that I’m doing right now.

I could also call someone right now and catch up with an old friend. I could make a treat and drop it on someone’s doorstep. I could immerse myself in General Conference talks. I could make a goal and take a step to achieve it. I could clean something. I could listen to some good music.

Like… isn’t it overwhelming the amount of freedom that we have every single day?!

Obviously, I don’t have freedom from any consequences, but I can do literally anything that I want at anytime.

Which was what I thought of when I read Moroni’s warning exhortation to us in Moroni 10:8:

“Deny not the gifts of God”.

I know that there are some spiritual gifts that I’ve been given.

And I’m also very aware of my imperfections.

So… what if I asked God to give me gifts of the Spirit that will help turn my imperfections into glorious strengths?!

I have the agency to ask that.

And Elder Dallin H. Oaks encouraged us to do just that:

“We should seek after spiritual gifts. They can lead us to God. They can shield us from the power of the adversary. They can compensate for our inadequacies and repair our imperfections.”

We can ask.

We can pray and ask for more personal revelation. We can pray and ask for a stronger testimony. We can pray and ask to understand the scriptures better. We can pray and ask to behold angels in our lives. We can pray and ask to be better teachers.

And when I fall into the ever-popular, “That’s just who I am!” – I am denying gifts from God.

I am deciding that I am not good enough for a gift. Or I don’t need it.

Which, unfortunately, is a choice I totally can make with my agency.

But I don’t want to.

I want to ask. Humbly, meekly, with the intent to serve others and grow closer to the Divine.

I want to ask for the spiritual gifts that will strengthen my imperfections and bring me closer to my Savior.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post How do you deny a spiritual gift? first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Becoming more wise

caliblack25 — Sun, 08 Nov 2020 16:21:07 +0000

Is it possible to just notice imperfections without judging?

Literally only a few days ago, I wrote a post about not condemning others because of their imperfections.

But, the truth is, we are going to see imperfections in people all around us.

(I mean, I don’t even need to tell you that, right?!)

So how do we notice imperfections but stop ourselves from feeling judgmental thoughts?

One of my favorite strategies is to give that other person every benefit of the doubt, every ounce of grace…

While also gathering information for how I want to be in the future.

Here’s what I mean – (hypothetical situation!)

After not having contact for a while, my Relief Society President texts me, “Have you done your ministering assignments yet?”

My first thought?

Hmmmm, that was a little out of the blue and feels a little rude to me. I’m actually struggling with something right now, and she didn’t even ask how I was doing. There’s also one sister that I’m having a tough time connecting with, so this is going to be a little awkward to try and explain.

But then I try to quickly move to grace on her part.

You know, she is doing so much. She always has a smile on her face and I love how she is so kind. I bet she’s just wanting to check in on how my ministering is going because she cares so much about everyone. If I told her I was struggling, she would totally care and want to help me.

But here’s the cool part that I love, that Moroni so beautifully reminds us that we need to be filled with gratitude for.

I make a mental note that if I have an assignment to check if someone else has done something, I want to make sure that I first ask them how they are doing, and make sure they know that I care about them more than having an assignment completed.

Both are possible.

Loving someone, assuming the best of them, AND improving myself from their imperfections.

And it’s one of my favorite things to do in the scriptures.

Instead of idealizing each scripture figure, I love learning about and from them, giving them full respect and understanding…

While also improving myself from the things they did that I don’t love.

We can actually be, as Moroni suggests, filled with gratitude that we can notice imperfections in other people.

As long as we use that recognition to become even more wise in our own lives.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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