Do you know about this guy and his wife, Polly?

His quick-believing heart gave emotional and financial support to Joseph Smith.

His friends and family in Colesville, New York were all converted because of his example of faith, as well as his wife’s.

Joseph Knight, Sr., is the focus of the revelation in Section 12 of the Doctrine and Covenants.

Pretty soon after this revelation was given, all of the Colesville saints were asked to move to Ohio, and then shortly after they got settled, Missouri.

While other believers made these same journeys, there was special unity with the Colesville saints.

They all stayed together and faithfully followed the prophet Joseph’s directions on where to go.

They stayed together, followed the prophet, and helped each other.

The Colesville Saints from Colesville, New York, led at the helm by Joseph and Polly Knight, changed the course of church history in a not-very-loud way.

Keeping this humble and faithful future in mind, I love reading Section 12, knowing what waited in store for Joseph Knight, Sr., and his posterity.

So, what specific directions was Joseph Knight, Sr., asked to do by the Lord?

I pulled out some of these simple invitations from this revelation:

Give heed to God’s word

Reap the harvest

Ask and ye shall receive

Keep the commandments

In other words…

Joseph Knight, Sr., was advised to read God’s word in the scriptures, share the gospel and reap the harvest, ask God in prayer, and keep the commandments.

Nothing groundbreaking or new.

Sunday School answers through and through.

But this simple revelation, given to Joseph Knight, Sr., led him on a path of quiet and powerful goodness.

Powerful discipleship doesn’t have to be flashy and dramatic.

The whole world doesn’t need to know your name in order to make a difference.

But quietly following the will of the Lord, teaching your family, and following the prophet can make a world of difference in the quietest way possible.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Joseph Knight, Sr. first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Keep my commandments.

Hold your peace.

And appeal unto my Spirit.

The Lord knew that Hyrum needed this advice, and I think I need it too.

There’s a lot going on right now.

There’s a lot to get done, there are decisions to make, there are goals to meet, there are people to take care of.

And there’s some laundry to fold, too.

And in the middle of this chaos, these three reminders seem to ground me.

KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS.

I can stay on the straight and narrow, I can do the simple things that I know are best.

I can also cut out the things that aren’t related to keeping the commandments.

HOLD YOUR PEACE.

What a phrase.

To find that inner peace and then to hold it.

To let the storms of to-do lists and obligations rush around outside of me, but to feel the cool calm within.

To stay focused on my Savior, on my true identity, on my love.

And then to hold it in my heart as I go from thing to thing.

APPEAL UNTO MY SPIRIT.

Actively asking for the Spirit’s guidance, assistance, and knowledge.

Making sure that I’m really in line with what is best for me.

Seeking for his constant companionship, and making adjustments when when I’ve lost it.

Someone asked me recently if the Doctrine and Covenants is really for us to read and apply to our lives, because they sometimes feel like we are just intruding and reading in on revelations that were meant for other people.

I fully understand where this question came from, and I would encourage anyone wondering about that same question to read Section 1 in the Doctrine and Covenants and study how that section came to be.

But it’s also scriptures like D&C 11:18 that confirm to me that God knows what I need to hear, and it just so happened to be what Hyrum needed to hear 192 years ago, too.

He’ll use any words that He can to speak to us.

Keep the commandments.

Hold your peace.

And appeal to the Spirit.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post 3 powerful directions first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Well… no way any of us can stand in the presence of the Lord then, right?!

Of course not.

Because immediately after telling us this in verse 31, the Lord gives us the most tender, personal, and hopeful principle in verse 32:

“Nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven;”

Sometimes I wonder, “How am I ever going to be good enough?”

I’m repenting of the same things over and over.

I’m trying to figure out a life filled with messy relationships in the most Christlike way that I can.

I’m trying to do what’s right, and I keep falling short.

But when I’m in the scriptures, I feel these tender little reminders often:

“You are good enough.”

“You are trying.”

“You are keeping the commandments the best you can.”

“You are trying to change every day.”

I write these statements in the margins of my scriptures pretty often, because I think the Spirit needs me to remember these often.

I will make mistakes. I will fall short.

But all that I need to do in order to enter the presence of the Lord…

All that I need to do in order to be in the presence of my God and Savior…

Is to just try.

To keep the commandments.

And when I fall short – I just have to want to sincerely change.

And that’s it.

It’s difficult. And it’s a lifelong process – no matter how long we’ve got here on earth.

But to be able to dwell in the presence of my God?

I’ll keep going.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post The presence of the Lord first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.