Martin had felt a pull to this young Joseph, and wanted to help him financially. ⁣

He went on a journey of “proof” to find professors in New York who could verify the ancient letters. ⁣

He felt like he needed to volunteer to scribe for Joseph. ⁣

And his wife thought this was all one big deception. ⁣

And the two of them temporarily moving into the Smith home for the translation just made things worse. ⁣

Lucy was skeptical, sneaky, and just a not-so-great guest. ⁣

And so Martin had an idea after his wife returned back home:⁣

If he could just show her some of these beautiful messages that he had been writing down, he could change her mind toward this whole operation, and ultimately, restore his image in her eyes. ⁣

But the Lord said no. ⁣

But… did the Lord really understand how embarrassing this might be for Martin to continue helping Joseph while his wife spiraled?

Did the Lord get that people were making fun of Martin for giving Joseph money?⁣

Did the Lord know that Martin’s life would be a whole lot harder if there wasn’t any proof?⁣

Of course the Lord did. ⁣

Because the Lord asks us to do really hard things. ⁣

He asks us to put Him above all. ⁣

Above being popular. Above being stylish. Above being funny. Above being well-respected. Above being rich. Above having power. ⁣

Above being liked. ⁣

Above everything we often crave. ⁣

And it’s easier said than done. ⁣

But it’s the most important choice we learn to make –

Out of the Lord or our peers, who do we want to “save face” with more? ⁣

Whose opinion matters more right now?

“While it certainly takes courage to face perils, the true badge of courage is overcoming the fear of men.” – Lynn G. Robbins

“You should not have feared man more than God.” (D&C 3:7)

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post  Lucy and Martin  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

That fridge you keep saying you’ll clean out?

That person you keep meaning to text?

I do.

It’s like there’s this unpleasant list of all the things I don’t really want to do, that I need to do…

And it just weighs me down!

When I finally call and schedule that appointment, I always always always think, “man, that wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be and I feel a million times better now.”

And that’s basically what the Lord is telling us all the time.

“Release yourself from bondage.” D&C 19:35

In this case, it was the Lord telling Martin Harris to just pay off the debts to publish the Book of Mormon, and move on.

In other words, release yourself from the mental “unknown” and anguish, and just get it done.

And in the kindest way possible, that’s what He’s inviting us to do all the time.

Whether it’s a big sin we’ve been carrying around on our backs, or a minor little task that we just can’t seem to do, He has lovingly already done His part.

And He’s ready for each of us to decide to release ourselves from the bondage.

The bondage of sin, yes, but I think that also includes the bondage of heavy mental loads, too many commitments, or a long to-do list.

As soon as we start to make the first move, to pick up that phone, to decide that today is the day, He is right by our side doing more than His fair share of the heavy lifting.

But we have to make that decision to release ourselves.

What will you release yourself of today?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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

I love Instagram and I don’t plan on leaving it, but I know that so many people prefer to listen rather than to read.

Plus, I love to talk about as much as I love to write!

But as much as I wanted to start a podcast, I knew the timing wasn’t right.

Until Kristen Smith invited me to speak as a guest on her podcast.

And after we finished recording our episode together, I felt the desire to work with her more.

The desire was just natural. (And as I told Kristen about the desire to work with her more, I told her I hoped she didn’t think I was sounding weird or obsessed! Luckily, she didn’t!)

Eventually, after many conversations, Kristen invited me to permanently co-host the One Minute Scripture Study podcast with her.

And boy, did that feel right.

I had held onto such a strong desire to start a podcast, and now the opportunity was presenting itself, and I felt the Spirit confirm that this was the answer I had been waiting for.

My desire to share my testimony in new ways was the prompting I needed to guide my decisions.

I’ve been really struck by David, Oliver, and Martin’s passionate pleadings this week.

I had always pictured Joseph asking God who the Three Witnesses to the gold plates should be, and receiving these three men’s names.

But really, David, Oliver, and Martin were all moved with a desire to become one of the witnesses that they knew had been prophesied of.

And they ASKED Joseph to be witnesses to the gold plates.

Section 17 is the result of Joseph asking the Lord if these three men were acceptable for this sacred responsibility, and the Lord approving.

But these weren’t random names that the Lord happened to approve—

Because they each had a burning, righteous desire to be a witness in the first place.

Our righteous desires can be promptings from the Lord on how we can use our talents to build up the kingdom of God.

The things that we really want to do? The things that are righteous, selfless, or useful?

Those desires can be the first whisperings of the Spirit on what direction we should head, or what opportunities we should be on the lookout for.

And then we can ask.

We can ask to be included, we can ask to be in consideration.

We can let our righteous desires drive us to righteous action.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Righteous desires first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

There is a God who knows exactly what will happen tomorrow. In your personal life, in your kid’s life, in your neighborhood, in this country…

And yet we each have the personal power to do whatever we’d like to do tomorrow.

Crazy. My mind can’t quite wrap itself around that concept.

But I think that’s why we are so good at thinking we might mess everything up.

We might move to the wrong house, talk to the wrong person, choose the wrong spouse, or make the wrong diet choice.

Because we think that if there is a “right” choice to choose, then we have to avoid the “wrong” thing that will mess it all up.

Now certainly there are sins and decisions that might bring terrible consequences.

But even if I decide to do something truly horrible tomorrow… I will not have messed up God’s plan.

You have not messed up God’s plan.

That thing that you refer to as your “mistake”? It was all a part of the plan. Of your personal spiritual development.

Even something as egregious as a prophet of God choosing to ask a question he knew had already been answered, and loaning out precious translations of ancient records.

Even that can’t ruin God’s plans.

“The works, and the designs, and the purposes of God cannot be frustrated”. Doctrine and Covenants 3:1.

I still want to give it my best each day. I want to choose the right, to receive personal revelation, and to make the best decisions that I can.

But I can feel comfort on the days where everything seems to fall apart. Or when I commit that sin… again. Or when I think how much better life would have been with a different decision.

I’m not messing anything up.

I’m not that powerful.

I can make changes in my life, just as the young prophet learned an unforgettable lesson about listening to God the first time.

But I’m not messing it up.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post You can’t mess it up first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.