Every time I record a new video or write a chapter summary helping to explain a chapter in Helaman, it’s seems like I’m constantly explaining how they were so good!

And then so NOT good immediately after.

And then so humble and righteous again.

And then not.

“Thus had they become weak, because of their transgression, in the space of not many years.” (Helaman 4:26)

These Nephites are going to forget the word of God and turn to wickedness that quickly?!

It honestly seems a little ridiculous. ⁣

Until I examine my own life. ⁣

Circumstances can change super quickly. ⁣

And when circumstances change…⁣

Habits can change FAST. ⁣

Hearts can change FAST. ⁣

This is not-so-great news. ⁣

And, this is great news. ⁣

We can make fast changes in our lives. ⁣

I can suddenly stop going to church. ⁣

And I can suddenly start reading my scriptures. ⁣

I can suddenly decide that I’m not going to initiate family prayer anymore. ⁣

And I can suddenly text a friend and ask how I can help. ⁣

Although most of us probably aren’t cycling between extreme wickedness or extreme righteousness every single week, we do find our lives and habits to be cyclical in nature. ⁣

And we can decide pretty quickly whether we are headed in one direction or the other. ⁣

So what’s a quick change you can make right now?⁣

Is there a decision you’ve been putting off?

Is there a habit that you’ve been waiting to start?

Is there a sin that you’ve been waiting to stop?⁣

Make the fast decision now. ⁣

Because if the civilizations in the scriptures teach us anything, it’s just how quickly people can change.

For better, and for worse.

“Every day is a new opportunity to remember our Savior and follow His example.” – Julie B. Beck

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Really, Nephites?! first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Not out of hatred, or disgust, or annoyance.

But out of love.

“I… had loved them, according to the love of God which was in me, with all my heart;

“And my soul had been poured out in prayer unto my God all the day long for them.” (Mormon 3:12)

Mormon literally gives us a little masterclass in setting healthy boundaries.

He loved his people so much. And he loved God so much. And he probably loved himself and his family, too.

And with that love in his heart, he had to say no.

Saying “no” isn’t bad. It isn’t a sin. (Sometimes we need that reminder, right?!)

Saying “no” because you want to hurt someone, or you don’t care about their situation… that’s probably not great.

Saying “no” because you love someone, and need to protect your own inner peace (or maybe even your life) is amazing and necessary.

BUT THEN skip ahead to Mormon chapter 5. Verse 1.

13 or so years later, Mormon says that he will lead them again.

He changes his promise (or “repents of the oath”) and returns to his position as military commander.

What was his mindset like now?

“I was without hope, for I knew the judgments of the Lord which should come upon them”. (Mormon 5:2)

While this sounds a little despondent, I actually see a leader who has now set realistic expectations for how he will interact with his troops, who are probably many of his dear friends.

He knows that destruction is imminent.

And yet, his love has now brought him to want to lead again, to at least give them a fighting chance, and to fulfill his duty. Maybe he even felt “called” to do this now.

Such a cool pattern, right?!

He felt so much love that he had to say “no” for a while.

And then he felt so much love, adjusted his expectations, and decided he was ready to say, “yes”!

Life coaching straight from the scriptures, everyone.

We can set boundaries in love, and we can change boundaries later, still out of love.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Setting boundaries with Mormon first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

After my first year teaching, I felt like I was drowning.

In general, I enjoy being knowledgeable, being in charge, being confident…

And I felt everything but that in my new career.

I prayed that there would be some sort of help for me the following school year, because I didn’t know if I could handle the helpless feeling anymore.

And then there was some major school/teacher shuffling that happened during the summer, and all of a sudden I was being offered a team lead position – basically by default.

Accepting that team lead position after one year of teaching was EXACTLY what I needed, both professionally and personally.

It helped build my confidence and my knowledge exponentially. It brought me professional relationships that changed me.

It was nothing short of a miracle, an answered prayer in the most dramatic of ways.

But on the other hand, it wasn’t.

I could tell you exactly why Mrs. A needed to change schools due to a family situation, why Mrs. B was making a career change, why Mr. C got a position at the high school…

It’s not like they all magically disappeared.

It was a series of small, reasonable, logical changes that resulted in a miracle for my life.

The Lord orchestrates everything.

Sometimes he moves mountains and parts seas for us.

But I think that most of the time, the plan is so intricately interwoven that a miracle of a different school for my coworker results in the miracle of a leadership position for me, which then created a miracle job opening for someone else…

It’s all connected.

And it’s super easy to forget that the Lord is sparing us and saving us every single time.

But that was what marked the total demise of the Nephite nation:

Being spared time and time again, but not realizing who was actually behind all of it.

Thinking that it was just their cunning and strength that won them each battle, when in fact, their cunning and strength were given to them by the Lord in order to win the battle.

Miracles often look logical and ordinary, but the credit still belongs to the Lord.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Being spared again and again first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

The righteous throughout all of the Book of Mormon (usually) do NOT fall into murder.

They don’t fall into lying and dishonesty.

They don’t go from righteous to burning believers.

They always start with one sin.

PRIDE.

Which then leads to

SEPARATION.

Their righteousness brings them so many blessings.

But instead of feeling gratitude to God for their blessings, they use it as an excuse to separate themselves.

They don’t want to associate with the “others”.

Because they feel they are just a little bit better than everyone else.

We call it the “pride cycle”, but I think that pride is that gateway sin that leads to a desire to be separated.

The opposite of unity and love.

It’s no wonder that the civilization in 4 Nephi was mentioned many times in this most recent General Conference.

The antidote to removing contention and separation is to remove pride.

Not pride in the “I’m proud to be who I am” sense.

But the evil pride that starts by keeping us from associating with “others”.

Not serving “those types of people”.

And then it grows into an active dislike.

And then hatred.

Pride leads to division and contention – which, according to the Book of Mormon, is the most likely sin for us to fall victim to if we consider ourselves “righteous”.

So today, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

How are you 1) noticing and 2) removing the pride that has crept into your life?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Pride and separation first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

All in the space of one chapter.

My thoughts were always…

Really, Nephites?

You are going to forget the word of God and turn to wickedness that quickly? It seems a little ridiculous.

Until I examine my own life.

Circumstances can change super quickly.

And when circumstances change…

Habits can change FAST.

Hearts can change FAST.

This is not-so-great news.

And, this is great news.

We can make fast changes in our lives.

I can suddenly stop going to church.

And I can suddenly start reading my scriptures.

I can suddenly decide that I’m not going to initiate family prayer anymore.

And I can suddenly text a friend and ask how I can help.

Although most of us probably aren’t cycling between extreme wickedness or extreme righteousness every single week, we do find our lives and habits to be cyclical in nature.

And we can decide pretty quickly whether we are headed in one direction or another.

So what’s a quick change you can make right now?

Is there a decision you’ve been putting off? Is there a habit that you’ve been waiting to start? Is there a sin that you’ve been waiting to stop?

Make the fast decision now.

Because if the civilizations in the scriptures teach us anything, it’s just how quickly people can change.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Fast changes first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

We talk so much about how he can poison by degrees.

In Helaman Chapter 1, we learn that Moronihah has his troops positioned in the outermost areas of the Nephite lands.

That makes sense, right?

The land closest to the Lamanites = greatest fortification.

In my life, I tend to put the greatest fortification on the things that I assume will be attacked the most, too.

I know how easy it is to have my spirit numbed by watching offensive media – so I make sure I’m attentive.

I know how easy it could be for Satan to get me to dwell in self-pity, jealousy, or hatred – so I unfollow anyone who evokes those emotions.

My efforts are there because I know those are easy wins.

But…

Sometimes, Satan is bold.

Sometimes, he skips the easy wins and goes straight for the heart.

I’ve had two major experiences like this in my life. Where suddenly and unexpectedly, my very core beliefs were being attacked and I wasn’t sure I was strong enough to hold up.

Coriantumr led the Lamanite armies past the outskirts of the Nephite lands. He didn’t even try to attack those first. Moronihah had all of his defense in the outer cities, and the Lamanites marched with great speed right past them.

They went straight for Zarahemla. The capital city.

The city fell.

And sometimes Satan marches past the little sins, the small temptations…

And he goes straight for those core beliefs.

And so I’ve learned to nurture my core beliefs. To place some guards there so it won’t fall at the first sign of distress.

Do I really believe in God?

Do I believe that Jesus Christ sacrificed himself for me?

Do I believe in a well-designed plan that is meant to bring me growth and joy?

Do I believe that the Book of Mormon is true?

Do I believe that this Church is the correct church?

These core questions that I often think are safe and secure from enemy attacks, actually need reinforcements from time to time.

Yes, the outskirts are important. The “easy wins” are where the enemy attacks most of the time.

But don’t forget to build up those core, essential questions, too.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Not a sneaky enemy first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.