Why didn’t He give Joseph a flow chart with all the callings and the priesthood offices?

Why didn’t He give all the commandments and revelations that the whole church would need one right after the other, so that they could then move forward with all the knowledge they would need?

It can be so frustrating.

Why?

Why aren’t there clear answers and straightforward directions?

Even in my own life.

When I’ve wondered about a job or a move or a marriage or a friend or an opportunity…

I’m not very often given the big picture.

No matter how badly I want it.

The Lord even gave Joseph and Sidney some instructions, and then abruptly said:

“Now I give no more unto you at this time.” D&C 73:6

Just a little reminder that they should start translating the Bible again.

And nothing else for right now.

He knows what we actually need to know.

And a word jumped out at me just a couple sections later when I read what the Lord taught again:

“Calling on the name of the Lord for the Comforter, which shall teach them all things that are expedient for them—“ D&C 75:10

Expedient.

What is expedient for me to know?

God knows.

I know what I think I want to know.

But God knows what is expedient for me to know in order to become the person I need to be.

We were sent through the veil for a reason.

Knowing it all is not part of the plan.

But also, God will not let us wander.

When there are things that are expedient for us to know, and we ask in faith, He will reveal that to us.

And nothing else at this time.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Nothing else for now! first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

When I taught 6th grade, I would tell my students to imagine their parent had just asked them that question.

How would they respond?

My 6th graders ALWAYS said their most common response to that question was: “Nothing”. ????

We would use this as a springboard to talk about plots in stories. We never hear a story where there was no problem, or other kind of “inciting” event. That’s why kids say “nothing” happened at school – because they can’t think of anything “story-worthy” to share.

No problems = no stories.

But if the fire alarm went off and you lost your shoe and you had to pick up trash at lunch…

Then we have a story to tell – because there was a problem.

Our brains are wired to crave stories, though! That’s why we love reading and watching shows. That’s why scriptures are so effective at teaching doctrine, and not just bullet point lists of what we believe. That’s why we get together with friends and end up talking about the crazy things that are happening.

But sometimes, we just get to enjoy peace. Continual peace.

Those times feel a little weird to us. There aren’t as many crazy stories to share with our friends or our spouse.

In fact, these are the most “boring” parts of the Book of Mormon – where all we read about is that there was “continual peace” for a certain number of years.

No problems? No stories.

And so when my life is just the normal grind, instead of wishing there was something exciting or something different, I’m working on just enjoying the peace.

Showing extreme gratitude, and enjoying the continual peace.

Those boring sentences in the Book of Mormon that talk about “continual peace”, are talking about real people, real civilizations, real families who had no major story-worthy problems for years.

Isn’t that amazing?!

All contained in that little sentence Mormon wrote that basically amounts to a sixth grader saying nothing happened at school today.

I’m working on finding more gratitude and joy in the “nothing”. And I’m working on feeling awe when my life can be summed up as, “And there was continual peace.”

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Nothing and peace first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.