One pattern that seems to be obvious over and over in the Doctrine and Covenants this year is this:⁣

When we are studying and pondering on the scriptures, the Lord will reveal to us greater light and knowledge. ⁣

I saw this pattern when Joseph, at the age of 14, pondered on a scripture he read and said a single, humble prayer.⁣

In Section 138, the final section of the Doctrine and Covenants, we’ll learn about Joseph F. Smith pondering on the scriptures and then receiving a glorious vision. ⁣

And this week, at about the halfway point, we learn about Joseph and Sidney reading and translating the Bible together, coming to the book of John, and realizing that the traditional notions of heaven and hell didn’t seem to fit with the nature of God.

I would assume Joseph and Sidney had some sort of discussion, and maybe many discussions, about this topic. ⁣

And then, these two men received a vision. ⁣

A vision that completely revolutionized how everyone thought about heaven. ⁣

And I don’t believe that this pattern is only reserved for the prophets. ⁣

Because I’ve seen it in my life.

My stewardship isn’t over the entire church, so the Lord would not reveal anything to me that was my duty to tell everyone. ⁣

But I’ve received further light and knowledge by gaining clarity on certain topics that I had previously spent a long time wrestling with in my mind. ⁣

I’ve received further light and knowledge on what actions to take in my life, even when the words are not directly written in the scriptures. ⁣

I’ve received further light and knowledge by feeling directed and pulled to other people that are experts in their field and that I feel prompted to trust. ⁣

I’ve received further light and knowledge by feeling an extreme confidence in my testimony of certain topics and being drawn to scriptures that continue to teach these principles. ⁣

I want to be in the scriptures. ⁣

And not just in them, but immersed in them. ⁣

Thinking, writing, asking, praying, reading, and thinking some more. ⁣

When I’m studying and pondering on the scriptures, the Lord reveals to me greater light and knowledge.

“Scriptures are like packets of light that illuminate our minds and give place to guidance and inspiration from on high.” – Richard G. Scott

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Packets of light first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I used to wonder why I should really even care about studying history.

I mean, I guess it’s cool to know, but it doesn’t really affect my life.

And if you think about it, that’s really what most scriptures are—

Collections of stories from people who lived a really really really long time ago.

The Title Page of the Book of Mormon gives one of the primary purposes of the book:

“Which is to show unto the remnant of the House of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers. . . .”

Now THAT is a powerful reason that affects me.

God expects me to study and learn about the great things He has done for people in the past so that I can know what to expect from Him in the future!

He wants me to learn how He works.

The actual stories in the Book of Mormon may seem completely unrelated to what we are dealing with in our personal lives.

But there is so much to learn about how God interacts with people who make covenants with Him and remember Him.

There are so many great stories we will study this year.

And as we study each event, it helps when I pause and ask myself:

How would I have responded in this situation?

What would I have done or said or thought?

What are the emotions and principles here?

Simple questions like these help my brain figure out how the Nephites’ experiences with wars, secret combinations, and

evil kings can apply to my experiences with busy schedules, difficult people, and keeping the commandments.

Studying in the past can seem silly at face value.

But with an unchanging and immovable God, the patterns become meaningful and relevant.

I don’t study the scriptures just for the gripping plot lines and character development—

I study the scriptures to learn how God deals with His covenant children so that I know what I can expect as I create my own relationship with Him.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Why do we care about history?  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

“I’m reading my scriptures each day, so why am I still struggling to be patient with my kids?”

“I followed that very specific prompting, so why did that friend start pulling away from me?”

I’ve thought these questions, and many more like them, at various points in my life.

Basically, they are all a form of:

If I’m being loyal to God, why aren’t the circumstances of my life awesome?

The Israelites were really good at looking at their outside circumstances.

And when they looked at what they had physically been through… boy, was there a lot to complain about.

“Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!… were it not better for us to return into Egypt?” (Numbers 14:2-3)

They had endured so much since leaving Egypt, so wouldn’t it have been better to just endure the hard things they had to face in Egypt?!

Why did life seem to be getting harder and more difficult, even though they were following the Lord and the prophet?

Oh children of Israel, I can relate to that question.

And this is why I love studying the scriptures.

Because from far away, I can see the answer that the Lord wanted to teach the Israelites.

It seems crystal clear and obvious.

And then I go… “Oh yeah. Duh. He’s doing the same thing in my life, too.”

God doesn’t want us to measure the success of our life by our circumstances.

He never has, in Old Testament times, New Testament times, Book of Mormon times, and modern times.

So why would I think my life would be the exception?

Boom. I love studying the scriptures for this exact reason. I see the PATTERNS the Lord has worked with for centuries.

Why does the Lord care if we keep His commandments with sincere intent?

Because He cares about the journeys that our hearts take.

Are we becoming more devoted? More dependent? More likely to align our will to His?

That’s what a successful disciple’s life has looked like, dispensation after dispensation.

He wants to see where our hearts go and what they become.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Journeys and patterns first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.