You can’t prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, in a way that all bystanders would agree with, that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true.⁣

To me, yes, there is tons of evidence to prove it. ⁣

Enough for me to feel completely confident turning my heart over to Him and dedicating my life to this work. ⁣

But we can’t actually prove it to other people. ⁣

It will always take just a little bit of faith. ⁣

A little bit of trust. A little bit of listening to your feelings and your heart more than your head. ⁣

The Lord taught the saints in Ohio in D&C 63:9 that: ⁣

“Faith cometh not by signs, but signs follow those that believe.”⁣

Proving the gospel is true and that Christ really exists, is never going to be enough to really convert someone.⁣

Including ourselves. ⁣

Piling up all the evidence can only get my mind so far.

I have to rely on the faith that comes in my heart to keep me truly converted. ⁣

Faith can not come by signs, or proofs, or total knowledge.⁣

In fact, I usually am not so great at recognizing signs or miracles until AFTER they have happened. ⁣

Hindsight is 20/20, right?⁣

Our Heavenly Father WANTS us to have faith. ⁣

He wants us to believe first. ⁣

The world thinks that it’s a little silly. ⁣

But that’s okay, for I’m learning to overcome what the world thinks, anyways. ⁣

Belief and faith first, and then come the miracles. ⁣

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post No way to prove  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Back when we studied Daniel, I really liked the idea of Daniel asking his leader if they would allow Daniel to “prove” the idea of only drinking water and eating pulse, instead of the meat and wine.

After 10 days, it was clear. The concept had been proven perfectly.

And so with this lens, I want to look at this common scripture found in Malachi 3:10:

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

Isn’t that so cool?!

“Prove me now herewith”.

The Lord is essentially saying:

“You don’t believe tithing is a righteous thing to do? Allow Me to prove this to you. Try it. Just give it a chance and I will literally pour blessings out on you.”

I love this principle.

Don’t know why it’s important to keep the Sabbath holy? Allow the Lord to prove it.

Don’t know why we have to put in the work to love people that we don’t really like? Allow the Lord to prove it.

Don’t know why we have prophets that deliver messages from the Lord? Allow the Lord to prove it.

Of course, not with a prideful heart set on the wrong outcome.

But when humbly approach the Lord with a principle we are not sure of, but have the faith to try, I think that the Lord loves to prove Himself and His goodness to us.

Have you had the Lord “prove” a principle to you before?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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

Despite being very consistent with my study for most of my life, there was a time when life had a whole bunch of changes and I stopped.

After a couple of weeks, I was surprised when I thought, “Wow, my testimony is still strong and my life hasn’t gotten any harder. Maybe daily scripture study isn’t that important.”

After a few more days, I heard a talk at church that kicked me into gear and gave me an idea:

I was going to give it a try.

For the next week, I would read my scriptures every day again and see what happened.

I told Heavenly Father of my plans, pretty sure that my week wouldn’t actually change.

I (truly and sincerely) wanted Him to prove it.

And then I read every day for a week.

And I received new personal revelation each time I opened the pages.

I invited the Spirit into my life even more.

I found special peace when I got really frustrated with someone from a verse that I read.

God completely proved daily scripture study to me.

Remember Laman and Lemuel in the Book of Mormon?

When they couldn’t understand what their father was prophesying about, they were frustrated.

Their brother Nephi said, “Have ye inquired of the Lord?”

And the two brothers said, “We have not; for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us.” (1 Nephi 15:8-9)

Have you ever asked the Lord to prove a principle to you and then acted in faith?

Daniel did.

“Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days”. (Daniel 1:12)

Ten days.

And the Lord came through.

How could we take this same attitude and humbly ask for the Lord to prove a principle that maybe we need some help with?

Don’t “get” the temple? Maybe try going once a week for 10 weeks and see what the Lord proves.

Think family scripture study doesn’t work for you guys? Maybe try making sacrifices for 10 days to do it and see what the Lord proves.

Don’t believe you can actually forgive that person? Maybe spend 10 days acting like you have and praying for special help and see what the Lord proves.

Think fasting isn’t meaningful to you? Spend the next 10 months learning about fasting, doing it with real intent, and see what the Lord proves.

Every time that I’ve prayerfully, sincerely, and humbly asked the Lord to prove a principle, He has followed through in powerful ways.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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

Growing up, we lived in a house for a while with a giant pebble path in the front yard that led through a garden.

I’m sure it looked beautiful.

But when it rained and weeds started popping up in between every little pebble on the pathway, I knew that my mom would make my sisters and me go out and weed.

It was the worst!

President Eyring shared a similar experience about having to weed the garden at their home when he was young, and how frustrated he got with the weeds breaking off in his hands, leaving the roots behind.

“This is too hard!” he would say.

And his mother would respond: “Oh, Hal, of course it’s hard. It’s supposed to be. Life is a test.”

At BYU, I remember taking a final exam for my Physical Science class.

Every time there was a question about the properties of light, I realized I was a little fuzzy on the details. I guessed the best I could and moved on.

At the end of the exam, there were two written response questions.

As I read the first question and started writing my response, something clicked, and I finally remembered the right answer!

I wrote an accurate response for my written answer, and then I spent time going through all the previous questions and changing my answers to fit what I had finally remembered.

In Abraham 3:25, the Lord describes the whole plan: “And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them”.

Life really is a test, to see if we are going to keep the commandments and turn our hearts to God.

But the cool part?

I’m only going to be judged by where I end up.

If I “figure out” the right way to serve better, to love better, to study better, to worship better, halfway through the test, I don’t have to go back through and change all my answers from before.

I get to progress.

And in order to pass the test, to “prove myself”, I just need to reflect on where my heart is right now.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Life really is a test first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.