I had a conference talk up on my computer that had the word “peacemaker” in the title. ⁣

My daughter was learning how to read, and she tried sounding out the word a few times and then asked me for help. (Those soft Cs are brutal!)⁣

“Peacemaker”, I said. ⁣

“What’s a peacemaker?” she asked. ⁣

I was in the middle of getting work done in a moment of quiet.

“Someone who brings peace,” I quickly said. ⁣

“What is peace?” she asked. ⁣

I tried to think of the fastest way to explain.

“Peace is when we feel calm and quiet and happy,” I said. ⁣

“Oh, just like Jesus!” Quin said. ⁣

I finally realized what was going on and took my fingers off the keyboard. ⁣

Yes, we’ve been rocking family scripture study lately. ⁣

Yes, we’ve had lessons about peace. ⁣

Yes, she’s been to church and learned about peace. ⁣

But the real learning in my daughter’s brain was happening right here at the kitchen table on a Tuesday afternoon while I was trying to work. ⁣

I stopped what I was doing and we talked about peace. We talked about Jesus. She gave me examples of what brought her peace. We talked about being a peacemaker and examples of when she’s done that before.

Within five minutes, the conversation was over and we were on to something else.

Until the next day when she and her brother started fighting over a toy they both wanted. ⁣

I looked over to see her hand the toy to her brother, find a different toy, and then offer to trade him a few minutes later. ⁣

The word “peacemaker” came to my mind. ⁣

I called her over, complimented her, and we had a quick little conversation about peace again. ⁣

Teaching like that in the moment honestly takes some patience, vision, and even a bit of courage to start. ⁣

But real learning happens best in real life. ⁣

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Learning in real life  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

When the first paper was due, the professor highly suggested we meet with the Teacher Assistants (TA’s) to go over it before turning it in. ⁣

I didn’t bother doing this; I was sure I could figure it out on my own. ⁣

And… when I got my grade on my final paper, I did not like it. ⁣

I realized I had misunderstood one portion of the paper prompt. ⁣

This poor grade on the paper brought my overall class grade down dramatically! ⁣

So guess what I did for the SECOND paper of the class? ⁣

When that second paper was almost due, I signed up to meet with a TA. ⁣

It was completely free, only took about 15 minutes of my time, and she told me exactly what to fix. ⁣

She also made note of my name so that when I turned my paper in, she would be the one to grade it. ⁣

It was literally such a painless and easy process.⁣

Guess what grade I got on that paper?⁣

A perfect score. ⁣

I was frustrated with myself for not meeting with a TA the first time around. Why had I left such simple, free help on the table?! ⁣

I imagine Enoch felt a similar exacerbation as he spoke to the wicked people. ⁣

In Moses 6:43 he says, “Why counsel ye yourselves, and deny the God of heaven?” ⁣

In other words, why are you trying to give each other counsel and figure it out yourselves, when you have a loving God who literally wants to tell you all of the exact right things to do to make it back to Him?! ⁣

We don’t have to guess. ⁣

God WANTS to help us each step of the way. ⁣

But we do have to ask and claim the help we’ve been offered.⁣

Are we leaving heavenly help on the table by forgetting to ask for it?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Going to the TA first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

1) They started gripping their crayons differently.

2) They picked up a play purse and told me they were “Ready to go to the temple!”

3) They picked up a large rectangular block and told me they were texting.

Now what do all three of these things have in common?

My child was copying something they had just seen me do. ⁣

Jesus invites us, “. . . wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do.” (2 Nephi 31:12)

The cool thing is that we don’t have to guess what Jesus would do.

We don’t have to guess because we can see it in the scriptures.

We can learn through His prophets.

We can be shown by the Spirit.

Kids tend to emulate the adults they are around the most.

So if I want to start emulating my Savior even more, I’ve got to “hang out” with Him more often!

I have to be in the scriptures.

I should be learning from others who know Him.

I need to be inviting the Spirit into my life.

Because when I am around Jesus more, it’s natural to want to do what He does.

I’ll become more like Jesus as I spend more time with Him.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Spending more time with Jesus first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I had been the long-term sub for 6 weeks, and all the other teachers were telling me admin would be silly to not just hire me, plus I was starting to click with my students. ⁣

The principal called me in for a meeting, where I was SURE that the full-time position would be offered to me, a new BYU grad. ⁣

Instead… she told me that someone else had been hired before I had started subbing, they just couldn’t start until January.

I had been the place-holder. ⁣And I didn’t even know it.

I was crushed.

Why?! This would have been PERFECT!⁣

And then I was frantic.

I applied for jobs like crazy because we needed the income.

Within a few days, I had been offered my first full-time teaching position at a school that would be my home for the next 4 years.

I would make lifelong friends and meet students who would change my life. ⁣

Luckily, my period of “not knowing” lasted only a few weeks – from finding out I didn’t have the first job to discovering I felt “at home” at the new one. ⁣

There are many other times when I’ve had to wait a lot longer in that “not knowing” phase.

A lot longer. ⁣

Nephi was an older man living in the promised land when he started to write a complete record of his people. ⁣

And then, he received direction from the Lord that he should write another account of the same exact time period, but instead focus on spiritual matters. ⁣

His response? ⁣

“Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to make these plates for a wise purpose in him, which purpose I know not.” (1 Nephi 9:5)

Have you ever considered that Nephi died without ever knowing why he was writing these second plates?⁣

That’s a long time to dwell in “not knowing” limbo. ⁣

It’s always inspirational to tell our stories where “not knowing” turned into “perfect timing” after some hindsight.⁣

But sometimes, we are asked to just stay in “not knowing”.

Maybe even for the rest of our lives.

But Nephi teaches us through his example that the way to survive our “not knowing” is trust with all our hearts that God has a wider purpose than we could ever imagine.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Not Knowing  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I was terrified!

I sat in my classroom that morning.

My door faced the outside hang-out area, so I could hear as the students started arriving and making lots of excited sounds.

And I just sat in my classroom, so scared out of my mind.

I had JUST graduated college.

Did I actually know how to teach?

What if this was all some big giant mistake?!?

I looked at the pictures of my husband, family, and friends that I had taped up behind my desk area.

I said a little prayer.

I realized that EVEN THOUGH I was terrified, I also knew that I was doing the right thing.

I felt that little reassurance in my heart that this is what I loved doing.

That yes, this might be difficult, but I was also going to be able to figure it out.

The bell rang, and I could hear kids starting to line up outside my door, whispering about their “new teacher”.

I closed my eyes, whispered a little prayer, and pushed the door open to invite the kids inside.

One little moment of courage introduced me to an entirely new experience in a job that I loved!

I like to think that the woman who touched Jesus’ hem had this same, although much more serious, moment of courage.

When she heard about a Savior who could heal her, she went to Him.

She had faith.

And in one moment of courage, she touched His hem, confident that this would be the answer.

“When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.” (Mark 5:27)

What seems scary and intimidating to you right now?

What’s a change you know you need to make, but you know will take a lot of effort?

What opportunity keeps calling to you even though it terrifies you?

One moment of courage is all it takes to change the trajectory of your life completely.

If we want that change to be for the better, then we also need to rely on the Savior.

We can reach out to Him, utter a prayer in His name, and expect His strength.

One moment of courage can change everything.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post One moment of courage  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I honestly didn’t think too much of what I was doing.

But while I was volunteering, something took my by surprise.

In a very mundane moment during my volunteering, I felt completely overwhelmed with the Spirit.

Like, it still remains in my personal top ten list for spiritual moments.

I felt a strong impression that what I was doing, while it didn’t seem “spiritual,” was actually a really good thing my Father in Heaven wanted me to do.

Twelve-year-old Jesus taught His parents a beautiful lesson about His primary purpose on earth.

When Mary and Joseph found their son talking with and listening to the doctors in the temple, Jesus said,

“Wist​ ye not that I must be about my ​​​Father’s​ business?”⁣ (Luke 2:49)

Our “Father’s business” certainly does not only look like serving a full time mission or preaching about the scriptures.

(Although those are great!)

What other good things can we do with our time that might contribute to our being about our Father’s business of bringing light and truth and progression toward all of His children?

I have found spiritual confirmations while getting a good education.

While caring for family members.

While excelling at work, having quality family time, and strengthening my talents.

“Throughout His life our Savior showed us how to use our agency. As a boy in Jerusalem, He deliberately chose to ‘be about [His] Father’s business.’” —Robert D. Hales

And I think it’s important to consider what it looks like to NOT be about our Heavenly Father’s business, too.

What is wasting my time?

What is distracting me from the important stuff?

What is driving the Spirit away?

I don’t always need to be going to church or listening to the scriptures at every moment in my life.

But whatever I choose to do, I hope my Savior can see that I am always trying to be about my Father’s business.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post My Father’s business first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

She’s recently learned how to read a whole bunch of words and is obsessed with trying to read anything she sees.

I had an article up on my computer that had the word “peacemaker” in the title.

Quin tried sounding out the word a few times and then asked me for help. (Those soft Cs are brutal!)

“Peacemaker”, I said.

“What’s a peacemaker?” she asked.

I was in the middle of getting work done while my other two little kiddos napped.

“Someone who brings peace,” I quickly said.

“What is peace?” she asked.

I heard the baby starting to stir. We had definitely talked about peace before, so I tried to think of the fastest way to explain it again.

“Peace is when we feel calm and quiet and happy,” I said.

“Oh, just like Jesus!” Quin said.

I finally realized what was going on and took my fingers off the keyboard.

Yes, we’ve been rocking family scripture study lately.

Yes, we’ve had lessons about peace.

Yes, she’s been to church and learned about peace.

But the real learning in my four year old’s brain was happening right here at the kitchen table on a Tuesday afternoon while I was trying to work.

I stopped what I was doing and we talked about peace. We talked about Jesus. She gave me examples of what brought her peace. We talked about being a peacemaker with her brother and examples of when she’s done that well.

Within five minutes, the conversation was over and I was soothing the baby.

Until the next day when she and her brother started fighting over a toy they both wanted.

I looked over to see her hand over the toy, find a different toy, and then offer to trade him a few minutes later.

The word “peacemaker” came to my mind.

I called her over, complimented her, and we had a quick little conversation about peace again.

And we’ve talked about it like five more times since then.

Teaching like that honestly takes some patience, vision, and even a bit of courage to start.

But real learning happens best in real life.

“Teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” (Deuteronomy 6:7)

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Teaching at my table first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Kids would ask me a question and I felt like I needed to know every answer.

I needed to be the knowledge authority in my classroom, right?!

But the best and worst part of teaching sixth grade is that the kids would start to (respectfully, for the most part) call me out when I said something incorrect.

It took a few months, but I finally realized how ironically empowering it was to admit that I didn’t know something to my students.

“Mrs. Black, why did you say THAT part of the story is the climax? Wouldn’t it be THIS part instead?”

I figured out that it felt SO much better (and by the way, MUCH more effective for teaching) to say:

“Oh interesting! Why do you think that? I could totally be wrong!”

The discussions that comments like this would spur were AMAZING. And tons of class members would start to chime in with their opinions, too.

Real learning would occur.

I loved it.

And I feel like right around this same time at the beginning of my teaching career was when I started to adopt this humility into my personal life, too.

Instead of thinking I had the right answer in my marriage, or in my church callings, or in other decisions that I had to make, it was so much more empowering to recognize that I COULD be wrong.

Replacing pride with humility one little step at a time has brought nothing but peace to my life.

In a gospel context:

“Humility enables us to have broken hearts when we sin or make mistakes and makes it possible for us to repent.” —Elder Steven E. Snow

I have found that it’s actually so freeing to acknowledge that I’ve been wrong.

I’m not perfect at it at all.

There are some sins that I want to cling to, like an insecure middle school teacher who insists they know the right answer.

“How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me?” (Exodus 10:3)

I hope I don’t take too long, though, to loosen my grip on those favorite sins, those rationales, those prideful tendencies.

Humility is much more freeing than pride.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Humility and teaching middle school first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

So many factors to consider, so many strategies to try, so many ways to craft a lesson plan to optimize engagement and learning.

It was fascinating to me.

Especially because growing up in the church, we put everyone in “teaching” callings and call it a day!

But there is so much research behind how to actually be a good teacher, and it blew my mind.

I loved learning it, and I loved putting it into practice.

Here’s the thing about church teaching assignments, though.

You don’t have to know anything about the most up-to-date pedagogy.

In one of the most comforting verses for teachers ever, the Lord reminds us:

“Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you”. D&C 88:78

Diligent teachers have the Lord’s grace with them.

Grace that covers gaps in teaching skills, or engagement strategies, or even doctrinal knowledge.

Don’t get me wrong, I still love learning from masterful teachers.

But I’ve had great teachers who focus on entertainment more than bringing the spirit.

And I’ve had humble teachers who probably read too much during the lesson, ask obvious questions, or don’t really engage as well as they could, where the Spirit still speaks powerful words to me because I can tell they are doing their best.

Feel like you aren’t the best teacher, and yet you’ve been asked to teach?

The Lord’s grace will attend you.

I’ve felt this time and time again as I’ve taught, sometimes using my best teaching strategies, and other times being pulled in a totally different direction.

If we as teachers are diligent in our preparation, both of the material and of our hearts, the Lord’s grace will cover any gaps.

And His Spirit will do the real teaching.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Grace and teaching first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Either parents feel the pressure to subtly act like their kid is the best in every way.

Or parents feel the pressure to nag on their kids and hate on all the bad things they do.

(This is, of course, a huge overgeneralization, but I’ve noticed that these really are the two biggest trends: brag on them or complain about them)

But… what if there was a different way?

What if there was a different way to view our kids that didn’t involve us getting prideful and jealous, or annoyed and demeaning?

What if we viewed our children as holy individuals who we need to teach, and who we expect will make plenty of mistakes along the way as they learn?

Of course, I’m not even close to the first person to suggest this.

The Lord reminded us in D&C 74:7:

“Little children are holy”.

This certainly doesn’t meant that their actions are always holy.

But it does mean that they, their souls, who they really are, are holy.

They are literally protected from Satan’s influence.

Former Primary President, Joy D. Jones, gave a powerful talk in the most recent conference about little children, and this stood out to me when she said:

“There is a uniquely special time in children’s lives when they are protected from Satan’s influence.

“It is a time when they are innocent and sin free.

“It is a sacred time for parent and child.

“Children are to be taught, by word and example, before and after they have ‘arrived unto the years of accountability before God’.”

Now, this doesn’t mean that kids younger than 8 aren’t capable of doing something that they know is wrong.

I think any parent of a 3-year-old can tell you that!

But… they aren’t held accountable for them yet.

It flips the narrative on parenting just a bit, and I love what the repercussions are.

Yes, let’s share our kids’ amazing accomplishments and vent to a friend after a super frustrating day.

But let’s also help remind each other that our children are holy.

And we have a sacred responsibility to teach them in word and in deed. Setting positive examples and treating them with love.

These kids are holy, and they deserve our best.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Holy kids first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.