Joseph is reading newspaper reports every day about South Carolina’s new drama. ⁣

The federal government had established new tariffs (taxes), and South Carolina nullified them (AKA refused to pay them).

United States Pres Andrew Jackson threatened South Carolina. They better pay the tariffs, or they would go to war.⁣

It was in this mindset that Joseph prayed and received the revelation known as D&C 87. ⁣

This was a uniquely specific prophecy that actually mentioned specific locations and events:⁣

It mentioned the rebellion of South Carolina, a war between the Southern and Northern states, the Southern states calling on Great Britain for help, and slaves rising up against their masters. ⁣

So… I’m sure you know what happened next, right?!⁣

… the federal government and South Carolina made a pretty quick and easy compromise where the government lowered the tariffs and the state agreed to pay them. ⁣

That was it. ⁣

All that political tension and turmoil, and then add on a very specific prophecy from a prophet about war. ⁣

And then, an anticlimactic resolution. ⁣

Was the prophet wrong?⁣

Well, if you are familiar with U.S. history, you know the power of hindsight. ⁣

30 years later, South Carolina did lead a rebellion that brought unprecedented war between the north and the south, the south called on Great Britain for help, and slaves rose against their masters. ⁣

Long after Joseph had died, and long after the saints had already moved west to Utah.⁣

God’s timing is so dramatically different than our timing. ⁣

The early saints believed Christ’s return was imminent… and here we are 200 years later. ⁣

And this war prophecy did not come true even when current events seemed to point toward it happening right away. ⁣

Feeling a sense of “urgency” has always been something that the Lord has tried to evoke. ⁣

Change now. Keep the commandments immediately. Follow the prophet. ⁣

But we don’t do these things because we know we’ve got a deadline approaching. ⁣

We do these things because He knows we will feel so much more peace in our lives as soon as we decide to turn to Him. ⁣

God’s timing is His own.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post The war prophecy  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I think a lot about Ether being prompted to leave his cave and go preach repentance to the king one last time.

Doesn’t it seem a little futile?⁣

Not many people react well to someone walking into their house and calling them to repentance. ⁣

And Coriantumr sure didn’t respond well, sending his guard to kill Ether. ⁣

Ether was able to escape back to his cave.

But… maybe he spent some time thinking:

“That was pointless.”⁣

But fast-forward a few years and a few brutal wars,and we find Coriantumr on the battle field.

He was forced to watch his friends and loved ones being slaughtered by Shiz’s army. ⁣

And all of a sudden:

“When Coriantumr had recovered of his wounds, he began to remember the words which Ether had spoken unto him.” (Ether 15:1)

⁣Coriantumr’s heart wasn’t ready to hear the message when Ether was ready to preach.

But now, on the battlefield, Coriantumr’s heart was ready to listen.

Isn’t it amazing that the Spirit takes care of all the timing?

He can bring to remembrance words and topics that were taught when the listener wasn’t quite ready to learn.

“Faith also includes trust in God’s timing”. – Neal A. Maxwell

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post The perfect timing first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Waiting.

Long past my scheduled appointment time.

Shouldn’t they call me back soon?

This is so frustrating when I have people watching my kids and it takes longer than expected.

As my patience drained, my good attitude and Christlike heart drained with it.

So there I was, sitting in a crowded waiting room, annoyed and frustrated.

And still waiting.

Isn’t that the real problem with having to wait?

It’s because some thing is supposed to be happening that isn’t happening yet.

Waiting for a job interviewer to call me back. Waiting to get over a sickness. Waiting for my husband to get home from work. Waiting at school pickup. Waiting for blessings in a bad situation.

Waiting can be so so so draining.

But then I think on other times in my life when waiting has been beautiful.

Waiting for a new baby to arrive. Waiting for a trip with my family. Waiting for a treat to finish cooking. Waiting for guidance from the Lord. Waiting for an answer to prayers. Waiting for a session in the temple to begin.

Beautiful waiting and draining waiting have one big difference:

Trusting in God’s timing.

“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength”. (Isaiah 40:31)

When I wait while turned toward the Lord, no matter how serious or trivial my waiting may be, I draw spiritual strength.

I have my energy constantly renewed.

I feel invigorated in my waiting because I completely trust that things will happen when God intends them to happen.

There’s a lot of waiting in this mortal life.

But waiting for and with the Lord makes all the difference.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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

Every Monday, I would write all my posts for the week for this account.

But this time, I wrote Monday’s post, I wrote Tuesday’s post… and then my mind went blank.

I could tell it wasn’t just writer’s block.

It was a true stupor of thought. And I literally could not think about any insights from the scriptures to share.

I started to pray. The time I had set aside was slowly ticking away.

I started to get frustrated. “I’m trying to be more organized and use my time more wisely so that I’m not multitasking so much! Please can you help unblock my mind?” I pleaded to Heaven.

I kept asking for that inspiration to come. Why wasn’t He answering my prayers?

And yet, I still couldn’t write.

It was a really weird experience, and it made a big impression in my mind.

And then, on a week in March 2020 that I’m sure you all remember, the world started to shut down that Wednesday.

By Thursday, everything had changed.

I sat down to write the remainder of my posts for the week, and my ideas and thoughts were bubbling over the surface. I couldn’t write fast enough to contain the messages from my heart and the scriptures.

When I finally had a chance to ponder on this situation, I had a powerful and clear thought come to my mind.

“You were not doing anything wrong on Monday. I wasn’t ignoring you. You just had to wait until something outside of your control happened before it all made sense.”

I just had to wait.

There was no giant spiritual lesson or divine ignorance.

It was literally just that the world hadn’t shut down yet.

This was so powerful to me because it was one of the most poignant times when I realized how little I know compared to God.

I was trying to counsel God, to make Him give me in the inspiration I usually received.

“Seek not to counsel your God.” D&C 22:4

I thought He wasn’t listening to me.

But in reality, I didn’t even know what I didn’t even know.

Sometimes, we just have to wait for other things to happen before we can receive a clear answer for our prayers.

God knows what He is doing.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Timing is everything! first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I think a lot about Ether being prompted to leave his cave and go preach repentance to the king one last time.

Doesn’t it seem a little futile?

Not many people react well to someone walking into their house and calling them to repentance.

Or even giving them a prophecy that if they didn’t repent, their entire civilization would be destroyed.

And Coriantumr sure didn’t respond well.

He sent his guards to kill Ether.

Ether was able to escape back to his cave, but I’m sure he spent some time thinking, “That was pointless. The king wasn’t ready to hear anything that I said.”

Fast forward a few years and a few brutal wars, and we find Coriantumr on the battle field, watching his friends and loved ones being slaughtered by Shiz’s army.

And all of a sudden, he remembered Ether’s words.

Which then caused him to reflect on all the words that previous prophets had spoken, and how every prophecy had come true.

And he began to repent. To change. To turn his heart to the Lord.

It didn’t matter that Coriantumr’s heart wasn’t ready to hear the message when Ether was ready to preach.

It didn’t matter that Coriantumr thought Ether was crazy and rude.

It didn’t matter that Ether might have thought he was wasting his time.

I think there is an important distinction to make, though.

Ether listened to the Spirit when he went to cry repentance.

Tact and timing and sensitivity can be important. Essential even.

But the Spirit can tell to override our usual reasoning and share the gospel. Or give that advice. Or give that warning. Or tell that story. Or share that talk.

When we listen to the Spirit, he will do his part to bring it to their remembrance at the time that they need.

Have you ever had an experience where the Spirit brought something to your remembrance that you disliked at the time, but were ready to hear later?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Crying repentance first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.