Anytime we sat down at the table, no matter what time of day it was, he insisted that we pray first. 

Sitting down to play a game? Pray first.

Sitting down to eat a snack? Pray first.

Sitting down just to sit down? Pray first.

But as he grew older, he started to ask many questions about “why” we do what we do.

His insisting on praying turned into asking WHY we always pray before we eat a meal together.

As we’ve worked to develop our family habits of praying and reading the scriptures together, I’ve started trying to be more conscious of how I talk about these habits. ⁣

Instead of: “It’s time to read and pray before we go to bed”

I’ve been trying to do more: “It’s time to read scriptures so we can learn more about Jesus!” ⁣

When the Lord taught the Israelites about this new Passover ordinance, He warned them that their children would ask about it.

“Your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?” (Exodus 12:26)

The Lord wanted His people to teach their children WHY they repeated this Passover ordinance and celebration. ⁣

It can be so easy to get caught up in just trying to get our kids to cooperate in saying prayers, in staying quiet at church, in paying tithing, in setting goals, in serving and showing kindness…⁣

But the Lord wants us to also teach the WHY. ⁣

Why do YOU try to be reverent at church? Why do YOU say prayers, and pay tithing, and attend the temple?⁣

When we can share our own testimonies and our own “why”s with our kids, we are sharing our hearts and truly teaching our values in authentic ways.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Mom, why are we praying?! first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

What is my “why”?

Why do I choose to do what I do each day?

Each and every thing.

Like emptying the dishwasher.

Reading a book to my kids.

Making time for date night.

Attending church on Sunday.

Studying the scriptures.

Why do I do it?

I’ve learned that I actually feel so much more empowered when I remember WHY I actually want to be doing each task.

I want to contribute to my home. I want to raise curious children. I want to strengthen my marriage. I want to worship God and take the sacrament. I want to invite the Spirit into my life even more.

Thinking of these “big” reasons makes the little mundane or habit-driven tasks so much more exciting and purposeful.

When Moroni went out to rally his troops, he also reminded his people of their “why.”

“He went forth among the people, waving the rent part of his garment in the air, that all might see the writing which he had written upon the rent part.” (Alma 46:19)

And when he reminded them of their “why”, everyone was inspired to act.

They weren’t forced, guilted, or just convinced.

They thought about their purpose, and then they knew they wanted to do something.

What are your big picture “why”s for everything that you do each day?

Reflecting on this purpose can give us enough motivation to “rally the troops” and infuse a spiritual adrenaline rush into our lives.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Rally the troops first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

It’s actually super cute.

Anytime he sits down at the table, no matter what time of day it is or what he’s doing at the table, he insists that we all say a prayer.

Or if he catches me folding my arms in any casual situations, he insists that we stop and say a prayer.

Of course, I can’t say no to a prayer, so we are saying a lot of short and sweet prayers nowadays.

But my 4 year old is starting to get to the point where she doesn’t just do things because mom and dad tell her to.

She wants to know WHY we are doing them.

And so as we’ve worked to develop our family habits of praying and reading the scriptures together, I’ve started trying to be more conscious in how I talk about these habits.

Instead of: “It’s time to read and pray before we go to bed.”

I’ve been trying to do more of: “It’s time to read scriptures so that we can learn more about Jesus!”

I was actually pleasantly surprised to see how explicitly the Lord tries to teach this to the Israelites, too!

After He taught them about repeating the Passover ordinance each year, He says in Exodus 12:26-27:

“And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses.”

The Lord wanted the people to not just celebrate the Passover each year after this first initial miracle–

He wanted His people to teach their children WHY they were repeating this Passover ordinance and celebration.

It can be so easy to get caught up in just trying to get our kids to cooperate in saying prayers, in staying quiet at church, in paying tithing, in setting goals, in serving and showing kindness…

But the Lord wants us to also teach the WHY.

Why do YOU try to be reverent at church? Why do YOU say prayers, and pay tithing, and attend the temple?

When we can share our own testimonies and our own “why”s with our kids, we are sharing our hearts and truly teaching our values in authentic ways.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Teach the WHY first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

It wasn’t impossibly far away, but it was just far away enough that we usually did two youth trips a year to go and do baptisms and confirmations.

We would make a whole day of it, and, of course, grab ice cream at Fenton’s afterwards. (If you know, you know.)

When I went off to BYU, I was suddenly in very close walking distance to a temple.

What a shift!

I upped my attendance from twice a year to once or twice a month, because that’s when roommates would go.

After my husband and I got married and moved to Arizona, we lived about 20 minutes from the Mesa temple.

And suddenly, we realized… we were on our own for temple attendance.

No more youth group trips. No more roommates going with us. If our ward had temple trips, they were often during times when one of us was working.

We had to grapple with the question:

Why do we really attend the temple?

I didn’t love my reasons at first.

But throughout the years, my answer has shifted.

When I read D&C 97:13-14, I was reminded of some of my favorite reasons.

The Lord was teaching these saints, pretty passionately, about why they NEEDED to get to work in building that temple.

Throughout these verses, He mentions 3 things:

1. For a place of thanksgiving for all saints
2. For a place of instruction
3. That they may be perfected

Thanksgiving, instruction, and perfection.

It’s hard not to be filled with gratitude while sitting in a beautiful building surrounded by beautiful reminders of all that God has done for us.

Instruction is given every single time we are in the temple, and the more that I’ve tried to pay attention and learn, the more my eyes have been opened to the wealth of knowledge that is available.

And as we learn more about the power of God and His priesthood, we become perfected. When we do work for our ancestors, we become perfected. When we sacrifice any item on our to-do list for time in the temple, we become perfected.

Isn’t that a beautiful trio of reasons why we need temples?!

Right now, what is your biggest “why” for wanting to be in the temple?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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

I’ve thought about this question a lot.

As a mom, as a wife, as a disciple, as a writer and speaker…

Why do I do what I do each day?

Being able to go on mental autopilot is fantastic for some of my daily tasks.

But, in general, autopilot is the enemy of my “why”.

• Why did I choose to be a mom and take care of my two kids?
• Why do I try to make my husband a priority?
• Why do I spend a large portion of my personal time devoted to becoming more Christlike?
• Why do I take time to write my thoughts down and share them with others?

When I honestly consider each of these questions, I’m infused with purpose and joy.

Captain Moroni wrote his “why” on part of his coat and rallied others who resonated with his “why”.

And I try to “rally” myself to the remembrance of my “why” each day, too.

I need to take that time to center myself and be reminded of all the reasons I’m living the life I am right now.

And that gives me a little surge of adrenaline to keep going.

So what’s your “why” for each of your roles right now?

I challenge you to step out of autopilot for a second, and “rally the troops” sometime today.

(By the way, personal prayers are a fantastic time and way to do this!)

What would you wave on a flag and proudly share that gives you motivation and pride?

What’s your “why”?

Artwork by Walter Rane

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post What’s your why? first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.