I can picture righteous Jacob, trying to convince the Nephites more fully of Christ, just throwing his hands up at the end of his sermon. ⁣

“Just be mature and smart, and I won’t need to keep giving you directions on every little thing!”⁣

“O be wise; what can I say more?” (Jacob 6:12)

I feel like President Nelson can relate. ⁣

How exactly do we keep the Sabbath day holy?!

How do we gather Israel?!

How do we keep our covenants?!

Just be wise. ⁣

You have knowledge. Now, counsel with your Father in Heaven, and just make good choices. ⁣

I obviously don’t know exactly what the living arrangements in heaven will be like, but I like to picture myself living by righteous saints from all walks of life and all time periods!

Some kept the Law of Moses while on earth.

Some served missions for multiple years around the world.

Some saw Jesus.

Some had the Come, Follow Me program.

Some held church in a small isolated house. ⁣

There’s no single “right way” to do everything we are supposed to do. ⁣

Essentially, we have been told to “be wise”. ⁣

We use our knowledge of Sabbath day observance, scripture study, teaching principles, modern-day prophets, love of family, and so much more…⁣

And we apply those principles with as much spiritual maturity as we can. ⁣

This doesn’t mean perfection is our goal (or even attainable).

But we do our best to gather our knowledge and seek for wisdom.

We study correct principles, and then we figure out how they are going to realistically and wholeheartedly apply to our lives.

If we are doing this, then we are choosing to be wise.

And there’s not much more to say.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Just be wise!  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

There are so many people with wisdom and education and training that have helped me to become a better mom by teaching through social media!

It’s awesome.

I used to look up to a lot of these “parenting influencers” with the idea that I agreed with everything they said.

If they suggested this way to deal with a tantrum, then yup I’m all on board. If they suggested we try this new twist on a chore chart, then yup we are doing it.

There’s been one issue with parenting that I’ve been looking for some more support with recently, and so I looked to what many of these parenting experts were saying.

Their advice seemed to all be pretty much the same for how to deal with my situation. But I heard that still small voice whisper:

“This is not what your kid needs.”

And I felt peace.

The gift of discernment is more important on social media now than ever before.

Advice and ideas are everywhere.

Good advice and ideas even! Many of these parenting accounts have brought blessings into my life for how I interact with my children.

But I don’t just “follow” blindly.

I’ve learned that I can take each new idea to the Lord. He’s the best parenting expert out there and He can point me the right way.

Life coaches, health experts, news commentators, finance coaches, psychologists, and yes, even religious accounts (the irony is not lost on me!) are everywhere.

“Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad”. (1 Kings 3:9)

Like Solomon, I’m learning I have to plead with God daily to be able to discern what is right and what is wrong.

For some things, I need to know what is right or wrong for my situation. (Like my parenting example! The Lord clearly told me it’s not what my kid needs, even though it works for others.)

But for other things, I’m having to literally decide whether it is truth OR truth twisted until it’s no longer pointing me toward God.

Understanding hearts, righteous judgments and discernments, we’ve gotta be asking for and claiming these privileges now more than ever!

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Wisdom on social media first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

It has things to do and things not to do. 

It’s got advice.

It was given “for the benefit” of the saints. 

But my absolute favorite part of it right now comes at the very end. 

The very end of section 89 has some of the most beautiful and real blessings I’ve seen in all of the Doctrine and Covenants. 

Read through these four verses and let me know which phrase stands out to you the most:

“And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;

“And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;

“And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.

“And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen.” 

D&C 89:18-21

Aren’t those beautiful blessings and promises?! 

Powerful, specific protections are promised us as we “keep and do these sayings” in section 89.

One thing I’ve discovered is that when I am choosing foods that are really nourishing for my body, I feel more alert in my mind.

That wisdom, that knowledge, it comes much more easily.

I also recognize that following the direction in section 89 doesn’t mean you’ll be immune from health problems your entire life.

But that doesn’t negate the real, tangible blessings that come from obeying the Word of Wisdom. 

I want to keep the Word of Wisdom even better than I am now.

Not because I love keeping lots of rules.

But because I have a testimony that there are promised blessings waiting in store for me when I obey the laws on which those blessings are predicated.

What blessings have you seen in your life from obeying the counsel found in section 89? What promise stood out to you from reading section 89?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post The Word of Wisdom first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I always laugh when I read this scripture!

I can picture righteous Jacob, trying to convince the Nephites more fully of Christ, just throwing his hands up at the end of his sermon.

“Just be mature and smart, and I won’t need to keep giving you directions on every little thing!”

I feel like President Nelson can relate.

No church meetings? No youth activities? No classes? No teachers?

What do we do?!?!

Just be wise.

You’ve gained the knowledge. Now, counsel with your Father in Heaven, and just make good choices.

I obviously don’t know exactly what the living arrangements in heaven will be like, but I like to picture myself living by righteous saints from all walks of life and all time periods! Some kept the Law of Moses while on earth. Some served missions for multiple years around the world. Some saw Jesus. Some had the Come, Follow Me program. Some held church in a small isolated house.

There’s no single “right way” to do everything we are supposed to do.

Right now, we are in a period of completely “home-centered church”.

This is a defining period. It is what we will be known for.

And yet, we aren’t told exactly what to do.

Essentially, we have been told to “be wise”.

We use our knowledge of Sabbath day observance, scripture study, teaching principles, modern-day prophets, love of family, and so much more…

And we apply those principles with as much spiritual maturity as we can.

This doesn’t mean perfection is our goal (or even attainable!) so if you are starting to feel defeated, just stop right there.

Are you applying your knowledge of gospel principles the best that you can right now, with your varying family circumstances or crazy kids or all alone or with roommates?

Then you’ve done it. You are being wise. And there’s not much more to say. 

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post O, be wise! first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.