One of my favorite details in this week’s reading comes from Hezekiah’s reign:

“So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.” (2 Chronicles 30:26)

Why was there so much joy at this moment? 

The people had gathered to worship the Lord with their whole hearts!

They had turned back to Him, celebrated the Passover together, and experienced the kind of joy that only comes from drawing closer to Christ.

I love what Elder Patrick Kearon teaches:

“We are members of the church of joy! And nowhere should our joy as a people be more apparent than when we gather together each Sabbath in our sacrament meetings to worship the source of all joy!”

It’s easy to think of church as another obligation on an already full weekend.

Especially when there are meetings to attend, kids to take care of, lessons to prepare, and checklists to complete. 

But how can we view Sundays differently? 

What if we come to church expecting to meet with the source of our joy?

That doesn’t mean every Sunday will feel emotional or every problem will disappear. 

But when my focus shifts from simply attending church to truly worshipping Jesus Christ, I’ve found that my heart starts to change, even when my circumstances stay the same. 

I feel more joy IN ADDITION to the meetings, the kids, the planning, and the checklists. 

I’ve loved the change that comes from avoiding asking, “What will I get out of church?” and instead thinking, “How can I worship Christ today?”

I think that small change in perspective can open the door to the same kind of joy the people of Jerusalem experienced.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Joy in Jerusalem first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I also remember him teaching me that when I was dunked under the water, it was as if I was being buried and then coming back to life, just like Jesus. ⁣

I thought that was pretty cool, because it’s as if we were acting out what was happening! ⁣

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that a lot of ordinances are accompanied with physical actions.⁣

Like when we take the bread and water for the sacrament.

But I’ve also learned that the action itself isn’t what causes me to make a covenant.⁣

Just eating bread and water itself isn’t what’s renewing my covenants each week.

Yes, ordinances are formal acts that are super important. ⁣

But we also have to make sure our mind is engaged with what we are actually promising.

Our heart and our mind have to be involved with some level of intention. ⁣

When Moses was instructing the children of Israel on how to perform the Passover to avoid their firstborn sons dying, he referred to the act of painting their door frames with lamb’s blood as an “ordinance”. ⁣

So the Passover was an ordinance for the children of Israel! ⁣

The physical act of what they did was so important… but so was what their hearts were doing at the same time. ⁣

Look at what they were thinking about as they reflected on this ordinance: ⁣

“It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt… And the people bowed the head and worshipped.” (Exodus 12:27)⁣

They worshipped. ⁣

I think it is so cool that so many ordinances have physical acts associated with them that can help us ponder even deeper on the covenants being made. ⁣

But I also know that just “going through the motions” isn’t what saved the firstborns during the Passover.⁣

And “going through the motions” isn’t what will help our hearts become molded to what the Lord wants them to be. ⁣

The sacred action + engaging our minds = true worship and lasting change!⁣

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Why ordinances?  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Life isn’t perfect. ⁣

Maybe today isn’t even what you planned. ⁣

Maybe you’ve got a lot of “other stuff” going on so you feel like you can’t be fully present. ⁣

But no matter what your circumstances are like today, no matter what kitchen mishaps or missing family members or awkward moments…⁣

“Praise the Lord with singing, with music, with dancing, and with a prayer of praise and thanksgiving.” (D&C 136:28⁣)

A prayer of praise and thanksgiving is always an option. ⁣

Praise. And thanksgiving. ⁣

Don’t those go perfectly hand in hand?⁣

Recognizing the goodness and glory of God, and then feeling gratitude for all that He has done for you?⁣

Today, no matter what my day looks like, I’m going to offer a prayer of praise and of thanksgiving. ⁣

And, knowing me, there will be some music and singing involved, too. ⁣

But I want to praise my Lord by remembering all that He has given me!⁣

This beautiful earth! ⁣

My body! ⁣

My friends, both old and new!⁣

My family members!⁣

The opportunity to change when I make a mistake!⁣

My scriptures! ⁣

Feeling overwhelming love!⁣

The Holy Spirit!⁣

My covenants!⁣

Something to be optimistic about!⁣

The chance to be alive!⁣

Praise and thanksgiving to my Lord today, and every day. ⁣

What are you feeling especially grateful for today? 

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post  Praise and thanksgiving!  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 attended with my roommates, and we all went once or twice a month.

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 on 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?! ⁣

What blessings have you seen from worshipping in the house of the Lord?

And what is your biggest WHY right now for wanting to be there regularly?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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

Like literally, what do you picture in your head when you hear that phrase? ⁣

In some ways, this phrase is really big, and can encompass so many different actions.

But in other ways, this phrase is really vague and can easily not really translate to anything at all.⁣

That’s how I’ve felt for the longest time. ⁣

What does it really mean to “worship Jesus”? ⁣

This is why I love Section 93 so so so much. ⁣

Because we are being taught more about the Savior. ⁣

Not just what He did on the earth, although that is important (head to the New Testament for all those beautiful details).⁣

But we are learning more about who He is, and how He grew, and what He is really really like. ⁣

We learn new titles for Him, we learn about different roles that He has played, and we learn about the power that He holds. ⁣

And SO MUCH MORE.⁣

Why are we learning so much about Jesus?⁣

In D&C 93:19, the Lord Himself tells us why in some of the most plain wording: ⁣

“I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness.”⁣

Through studying these words, we learn HOW to worship, and we learn WHAT we worship when we worship the Savior. ⁣

The more we get to know Him, the more natural it is to worship. ⁣

For me, the more I know about His nature, His involvement, His power, the more I see Him everywhere. ⁣

In the physical world around me, yes. ⁣

But also in the small little miracles, the fun moments between friends, the magical moments with a child. ⁣

My worship becomes gratitude, love, passion, music, prayer, happiness, and service. ⁣

So if your mind drew a vague blank when I asked what it looks like to “worship Jesus Christ”…⁣

Studying Section 93, in addition to any time we learn more about our Savior, can teach you. ⁣

It can teach you who you are worshipping, and how to do it. ⁣

Because the more we learn about Jesus, the better we can worship Him. ⁣

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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

“Now, after the people had all offered up thanks after this manner, they returned to their homes, never speaking of their God again until they had assembled themselves together again to the holy stand, to offer up thanks after their manner.” (Alma 31:23)

They may have thought:

A religion that takes over your whole life?!

Let’s just worry about it one day a week and forget about it for the rest. ⁣

Prayer that requires thought, mental devotion, and faith?!

Let’s just write a script so it’s easier.

⁣Worship that means becoming introspective, emotionally mature, and honest with ourselves?!

Let’s make that look a little cooler with a fun tower so everyone can see when we are being righteous!

But even today, where pretty much everything is more convenient than it was 2,000 years ago, we know that religion, at its core, is not meant to be convenient.

⁣Loving people is hard work. ⁣

Serving people is hard work. ⁣

Forgiving people is hard work. ⁣

There are no shortcuts. ⁣

And that’s the point.⁣

We are supposed to serve when it’s inconvenient, love when it’s difficult, and forgive when it stretches our souls.

That what our Savior has modeled for us, and that’s where change happens.

And as much as I like being comfortable, I want to be able to change over and over again.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post That looks like hard work  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

No weapons.

The Anti-Nephi-Lehies were walking out onto the battlefield completely defenseless, knowing what was inevitably coming.

And what did they do as they walked to almost-certain death?

⁣They began to praise God.

“The Lamanites saw that their brethren would not flee from the sword. . . but that they would lie down and perish, and praised God even in the very act of perishing under the sword.” (Alma 24:23)

They praised God even in the very act of perishing.

Even as they anticipated death, their hearts were still communing with God in gladness and peace.

What an impressive but important feat–

To be able to praise God at all times completely independent of what we are going through.

To praise God even when life is falling apart.

To praise God even when we have hit our emotional limit.

To praise God even when we are frustrated.

Why does this matter?

Why would this be a goal for us— to be able to praise God at all times?

Most importantly, God deserves all the praise because of who He is.

The more I learn about God, the more I naturally praise Him and His Goodness.

I’ve also learned that praising and worshiping can be for our benefit.

Pondering about the goodness of God, feeling gratitude for Him, and being filled with reverence and joy ultimately brings us peace, joy, and happiness completely independent of what we are enduring.

We too can do as these brave soldiers did long ago and choose to praise God at all times, even if we are in the very act of perishing.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Praise while perishing  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

It looks so sleek, and whatever the new features are seem incredible.

The camera quality seems noticeably sharper.

I just want to show my new phone off to everyone!

…And then fast forward a month, and it’s all changed.

It doesn’t seem quite so special or exciting anymore.

It seems like every other phone I’ve had.

I even get a little bit frustrated when the app doesn’t load as quickly as I am now used to.

I’ve lost all the “awe” I had with my phone.

Look at how the shepherds reacted after seeing baby Jesus:

“And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.” (Luke 2:20)

They had come with great speed.

But they left in awe, worshiping Jesus!

Do we find that same kind of awe and joy in the Savior?

It’s tough.

When life gets serious and challenging, it’s hard to remember.

Everything seems like such a big, weighty deal.

But every once in a while, I remember that having the ability to worship my Savior should fill me with so much happiness and joy!

It’s happy! It’s light!

It is worth praise and joy!

It is glorious to be able to worship!

How can you still find ways to be in “awe” of Jesus?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Stay in awe first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I also remember him teaching me that when I was dunked under the water, it was as if I was being buried and then coming back to life, just like Jesus.

I thought that was pretty cool, because it’s as if we were acting out what was happening!

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that a lot of ordinances are accompanied with physical actions.

Like when we take the bread and water for the sacrament!

But I’ve also learned that the action itself isn’t what causes me to make a covenant.

Just eating bread and water itself isn’t what’s renewing my covenants each week.

Yes, ordinances are formal acts that are super important.

But we also have to make sure our mind is engaged with what we are actually promising!

Our heart and our mind have to be involved with some level of intention.

When Moses was instructing the children of Israel on how to perform the Passover to avoid their firstborn sons dying, he referred to the act of painting their door frames with lamb’s blood as an “ordinance”.

So the Passover was an ordinance for the children of Israel!

The physical act of what they did was so important… but so was what their hearts were doing at the same time.

Look at what they were thinking about as they reflected on this ordinance:

“It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt… And the people bowed the head and worshipped.” (Exodus 12:27)

They worshipped.

I think it is so cool that so many ordinances have physical acts associated with them that can help us ponder even deeper on the covenants being made.

But I also know that just “going through the motions” isn’t what saved the firstborns during the Passover.

And “going through the motions” isn’t what will help our hearts become molded to what the Lord wants them to be.

The sacred action + engaging our minds = true worship and lasting change!

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Ordinances and actions first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Life isn’t perfect.

Maybe today isn’t even what you planned.

Maybe you’ve got a lot of “other stuff” going on so you feel like you can’t be fully present.

But no matter what your circumstances are like today, no matter what kitchen mishaps or missing family members or awkward moments…

“Praise the Lord with singing, with music, with dancing, and with a prayer of praise and thanksgiving.” D&C 136:28

A prayer of praise and thanksgiving is always an option.

Praise. And thanksgiving.

Don’t those go perfectly hand in hand?

Recognizing the goodness and glory of God, and then feeling gratitude for all that He has done for you?

Today, no matter what my day looks like, I’m going to offer a prayer of praise and of thanksgiving.

And, knowing me, there will be some music and singing involved, too.

But I want to praise my Lord by remembering all that He has given me!

This beautiful earth!

My body!

My friends, both old and new!

My family members!

The opportunity to change when I make a mistake!

My scriptures!

Feeling overwhelming love!

The Holy Spirit!

My covenants!

Something to be optimistic about!

The chance to be alive!

Praise and thanksgiving to my Lord today, and every day.

What are you feeling especially grateful for today? Comment below and let’s share the thanksgiving spirit! 

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Praise and thanksgiving first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.