It seemed like this was a big focus when I was a youth— to write in a journal!

And so I’d write what happened each day for a couple days in a row, and then I’d forget for a few days and try to catch up…

And then it would be months until I had another church lesson about writing in a journal and I’d start the process all over again.

Can anyone else relate?!

Somewhere along the way, I’ve gradually started to “spiritually mature” when it comes to what I believe I need to be writing down.

And I was excited when I saw that the Lord said something similar about John Whitmer, too:

“He shall continue in writing and making a history of all the IMPORTANT THINGS which he shall observe and know concerning my church”. D&C 69:3

The idea that my great-great-great grandchild is someday going to want to know what I ate for breakfast on Wednesday and why that was different than Tuesday doesn’t really appeal to me.

(Although, if you love writing all the details of your life, go for it!)

In fact, the idea of recording my life for future generations doesn’t seem very compelling for me either.

Maybe someday, someone will read what I write, but I’m not necessarily doing it for them.

Instead, I’ve been motivated by two ideas:

I am writing down IMPORTANT THINGS due to the value of writing things down. (Idea formation/memory/pondering)

And

I am writing things down in ways that seem natural and simple to me.

So I’m not writing every detail of my life. Instead, I’m focusing on writing down the important things.

And then I’m writing them down in simple ways.

In my life, this looks like:

A note in my phone where I write down one or two words for what I’m thankful for that day.

A physical journal where I write down my emotions and impressions after General Conference.

An app where I quickly jot down funny stories from my kids that I want to remember.

Social media posts where I document important life events.

The margins of my scriptures where I write down spiritual impressions and ponder.

And so on.

For me, the idea of compiling every detail of my life into a single journal is not something that I’ve been impressed to do.

But when I’ve found my own unique ways to follow the counsel to write important things down, I feel blessed.

I’m able to slow down, process, and see the joy in my life as the Spirit brings certain, important things to my mind.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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

Doctrine & Covenants 26:1 says, “Let your time be devoted to the studying of the scriptures.”

On this account for the past 2+ years, I have literally lived and breathed studying the scriptures.

But… it hasn’t always been easy or come naturally to me.

It’s been a culmination of years of trying new approaches, and letting go of some of the “rules” that I realized weren’t helping me.

Since the Lord asked Joseph, Oliver Cowdery, and John Whitmer to study the scriptures in Section 26, I wanted to share my 3 favorite scripture study tips today!

 1) Pray with a purpose!

I’ve always heard to start my scripture study with a prayer, but for years I just bowed my head and asked for the Spirit to be with me.

This is totally fine, but my study completely transformed when I started being real with Heavenly Father before I read.

My prayers started sounding like: “Dear Heavenly Father, I feel really alone. Please help me feel comforted as I read.”

Praying with a purpose has set the scene for Heavenly Father to answer my authentic prayers in the scriptures.

 2) Never read without a pen!

I used to wonder what people were actually writing in their scriptures.

I eventually realized— I should be seeking after super strong spiritual experiences EVERY TIME I read the scriptures!

Instead of reading and waiting for something to hit me super hard before I go and get something to write with, I now ALWAYS read with a pen in my hand, showing the Spirit that I am ready the moment that personal revelation strikes.

 3) Leave time to ponder afterward!

Most of my communication with God comes from just sitting still.

It is so easy to just finish my reading for the day, close the book and move on.

Instead, intentionally leaving 5 minutes or so at the end of scripture study time for my mind to wander on what I’ve just read has made all the difference.

Those are my three tips! They are simple, but they have completely transformed my relationship with the written word of God.

What other study tips would you add to this list that have helped you?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Cali’s top 3 scripture study tips first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.