Precepts

A few years ago I read the book Wonder by R.J. Palacio. One of the characters in this book is an English teacher who gives his students a monthly precept. He explains to his students that precepts are rules of conduct (i.e. "when given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind.") 

In the introduction to the Book of Mormon there is a phrase that caught my attention because I was reading Wonder. Joseph Smith wrote: "I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book."(emphasis added) It was an “aha” moment for me! Because I was already thinking about precepts I decided to dedicate my scripture study at that time to identifying the “rules to live by” found in the Book of Mormon. (i.e.  "live in thanksgiving daily" - Alma 34:38)

As I started looking through D&C 88 this week, the first thought that came to me was that this section is full of precepts. Here are some of the precepts I found:

• draw near unto me (v. 63)
• seek me diligently (v. 63,118)
• organize yourselves (v. 74, 119)
• prepare yourselves (v. 74, 92, 119)
• Teach diligently (v. 77, 78, 118, 122)
• Seek wisdom out of the best books (v.  118)
• listen (v. 122)
• learn to impart one to another (v. 123)
• cease to find fault one with another (v. 124)
• retire to thy bed early (probably my very favorite!) (v. 124) 

We are taught in the introduction to the Book of Mormon that as we abide by these precepts we will get nearer to God and prepare ourselves and families to live with Him again someday. As we each search the scriptures and identify more precepts, it is important that we pay attention to the ones that speak to our heart for it is likely that those are the precepts that the Spirit is urging us to make a higher priority in our lives.