After writing the last two blog posts introducing the Abiding Precepts project and Russty’s Daily Coat I’ve had to really think about how to accomplish the task and goals presented in each and I’ve decided that the best way to do this is to post each day the precepts I find in the Book of Mormon passages I study – one chapter a day if possible – and that my weekly Sunday post will be sharing as much of my own experiences as I feel comfortable sharing in response to my own attempts to live by the precepts found. At least that’s what I intend to do right now – we’ll see how feasible that is down the road.
I’m also a bit behind. These projects have been in the works for quite some time now, but the Spirit suddenly urged me to press forward with releasing both of them now – and I hadn’t quite had a plan in place for how to execute them. Which means that I didn’t quite get things rolling at the start of the year and if I am following Come Follow Me I’m a week behind. But I plan to catch up!
Accordingly what follows are a few of the precepts I found in the introductory passages of the Book of Mormon along with the results in my life of some of them. Please feel free to respond with your own experiences of living the precepts you find! Sharing has a great power to deepen faith and encourage righteousness in us all!
Passage #1
Written to the Lamanites . . . and also to Jew and Gentile . . .
Title Page of the Book of Mormon – Paragraph 1
Precept #1
The Book of Mormon was written for you to read. Read it! Make sure to read the other scriptures too!
When I was a young man I started reading the scriptures twice a day – one chapter in the morning and one chapter at night. This habit has waxed and waned over the years until in recent years I’ve been lucky to get a few verses in at either end of my day. This past week I have made a concerted effort to start my day out with a whole chapter and I was reminded why I start my day with the Book of Mormon each day. The power of the Spirit in my soul and peace it brings to my heart each day I have been able to get a whole chapter in first thing in the morning has been exactly what I experienced as a young seminary student when we studied the Book of Mormon. That year changed my life, because studying the seminary material before going to seminary each day as I had in previous years brought a peace, inner strength, and spiritual power to my life that I had not previously experienced. This past week has – on those days I’ve been able to get a whole chapter in – accomplished the same thing and it has been sweet, peaceful, and joyful to again experience those things in my life and I have noticed my ability to cope with the challenges of life increase each day I manage to get my study in first thing in the morning.
Passage #2
. . . for we have seen and hefted, and know of a surety that the said Smith has got the plates of which we have spoken. And we give our names unto the world, to witness unto the world that which we have seen. And we lie not, God bearing witness of it.
Testimony of Eight Witnesses
Precept #2
Share your personal witness of the Savior and His restored gospel with the people around you.
One day this past week I asked the Lord in my personal and family prayers to help us be aware of those we have been sent to to share the gospel message with and be a blessing to that day. It has always been a joyful thing for me to share my testimony with the people around me and far too long since I prayed for such an experience. That very day first thing in the morning I greeted one of my coworkers by asking if she had plans for the weekend. When she asked about mine it turned into a conversation completely directed by the Spirit in which I shared about going to church each week, being a missionary and teaching people about God, and then how being a parent has taught me that He truly is a Father, and so on and so on. The power of the Spirit and the peace He brings when He is present was palpable and she expressed her gratitude and joy at being able to feel that peace.
Passage #3
And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. Amen.
Testimony of Three Witnesses
Precept #3
Do all that you do in order to bring honor to God.
This is one that is more difficult than the others. I have been searching for how to turn every act in each day into something which I can use to bring honor to God, and honestly – I still have a bunch to figure out on this. But I can see how having that focus has the power to bring me extremely closer to God, and I am still trying!
Now, I know I said in Abiding Precepts I would do five precepts each week. I still intend to in the future and perhaps I will add two more to this post in the days to come. I hope you have found value in the three I have already shared, but considering how far behind I am I think that for now – until I get caught up – three precepts will suffice for my weekly post. But please stay tuned as I hope to add a few more below if time permits!
These projects (Abiding Precepts and Russty’s Daily Coat) are turning into a great challenge for me. They are requiring focus and determination I feel I have been missing for a few years now – and I love it! It’s hard to start out with, but doing so is already bearing the fruit I was hoping for! Thank you Dear Lord for directing me to this process. I hope those of you stumbling upon and reading my words are finding similar fruits in your own lives from your own personal endeavors!
A Russty Follower of Christ 
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