What Is Meant by the Message Put Forth by Leftists?

The topic of discussion for this Freedom Friday concerns the message put forth by the Left. Their message is often inane and not worthy of comment. Sometimes their message is downright stupid. The comment by singer-songwriter Billie Eilish at the Grammy’s last Sunday is one of the more stupid ones, a message about which she probably did not think too seriously.

In his article published at The Daily Signal, Tyler O’Neil, senior editor, explained why Eilish’s “statement ‘no one is illegal on stolen land’ perfectly captures at least one inherent contradiction in the Left’s victimhood world view.” He claims that her statement “highlights what the ‘immigration’ debate is really about.” 

Activists who oppose the enforcement of immigration law often condemn the idea that any alien should be considered “illegal,” regardless of whether they came to America in accordance with our laws. They seek to remove any moral legitimacy from limits on immigration, suggesting that all immigration is permissible.

Yet leftists also claim that the United States was built on iniquity – that America broke its treaties with Native American tribes and effectively stole the land from them. While the U.S. does have a complicated history of land acquisition, this argument conveniently ignores the archeological record, which suggests that the Native Americans we often  refer to as “Indigenous” also took the land by force.

The “stolen land” motif isn’t really about tracing the history of which tribe “originally” owned the land – it’s more about propping up the victimhood status of the Left’s preferred constituencies….

‘No One Is Illegal’

To illustrate the point, let’s just accept one half of Eilish’s statement as true for a moment.

Let’s say “no one is illegal” in the way immigration activists mean it. Immigration law has no moral authority, so let’s open the borders and allow anyone to come here, regardless of their intent. We’d allow immigrants who want to honor our country by following the law, and those who do not follow the law. We’ll allow immigrants who intend to work hard and assimilate, and also immigrants who intend to lie, cheat, and steal. We’ll allow model citizens who face oppression in their home countries and we’ll allow terrorists and spies from America’s adversaries.

If no one is illegal, let them all come….

‘On Stolen Land’

Now, let’s take the second half of the statement seriously.

The United States was built on “stolen land,” so let’s return it to its original inhabitants. Let’s give the Southwest back to Mexico, then back to Span, then back to the Aztecs, and then back to the people the Aztecs slew and enslaved. Let’s give the Northeast back to the Iroquois, and then back to the Native Americans the Iroquois slew and replaced. Let’s give Florida back to the Seminoles, and then back to the people the Seminoles slew and replaced.

Let’s remove all the ostensibly evil “invaders” who “stole land.” Perhaps we should even remove all the human beings who settled North America in the first place and return it to the mammoths, or the dinosaurs, or the amoebas. How do we determine who the rightful “Indigenous” people are?

At this point, the inherent contradiction should be obvious. Any human settlement in the land now referred to as the United States could be considered “immigration,” and any immigration that involves taking ownership of the land could be considered “theft.”

Either the land has been stolen, or no one is illegal on it. You can’t have it both ways.

What’s the Answer?

Ultimately, you have to draw a line somewhere, and I think it’s quite reasonable to draw the line at the sovereignty of the United States of America.

America is not without its sins, but our Constitution [is] arguably set up as just a system of representative government as is possible on Earth. We can hold our leaders accountable at the ballot box. We enjoy a legal and economic system that rewards creativity and invention, which help produce wealth for everyone. We enjoy a broad swath of fundamental rights.

Our system is imperfect, but it is far more just than the Left would have us believe.

The same is true of immigration law. While the Left is throwing a fit about President Donald Trump’s attempts to deport illegal aliens, we shouldn’t forget that the U.S. has a comparatively welcoming immigration system.

The United States wants to welcome immigrants, but we want immigrants who will follow our laws, and we want to protect our sovereignty as a nation….

The United States has an interest in preventing terrorists, criminals, or agents of foreign powers form settling in our country….

But, if we understand what the Left means in combining [the two ideas spoken by Eilish], the message is obvious: “I hate the United States and reject its right to be a sovereign nation.”

O’Neil stated that he protests that final statement, and most Americans would agree with him. We do not need anyone living in the United States who hates America, and we certainly have the right to be a sovereign nation. Numerous commentators are calling the so-called protesters in Minnesota “communists.” If they really are communists and/or working for foreign interests, their true goal is to overthrow the government of the United States. Why would any sane person support that message?

What Kind of Judge is Ana Reyes?

Judges with Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) have slowed or halted many of President Donald Trump’s policies. The Trump administration tried to deport 350,000 Haitians, but a district judge stopped the deportation. Does she have TDS?

Fred Lucas explained the situation with this judge in his article published at The Daily Signal, a portion of which follows. 

The Joe Biden-appointed judge who halted the Trump administration’s deportation of about 350,000 Haitians has a background as a private Democrat financial supporter, though with a sometimes-unpredictable judicial record.

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, of the District of Columbia, on Monday determined President Donald Trump’s termination of Temporary Protected Status for certain Haitian immigrants “shall be null, void, and of no legal effect” until the case is complete.

Here are six things to know about Reyes.

1. ‘Transgender’ Military Service Ruling

In March 2025, Reyes blocked a Trump administration executive order that expelled certain transgender military service members.

The Trump administration argued the order barring transgender individuals “turns on gender dysphoria – a medical condition – and does not discriminate against trans-identifying persons as a class.”

Reyes countered that the order was a ban on transgender people….

2. Litigating Against Trump

In a 2018 case that predated her time as a judge, Reyes was on the legal team representing 19 people who crossed the southern border without going through a port of entry. A federal judge in the case said the Trump administration could not automatically deport anyone for not using a port of entry….

3. Democrat Donor

Federal Election Commission records show that Reyes was a consistent donor to Democrat candidates and liberal political organizations while in private practice….

4. ‘Much-Needed Diversity’

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., suggested that President Joe Biden nominate Reyes for the D.C. district court.

A Norton press release said, “Reyes will be the first Hispanic woman and first openly LGBTQ person ever to serve on that court.” [DEI hire?]

5. Applying the Rules to Biden DOJ

Reyes was not reliably in the Biden administration’s corner after ascending to the court….

6. Sentencing for Trump Tax Leaker

In January 2024, Reyes sentenced former Internal Revenue Service consultant Charles Littlejohn to five years in prison for leaking Trump’s tax returns, along with the returns of thousands of other wealthy people.

Reyes called the leak of Trump’s tax information “an attack on our constitutional democracy.”

“When you target the sitting president of the United States, you’re targeting the office and when you’re targeting the office of the president of the United States, you’re targeting democracy – you’re targeting our constitutional system of government,” Reyes said in the sentencing.

Reyes may be a strong liberal Democrat, but she does not have Trump Derangement Syndrome. From the above-described cases, it looks like she decides in favor of the Constitution, something that we want all of our judges to do.

Is Affordability Related to Immigration Policies?

Affordability is one of the words that politicians use to discuss the conditions in the United States. They say that the results of the 2026 mid-term election will be based on affordability.

According to Steve Cortes, president of the League of American Workers, affordability is related to border security. He says that the United States has “the right – and obligation – to prioritize the well-being of our citizens, and “immigration enforcement achieves two macro-objectives at once: It makes America safer while also attacking the systemic affordability crisis.” He claims that the “evidence is already compelling. The early economic returns on immigration enforcement are nothing short of stunning.”

Fewer Illegal Aliens, Higher Wages

Real wages are the “mother’s milk” of Main Street prosperity. Most Americans do not own enough investments to really thrive from rising asset prices. Instead, their financial vitality flows form their paychecks, adjusted for the prices they must pay for the goods and services they need.

Thankfully, under President Donald Trump, real wages have risen every single month of his presidency. A big share of those benefits accrues to blue-collar workers, as this administration produces the best working-class wage growth for a new term since Richard Nixon took office in 1969. In contrast, during the Biden years, real wages declined every single month for two straight years, the worst such streak on record. These gains result largely from at least 2.5 million illegal aliens leaving America, through self-deportations as well as removals. In industries like trucking and construction, with large segments of foreign workers, pay jumps for U.S. citizens. Even the biased New York Times recently admitted that “construction wages have been rising” due to immigration enforcement.

Border Control Equals Rent Control

Masses of illegal aliens crowd out citizens in the housing market. According to Apartment List, since Trump took office, national rent prices for Americans have actually declined by 1.4%. CNBC called the current trend “one of the more renter-friendly periods in a decade.” …

… A similar trend in favor of renters blossoms nationwide. The American Apartment Association survey just revealed that 40% of owners and investors across the country say immigration policies are lowering rents….

If American citizens do not have to compete against unjust, unlawful foreign workers, then they return home every day with more real pay – returning to homes that are getting more affordable, at last.

These trends point to much better days ahead for Americans, and especially for working-class strivers who were crushed by Bidenomics.

The Voter Mandate: Secure the Country, Grow Prosperity

Law-and-order makes sense economically, plus it makes for good politics.

Voter dissatisfaction over affordability is real and profound. For instance, in my most recent poll of battleground North Carolina, Trump’s approval rating dips to -14% net, 39% to 53%. By far, the lead driver is affordability. Right now, only 30% of North Carolina voters approve of the administration’s handling of inflation, and a massive 76% cite grocery costs as a primary inflation worry.

But there is good news for Republicans, too. By a big margin, the best issue for Trump is border control/immigration. Meanwhile, the Democrats leap to denounce the federal cops and restate their aggressively open borders radicalism. No wonder the Democrat brand is in free-fall. In my survey, only 30% of North Carolina voters give a positive view of Democrats, versus 54% who disapprove.

Conclusion: What’s Working, Works

So … a big political opening unfolds. The GOP can kill two birds with one shot. Keep people safe and ease their economic burden.

Immigration enforcement represents a just and reasonable policy approach. In fact, it is a perquisite to recover our culture, national security, street safety, and societal cohesion. Concurrently, sensible immigration control brings terrific economic benefits and provides a key solution to fixing the affordability crisis.

  

What Are the Main Differences between Capitalism and Socialism?

There is a debate happening in America – capitalism versus socialism. The debate is intense, and “the recent election of socialist-leaning candidates in major U.S. cities highlights the contemporary relevance of this topic,” according to an article written by Sanjai Bhagat, Ph.D., and published at The Daily Signal. 

A recent Gallup poll finds that Americans view capitalism more positively than socialism; the 54% viewing capitalism favorably is down from 60% in 2021. Americans view socialism more negatively (57%) than positively (39%), with little movement in these attitudes over time.

How have the people of a country fared that have adopted socialism? Not so well – the evidence below indicates.

How have the people of a socialist country that have adopted capitalism fared? Very well – again, the evidence below indicates.

The primary differences between the capitalist and socialist economic systems are the ownership of the means of production, right to private property, and the incentives to work and innovate. In a capitalist system, private individuals and for-profit corporations are the major owners of the means of production. In a socialist system, the state is the major owner of the means of production.

The right to private property is a cornerstone of capitalism; this right is protected and encouraged by the state. Individuals have very limited private property rights in a socialist economy.

The capitalist system provides individuals with powerful economic incentives to work and innovate; this contributes to and stimulates their economy. One of the major flaws of the socialist system is its complete disregard for human incentives – resulting in an ongoing and significant negative impact on their economy, and more importantly, on the lives of their citizens.

We highlight the differences in the economic well-being of citizens of socialist and capitalist economies. We consider the change in economic well-being of four countries that transitioned from socialism to a more capitalist economy, to wit, Poland, Bulgaria, India, and China. Also, we consider the change in economic well-being of Cuba and Venezuela that transitioned from capitalism to socialism.

Bhagat shares charts and explanations to illustrate how life in Poland, Bulgaria, India, and China improved by using a form of capitalism and how life in Cuba and Venezuela declined by turning to socialism. The example of China shows how capitalism can improve life even under a communist government. I find it interesting that there are any Americans who think that socialism is good after watching the decline of Venezuela in our lifetime.

 

Who Is Mike Lee?

My VIP for this week is Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) who is seeking to add stricter requirements in his bill to ban noncitizens from voting in federal elections. In her article published at The Deseret News, Cami Mondeaux reported that “nearly every Republican senator has signed on to co-sponsor the legislation.” 

Lee filed an update to his Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, or SAVE, Act on Thursday evening, renaming it to the SAVE America Act and including additional language to require pho ID as a requirement to vote. The name change came as a suggestion from President Donald Trump, Lee said, which he called “aptly named.”

“The SAVE America Act makes our original SAVE Act better. President Trump rightly believes we should include Voter ID in this bill as we make a renewed push to secure our elections and protect the rights of American voters,” Lee said in a joint statement with Rep. Chip Roy, who leads the legislation in the House. “By requiring Voter ID and proof-of-citizenship, the SAVE America Act will ensure that our federal elections are decided by U.S. citizens – and U.S. citizens alone.”

Lee introduced the original SAVE Act in the Senate last year, and the bill already passed the House in a bipartisan vote. However, the bill has yet to be considered in the Senate, prompting Lee to launch a pressure campaign earlier this month to schedule a vote….

The SAVE America Act would implement proof-of-citizenship requirements in order to vote in federal elections, requiring voters to provide identification that is compliant with the most recent REAL ID guidelines, a passport, or some other citizenship document. For any identification card that does not include birthplace or citizenship status, the voter must also provide a birth certificate, a naturalization certificate, an adoption decree, or some document that proves he or she was born in the United States.

The most recent iteration would add language requiring voters to “present an eligible photo identification document before voting,” a measure that was raised by House Republican leaders earlier this month.

The bill has already been endorsed by Trump, and the president has posted several times on social media pushing for a vote.

It’s already illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal elections and can lead to felony charges or deportation. Such instances of noncitizens voting are rare and often done by mistake, according to recent studies.

Still, Trump made election integrity a key priority for his second administration, even going so far as signing a sweeping executive order last year that included a citizenship requirement.

More than 9% of voters in the U.S. do not have citizenship documents on hand, amounting to about 21.3 million people, according to a report from the Brennan Center for Justice. That can especially affect married women who changed their last names, the study shows.

Lee and other Republicans have pushed back on that assertion, arguing the SAVE Act would provide “multiple ways” to prove one’s citizenship.

Did Adam and Eve Have the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

My Come Follow Me studies for this week took me to Genesis 5 and Moses 6 in a lesson titled “Teach These Things Freely unto Your Children.” The lesson was introduced by the following information. 

Most of Genesis 5 is a list of the generations between Adam and Eve and Noah. We read a lot of names, but we don’t learn much about them. Then we read this intriguing but unexplained line: “And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him” (Genesis 5:24). Surely there’s a story behind that verse! But without further explanation, the list of generations resumes.

Thankfully, Moses 6 reveals the details of Enoch’s story—and it’s quite a story. We learn of Enoch’s humility, his insecurities, the potential God saw in him, and the great work he performed as God’s prophet. We also get a clearer picture of the family of Adam and Eve as it progressed through the generations. We read of Satan’s “great dominion” but also of parents who taught children “the ways of God” (Moses 6:15, 21). Especially precious is what we learn about the doctrine these parents taught: faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, and receiving the Holy Ghost (see Moses 6:50-52). That doctrine, like the priesthood that accompanies it, “was in the beginning [and] shall be in the end of the world also” (Moses 6:7).

This scripture block and lesson teach the following principles: (1) Sin limits my ability to see, feel, and hear the things of God (Moses 6:26-36); (2) God calls me to do His work despite my weaknesses (Moses 6:26-47); (3) The gospel of Jesus Christ was taught from the beginning (Moses 6:48-68); (4) “Teach these things freely unto your children” (Moses 6:51-62). This essay will discuss principle #3 about the gospel of Jesus Christ being taught from the time of Adam.

Genesis 5 gives us a small bit of information about the early patriarchs. Moses 6 was revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith and gives much more information, particularly about Enoch. Though question: Why do you think God wants us to learn about Enoch?

Enoch taught the plan of salvation, and he taught so well that he and the Holy Ghost caused the people to be righteous enough to be taken into heaven. We will look at the scripture block Moses 6:48-68 and share information about some of the verses that was taught by latter-day prophets and apostles:

48 And he said unto them: Because that Adam fell, , we are; and by his fall came death; and we are made partakers of misery and woe.

49 Behold Satan hath come among the children of men, and tempteth them to worship him; and men have become carnal, sensual, , and devilish, and are shut out from the presence of God.

50 But God hath made known unto our fathers that all men must repent.

Moses 6:48-50. “By His Fall Came Death”

Because of Adam’s Fall, all mankind suffer physical death (the separation of the immortal spirit from the mortal body) and spiritual death (separation from the presence of God). Furthermore, because people yield to the temptations of Satan, they become “carnal, sensual, and devilish, and are shut out from the presence of God” until they repent (Moses 6:49). The good news of the plan of salvation is that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ all mankind will overcome physical death and can overcome spiritual death (see Romans 3:23; Mosiah 16:3-4; Alma 11:42-43; Helaman 14:14-18; Moses 6:52). 

51 And he called upon our father Adam by his own voice, saying: I am God; I made the world, and men before they were in the flesh.

52 52 And he also said unto him: If thou wilt turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, and believe, and repent of all thy transgressions, and be baptized, even in water, in the name of mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth, which is Jesus Christ, the only name which shall be given under heaven, whereby salvation  shall come unto the children of men, ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, asking all things in his name, and whatsoever ye shall ask, it shall be given you.

53 And our father Adam spake unto the Lord, and said: Why is it that men must repent and be baptized in water? And the Lord said unto Adam: Behold I have forgiven thee thy transgression in the Garden of Eden.

54 Hence came the saying abroad among the people, that the Son of God hath atoned for original guilt, wherein the sins of the parents cannot be answered upon the heads of the children, for they are whole from the foundation of the world.

Moses 6:53-54. What Does “Original Guilt” Mean?

Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained: “We are not haunted with an overhanging sense of ‘original sin’ about which we can do nothing. (Moses 6:54; Moroni 8:15-16.) By revelation, we know that the Lord told Adam: ‘Behold I have forgiven thee thy transgression in the Garden of Eden.’ (Moses 6:53.) Thus, we are accountable for our ‘own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression’ (Article of Faith 2.)” (Meek and Lowly [1987], 42–43). 

55 And the Lord spake unto Adam, saying: Inasmuch as thy children are conceived in sin, even so when they begin to grow up, sin conceiveth in their hearts, and they taste the bitter, that they may know to prize the good.

Moses 6:55. What Does “Thy Children Are Conceived in Sin” Mean?

Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles indicated that the phrase “conceived in sin” means “born into a world of sin” (see A New Witness for the Articles of Faith [1985], 101). 

56 And it is given unto them to know good from evil; wherefore they are agents unto themselves, and I have given unto you another law and commandment.

Moses 6:56. Moral Agency: A Gift of God

God gave us the great gift of agency in the day He created us (see Moses 7:32). Moral agency enables us to choose between good and evil and to experience the consequences of our choices (see 2 Nephi:14-16, 25-29; D&C 101:78). 

57 Wherefore teach it unto your children, that all men, everywhere, must repent, or they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God, for no unclean thing can dwell there, or dwell in his presence; for, in the language of Adam, Man of Holiness is his name, and the name of his Only Begotten is the Son of Man, even Jesus Christ, a righteous Judge, who shall come in the meridian of time.

58 Therefore I give unto you a commandment, to teach these things freely unto your children, saying:

59 That by reason of transgression cometh the fall, which fall bringeth death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory; [Enoch saw that Adam and Eve were baptized.]

Moses 6:59. Water, Blood, and Spirit

Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained:

“Two births are essential to salvation. Man cannot be saved without birth into mortality, nor can he return to his heavenly home without a birth into the realm of the Spirit. … The elements present in a mortal birth and in a spiritual birth are the same. They are water, blood, and spirit. Thus every mortal birth is a heaven-given reminder to prepare for the second birth. …

“In every mortal birth the child is immersed in water in the mother’s womb. At the appointed time the spirit enters the body, and blood always flows in the veins of the new person. Otherwise, without each of these, there is no life, no birth, no mortality.

“In every birth into the kingdom of heaven, the newborn babe in Christ is immersed in water, he receives the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, and the blood of Christ cleanses him from all sin. Otherwise, without each of these, there is no Spirit-birth, no newness of life, no hope of eternal life. …

“… These elements were again present in [Christ’s] death. He sweat great drops of blood in Gethsemane as he took upon himself the sins of all men on conditions of repentance. This same agony and suffering recurred on the cross. It was then that he permitted his spirit to leave his body, and it was then that blood and water gushed from his riven side” (A New Witness, 288–89). 

60 For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified;

Moses 6:60. “By the Water”

“Baptism is not optional if one wishes the fullness of salvation. Jesus said a person must be born of water and of the Spirit (John 3:3-5). When he sent the twelve apostles forth to teach the gospel he told them that whosoever believed and was baptized would be saved; and whosoever did not believe would be damned (Mark 16:16). …

“Baptism in water has several purposes. It is for the remission of sins, for membership in the Church, and for entrance into the celestial kingdom; it is also the doorway to personal sanctification when followed by the reception of the Holy Ghost” (Bible Dictionary, “Baptism”; see also D&C 76:51-52). 

Moses 6:60. Justification

To be justified is to be made just, or free from guilt and sin. The Holy Ghost is the member of the Godhead whose power acts as a cleansing agent that removes guilt and sin from our lives (see 2 Nephi 31:17). President Joseph Fielding Smith (1876–1972) said: “Through the shedding of the blood of Christ, we are cleansed and sanctified; and we are justified, through the Spirit of God” (Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie [1955], 2:324–25). 

Moses 6:60. Sanctification

To be sanctified is to be holy and worthy of eternal life and immortal glory (see Moroni 10:32-33). Through His perfect Atonement, Jesus Christ shed His blood and made it possible for all who have faith and repent to be sanctified (see Mosiah 3:11, 18; Alma 34:10-16). Thus, we are ransomed and made holy by the blood of Christ. President Joseph Fielding Smith taught:

“The atonement by which men are redeemed, was made by one without blemish and without spot. He had to be one who had life in himself, and therefore all power over death. No mortal man could make the atonement. Moreover, the atonement had to be made by the shedding of blood, for blood is the vitalizing force of the mortal body. …

“The Scriptures are replete with passages teaching us that there could be no remission of sins without the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1956, 127). 

61 Therefore it is given to abide in you; the record of heaven; the Comforter; the peaceable things of immortal glory; the truth of all things; that which quickeneth all things, which maketh alive all things; that which knoweth all things, and hath all power according to wisdom, mercy, truth, justice, and judgment.

62 And now, behold, I say unto you: This is the plan of salvation unto all men, through the blood of mine Only Begotten, who shall come in the meridian of time.

Moses 6:62. “This Is the Plan of Salvation”

President Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained that the plan of salvation “is also called the plan of happiness, … the plan of redemption, the plan of restoration, the plan of mercy, the plan of deliverance, and the everlasting gospel. Prophets have used these terms interchangeably.

“Regardless of designation, the enabling essence of the plan is the atonement of Jesus Christ” (“Constancy and Change,” Ensign, Nov. 1993, 33). 

63 And behold, all things have their likeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of me, both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual; things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath: all things bear record of me.

Moses 6:63. All Things Are Made to Bear Record of Christ

In the creation of the heavens and the earth, the Lord used physical symbols to teach us doctrines and principles of Jesus Christ and His gospel (see also 2 Nephi 11:4)). Understanding gospel symbols requires the uniting of an earthly or concrete dimension with a transcendent, spiritual dimension. The prophet Alma taught that “all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator” (Alma 30:44). These things not only testify of the existence of a Supreme Being, but also that He is Jesus Christ, the Creator of all.

The Lord taught His disciples to look upon the contents of the scriptures and see things concerning Himself (see Luke 24:44-45). To search for and discover symbols of Christ in the scriptures is to open a wellspring of new thoughts and emotions relative to the Atonement of Jesus Christ. For example, the earthly ordinance of baptism by immersion is symbolic of the death, burial, and Resurrection of Christ (see Romans 6:3-5; D&C 76:51-52). 

64 And it came to pass, when the Lord had spoken with Adam, our father, that Adam cried unto the Lord, and he was caught away by the Spirit of the Lord, and was carried down into the water, and was laid under the water, and was brought forth out of the water.

65 And thus he was baptized, and the Spirit of God descended upon him, and thus he was born of the Spirit, and became quickened in the inner man.

66 And he heard a voice out of heaven, saying: Thou art baptized with fire, and with the Holy Ghost. This is the record of the Father, and the Son, from henceforth and forever;

67 And thou art after the order of him who was without beginning of days or end of years, from all eternity to all eternity.

Moses 6:67. Adam held the Melchizedek Priesthood. 

68 Behold, thou art one in me, a son of God; and thus may all become my sons. Amen.

Moses 6:64-68. Adam, an Eternal Son of God

Enoch showed how Adam set the example for all of us by exercising his faith in Christ through baptism by water and the Spirit. Therefore, by his obedience, Adam became “one in [Christ], a son of God” (Moses 6:68). In like manner, all may become sons and daughters of God (see Mosiah 5:7; 27:24-27; D&C 25:1; 39:4). 

As we can see from these verses in Moses 6 and the words of latter-day prophets and apostles, Adam and Eve were taught the gospel of Jesus Christ. This means that God has been teaching His children how to find redemption from the beginning.

Thought questions: Why do you think God compared baptism to being “born again”? (verse 59). What can you do to continue to be “born again” throughout your life

How Should Parents Teach Daughters to Aspire to Marriage and Family?

Families, communities, states, and nations are stronger when young women are encouraged to consider marriage and family to be an important part of life. In her article published at the Deseret News, Amanda Freebairn discussed the value of parents “Teaching your daughters to aspire to marriage and family is a good thing.” She added that parents must be direct and open about these teachings; otherwise, other forces will convince them to go a different way. 

For years, popular stories in the media landscape have treated commitment, and in particular family life, as the thing a serious young woman must outgrow in order to become her best self. Girls hear the message early: Don’t build your life around love and family too soon or you’ll drown in drudgery.

Encouraging marriage and family, on the other hand, has been seen as cringe and religiously fundamentalist, at best – and, at worst, as dangerous and misogynistic. The true modern woman proves her strength by staying unencumbered: career first, autonomy above all, and relationships only pursued when they don’t make too many demands.

The messaging is relentless enough that women of faith can sometimes be swept away. And as our daughters get pulled in certain directions by the gravitational force of this pervasive message, I’ve come to believe that it’s urgent to be even more up front and honest with them about what matters most.

Women should, of course, be educated, financially capable, and free to pursue meaningful work. But starting a family of one’s own can also require as much planning, sacrifice and serious preparation as any professional considerations.

A culture that treats paid work as the highest measure of meaning will inevitably downplay distinct life-giving and life-sustaining capacities women embody – biological, emotional and relational. One can affirm women’s equality without pretending the sexes are the same and honor women’s ambitions without treating caregiving as a lesser form of contribution.

When we treat caregiving as secondary, we shouldn’t be surprised to see social life begin to fray. In the last 40 years, work that has been traditionally done by women (birthing, feeding, teaching and caring for the children, keeping the home, building communities, caring for the sick and elderly) has become increasingly outsourced or abandoned altogether.

At the same time, our society has become steadily more depressed, addicted, obese, and lonely than ever. High school girls are now more than 10 percentage points less likely than boys to say they want to get married some day. In one recent poll, Gen Z women ranked being married and having children 10^th and 11^th most important on a list of attributes that make a life successful (after five economic conditions and “emotional stability” but before “fame and influence”).

But the “you can have it all” era has been cracking for years. Anne-Marie Slaughter’s widely read Atlantic essay “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All” put words to what many professional women felt: It was always unreasonable to expect women to “manage to rise up the ladder as fast as men and also have a family and an active home life (and be thin and beautiful to boot).” …

This might be good news. Many women I know have grown tired of the power woman vision of success. It simply doesn’t work as well as many women have hoped….

Young parents today now have the opportunity to change the culture of ow we empower our daughters. Along with other positive messages we might share, let’s be willing to boldly teach them to aspire to marriage and family.

I’m not simply arguing that women should consider marriage and children the way they might consider a city to live in or a hobby to take up. I’m saying that parents should teach their daughters early and unapologetically that building a family is a very important good: a central way human beings give and receive love, learn responsibility, and create something that outlasts them.

Treating family as one lifestyle choice among many doesn’t just expand options; it tells girls that commitment is negotiable, that caregiving is second-rate, and that postponing love carries no cost.

The sociological data probably needs no repletion, but given these times, it’s worth reminding ourselves of the boost to social connection and stable childhood outcomes that comes from stable marriages – compared to the significant consequences for children that follow divorce.

My faith as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gives me additional language for this. “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” called the family “central” to our life’s purpose, and we are taught that unlike our worldly careers or possessions, we can find joy with our families in the eternities.

None of this means marriage alone is a guaranteed path to happiness or success…. Having frank conversations about love and marriage can play a preventive role – providing parents opportunities to teach girls what healthy love looks like, how to recognize warning signs, and how to walk away when they must.

Of course, marriage and family shouldn’t be the only aspiration young girls are permitted to have. Many women can balance fulfilling family and professional lives….

Madeleine Albright once said, “Women can have it all, just not at the same time.” This is not an insult to women’s ambition, it is a testament to our freedom – freedom to take one season of life at a time and decide where, in that moment, our own gifts are best used.

Like the author, I believe that parents should encourage their daughters to gain an education and/or training to allow her to support themselves and any children. I believe that parents should model a healthy and happy marriage to show their daughters the importance of marriage and family. Parents should also say and do things to help their daughters to develop confidence in themselves and their abilities.