Thoughts on how an ordinary citizen can make a difference by strengthening faith in God, family, and country.
Declaration of Independence
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. - That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.
We believe that men will be punished for their own sins,
and not for Adam’s
transgression.
This
essay is the fourth in teaching about the Fall of Adam and Eve as stated in the
second Article of Faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The
first thesis discussed moral agency, or the freedom to choose good or evil. The
second treatise discussed sin and punishment for sin. The third essay discussed
Satan. This paper will begin a discussion of The Fall, starting with the creation
of Adam and Eve and Satan’s great temptation, using the words of Elder James E.
Talmage (The Articles of Faith [1890], 63-65).
Our First Parents in Eden – The crowning scene of the great
drama of creation was the forming of man in the image of his spiritual Father,
God. For the reception of the first man the Creator had especially prepared a
choice region of earth, and had embellished it with natural beauties to gladden
the heart of its possessor. “The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden;
and there he put the man whom he had formed” [Gen. 2:8, 9]. Soon after man’s
advent upon the earth the Lord created a companion or help meet for him,
declaring that it was not good that man should be alone. Thus, male and female,
Adam and his wife /eve were placed in the garden. They had been given dominion “over
the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing
that moveth upon the earth” [Gen. 2:18]. With this great power were associated
certain commandments, the first of which in point of importance was that they “be
fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it”; then, that
they refrain from eating or even touching the fruit of a certain tree, the tree
of knowledge of good and evil, which grew in the midst of the garden; though of
all other fruits they were at liberty to freely partake. The words of God
concerning this command and the penalty for its violation are: “And I, the Lord
God, commanded the man, saying: Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely
eat, But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of
it; nevertheless, thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee;
but remember that I forbid it, for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt
surely die” [P. of G.P., Moses 3:16, 17].
The Temptation to disobey this injunction soon came. Satan presented
himself before Eve in the garden, and, speaking by the mouth of the serpent,
questioned her about the commandments that God had given respecting the tree of
knowledge of good and evil. Eve answered that they were forbidden even to touch
the fruit of that tree, under penalty of death. Satan then sought to beguile
the woman, contradicting the Lord’s statement and declaring that death would
not follow a violation of the divine injunction; but that, on the other hand,
by doing that which the Lord had forbidden she and her husband would become
like unto the gods, knowing good and evil for themselves. The woman was
captivated by these representations; and, being eager to possess the advantages
pictured by Satan, she disobeyed the command of the Lord, and partook of the
fruit forbidden. She feared no evil, for she knew it not. Then, telling Adam
what she had done, she urged him to eat of the fruit also.
Adam
found himself in a position that made it impossible for him to obey both of the
specific commandments given by the Lord. He and his wife had been commanded to
multiply and replenish the earth. Adam had not yet fallen to the state of
mortality, but Eve already had; and in such dissimilar conditions the two could
not remain together, and therefore could not fulfil the divine requirement as
to procreation. On the other hand, Adam would be disobeying another commandment
by yielding to Eve’s request. He deliberately and wisely decided to stand by
the first and greater commandment; and, therefore, with understanding of the
nature of his act, he also partook of the fruit that grew on the tree of
knowledge. The fact that Adam acted understandingly in this matter is affirmed
by scripture. Paul in writing to Timothy, explained that “Adam was not
deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression” [1 Tim. 2:14].
Some
women take offense when they understand that Eve was deceived but Adam was not.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recognizes that mortality would
not have happened without the decision of Eve. However, there were consequences
to her transgression.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.]
“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;
“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).
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).
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.
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.
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.
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
I chose Adam and Eve as my VIPs for
this week for two reasons. The first reason is that my scriptures study this
week is about the Creation of the earth and everything on it, including Adam
and Eve. The second reason is that I found an interesting article with the
claim that evolutionary science could be “making space” for Adam and Eve. The
article is a report on a news item by Tyler O’Neil on Fox News earlier today.
Many Christians reject the theory of
evolution because it has “no room for God’s first people, Adam and Eve.” O’Neil
reported that scientists are pointing to “genetics breakthroughs” that could
resolve the “impasse between faith and science.”
According to S Joshua Swamidass, an
associate professor at St. Louis’ Washington University School of Medicine, the
“deep and stubborn” conflict in society between Christianity and evolution may
be ending.
Now, in a surprising twist, evolutionary
science is making space for Adam and Eve…. It turns out that the theological
questions are about genealogical ancestry, not genetics. In this paradigm
shift, we are finding a better way forward, a better story to tell.
The professor published a book in
2019 titled “The Genealogical Adam and Eve: The Surprising Science of Universal
Ancestry.” In his book, the professor wrote that “genetics and evolutionary
theory can work hand in hand with the existence of Adam and Eve.” He explained
to Fox News:
Most readers of Genesis understood Adam
and Eve to be (1) ancestors of us all, and (2) miraculously created without
parents of their own…. In contrast, evolution teaches that (3) we share common
ancestors with apes, and (4) we arise from a large population, not a single
couple. This conflict of fact only seemed solvable by revising foundational
Christian theological beliefs, or by rejecting evolution.
But now, clearing up some big scientific
understandings, we know that all four of these things can be true at the same
time…. Even if Adam and Eve lived as recently as just 6,000 years ago, they
would be the genealogical ancestors of everyone across the globe by AD 1. They
could even have been created de novo, from the dust and a rib. Of course, at
the same time, we would also descend from people outside the Garden, others
whom God created by a providentially governed process of evolution.
Science tells us that we receive
half of our DNA from our mother and half from our father. O’Neil explained that
each ancestor contributes a smaller percentage of our DNA as we go further back
in our ancestral line.
While universal genetic ancestors are
rare, universal genealogical ancestors are surprisingly common…. Each
individual has four grandparents, eight great-grandparents, and so on, but
population size in past generations tends to get smaller, so overlap is
inevitable. [Swamidass] argues that by 1 A.D., every person on Earth was
descended from Adam and Eve.
In his GAE model – Genealogical Adam and
Eve – Swamidass claimed that biological humans, despite the span of time of
between the time at which Adam and Eve existed and modern day, may still share
a common ancestor with apes as per the theory of evolution, but that God could
have “created Adam and Eve from the dust and a rib, without parents, and these
two became the ancestors of all humans by 1 A.D.
Swamidass does not understand that Adam
and Eve had numerous children besides Cain and Abel, including Seth – a younger
brother. Without this understanding, where did all the other people come from? He
concluded that there were other people on the earth because Cain got married
and built a city after he killed Abel.
Other educators support the idea
that science and religion have common grounds. Commenting on Swamidass’
research, Christian philosophy professor Michael Murray said that he believes “we
have arrived at the point where we can confidently affirm that the basic
evolutionary story is not the threat to Christian orthodoxy that we once
feared, and not because we had to compromise on orthodoxy.”
My view is that recent findings in
genetics and paleontology have shown that our best scientific theories and data
do not rule out a historical Adam and Eve…. [New developments show that] for
all we know, there might have been a pair that is the ancestor of all extant
humans or extant Homo sapiens.
Murray added that there is an “emerging
consensus among both secular scientists and scientists of faith that the
relevant empirical data was flatly inconsistent with an ancestral pair.”
Because of recent developments, an “ancestral pair is not flatly ruled out as
was previously thought.”
Comments by biology professor Nathan
Lents said that recent developments made Adam and Eve “more plausible.” He told
Fox News:
I would not say that there is any
evidence, historical or scientific, in favor of the existence of Adam and Eve,
as they are presented in the Bible…. However, there have been developments in
our understanding of ancestry and genetics that allow for the possibility of
universal ancestors of the entire human population in the surprisingly recent
past.
According to Swamidass, “secular
scientists have an opportunity to offer an olive branch to religious
communities” by “making space for Adam and Eve.” He continued, “I’m encouraged
to see that many religious leaders … have been eager to take the olive branch….
For those seeking to advance science in a fractured society, this is very good
news indeed.”
In the words of President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – a scientist and a
prophet: “There is no conflict between science and religion. Conflict only
arises from an incomplete knowledge of either science or religion, or both.”
Adam and Eve
were created by God and lived in the Garden of Eden. I have no questions about
those biblical teachings. My questions concern the commandments given to Adam
and Eve. As most of us understand, God performed the marriage ceremony for Adam
and Eve and commanded them to be “fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the
earth, and subdue it” (Genesis 1:26-28; see also Genesis 2:24).
After Adam and Eve were married,
God placed them in the Garden of Eden. Then He commanded them, “Of every tree
of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good
and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof
thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17).
Satan appeared first to Adam in
an attempt to convince him to partake of the fruit of the tree of good and
evil, but Adam rejected him. Satan then went to Eve. He told her that she would
not die but would be like the Gods, knowing good and evil. (See Genesis 3:4-5.)
Eve listened to Satan, partook of the fruit and gave some to Adam. They were
kicked out of the garden and did eventually die.
My question was, “Why did
Heavenly Father tell Adam and Eve not to partake of the fruit of the tree of
good and evil?” I always knew that He had good reason for doing so, but I did
not have understanding. One day while pondering the whole Adam and Eve thing
once again, and I came up with following comprehension.
Heavenly Father has a general plan
for the eternal happiness of all His spirit children. The creation of Adam and Eve and their
children was part of His plan. Adam and Eve could not have children in their
terrestrial life in the garden. There had to be a change come over their bodies
in order for them to have children. They had to become mortal! Satan did not
understand Heavenly Father’s plan, but maybe he was honest when he said that there
was no other way!
I had a difficult time
understanding why God would command Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit if they
needed to eat it to become mortal. Then I remembered the scripture in Abraham
where we find the description of the spiritual creation of the earth. “And … we
will make an earth whereon these may dwell; And we will prove them herewith, to
see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them”
(Abraham 24-25).
This was the answer to my
question about Adam and Eve. I believe that Heavenly Father gave contradicting
commandments to Adam and Eve in order for them to use their agency. They had to
have the opportunity to choose between good and evil and whether or not they
would obey; they had to “prove” their obedience to God.
Heavenly Father knew that they
had to become mortal in order to keep the first commandment about multiplying
and replenishing the earth. I feel certain that He had a plan for how they
could become mortal, but He first wanted to give them a chance to prove that He
could trust them to be obedient. Because He knows everything, He already knew
what would happen, but He had to give them the choice. They had to have the
opportunity to prove themselves obedient to His commandments.
We all know the story. Adam was
obedient and rejected the temptation of Satan, but Eve was “beguiled” by Satan and
partook of the fruit. When Adam knew that Eve had eaten the fruit and would be
kicked out of the garden, he pondered the situation. He understood that they
could not the first commandment if she left, and he partook of the fruit. He
disobeyed the lesser commandment in order to obey the greater the commandment
to “cling” to his wife and “multiply and replenish” the earth.
Mortality is a time for all of us
to be tested, tried, and proved. Heavenly Father continues to try us to see if
He can trust us to “do all things whatsoever” He commands. I understand that
the “bigger” the person the bigger the trial. Two examples are Abraham’s
experience with sacrificing Isaac, and Heavenly Father’s experience of watching
helplessly as His Son atoned for our sins.
Satan continues to tempt all of
us in an effort to get us on his side of the line. Are we as obedient as Adam,
or are we deceived as Eve was? Are we passing or failing our tests? I know that
we must put our trust in God and know that He has a plan for our happiness,
both generally and as individuals.
God has spoken to His prophets since the time of Adam and continues to speak to His prophets in our day. In fact, the prophet Amos said, "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7). Through Joseph Smith, this statement was corrected to read, "Surely the Lord God will do nothing until he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets" (JST Amos 3:7) (emphasis added). From these two statements, we learn that God always warns His people through a prophet before He does anything affecting His children.
Adam was a prophet who walked and talked with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. After Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and were cast out of the Garden of Eden, God continued to instruct them by revelation through the Holy Ghost.
God spoke to Noah and instructed him to cry repentance to the people, and Noah preached to the people for 120 years before the Flood came. God also told Noah how to build the ark. Noah followed God's instructions and was able to save his family and some animals from the Flood.
God spoke to Enoch and instructed him to call his people to repentance. Enoch and his people built the city of Zion and became so righteous that the entire city of Zion was translated and taken into heaven.
God spoke to Moses and instructed him to take the Israelites out of Egypt. By following God's instructions, Moses led thousands, maybe millions, of people out of slavery in Egypt and into the Promised Land.
God spoke to Lehi 600 years before the birth of Jesus Christ and warned him to take his family and flee out of Jerusalem because the city was going to be destroyed. Lehi was obedient and took his family to the American continents.
God spoke to Nephi, the son of Lehi, and he became a great leader. He and those prophets who came after him left many important writings in the Book of Mormon.
The mission of John the Baptist was to prepare the way for the coming of Jesus Christ. According to Jesus Christ, there were no prophets greater than John.
Joseph Smith was a modern-day prophet who translated the Book of Mormon, organized the Lord's Church once again on earth,and laid the foundation to prepare the people in our day for the Second Coming of Christ.
The Lord's prophet for all the people on earth today is Thomas S. Monson, the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is a prophet, seer, and revelator. He is assisted by fourteen other men who are the two Counselors in the First Presidency and the members of the Council of Twelve Apostles.
A prophet is a man that has been called by God to be His spokesman on earth. When a man speaks for God, it is as though God himself were speaking. A prophet testifies of Jesus Christ as His special witness and teaches the gospel of Jesus Christ. A prophet explains or interprets the word of God and teaches His truth. He calls all sinners to repentance. He receives directions, instructions, and other revelations from God to bless all mankind. He can see into the future and know of events to come in order to warn the world. How grateful I am to know that God does speak to His children and that He does so through His prophets.
A prophet may be old or young. He may be uneducated or highly trained. He may be an engineer, a doctor, a farmer or a businessman. He does not look like the prophets of old with long beards, tunics, and staffs. Modern day prophets look like businessmen with their suits, briefcases, and Blackberries. A true prophet can be identified because he is always chosen by God and called through proper priesthood authority.
Many people are able to believe in the prophets of old but do not believe in prophets today. Heavenly Father always works through His prophets on earth. We need prophets today to help us with today's problems. The information that God gave to Noah on how to survive the Flood or to Moses about leading the Israelites to the Promised Land will not help us to know what we need to do today. God always reveals to the living prophet whatever He wants his people to know. I know that the Lord speaks to his prophet today and tells him what we need to survive these troubled times.
Our duty is to pray for the prophet and to pay attention when he speaks. We should be completely obedient to his teachings. When we follow the prophet obediently, blessings flow down from heaven.
I know we have a prophet on earth today, even Thomas S. Monson. I have received many blessings through following the counsel of prophets and am always anxious to hear the counsel given by the living prophet. President Monson, our current prophet, recently reminded us of the story of the ten lepers in Luke 17. As Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. He was met by ten lepers who called to Him to have mercy on them. When He saw them, He told them to go to the priests. As they went, they were healed of their leprosy. One of them, a Samaritan, turned back to thank Jesus for the healing. "And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? … Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole."
President Monson added, "Through divine intervention those who were lepers were spared from a cruel, lingering death and given a new lease on life. The expressed gratitude by one merited the Master's blessing; the ingratitude shown by the nine, His disappointment.
"My brothers and sisters, do we remember to give thanks for the blessings we receive? Sincerely giving thanks not only helps us recognize our blessings, but it also unlocks the doors of heaven and helps us feel God's love."
President Monson then quoted the late prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley as saying: (Whenever a prophet quotes another prophet, we need to pay particular attention because it means that the information is very important.) "When you walk with gratitude, you do not walk with arrogance and conceit and egotism, you walk with a spirit of thanksgiving that is becoming to you and will bless your lives."
President Monson added, "A grateful heart, then, comes through expressing gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His blessings and to those around us for all that they bring into our lives. This requires conscious effort - at least until we have truly learned and cultivated an attitude of gratitude. Often we feel grateful and intend to express our thanks but forget to do so or just don't get around to it. Someone has said that `feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it."
President Monson summarized his thoughts, "My brothers and sisters, to express gratitude is gracious and honorable, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live with gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven." (See Ensign, Nov 2010, pp 87-90.)
I thank God everyday that He has a prophet on earth today to guide us through these troubled days.
God created or organized this earth as a home for His sons and daughters. He selected Adam and Eve to be the first people on the earth and placed them in the Garden of Eden (see Moses 1:34; 4:26). Their part of God's plan for His children was to bring mortality into the world. They were given the job to be the first parents on earth, and they were foreordained to this responsibility.
Adam and Eve were among the most noble of our Father's children. Adam was known as Michael the archangel in the spirit world (Jude 1:9), and Heavenly Father selected Adam to lead the righteous forces in the battle against Satan (see Revelation 12:7-9). God brought Adam and Eve together in marriage because “it was not good that the man should be alone” (Moses 3:18; see also 1 Corinthians 11:11). Eve was "the mother of all living" (Moses 4:26) and shared Adam's responsibilities, accomplishments, and blessings.
When Adam and Eve were put in the Garden of Eden, they were not yet mortal. They could not have children or die. They did not know good from evil. God commanded them to have children and said, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over … every living thing that moveth upon the earth" (Moses 2:28). God told them to take care of the Garden of Eden and to eat of every tree in the garden except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He told them that they would die if they partook of the fruit of that tree (Moses 3:17).
Satan did not know what was in God's mind; his only desire was to destroy God's plan for His children. He tempted Eve to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He told her a half truth when he said that she and Adam would not die but would "be as the gods, knowing good and evil" (Moses 4:11). Eve listened to Satan and ate the fruit. When Adam understood what she had done, he chose to eat of the fruit also in order that they could remain together. Because they ate of the fruit, change came upon their bodies. This change is known as the Fall.
Adam and Eve were changed both physically and spiritually. Because they ate of the fruit, God sent them out of the Garden of Eden into the world where they would need to work to provide for their own needs. Their bodies changed and became mortal. They could have children. They and their children would experience sickness and pain and would eventually die just as God had promised. Because Adam and Eve disobeyed and transgressed Heavenly Father's law, they suffered spiritual death. This meant that they could no longer walk and talk with God face to face. They and their posterity were separated from God both physically and spiritually.
Many people believe that Adam and Eve committed a serious sin when they ate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. I believe that they took a noble and necessary step in God's plan. I believe that their Fall was a great blessing to themselves and to their posterity. I believe that the Fall was a step forward and upward. Because of the Fall, we have many blessings, opportunities and privileges that we would not have received if Adam and Eve had remained in the Garden of Eden. We are blessed with physical bodies, the right to choose between good and evil, and the opportunity to gain eternal life.
After the Fall, Eve realized the importance of the step taken. She said, "Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed [children], and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient" (Moses 5:11).
A prophet named Lehi saw the "big picture" and explained it to his children. He said, "And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen [been cut off from God's presence], but he would have remained in the Garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created…. And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin. But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things. Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:22-25).
I believe that it is very important for us to know about the Fall and to understand how it influences us. It is good for us to know of the greatness and nobility of our first parents. It is important that we understand why Adam and Eve needed to become mortal and then honor them for their courage and willingness to do so. We must always remember that Adam and Eve were among the most noble of Heavenly Father's children and that He chose them to perform a very important part of His plan for His children. They helped to prepare the way for the rest of us. I look forward to the day when I can meet them and thank them personally for their courage and commitment.
Families are part of Heavenly Father's plan of salvation. Adam and Eve were married by God while in the Garden of Eden and commanded to have children (see Genesis 1:28). God revealed that providing mortal bodies for His spirit children is one of the purposes for marriage. Men and women are partners with Heavenly Father in creating families. God sends His spirit children to earth to receive mortal bodies and to experience life on earth. Bringing children into the world is the way that parents help Heavenly Father carry out His plan.
Heavenly Father wants each new child to be welcomed into a family with gladness. He wants parents to remember that each child is also a child of God. He wants parents to take time to enjoy their children, to play with them, and to teach them. President David O. McKay, a modern-day prophet of God, said "With all my heart I believe that the best place to prepare for … eternal life is in the home" ("Blueprint for Family Living," Improvement Era, Apr. 1963, 252). It is at home with our families that we can learn self-control, sacrifice, loyalty, and the value of work as well as to learn to love, to share, and to serve one another.
Fathers and mothers are charged with the responsibility to teach their children about Heavenly Father. A good way to teach their children is by the parental example. When children see that mother and father keep God's commandments because they love Him, they come to an understanding of how to show love to God. Parents also have the responsibility to teach their children how to pray.
Because families can be together forever, it is critical that the right steps are taken. When a couple is married in the temple by the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood, their marriage and family life can continue after death. Marriages performed outside the temples will end when one of the partners dies. By keeping their covenants with God, families will be united eternally as husband, wife, and children.
If husband, wife and children want to be together for all eternally, they must learn to be thoughtful and kind to each other and how to develop greater harmony in their home. They should never say or do anything to hurt each other and try always to make each other happy. As parents learn more about God and become more like Him, they will teach their children to love one another.
King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon taught his people, "Ye will not suffer your children … [to] fight and quarrel one with another….
"But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another" (Mosiah 4:14-15).
I know that family members can help each other to be more confident by sincere encouragement and praise. When parents show interest in each child and show love and concern for each child, then every child should feel important to the family. Children should also show love and kindness to their parents and bring honor to their parents by living good lives.
President Harold B. Lee, another modern-day prophet, said, "The most important of the Lord's work you will ever do will be within the wall of your own homes" (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee [2001], 134).
Satan understands that families are important to Heavenly Father and in bringing about His plan. Satan wants to destroy individuals and families by keeping them away from God, and he will tempt us to say and do things that will destroy our families.
We must remember that "Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God…. The family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children" ("The Family: A Proclamation to the World, Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102).
The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught, "Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities" (Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102).
Here are some time-tested ways to develop happy, successful families: 1) Kneel together in family prayer every night and morning. Pray together as husband and wife. 2) Hold family home evening every week and teach your children the gospel of Christ. 3) Study the scriptures as a family regularly. 4) Work and play together as a family. 5) Practice being kind, patient, long-suffering, and charitable. 6) Attend Church meetings together regularly. 7) Follow the counsel of God in Doctrine and Covenants 88:119: "organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God." 8) Receive the sealing ordinances of the temple, keep a family history, and perform temple work together regularly.
The family is the basic unit of society and the most important unit in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church exists to help families gain eternal blessings and exaltation and has organizations and programs that are designed to strengthen us individually and help us live as families forever.
God created or organized this earth as a home for His sons and daughters. He selected Adam and Eve to be the first people on the earth and placed them in the Garden of Eden. Their part of God's plan for His children was to bring mortality into the world. They were given the job to be the first parents on earth, and they were foreordained to this responsibility.
Adam and Eve were among the most noble of our Father's children. Adam was known as Michael the archangel in the spirit world (Jude 1:9). Heavenly Father selected Adam to lead the righteous forces in the battle against Satan (see Revelation 12:7-9). God brought Adam and Eve together in marriage in order that neither should be alone. Eve was "the mother of all living" (Moses 4:26) and shared Adam's responsibility and his accomplishments.
When Adam and Eve were put in the Garden of Eden, they were not yet mortal. They could not have children or die. They did not know good from evil. God commanded them to have children and said, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over … every living thing that moveth upon the earth" (Moses 2:28). God told them to take care of the Garden of Eden and to eat of every tree in the garden except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He told them that they would die if they partook of the fruit of that tree (Moses 3:17).
Satan did not know what was in God's mind; his only desire was to destroy God's plan for His children. He tempted Eve to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He told her a half truth when he said that she and Adam would not die but would "be as the gods, knowing good and evil" (Moses 4:11). Eve listened to Satan and ate the fruit. When Adam understood what she had done, he chose to eat of the fruit also in order that they could remain together. Because they ate of the fruit, changes came upon their bodies. This change is known as the Fall.
Adam and Eve were changed both physically and spiritually. Because they ate of the fruit, God sent them out of the Garden of Eden into the world where they would need to work to provide for their own needs. Their bodies changed and became mortal. They could have children. They and their children would experience sickness and pain and would eventually die just as God had promised. Because Adam and Eve disobeyed and transgressed Heavenly Father's law, they suffered spiritual death. This meant that they could no longer walk and talk with God face to face. They and their posterity were separated from God both physically and spiritually.
Many people believe that Adam and Eve committed a serious sin when they ate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. I believe that they took a noble and necessary step in God's plan. I believe that their Fall was a great blessing to themselves and to their posterity. Because of the Fall, we have many blessings, opportunities and privileges that we would not have received if Adam and Eve had remained in the Garden of Eden. We are blessed with physical bodies, the right to choose between good and evil, and the opportunity to gain eternal life.
After the Fall, Eve realized the importance of the step taken. She said, "Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed [children], and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient" (Moses 5:11).
A prophet named Lehi saw the "big picture" and explained it to his children. He said, "And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen [been cut off from God's presence], but he would have remained in the Garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created…. And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin. But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things. Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:22-25).
I believe that it is very important for us to know about the Fall and to understand how it influences us. It is good for us to know of the greatness and nobility of our first parents. It is important that we understand why Adam and Eve needed to become mortal and then honor them for their courage and willingness to do so. We must always remember that Adam and Eve were among the most noble of Heavenly Father's children and that He chose them to perform a very important part of His plan for His children. They helped to prepare the way for the rest of us.
There are people who believe that our beautiful world was created by a "Big Bang." If this theory really worked, I should be able to put all my cookie ingredients on the table, shake the table, and have cookie dough! Another comparison would be to put the parts to a watch, etc. on the table and have them become a functioning item.
I personally believe that our loving Heavenly Father planned and organized this earth for us. We lived in heaven as spirit children of heavenly parents. Heavenly Father called all of His spirit children together and presented His plan of how we could become like Him. We like His plan so much that we shouted for joy (Job 38:7). We wanted the new experiences even though we knew we would have to leave heaven. We knew that we needed mortal bodies and a new home in order to prepare ourselves.
Under the direction of Heavenly Father and using the power of the priesthood, Jesus Christ created or organized this earth out of available materials. God the Father told Moses, "Worlds without number have I created; … and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten" (Moses 1:33). The earth and everything on it were planned and created spiritually before they were created physically (see Moses 3:5).
Christ, as directed by the Father, formed the earth and divided the light from the darkness. He formed the sun, moon and stars and hung them in the heavens. He divided the water from the earth. He made the earth beautiful and planted all kinds of plants, such as trees, grass, flowers, and shrubs. He planned that all these plants would reproduce themselves from seeds contained within each plant. He created fish, insects, birds, and animals, all capable of reproducing their own kind.
God's greatest creation - mankind - came after the earth was completed and prepared. Man and woman were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Adam, the first man, and Eve, the first woman, were formed and given bodies that looked like those of our heavenly parents. After Adam and Eve were created, God announced that He was pleased and knew His work was good. Then He rested for a time.
We can know of God and His love for us as we look at the world around us. We have this beautiful world to live in. We have the sun to keep us warm and give us light. We receive rain to make plants grow and to clean and refresh our air. We have our bodies, which are true miracles and which allow us to work, play and rest. All of the creations of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ show us that They love us.
I am a grandmother who is concerned about the direction our country and world are headed and what my grandchildren will inherit. I want to do my part to bring peace on earth and sanity to our insane world.
