Candle 6- The Fall

Light of the Restoration
From “Preach My Gospel” p. 49
Adam and Eve were the first of God’s children to come to the earth. God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were created in God’s image, with bodies of flesh and bones. While Adam and Eve were in the garden, they were still in God’s presence and could have lived forever. They lived in innocence, and God provided for their needs. In the Garden of Eden, God gave Adam and Eve their agency. He commanded them not to eat the forbidden fruit, or the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Obeying this commandment meant that they could remain in the garden, but they could not progress by experiencing opposition in mortality. They could not know joy because they could not experience sorrow and pain. Satan tempted Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, and they chose to do so. This was part of God’s plan. Because of this choice, they were cast from the garden and out of God’s physical presence. This event is called the Fall. Separation from God’s presence is spiritual death. Adam and Eve became mortal—subject to physical death, or separation of the body and spirit. They could now experience disease and all types of suffering. They had moral agency or the ability to choose between good and evil. This made it possible for them to learn and progress. It also made it possible for them to make wrong choices and to sin. In addition, they could now have children, so the rest of God’s spirit children could come to earth, obtain physical bodies, and be tested. Only in this way could God’s children progress and become like Him.

From the LDS CES publication “Basic Doctrines”
Adam and Eve’s transgression and the resultant changes, including spiritual and physical death, are called the Fall.

In the Garden of Eden, God commanded Adam and Eve not to partake of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil; the consequence of doing so would be spiritual and physical death. Spiritual death is separation from God. Physical death is the separation of the spirit from the mortal body.

Because Adam and Eve transgressed and partook of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they were cast out from the presence of the Lord—they experienced spiritual death. They also became mortal—subject to physical death.

As descendants of Adam and Eve, we inherit a fallen condition during mortality in which we are tested by the difficulties of life and the temptations of the adversary (see Mosiah 3:19).

The Fall is an integral part of Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation. It has a twofold direction— downward yet forward. In addition to introducing physical and spiritual death, it gave us the opportunity to be born on the earth and to learn and progress.

As a result of the Fall, Adam and Eve and their posterity could experience joy and sorrow, know good and evil, and have children (see 2 Nephi 2:22–25).

From Book of Mormon Seminary Teacher’s Manual
The physical creation of the heavens, the earth, and all things thereon was another essential step in helping us become like our Father in Heaven (see Moses 1:33–39; Abraham 3:24–26). When God created the earth it was “very good” (Moses 2:31) and a place of beauty and abundance (see Genesis 1–2; Moses 2; 3:7–25; Abraham 4–5; see also D&C 59:16–20; Old Testament: Genesis–2 Samuel, pp. 27–36).

Missionary Application and Personal Dedication
What one thing could you begin doing to be more obedient? What one thing could you stop doing to be more obedient?

Elder Henry B. Eyring, Ensign July 2001.
There is a connection between nurturing people in light and truth and the way we teach obedience. Wise mission presidents learn that early. In a mission, obedience is essential for the safety of the missionaries, if for no other reason. There are rules for staying with a companion. There are rules about where a missionary can go. There are rules about driving cars. There are rules about when a missionary should be out of the place he or she lives and when to be back at night and when to go to bed.

The great opportunity in teaching obedience to missionaries is to help them see the connection between the Savior, the companionship of the Spirit, and love. It is to teach them that obedience to the commands of the Father and His Son out of love for them brings the Spirit. The companionship of the Spirit will bring light and truth, the foundation of successful missionary work and of a happy life. It can be taught in simple matters. Missionaries can put on their seat belts because they remember the safety video from the last zone conference. Or they can do it because they love the mission president and he told them to do it. It is a completely different experience to do it because they think of the Savior’s love and that He cares so much for their service and that He loves them so much that He wants them to be safe. The truth is that He needs us. He loves us. When missionaries feel that love of the Savior as they buckle up, they are more than safe in the car. They will be safe against the power of evil in the ministry, and they will be safe against more dangers than traffic accidents. They will have learned obedience to the Lord. They will encounter other rules and there will be other presidents, but the loving Savior will not change, and He will always be there.