The Pace of Modern Life Versus Our Cavewoman Biochemistry

When is the last time I truly breathed; got into my mind, body, and spirit, and truly breathed into those deep places within myself?  I feel like I am always running through life taking short, hurried, exhales—trying to keep up with the busy, often anxiety-ridden pace of my lifestyle—aka motherhood. 

At 2 am—unable to sleep from my husbands coughing and my 1 year old waking from sickness—I took a moment to breath.  While scrolling through my Facebook posts, I was blessed to happen upon this TED talk. 

First let me say that this is a message EVERY woman—EVERY mother—and anyone who supports women needs to hear.  Dr. Libby Weaver has officially become my mentor; I only wish there were more doctors like her in the world, giving patients THIS kind of PERSCRIPTION.  

Two different subjects I have been mulling over since listening to her address: 

1) Women/Mothers Being Undervalued

2) The Unbalanced Life of a Woman/Mother

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Women/Mothers Being Undervalued

Libby's comment about women having 3x the job load—just in motherhood and taking care of household duties alone—than that of men who leave home to work one job, resonated with me.  I am a mother, a teacher, a maid, a doctor, a psychiatrist (which is 5 jobs alone), a financial planner, a decorator, an organizer, a party planner, a cook, a homemaker, a spiritual guide, a personal shopper . . . 24 hours a day, 6-7 days a week, getting paid absolutely no salary.    There is no break to self-rejuvenate; any and all breaks are either used to nap so I can keep my energy levels up and manage two toddlers, prep for activities or meals, make sure the house is in order, pay bills, and the other plethora of duties required just to keep a home of 4 afloat.  

The feminist within me finds it so fascinating that in 2014 the job of Motherhood is still greatly undervalued by society, and by the opposite sex in particular.  I will make the claim now that not all men fall under this category, but sadly enough the majority do.  For some reason the notion that a mans job trumps a woman's job as a mother has been such a complete historical disservice to society for way too long.  I laugh when I write "women's job", because for some reason we've categorized "jobs" and "roles."  Motherhood is often looked at as a role rather than a job, for many reasons, but I believe one of the greatest reason is that it is viewed as subpar—not hard enough, or contributing enough—to that of a "real", "working", "paid income" job.  

Funny because I believe all of the aforementioned titles I hold in being a mother are actual paying
 jobs in society— jobs that are valued, appreciated, and looked at as contributing to the economic welfare of society . . . and yet when I am going through the questionnaire to apply for a loan and asked what my job is, I have to reply "I'm just a stay at home mom" . . . funny. 

I can't help but wonder if mothers got paid—and it's too damn bad that we don't —would we be as valued as men in the workforce. . . in other words, would I get the damn loan? 

Stepping off my feminism soap box now, what are some ways men can show support in valuing the mother, wife, and home maker in their life? 

1st: listen to this talk 
2nd: Be on board with helping the woman in your life take time to care for herself—through reminders, support, encouragement, and time off  (you get time off from your job 1-2 days a week, plus paid vacation, give her time off from her many jobs). 
3rd: Be there to listen, provide affirmations that show support of her wearing the multiple hats she wears on a daily basis
4th: Give her a damn salary already (even if it is $20 bucks a month)—show her that you value her in some monetary way. 
5th: Show up, be a apart of the show, and at various times plan the show 

There are is so much more I could write about this subject and if time wasn't so limited I would.  My only hope, however, is that one day women and mothers in particular get the amount of attention, praise, and value they deserve.

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The  Unbalanced Life of a Woman/Mother

Having taken an evolutionary psychology class in college, I thought Libby's study and correlation of the evolution of women—post cavewoman—was so fascinating and spot on.

Why are we beating ourselves up, constantly comparing ourselves to others, trying to out do our best efforts,  running faster than we are able (trying to wear all of these multiple hats at multiple times), being people that we are not just to add more credentials to our "resume," all at the expense of our health?  

I think some times we fall prey to believing that if we stop to take care of ourselves, everything else in our lives will stop working—the house will fall apart, the children will turn into couch potatoes, and our husbands will think less of us, or even worse leave us, or cheat on us.  But the ironic reality is we are our worst selves when we don't don't take time for ourselves and those things are bound to happen anyway because we have nothing to give . . . we are running on fumes.  

It is time to value who we are.  It is time to love ourselves enough that we take time for ourselves, that we breath, that we eat right, that we exercise, that we live our dreams, that we tap into our innate talents and gifts.  Every one of us is so unique, every one of us has something beautiful to contribute to this world.  Every one of us is needed.  And that is why it is essential that you are YOU, that you do what it takes to be YOU; to THRIVE not merely SURVIVE, to BLOSSOM,  to LIVE, to LAUGH, to find JOY, to CREATE, to BEAUTIFY, TO BREATH.

Enjoy this beautiful message, and God bless people like Dr. Libby who use their time and talents to serve the world by igniting change and inspiring women to come out of this historical fog we've been meandering through for way too long #drlibbyweaver #tedtalk 

 

Marriage is Ordained of God

There is so much material in today's lesson-- including topics like revelation given to women just the same as men, marriage in the covenant, birthrights, and Foreordination.

 I knew in preparing the lesson that there was no way to fit it all in so unfortunately some of the material and stories will have to be skipped--leaving you to go home and do some personal study on your own.  

 I'm excited about the overarching theme in today's lesson: marriage in the covenant. It's a topic I studied extensively in my academic career--writing 3 papers on it, one of which was published.  

 I want to start out by sharing with you some insight I learned over the years while studying this topic. And allow this to serve as the foundation for the stories we will be reading today.  


 The reason I chose to focus on this theme over the other themes in the lesson is because marriage is one of the most important institutions and has become demoralized in our society. I believe that younger generations, mine included, are forgetting the basic, simple knowledge that since man came into existence, marriage was and always will be ordained of God. It was never a societal institution, it was instituted by God.  


 In the opening pages of the book of Genesis we read that  “And the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him” (KJV, Gen 2:18). Interestingly enough Eve is not created in the next verse and there's a reason for this. The Lord commissions all of the animals (the birds, fowls, fishes, insects, and every creeping thing) to come forth, in pairs, before Adam, to be named (Gen 2:19-20). Some scholars believe this daunting task took years for Adam to complete.  

 As Adam was observing all of Gods creations consisted of two--each pair abiding together--he was being taught the necessity of companionship (note the end of verse 20 “[…] but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him”).  

 It is only after Adam learned of the importance of companionship was Eve was created. We read of Adams great relief in finding his help meet, as he exclaims: “Now bone of my bones! Now flesh of my flesh” (Gen 2:23). 

 Another important insight we gain from this verse: the word helpmeet is distinctively separate, written as “help,” “meet.” There is great significance in the separation of these words. The Hebrew etymology of “help,” is Ezer and is defined as “subordinate too, remedy, or cure.” We see this contextual form of “help” written throughout the scriptures, relating to the Savior and us becoming subordinate to him in filling in the gaps, in curing the imperfections of our lives.  

 The same symbolism exists within a companionship. When we enter a marriage we are essentially saying/promising to our companion “I will remedy the 50% that you lack, and be there to aid you when you fall short.

 “Meet” in Hebrew is Knegdo, and means “necessary, adequate, counterpart.” Countless studies have been done on the benefits of marriage--from societal benefits, to financial, emotional, and spiritual benefits--all proving that marriage is a necessary union, that each person is to be “adequate" or in Latin adaequatus which means equal to one another.  

 Now having his “help meet,” or in other words having finally met his equal, the Lord declares to Adam: “therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife” (Gen 2:24).  

 Looking at this scripture through a literary lens, an interesting choice of verbs is used in this account.  Normally ‘to cleave’ means to cut asunder, to split into two parts. We speak for example of the camel having a cloven foot. However, in the Hebrew language the word carries the opposite meaning: “to cleave,” means to put back together two things that have been separated; to join them so tightly one to another it is as if there was no original separation.  

 Thus the Hebraic translation assumes Adam had something taken away from him, cloven from his side, and was no longer whole. The only solution for Adam to become whole was by cleaving to the only creation that was truly equal to him— the creation that holds the “missing part” (symbolically the rib) of him.  

 When a man and woman thus cleave together, or rather cleave back together, they become whole once again; they become one—one in flesh, one in mind, one in spirit. Then and only then can man be fully complete.  

Now kind of having a foundation as to the inception and importance of marriage, let's get into some scriptural examples that will cast light on the importance of then marrying in the covenant.  

 Genesis 24 relays the account of Abraham insistent that Isaac marry one of his kindred rather than a Canaanite, in whose land they were living.  He then sends his servant to go and find a wife for Isaac.  

 This servant was trustworthy, loyal, prayerful, and faithful every step of the way. We read about him calling upon God in prayer asking him to bless Isaac with a righteous woman, asking God to lead him to and help him distinguish a suitable companion.  

 Read Gen 24: 12 And he said, O aLord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, bsend me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham. 

 13 Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw awater: 

 14 And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast aappointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master. 

 15 ¶And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to aBethuel, son of bMilcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder. 16 And the damsel was very afair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man bknown her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up. 

 17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher. 

 18 And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink. 

 19 And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking. 

 20 And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels. 

 21 And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the Lord had made his journey aprosperous or not. Then we read of the servant asking Rebakahs father for her hand in marriage in behalf of Isaac (whom he'd never met), Rebekah and her father agreeing to the marriage, and Rebekah ultimately traveling back with the servant to be married to Issac.  

 This story is so fascinating, let's answer a few questions:  

 1. Abraham and his servant went through a lot of trouble making sure that Isaac married the right person. Why?  He had a testimony of eternal marriage. He wanted Isaac to marry someone of his own faith so he could marry in the covenant. This was necessary so the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant could be given to Abraham’s descendants.  

 2. What does this story reveal about the importance of the marrying in the covenant to these people? It basically overrode everything else-- it was that important to them.  Think about it, Rebekah's father simply heard the servants story--how The Lord had guided him--and he turned his daughter over to Issac. 

Further, we read of Rebekah's response:  58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go. 

 They all agreed to such a union because they knew she would be married in the covenant. This is evident in verse  

 60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the amother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the bgate of those which chate them. 

 **I do want to make mention that we don't just marry someone because they are LDS. In the account of Rebekah, the servant looked at her qualities: she was kind and willing to help others, as shown by her drawing water for Abraham’s servant and his camels. A camel can drink up to 30 gallons in one day, so Rebekah would have had to draw a great deal of water to satisfy 10 camels.  

 Also, the account even mentions her beauty, which implies necessary attraction. 

And later in the account we read of her veiling her face before she met Isaac, representing her purity, morality, and faithfulness to her covenants. 

 3. Jacob marries Leah and Rachel in the covenant, and through him the Abrahamic covenant continues. Unfortunately this is the part I had to skip but I will give a brief summary so I feel I at least touched upon it.  Rachel has two sons: Esau (the eldest, hence he is given the birthright), and Jacob.  However, the the Lord reveals to Rachel, during birth, that Jacob is to be a leader over Esau (we see how the events that later transpire is fulfillment of this prophesy).  During a time in Esau's life, he is near the point of starvation and asks his brother Jacob for some pottage.  Jacob says he will give him something to eat if he sells him his birthright, Esau concedes.  After his belly is full he realizes the mistake he made and there exists this brotherly feud.  Esau marries outside of the covenant and Jacob inherits all his father has.  

 Jacob leaves Canaan and journeys to the land of his kindred to find a wife and to escape the anger of Esau On his journey to find a wife, he has a dream 


 Genesis 28: 12 And he adreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the bangels of God ascending and descending on it. 

 13 And, behold, the aLord stood babove it, and said, I am the cLord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the dland whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; 

 14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the anorth, and to the south: and in thee and in thy bseed shall all the cfamilies of the earth be dblessed. 

 15 And, behold, aI am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bbring thee again into this cland; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. 

So he sees a ladder and The Lord promises him all these blessings--which if you remember from last week are the same blessings associated with the Abrahamic covenant.  What does the ladder symbolize? 


 QUOTE 1 Elder Marion G. Romney said of this dream: “Jacob realized that the covenants he made with the Lord … were the rungs on the ladder that he himself would have to climb in order to obtain the promised blessings—blessings that would entitle him to enter heaven and associate with the Lord” (“Temples—The Gates to Heaven,” Ensign, Mar. 1971, 16). So you have some symbolism taking affect in Jacobs dream. Via the ladder Jacob is being reminded of the Abrahamic covenant that was being passed down to him through his lineage--Abraham and Issac. Remember that one of the greatest aspects of the AC was the ordinance of eternal marriage.  

 It's fitting that The Lord gives him this dream on his journey to find a wife--reiterating to Jacob that in order to reach the top rung on this ladder, he must enter into an eternal marriage.  If you continue to read the account, (See Genesis 28:1–5; 29:1–Jacob made a long journey to find a faithful woman to marry. He then worked for Laban for seven years before marrying being tricked into marrying Laban's eldest daughter Leah, and then worked again for Laban to finally woe Rachel,  and continued to work for him after he had married both Laban's daughters.)  

 How can we show that marrying in the covenant is important to us? 

 QUOTE 2 President Gordon B. Hinckley told of a family who joined the Church in Australia and then sold all their possessions so they could travel to New Zealand and be sealed as a family. The father of this family said: “We could not afford to come [to the temple]. Our worldly possessions consisted of an old car, our furniture, and our dishes. I said to my family, ‘We cannot afford not to go. If the Lord will give me strength, I can work and earn enough for another car and furniture and dishes, but if I should lose these my loved ones, I would be poor indeed in both life and in eternity’” (Be Thou an Example [1981], 138). 

 So now having these stories attached to this foundation, let's talk about some applicable lessons:  

 2. Besides the obvious blessings and covenants associated with an eternal marriage, why is it important to marry a person of our own faith? 

 QUOTE 3 President Spencer W. Kimball gave this counsel: “Paul told the Corinthians, ‘Be ye not unequally yoked together … ’ Perhaps Paul wanted them to see that religious differences are fundamental differences. Religious differences imply wider areas of conflict. Church loyalties and family loyalties clash. Children’s lives are often frustrated. The nonmember may be equally brilliant, well trained and attractive, and he or she may have the most pleasing personality, but without a common faith, trouble lies ahead for the marriage. There are some exceptions but the rule is a harsh and unhappy one” (The Miracle of Forgiveness [1969], 240). 

 QUOTE 4 President Kimball continued: “Clearly, right marriage begins with right dating. A person generally marries someone from among those with whom he … socializes. Therefore, this warning comes with great emphasis. Do not take the chance of dating nonmembers, or members who are untrained and faithless. A girl may say, ‘Oh, I do not intend to marry this person. It is just a “fun” date.’ But one cannot afford to take a chance on falling in love with someone who may never accept the gospel. True, a small percentage have finally been baptized after marrying Church members. … They are our blessed minority. … But the majority did not join the Church and … friction, frustration and divorce marked a great many of their marriages” (The Miracle of Forgiveness, 241–42) 


 I am living proof of these two quotes. I was married previous to meeting Mike. And to quote President Kimball, this man was brilliant, well trained, attractive, and had a pleasing personality, but our country of origin: Sweden verses America, and religion part Muslim and part Protestant verses Latter Day Saint made it a troublesome union right out of the gate. Obviously there was so much more at play when it came down to the decision of divorce, but let me tell you--now knowing the difference--marriage is one of the most blessed yet hardest institutions without even adding a disconnect in fundamental core values.  

 In more cases than not, because you love your Spouse, and you feel this conflict knowing you are to be one, to be equally yoked with them, so what ends up happening is one negotiates their belief system for the sake of keeping harmony in the marriage. And it's usually the one who values the most important thing.  

 Any examples??  

 Let's wrap up by talking about those who have been married in the temple.  How can a husband and wife maintain and improve the marriage relationship so that the covenants and blessings promised in the temple will be fulfilled? In essence, how do we now climb this ladder in Jacobs dream, together?  

 I think just as we make commitments to The Lord, we need to make commitments to our spouse to keep forging ahead, to keep climbing that ladder in hard times. One of us may have to reach down and help pull the other one up, but as long as we are both committed to keep trying, that's what matters.

 I hope this lesson strengthened your testimony about the importance of marriage, the importance of remembering that it has always been instituted by God. And as such, it's important that we strive to marry in the covenant so we too can be partakers of these eternal blessings given and promised to our ancestors.  Marriage is something you have to work at every single day; just because you're married in the temple doesn't mean it's smooth sailing there on out. But I hope that by understanding these scriptural references we become more impassioned to better our marriages, to cleave to one another, to be adequately yoked, to be the others necessary counterpart. 

Abraham & The Sacrificial Offering of Isaac

Today's lesson will cover the life of Abraham and one of the most controversial yet faithful acts in all of scripture: the sacrificial offering of his son Isaac. 

Before we get into the sacrifice of Issac, let's journey back in Abrahsms life and see the trials that he endured that made him Abaraham the father, the husband, the faithful and "friend" of God.  

 Abraham 1:1 In the land of the aChaldeans, at the residence of my fathers, I, bAbraham, saw that it was needful for me to obtain another place of cresidence; 

 5 My afathers, having turned from their righteousness, and from the holy commandments which the Lord their God had given unto them, unto the worshiping of the bgods of the cheathen, utterly refused to hearken to my voice; 

 6 For their ahearts were set to do bevil, and were wholly turned to the god of cElkenah, and the god of Libnah, and the god of Mahmackrah, and the god of Korash, and the god of Pharaoh, king of Egypt;

 7 Therefore they turned their hearts to the sacrifice of the aheathen in offering up their children unto these dumb idols, and hearkened not unto my voice, but endeavored to take away my blife by the hand of the priest of Elkenah. The priest of Elkenah was also the priest of Pharaoh. 

 8 Now, at this time it was the custom of the priest of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to offer up upon the altar which was built in the land of Chaldea, for the offering unto these strange gods, men, women, and children. 

 Pause: Abraham then gives an explanation of these Gods that the Egyptians worshipped  

 12 And it came to pass that the priests laid violence upon me, that they might slay me also, as they did those virgins upon this altar; and that you may have a knowledge of this altar, I will refer you to the representation at the commencement of this record.

Pause: He talks about what the altar looked like, all the hieroglyphics. 

 15 And as they lifted up their hands upon me, that they might offer me up and take away my life, behold, I lifted up my voice unto the Lord my God, and the Lord ahearkened and heard, and he filled me with the vision of the Almighty, and the angel of his presence stood by me, and immediately bunloosed my bands; 

 16 And his voice was unto me: aAbraham, Abraham, behold, my bname is Jehovah, and I have heard thee, and have come down to deliver thee, and to take thee away from thy cfather’s house, and from all thy kinsfolk, into a strange dland which thou knowest not of; 

19 As it was with aNoah so shall it be with thee; but through thy ministry my bname shall be known in the earth cforever, for I am thy God. 

 And then God destroys the altar and the priests.  

 The scriptures are not detailed texts for many reasons, one obvious reason being the capacity (time and energy) in which it took to write an account--on stone, clay, leather, parchment.

 So why invest in this story of all stories about Abraham? 

So the reader can greater understand how this moment in Abrahsms life prepared him for an even more trying moment his future self would experience.  

 Because our vision is either looking at the present or some times the past, we don't quite understand how present trials affect our future--wether good or bad. 

•How can our trials help us prepare for future difficulties? If we allow them to that is?  

 The law of opposition is not always easy to understand or accept. I am still trying to grasp the concept that our trials can be for our betterment. However, as I've looked at my past, and the past of others, I've come to gain a testimony that the law of opposition is requisite in helping us achieve success, become more faithful, more well rounded, and grounded individuals.  

 Do any of you have an experience you want to share about having your faith tested and the blessings that came from that experience? 

 2. The second part of the lesson discusses the seed of Abrahahm.  

 In Genesis 15:5-6 we read what The Lord revealed to Abraham about his seed:  

 5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and atell the bstars, if thou be able to cnumber them: and he said unto him, So shall thy dseed be. 

 6 aAnd he bbelieved in the Lord; and he counted it to him for crighteousness. 

 There were 2 women responsible for this fulfillment of this prophecy. Who were they? Sarah--AbrahSms wife, and Hagar--Sarah's handmaiden.  

 In the account we read that Sarah is the one who convinced Abrahahm to take Hagar as his wife. Why? 

Just as Eve understood the higher law in partaking of the fruit, so did Sarah understand that God had prophecied that Abrahsm would be blessed with seed and so she made a way for him to do so.  

 HANDOUT 1 
D&C 132: 
34 God acommanded Abraham, and Sarah gave bHagar to Abraham to wife. And why did she do it? Because this was the law; and from Hagar sprang many people. This, therefore, was fulfilling, among other things, the promises.

35 Was Abraham, therefore, under condemnation? Verily I say unto you, Nay; for I, the Lord, acommanded it. 

 We know that Hagar conceived Ishmael and had a large and blessed posterity thereafter--12 princes came out of Ishmaels lineage, and the entire Arabic nation was eventually established. 

And we know that God, years later blessed Sarah and Abraham, in their old age, with Issac, which The Lord bestowed his covenant upon. 

 This is what Abraham said of Sarah conceiving in her old age:  

 Genesis 17:17 aThen Abraham mifell upon his face, and blaughed (rejoiced), and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an chundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? 

 What do these 2 events of Abraham passing on his seed--through Hagar and Sarah--teach us about how God fulfills his promises?

In his own time and way.  

 3. Sacrifice of Issac 

Genesis 22:1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did atempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

The word tempt in this verse means to test or prove.  

 Does The Lord ever test our faithfulness? Why?  

 Why would the sacrifice of Issac have been a difficult test for Abraham? (Abraham and Sarah had waited their whole lives to have a child. 

Another reason this would have been difficult is that as a young man, Abraham himself had nearly been sacrificed by the false priests of Pharaoh [Abraham 1:1, 5–20].) 

 Also, not only was Isaac his son, but God had promised that the Abrahamic covenant would continue through Isaac and his descendants [Genesis 17:19].  

 Let's pause here for a moment and talk about the Abrahamic covenant of which we are all beneficiaries. 

Can anyone in here explain the Abrahamic covenant?  

 1. Christ was promised to come through Abraham/Issacs lineage.  

2. Abraham’s posterity would receive certain lands as an eternal inheritance 

 3. The gospel ordinances were given to Abraham: baptism, the priesthood, celestial marriage--all things that would permit him and us an eternal increase.  

 All of these promises and blessings were promised to Abrahams mortal posterity. And just to clarify, all those who are not born of Abrahams lineage are adopted--through the ordinances of the gospel--into the Abrahamic covenant.  

 Understanding the magnitude of this covenant and knowing it was only going to be handed down through Issac, you can imagine How bewildering this sacrifice must have been to Abraham. 

Do we ever experience trials that don't make sense? 

 Let's go ahead and read the account of the sacrifice of Issac. I know it's an unbelievable and even horrifying narrative, but I want you to see the beautiful symbolism in it as well: 

 Genesis 22:2 And he said, aTake now thy son, thine bonly son Isaac, 

(Wait a second, Abraham had another son--Ishmael. Why did he say "only" son? Who was Gods ONLY Begotten Son? Jesus Christ) 

whom thou clovest, and get thee into the land of dMoriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. 

 3 ¶And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the awood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

Who also rode on an donkey? 

Jesus rode on a donkey because donkeys are humble creatures. They are neither proud nor extravagant, but simply humble. Jesus, the King of Kings, chose to demonstrate His humility by riding on a humble beast.

 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and alaid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

He took the wood and placed it on Issacs back to carry to the altar. Who had to carry his own cross for his crucifixion? Jesus Christ.  

 I love this next verse, I can just hear the innocence, the faith, love, and complete obedience Issac had for his father  

 7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, aHere am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

This statement "Here am I" made me think of the Savior saying "here am I send me, and also, "Father thy will be done", showing complete faithfulness and obedience  

 8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a alamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

 9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and alaid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the baltar upon the wood. 

 10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

Here is this response a second time: "here am I"...the mediator of this sacrifice  

12 And he said, aLay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou bfearest God, seeing thou hast not cwithheld thy son, thine only son from me. 

 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

Who does the ram in the thicket represent? Jesus Christ. 

 So this complete act was symbolic of Christs atonement. Remember when we learned about Adam not understanding the law of an animal sacrifice but doing it anyway? He did it to be reminded that the animal on the altar would one day be Jesus Christ sacrificing his life in order to redeem us from the fall. And so it was with Abraham.  

 How do these comparisons help you better understand Heavenly Father’s love for you in sacrificing his Son? 

 This test of sacrificing Issac needed to be so that this story could come into existence. 

I don't think there is any other story in scripture that gives us a better glimpse into what it must have felt like for Heavenly Father to sacrifice his son for us. This is a story most of humanity can relate to because we can't imagine any degree of harm coming to our children. 

 HANDOUT 2
Elder Dallin H. Oaks said: “This story … shows the goodness of God in protecting Isaac and in providing a substitute so he would not have to die. Because of our sins and our mortality, we, like Isaac, are condemned to death. When all other hope is gone, our Father in Heaven provides the Lamb of God, and we are saved by his sacrifice” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1992, 51; or Ensign, Nov. 1992, 37). 

 What did Abraham prove through this test?  

 James 2:21 Was not Abraham our father ajustified by works, when he had boffered Isaac his son upon the altar? 

 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by aworks was faith made bperfect? 

23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham abelieved God, and it was imputed unto him for brighteousness: and he was called the cFriend of God.

Two lessons we can learn from Abraham: God was 1st in Abrahams life. And Abraham unequivocally had a strong, confident relationship with God.  

 How can we have a more active rather than passive relationship with God? How can we love and obey him not just in hard times but in peaceful, happy times?

Extra: 

Let's talk about the Abrahamic covenant of which we are heirs, because it's often vague and brushed over. 

Pull out your BD 
Abraham first received the gospel by baptism (which is the covenant of salvation). Then he had conferred upon him the higher priesthood, and he entered into celestial marriage (which is the covenant of exaltation), gaining assurance thereby that he would have eternal increase. Finally he received a promise that all of these blessings would be offered to all of his mortal posterity (D&C 132:29–50; Abr. 2:6–11). Included in the divine promises to Abraham were the assurances that (1) Christ would come through his lineage, and that (2) Abraham’s posterity would receive certain lands as an eternal inheritance (Gen. 17; 22:15–18; Gal. 3; Abr. 2). These promises taken together are called the “Abrahamic covenant.” It was renewed with Isaac (Gen. 26:1–4, 24) and again with Jacob (Gen. 28; 35:9–13; 48:3–4).

The portions of the covenant that pertain to personal salvation and eternal increase are renewed with each individual who receives the ordinance of celestial marriage (see D&C 132:29–33). Those of non-Israelite lineage, commonly known as Gentiles, are adopted into the house of Israel and become heirs of the covenant and the seed of Abraham through the ordinances of the gospel (Gal. 3:26–29).

Being an heir to the Abrahamic covenant does not make one a “chosen person” per se but does signify that such are chosen to responsibly carry the gospel to all the peoples of the earth. Abraham’s seed have carried out the missionary activity in all the nations since Abraham’s day. (Matt. 3:9; Abr. 2:9–11.)

To fulfill the covenant God made with Abraham—having particular reference to the fact that the literal seed of his body would be entitled to all of the blessings of the gospel (Abr. 2:10–11)—a number of specific and particular things must take place in the last days. The gospel must be restored, the priesthood must be conferred again upon man, the keys of the sealing power must be given again to mortals, Israel must be gathered, and the Holy Ghost must be poured out upon the Gentiles. All this has already taken place or is in process of fulfillment. See also Adoption; Gentile.

What are our responsibilities as heirs of the Abrahamic covenant?

Enoch vs. Cain

The bible does a wonderful job outlining narratives, often putting them side by side so we can see varying consequences. 

Today we are going to be looking at two contrasting characters: Cain and Enoch. Who was Cain? Son of Adam and Eve. 

Who was Enoch? 
The seventh from Adam. We don't learn much about of Enoch in the bible, rather the Pearl of Great Price and the D&C. 

I've handed out scriptures for various people to read. What we are going to do is go back and forth between Cain and Enoch and hopefully learn about how each of their attitudes led them down a different path. 
ON BOARD: Steps with arrow up and down (attitude that lead us to God, attitude that lead us to destruction): have people read contrasting scriptures between Cain and Enoch. Talk about their varying attitudes. 

Step 1:
(Enoch) Moses 7:59
What does this show us about his attitude towards god? 
(Board): thou art God and I know thee 
*He knew God, he asked God questions, he came to be taught by God
(Cain) Moses 5:16 
What does this show us about Cains attitude towards God
(Board): who is The Lord? 
This reminded me of Laman and Lemuel refusing to call upon God as Nephi did to receive wisdom and blessings from The Lord. 

Step 2: 
(Enoch) Moses 6:31
(Board): wherefore am I thy servant?
Although he felt unqualified, he accepted more responsibility and served God. 
(Cain) Moses 5:25 
(Board): he rejected the greater counsel 
Cain wanted nothing to do with God. We see this in him trying to give The Lord a less qualified sacrifice by offering the fruit of the land and not offering an animal sacrifice which we know from last weeks lesson signified the atonement of Jesus Christ. 

Step 3: 
(Enoch) Moses 6:43
(Board): ye are my brethren
Created a relationship between himself, god and the rest of humanity. It's evident that if Enoch didn't love his brethren he wouldn't have preached to them 
(Cain) Moses 5:34 
(Board): am I my brothers keeper?
How did Cain respond when the Lord asked where Abel was? (See Moses 5:34.) 
Every night I pray that Beckahm and Amari will be their brothers keeper. What does it mean to be our brother’s keeper? (See 1 John 3:11, 17–18.) 
11 For this is the amessage that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
17 But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his abrother have bneed, and cshutteth up his bowels of dcompassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
18 My little children, let us not love in word, aneither in tongue; but in bdeed and in truth.
In what ways can we act as our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers?

Quote #1:
Bishop Robert L. Simpson said: “The world today tells you to leave your friend alone. He has the right to come and go as he pleases. The world tells you that persuasion to attend church or priesthood meeting or to discard a bad habit might lead to frustration and undue pressures; but again I repeat the word of the Lord: You are your brother’s keeper, and when you are converted, you have an obligation to strengthen your brother” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1971, 114; or Ensign, Dec. 1971, 103).
And this is exactly what Enoch did. He knew of God and he prophesied of God and shared the gospel with his brethren.

Step 4: 
(Enoch) Moses 6:39
(Board): he walked with God 
As we learned in our first lesson this "man is nothing" concept is played out here. Just like Adam and Eve never ceased calling upon God for help, Enoch never ceased walking with God. 
(Cain) Moses 5:33
(Board): I Am free 
After killing his brother Abel, Cain said, “I am free” (Moses 5:33). What do you think Cain believed he was free of? How does disobeying God’s commandments actually decrease our freedom? How does obedience increase our freedom?

Step 5: 
(Enoch) Moses 7:44
(Board): wept over his brethren
He wept over them, he cared when he saw they had fallen into wickedness
(Cain) Moses 5:31
(Board): glorified in his wickedness 

Step 6:
(Enoch) Moses 7:18 
(Board): they were of one heart and one mind
*end result: Enoch and the city of Enoch dwelt with God 
(Cain) Moses 5:41 
(Board): Cain was shut out from the presence of The Lord 
•What happened to Cain as a result of choosing to follow Satan instead of God? (See Moses 5:23–25, 36–41.) 
*(Board): spiritual destruction 
------------------------------------------
How did Enoch's choices affect himself and others? 
The entire city was converted and translated. 

How did Cain’s choices affect his descendants as well as himself? (See Moses 5:41–43, 49–52, 55.) His sons committed murder to get gain, his posterity kept those secret combinations Cain received from Satan intact, they were cursed. 

Can our righteous or unrighteous choices affect our family members?
I've seen this "brothers keeper" concept go awry multiple times in my own family and in my husbands family. The quote is true that misery loves company and if misery can be shared between blood brothers than is in even greater company. 15 years my brothers spent living as addicts, one often helping the other heighten their addiction or entice the other to revisit their addiction. The same thing has happened in my husbands family. 

People often think that the choices they make do not affect other people but they are dead wrong. Even those outside this circle of addiction have suffered by way of having to pick up the broken pieces of these peoples lives, by bailing them out of jail, loaning money, turning a home into a recovery unit, being a poor example to younger, impressionable siblings and of course lets not forget the 
heart broken, sleepless mothers 

Every choice has a consequence and behind every consequence is usually a face of a loved one, someone we care about. 

What can we do to help ourselves bear the pain when loved ones go astray? What can we do to help these loved ones?

Quote #2: Elder Richard G. Scott counseled:
“Many of you have heavy hearts because a son or daughter, husband or wife, has turned from righteousness to pursue evil. My message is for you.
“Your life is filled with anguish, pain, and, at times, despair. I will tell you how you can be comforted by the Lord.
“First, you must recognize two foundation principles:
“1. While there are many things you can do to help a loved one in need, there are some things that must be done by the Lord.
“2. Also, no enduring improvement can occur without righteous exercise of agency. Do not attempt to override agency. The Lord himself would not do that. Forced obedience yields no blessings (see D&C 58:26–33).

Moses 6:
55 And the Lord spake unto Adam, saying: Inasmuch as thy children are aconceived in sin, even so when they begin to grow up, bsin conceiveth in their hearts, and they taste the cbitter, that they may know to prize the good.
56 And it is given unto them to know good from evil; wherefore they are aagents unto themselves, and I have given unto you another law and commandment.

Quote #3: Elder Scott continues:
“I will suggest seven ways you can help.
“First, love without limitations. … Second, do not condone the transgressions, but extend every hope and support to the transgressor. … Third, teach truth. … Fourth, honestly forgive as often as is required. … Fifth, pray trustingly. ‘The … fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much’ (James 5:16). …
“Sixth, keep perspective. … When the things you realistically can do to help are done, leave the matter in the hands of the Lord and worry no more. Do not feel guilty because you cannot do more. Do not waste your energy on useless worry. … In time, you will feel impressions and know how to give further help. You will find more peace and happiness, will not neglect others that need you, and will be able to give greater help because of that eternal perspective. …
“One last suggestion—Never give up on a loved one, never!” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1988, 69–71; or Ensign, May 1988, 60–61).

I know it may seem harsh when P. Scott said to let go after you've done what you can, and leave the matter in the Lords hands, but as we learn from the account of Enoch, the Lord is aware of each and every one of us. If you can imagine how much you love your children, magnify that times 1,000--for that is how much God loves us. 

Let's read this beautiful passage between God and Enoch. I want you to feel how much he loves you personally as we read this. 

Moses 7:28 And it came to pass that the God of heaven looked upon the aresidue of the people, and he wept; and Enoch bore record of it, saying: How is it that the heavens weep, and shed forth their tears as the rain upon the mountains?
29 And Enoch said unto the Lord: How is it that thou canst aweep, seeing thou art holy, and from all eternity to all eternity?
30 And were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth, yea, millions of aearths like this, it would not be a beginning to the number of thy bcreations; and thy curtains are stretched out still; and yet thou art there, and thy bosom is there; and also thou art just; thou art merciful and kind forever;
31 And thou hast taken aZion to thine own bosom, from all thy creations, from all eternity to all eternity; and naught but peace, bjustice, and truth is the habitation of thy throne; and mercy shall go before thy face and have no end; how is it thou canst cweep?
32 The Lord said unto Enoch: Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own ahands, and I gave unto them their bknowledge, in the day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his cagency;
33 And unto thy brethren have I said, and also given commandment, that they should alove one another, and that they should choose me, their Father; but behold, they are without affection, and they bhate their own blood;
36 Wherefore, I can stretch forth mine hands and hold all the acreations which I have made; and mine eye can pierce them also, and among all the workmanship of mine hands there has not been so great bwickedness as among thy brethren.
41 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto Enoch, and atold Enoch all the doings of the children of men; wherefore Enoch knew, and looked upon their wickedness, and their misery, and wept and stretched forth his arms, and his bheart swelled wide as eternity; and his bowels yearned; and all eternity shook.
44 And as Enoch saw this, he had abitterness of soul, and wept over his brethren, and said unto the heavens: I will refuse to be bcomforted; but the Lord said unto Enoch: Lift up your heart, and be glad; and look.
47 And behold, Enoch asaw the day of the coming of the Son of Man, even in the flesh; and his soul rejoiced, saying: The Righteous is lifted up, and the bLamb is slain from the foundation of the world; and through cfaith I am in the bosom of the Father, and behold, dZion is with me.

The Lord has a plan for each of us. He loves us, and just as he tried to beckon to Cain time and again to repent and follow his counsel, he's asks us to do the same, so that we too--using the metaphor of the city of Enoch being taken to God--can likewise return to Gods presence. 

May we be converted so we can help others be converted as Enoch. And if others choose not to be converted, let us love them, serve them, and be there for them, understanding the necessity of free agency, and having faith that they are the workmanship of God-- he knows them, he loves them and he will come to their aid. 

Three Pillars Of Eternity: Creation, Fall, Atonement

Draw the illustration on page 13 on the chalkboard.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie said that our salvation is made possible because of “three divine events—the three pillars of eternity” (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith [1985], 81).

•Creation, the Fall, and the atonement 

This lesson helps us understand how the Fall was a necessary part of Heavenly Father’s plan to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life (Moses 1:39).

THE FALL 
I want to go a head and read the account of the fall piece by piece, pausing to talk about a few important truths. 

Moses 2:28 And I, God, blessed them, and said unto them: Be afruitful, and bmultiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Moses 3:17 But of the tree of the aknowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it, nevertheless, thou mayest bchoose for thyself, for it is given unto thee; but, remember that I cforbid it, for in the dday thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely edie.

So 2 contradicting commandments are established by God: multiply and replenish the earth, don't partake of the tree of knowledge. We will come back to that delihema in a moment. Let's go ahead a read about the fall: 
Moses 4:6 And aSatan put it into the heart of the serpent, (for he had drawn away bmany after him,) and he sought also to cbeguile Eve, for he dknew not the emind of God, wherefore he sought to destroy the world.
So here comes "know it all" Satan, thinking he's scheming up the greatest plan: to beguile Eve. But what does this verse reveal to us? God knew what was going to happen from beginning to end. 

We can apply that to our lives--living reassured that God is all knowing, he is the one in control, not Satan, and he can lead and guide us to eternal life. As it clearly states in 
D&C 3:1 The aworks, and the designs, and the purposes of God cannot be bfrustrated, neither can they come to naught.
2 For God doth not awalk in crooked paths, neither doth he bturn to the right hand nor to the left, neither doth he vary from that which he hath said, therefore his paths are straight, and his ccourse is one eternal round.

Moses 4:7 And he said unto the woman: Yea, hath God said—Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (And he spake by the mouth of the serpent.)

8 And the woman said unto the serpent: We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden;

9 But of the fruit of the tree which thou beholdest in the midst of the garden, God hath said—Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

10 And the serpent said unto the awoman: Ye shall not surely die;

11 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your aeyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, bknowing good and evil.

Another applicable lesson: Satan's intention is to tell multiple truths to sneak in 1 lie. 

12 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it became pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be adesired to make her wise, she took of the bfruit thereof, and did ceat, and also gave unto her husband with her, and he did eat.

Thus begat the fall. There are so many amazing lessons and revelations in these verses, even more so with the modern day revelation we've been given. 

Let's talk about a few of these lessons: 
1) referring back to those first two verses we read, Heavenly Father gave Adam and Eve agency to choose between two commands. So many people in the world speculate if they made the right choice? 
Let's read if Adam & Eve felt it was the right choice: 

Moses 5:
10 And in that day Adam blessed God and was afilled, and began to bprophesy concerning all the families of the earth, saying: Blessed be the name of God, for because of my ctransgression my deyes are opened, and in this life I shall have ejoy, and again in the fflesh I shall see God.

11 And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had aseed, and never should have bknown good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.

Latter Day prophets support the testimonies of Adam and Eve: 
HANDOUT 1: Elder Dallin H. Oaks:
“It was Eve who first transgressed the limits of Eden in order to initiate the conditions of mortality. Her act, whatever its nature, was formally a transgression but eternally a glorious necessity to open the doorway toward eternal life. Adam showed his wisdom by doing the same. …

“… We celebrate Eve’s act and honor her wisdom and courage in the great episode called the Fall. … Elder Joseph Fielding Smith said: ‘I never speak of the part Eve took in this fall as a sin, nor do I accuse Adam of a sin. … This was a transgression of the law, but not a sin.’ …

So if this is a celebrated event, what blessings and hardships did we incur as a result of the fall? 
a. Adam and Eve were able to have children, which allowed us to come to earth and receive mortal bodies (Moses 5:11; 6:48; 2 Nephi 2:23, 25).
b. We experience physical death, or separation of the physical body from the spirit (Moses 4:25; 6:48; 2 Nephi 9:6).
c. We experience spiritual death, or separation from God’s presence (Moses 4:29; 6:49; 2 Nephi 9:6).
d. We are partakers of misery and woe (Moses 6:48; Genesis 3:16–17).
e. We are capable of sinning (Moses 6:49, 55; 2 Nephi 2:22–23).
f. The ground is cursed, causing us to need to work (Moses 4:23–25; Genesis 3:17–19).
g. We can learn to recognize good and evil (Moses 4:28; 6:55–56; 2 Nephi 2:23; Genesis 3:22).
h. We can have joy in mortality (Moses 5:10; 2 Nephi 2:23, 25).
i. We can know the joy of our redemption (Moses 5:11).
j. We can obtain eternal life (Moses 5:11).

2Nephi 2:
22 And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, 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 must have remained forever, and had no end.
23 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.
24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.
25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.
26 And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given.
27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

I'd say going over this list that it was a pretty good choice and the deal was in our favor. 

2. Let's talk about the 3rd pillar essential to eternal life: The Atonement of Jesus Christ
Alma 22:14 
And since man had afallen he could not bmerit anything of himself; but the sufferings and cdeath of Christ datone for their sins, through faith and repentance, and so forth; and that he breaketh the bands of death, that the egrave shall have no victory, and that the sting of death should be swallowed up in the hopes of glory;

So the fall brought about our physical and spiritual death. Physical coming at the end of our lives when our body separates from our spirit . Spiritual death is our separation from God which occurred when Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden. 

We know that Heavenly Father knew this was going to happen so what was his plan to remedy this problem? We are incapable of redeeming ourselves so who had to redeem us? A Savior. 

You'll often see in the scriptures that the Fall and The Atonement inseparably connected. Why do you think this is? Why is it so important to understand how they are related? 

HANDOUT 2: President Ezra Taft Benson said: “The plan of redemption must start with the account of the fall of Adam. In the words of Moroni, ‘By Adam came the fall of man. And because of the fall of man came Jesus Christ, … and because of Jesus Christ came the redemption of man’ (Mormon 9:12). Just as a man does not really desire food until he is hungry, so he does not desire the salvation of Christ until he knows why he needs Christ. No one adequately and properly knows why he needs Christ until he understands and accepts the doctrine of the Fall and its effect upon all mankind” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1987, 106; or Ensign, May 1987, 85).

The perfect summary of President Kimballs testimony is found in 
2Nephi 9:6-10. I want everyone to turn there; these are incredibly powerful/enlightening verses. 
6 For as adeath hath passed upon all men, to fulfil the merciful bplan of the great Creator, there must needs be a power of cresurrection, and the resurrection must needs come unto man by reason of the dfall; and the fall came by reason of etransgression; and because man became fallen they were fcut off from the gpresence of the Lord.
7 Wherefore, it must needs be an ainfinite batonement—save it should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on incorruption. Wherefore, the cfirst judgment which came upon man must needs have dremained to an endless duration. And if so, this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more.
8 O the awisdom of God, his bmercy and cgrace! For behold, if the dflesh should rise no more our spirits must become subject to that angel who efell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the fdevil, to rise no more.
9 And our spirits must have become alike unto him, and we become devils, bangels to a cdevil, to be dshut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of elies, in misery, like unto himself; yea, to that being who fbeguiled our first parents, who gtransformeth himself nigh unto an hangel of light, and istirreth up the children of men unto jsecret combinations of murder and all manner of secret works of darkness.
10 O how great the agoodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our bescape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, cdeath and dhell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit.

Because of Christ we will not only be saved from a physical death, through his resurrection, but we will also be saved from a spiritual death through faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and obeying the commandments. 

3. The lesson also covers what Adam and Eve did after they were cast out of the garden: providing a pattern for our own life. 

Draw cycle on board: 
Moses 5:1 And it came to pass that after I, the Lord God, had driven them out, that Adam began to till the earth, and to have adominion over all the beasts of the field, and to eat his bread by the sweat of his bbrow, as I the Lord had commanded him. And Eve, also, his wife, did clabor with him.

1) labor for their food aka establish a job 
Moses 4:22 Unto the woman, I, the Lord God, said: I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception. In asorrow thou shalt bring forth children, and thy desire shall be to thy bhusband, and he shall rule over thee.
2) rule? No as the proclamation to the family states, a husband is to fulfill the 3 "Ps": preside, provide, and protect. He does not rule, they are an equal partnership. 
HANDOUT 3: President Spencer W. Kimball said: “I have a question about the word rule. It gives the wrong impression. I would prefer to use the word preside because that’s what he does. A righteous husband presides over his wife and family” (“The Blessings and Responsibilities of Womanhood,” Ensign, Mar. 1976, 72).

Elder M. Russell Ballard said: “God has revealed through his prophets that men are to receive the priesthood, become fathers, and with gentleness and pure, unfeigned love they are to lead and nurture their families in righteousness as the Savior leads the Church (see Ephesians 5:23)” (“Equality through Diversity,” Ensign, Nov. 1993, 90).

2 And aAdam knew his wife, and she bare unto him bsons and cdaughters, and they began to dmultiply and to replenish the earth.

3 And from that time forth, the sons and adaughters of Adam began to divide two and two in the land, and to till the land, and to tend flocks, and they also begat sons and daughters.

3) be married, have children (keep that posterity going) 

4: Adam and Eve called upon God in prayer 

5 And he gave unto them commandments, that they should aworship the Lord their God, and should offer the bfirstlings of their cflocks, for an offering unto the Lord. And Adam was dobedient unto the commandments of the Lord.

6 And after many days an aangel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer bsacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me.

4) learn from God (go to church, listen to our leaders), obey the commandments (read our scriptures)

5) made sacrifices (make and keep covenants with The Lord) 

8 Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the aname of the Son, and thou shalt brepent and ccall upon God in the name of the Son forevermore.

6) repented x infinity= endured to the end 

12 And Adam and aEve blessed the name of God, and they made all things bknown unto their sons and their daughters.

7) taught the gospel to their family 

Some times we don't understand this pattern or cycle of life we are asked to live just as we read that Adam didn't understand why he was commanded to make sacrifices. 

The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “Whatever God requires is right, … although we may not see the reason thereof till long after the events transpire” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 256).

I want to pause here and talk about this subject for a moment. I know it's a sensitive subject. I will admit that I'm guilty of it and I think I'm safe to guess that 90% of you have struggled with this or are struggling it currently. 

We weigh commandments differently according to what we feel is best and what fits with our thinking or our way of life. Maybe even according to the philosophy's of society or proven science. We do this because our minds are so finite; we are incapable of seeing the beginning and the end.

 
Some examples: 
"Science has proven that a glass of wine a day is good for the heart."
So some think the word of wisdom is at their discretion--more of a guideline than a commandment. 
I know my brother used to feel that he was closer to God in nature than at church. 
I know I struggled with supporting certain religious or political stances the church has made. 

But I love what P. Joseph Smith said about us not understanding a commandment until long after the event transpires. 

I love that we have the opportunity of looking back at history and seeing the consequence of a choice or the reason behind a law that's often unforeseen in the present. 

Moses 5:9 tells us why Adam was to make sacrifices. 
And in that day the aHoly Ghost fell upon Adam, which beareth record of the Father and the Son, saying: I am the bOnly Begotten of the Father from the beginning, henceforth and forever, that as thou hast cfallen thou mayest be dredeemed, and all mankind, even as many as will.

The Savior wasn't to come and atone for the sins of mankind till long after Adams transgression. Adam, as we all do, needed a constant reminder that even though the fall was in affect, the Savior would redeem mankind. 

Testimony: 

For those of you who have been been to the temple since they redid the video, you will know what I'm talking about when I say how proud I am of Eve having vision and the gumption to make a difficult choice, but the right choice. The video relays beautifully the anguish she momentarily experienced in having to choose between two commandments. 

This life is hard but I know it was a necessary insert in the continuum of our life. I am grateful to be alive and to have the chance to know the good and the evil and be a free agent unto myself 
And I'm grateful that we had this pattern mapped out long ago, by our first parents, in how we should live our lives. It makes figuring out how to live this life a lot easier. 

It's not always easy to obey Gods commandments; I'm not even going to stand up here and profess that I do now in fullness or out of complete faith and obedience like Adam. But I want to make a commitment to do better and align my will with Gods knowledge and his commands. 

Because Heavenly Father is an all knowing God who has a plan that will never fail no matter how much Satan tries to thwart that plan, and how much society tries to shout at us, prove to us with "science", that how we are living is absurd. 

Gods only intention is for us to feel loved, to experience joy. He's not going to give us laws or commands that tie us to misery. He's giving us commands that tie us to our pre-existent state, that will ultimately give us eternal joy. 

Extra Material: 

**"This suggested contrast between a sin and a transgression reminds us of the careful wording in the second article of faith: “We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression” (italics added). It also echoes a familiar distinction in the law. Some acts, like murder, are crimes because they are inherently wrong. Other acts, like operating without a license, are crimes only because they are legally prohibited. Under these distinctions, the act that produced the Fall was not a sin—inherently wrong—but a transgression—wrong because it was formally prohibited. These words are not always used to denote something different, but this distinction seems meaningful in the circumstances of the Fall” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1993, 98; or Ensign, Nov. 1993, 73).