Christ Saves Us Because We Can't Save Ourselves

Reading: BD Atonement and attending scirptures, especially Moses 5:8, Mosiah 13:28, Mosiah 13:32, Mosiah 2:20-25

Recently I wrote about perfectionsim and how part of the reason we become perfectionists is a misunderstanding of the Atonement. This particular misunderstanding seemed to be especially in my thoughts today as I read through the entry for Atonement in the Bible Dictionary.

Sometimes people (including me) get the idea that is all up to us to save ourselves by getting rid of sin. This can lead to pride if you think you're doing a good at it, or depression if you think you're doing poorly. However, it is not up to us to save ourselves because we are totally and wholly dependent on Christ for our salvation. Christ helps us to overcome our sin and also saves us from our sin, the only thing we are required to do is to work at it and accept his help. King Benjamin does a really great job of explaining this in Mosiah 2:20-25:

I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace on with another--
I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another--I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.
And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandment ye should prosper in the land, and he never doth very from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandment he doth bless you and proper you.
And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him.
And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he that commanded you, for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have y to boast?
And now I ask, can ye say aught of yourselves? I answer you, Nay. Ye cannot say that ye are even as much as the dust of the earth; yet ye were created of the dust of the earth; but behold, it belongeth to him who created you.

The Savior wants to help us overcome our sin. He does not want us to do it ourselves, because he knows we cannot. We are saved only through Christ, and not through our own efforts.

Last time I wrote about perfectionism I said that when I started to get down on myself for some old bad habit or persistent weakness of mine I would stop, say a prayer asking for help in overcoming that particular problem, and then move on to thinking or doing something more positive. Over the past couple weeks as I have done this I have felt so much better about myself and about the gospel. I still have my weaknesses, but I know that God will help me overcome them and that there is no point in beating myself up about them all the time. I still get feeling down on myself sometimes, but not as often.

So, today I am going to keep that up! Each time I catch myself getting down on myself for some problem or weakness that I have, I am going to say a prayer asking for help with that item and then find something else more positive to think or to do. And, I'm going to try and also be grateful for the Atonement and think that I don't have to save myself from this sin because the Savior has provided the way for me to repent and overcome it with his help.

Are there any other scriptures you have found that show how totally dependent we are on the Savior for salvation? Or, is there an experience or insight you had that helped you see your dependence on the Savior that you wouldn't mind sharing?

Atonement: Basis of Church Doctrine

Reading: "The Atonement of Jesus Christ," Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, jesuschrist.lds.org

If you haven't yet, you should check out the church's new site, jesuschrist.lds.org. This site was created to help show that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is indeed centered on Christ.

In an article on the Atonement found on that site, Elder Holland states:

Indeed the Atonement of the Only Begotten Son of God in the flesh is the crucial foundation upon which all Christian doctrine rests and the greatest expression of divine love this world has ever been given. Its importance in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints cannot be overstated. Every other principle, commandment, and virtue of the restored gospel draws its significance from this pivotal event.

A study of the basic doctrine of our church is always taught around the Atonement. First, someone might learn about the Fall of Adam, which is the reason we need the Atonement. Or, someone might learn about the plan of salvation, which revolves around the Atonement. Or, someone might learn about repentance, which is possible because of the Atonement. Even the behavioral aspects would be pointless without the Atonement, because we would all be damned anyway for past sins and there would be now way we could improve ourselves.

When you realize how central the Atonement is to everything, it thus becomes apparent why we focus so much on Jesus Christ. It is through Jesus Christ we are saved. We go to Jesus Christ for everything, for teaching, for repentance, for help and understanding. We are the church of Jesus Christ in every way.

This is something I have not always understood. Sometimes, I think, the centrality of Jesus Christ can get lost in all of our teachings. We talk about faith and hope and tithing and missionary work love and humility, and those things are easier to understand than the Atonement and the role of Jesus Christ. This must be why the Church does so much to keep us centered on Jesus Christ.

Yesterday when I was thinking about ways I can increase my disposition to do good, one of the things I came up with is putting up pictures of the Savior in my house. So, today, I am going to stop by the Distribution Center here in Provo and pick up a picture of the Savior and put it on the wall someplace it will be seen all the time. Then when I see it I can think about how central the Savior is to everything.

I am wondering, do you ever have trouble grasping the importance of the Savior in our teachings? What experiences or lessons have been effective in helping you to understand how central the Savior and Atonement are to the gospel?

Disposition and Doing Good

Reading: "A Disposition to Do Good Continually," Spencer J. Condie, Ensign, Aug 2001

It is my belief that repentance extends farther than just the big sins. Sometimes when we talk about repentance we think about big sins like fornication or breaking the word of wisdom. However, we are required to repent of all of our sins, and for most of us those sins are small--things like losing patience with a stranger who has done something that bothers you, or forgetting to say your prayers in the morning, or things like that. The Atonement allows us to change even these small things so that we can become more like the Savior.

So, seeking an article about applying repentance to your every day life, I found Elder Condie's article. He talks about how cultivating a disposition to do good will make it much easier to take care of those small things. When we change enough we will no longer even want to do those little sins that plague us from day to day.

While reading this article I must confess I began to feel overwhelmed. Elder Condie listed so many things, like going to the temple regularly and always remembering to read your scriptures and using your free time to do only really good things, that I have trouble remembering sometimes. I thought, clearly I do not have what he is talking about because if I did then I would not have problems with these little things.

Then I thought back to Elder Samuelson's article on perfectionism I read last week. If we truly have no diposition to do evil then we will be perfect. It is a great, wonderful thing we should work on every day. But, we cannot expect ourselves to be that way right now. The important thing is that I am progressing in relation to myself, not how I compare to others.

I do know that when I cultivate in myself a disposition to do good my whole life becomes much much better. When I think back to times in my life when I was really seeking to do good, I can see how that effort cultivated in me a disposition to do good continually. And, when I had that disposition to do good all of these little sins didn't go away, but they did become easier. I was able to repent of some and move on to others and feel good about all of it.

Today I am going to ponder how I can continue to cultivate in myself a disposition to do good. I know that this program of scripture study is really helping my disposition to do good. Also, I remember ways that have helped me in the past. For example, I remember when I was attending devotional every week while I was attending BYU-Idaho it was a huge boost in my disposition to do good. Maybe I can find something similar for me to do now.

What in your life helps you to cultivate a disposition to do good continually? Can you think of times in your life when doing good was easier for you, and see perhaps why that was so?

Salvation Through the Atonement

Reading: "The Atonement: Our Greatest Hope," James E. Faust, Liahona, Jan 2002

If we focus on the Savior by focusing on his teachings, then perhaps the most important teaching for us to understand is the Atonement.

The subtitle of this article reads:

Our salvation depends on believing in and accepting the Atonement. Such acceptance requires a continual effort to understand it more fully.

Often, I don't feel like I really understand or appreciate the Atonement. However, I'm not sure how to go about understanding it better. After all, I've been going to church my whole life and in that time learned many things about the Atonement. What more can I do than what I have done to understand and appreciate the Atonement? So, today I sought out information about the Atonement in an effort to deepen my understanding.

In the article President Faust outlines several facts about the atonement. He talks about:

• It is only through the Atonement that we are saved
• Learning about the Atonement brings us closer to the Savior
• Through the Atonement Christ pays the price we cannot pay for our sins
• Christ suffered greatly as part of the Atonement, both in spirit and body
• Only Christ could perform the atonement because of his divine attributes
• The Atonement requires us to do all that we can to repent and then makes up for what we lack
• No one can understand how much pain the Savior suffered through the Atonement because it is infinitely more than we can experience
• The Atonement also helps victims by helping them to forgive
• The ultimate blessing of the Atonement is to return to live with God

When I think about the Atonement it motivates me to repent. Appreciation for what the Savior has done motivates me to repent. And, the knowledge that it is the only way I can return to God motivates me to repent. When I repent I am then accepting the Atonement. So, having gone through that thought process I now realize how learning about the Atonement helps me to believe and accept and act on it.

Today I'm going to ponder what I understand about the Atonement. If I come up with anything that I would like to understand better, I will use it as future scripture study topics.

How does the Atonement affect your life? Not just on the big things, but in your day to day life? What would you like to understand better about the Atonement?

Look Unto Me in Every Thought

Reading: Topical Guide - Thought, especially 1 Chronicles 28:9, Isaiah 55:8-9, Matthew 6:24-34, D&C 6:36

Today I decided to peruse the topical guide contents for thoughts or thinking. I quickly found that the "Thought (noun)" entry was much closer to what I was looking for than the "Think, Thought" entry.

While going through these scriptures I came up with several themes that struck me.

• God knows our thoughts on an intimate level. Our minds are open to him to see. See 1 Chronicles 28:9
  
• The Savior's thoughts are higher than our own thoughts. If our thoughts partly determine our righteousness, than surely God's thoughts are infinitely more righteous than our own. See Isaiah 55:8-9
  
• Those scriptures that talk about our thoughts often are talking about having faith and not worry about bad things that might happen. See Matthew 6:24-34 and D&C 6:36.

We usually think about our thoughts as private, and rightly so because no one else can read our thoughts. However, the fact that our thoughts are open to God helps me to see that it really is important to watch my thoughts. Some of the thoughts I entertain, such as impatient or selfish thoughts, are really not things I would like to parade before God.

Also, I find the "take no thought for the morrow" statement by the Savior particularly interesting in this context. We are asked to plan ahead and to prepare for whatever may come. But, God doesn't want us worrying or becoming obsessed with things of the world. I know in the past I have often spent a lot of energy worrying about things in my future that I really can't control. But, lately especially, I've been able to worry less about those things and I have been blessed by that increase of faith.

I've written a lot in the past week about thinking about the Savior and how to better control our thoughts. We want to be focusing on the Savior in our thoughts every day. However, we should not be demanding perfection of ourselves right now. Good thoughts helps us to be happy, help us to be more Christlike, help us to be more grateful, and help us to be less fearful. It has been a great topic to study and a great start for my new study plan. I really feel that I have learned a lot and what I have learned has made a difference in my week.

Do you have any experiences where changing how you thought made a big difference for you in some situation that you would like to share? Or, do any of the scriptures I shared or that you might have read about thoughts give you a different insight than what I shared?

Be Ye Therefore Perfect - Eventually

Reading: "What Does it Mean to be Perfect?", Cecil O. Samuelson, New Era, January 2006

I have already shared how asking "what would Jesus do?" affected me in a positive way. You can read about that in my last post.

However, a negative side effect I found of asking all the time "what would Jesus do?" was that I kept comparing myself to someone who is perfect. I found myself thinking, "Christ would not even have that problem because he never would have done the stupid things that got him there, and I am just messed up." This was not an uplifting way of thinking.

Thus, I thought today it would be good to read an article on perfectionism. This particular article is an old favorite of mine.

Perfectionism is not humility, and it is not of God. It is when we get so down on ourselves about what is wrong with us that we lose sight of the more positive aspects of the gospel. It is a serious problem and can have serious consequences. If you think you have this problem, I highly encourage you to review the list at the end of this article because it does a good job of showing the difference between perfectionism and humility.

One thing I often find myself doing when I start to struggle with perfectionism is that I get the idea that I have to get rid of what weaknesses I have before I can be worthy of God's help. If we look at Ether 12:27 we can see this is not the case:

And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

God wants us to be perfect, but he also wants to help us get that way. If we are willing to ask for and receive God's help with problems, that is the point he will start helping us. What a beautiful thought! God does not just leave us to work out our own problems, but rather is ready to take us by the hand and lead us back to where we need to go.

Today I am going to try to take a different approach when I encounter problems. Rather than getting down on myself, I'm going to try and say a little prayer asking for God's help and then I'm going to find something more positive to think about or do.

I think everybody struggles with perfectionism at some point in their life. What ways have you found to help you deal with perfectionism? Do you have any insights that let you know when you have stopped being humble and started being a perfectionist?

What Would Jesus Do? Follow Up: The Dishwasher

Yesterday I said I would ask myself throughout the day "What Would Jesus Do?" and report to you if anything happened. Well, something did happen.

We live in a little apartment that is a good size and a good price, but is also old and kind of falling apart in places. Our landlord has always taken the approach of doing the minimum necessary to fix any problems that come up. He's not a bad landlord, or a mean landlord, but he's not a great landlord either.

So, the other day when our dishwasher stopped working I was a little surprised (and annoyed) when the message I got back from the landlord was that according to our contract we are in charge of any dishwasher repair. Once I thought about it I remembered reading something about appliances in the contract way back when we signed it, but it did strike me as the landlord being cheap yet again.

I also should share the fact that the landlord has our apartment up for sale. Someone could buy the apartment tomorrow and we could be moving any time. Or, nobody could buy it for years. Or, someone could buy it as an investment property and want us to keep living in it. We really have no idea.

So, my first response was to do the absolute minimum to the dishwasher to fulfill our contract. After all, it's wasn't as if the dishwasher worked very well to begin with. At first, I wanted to just not fix the dishwasher and leave it until we moved, but we really couldn't get away with that under the terms of the contract. My next preference was to spend the absolute minimum to get the dishwasher to what could be called "working" again.

Then, while pondering this, I asked myself "What would Jesus do?" I realized I had the totally wrong attitude. Just because our landlord does the least he can, didn't mean I should act the same way. What I should do is live up to what I promised to do and really fix the dishwasher. And, if we did end up moving in a week then I would be doing a service to the people who moved in, rather than a disservice. Service is good, right?

I don't know that my attitude change had a huge effect on the outcome of the situation. We had already decided it would be cheaper to buy a used dishwasher on craigslist than it would be try to get someone to repair it. Perhaps I would have tried harder to convince my husband to buy the cheaper, more questionable dishwasher rather than the more expensive, but definitely fully working dishwasher.

The real effect came inside me. I felt so much more at peace about the whole situation once I decided to do the right thing. I no longer felt angry at the landlord. I felt better about the prospect of moving. I knew I was doing the right thing and it made me happy.

What Would Jesus Do?

Reading: "Think on Christ", Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, April 1984, and Mosiah 4:29-30 & D&C 6:36

Continuing today the theme of how to focus on Christ, I read an article today by Ezra Taft Benson on how to keep Christ in our thoughts all the time. He stated that since our thoughts determine what we become, it is important that we keep our thoughts Christlike.

If thoughts make us what we are, and we are to be like Christ, then we must think Christlike thoughts.

There are many scriptures that talk about thoughts, as well. I was especially affected by Mosiah 4:29-30 and D&C 6:36. Clearly, what we think is important. While it is very hard or impossible to control what thoughts pop into our head, we can control what thoughts we dwell on. The less credence we give to bad thoughts, and the more we surround ourselves with good things, the less bad thoughts will pop up.

President Benson then shared a story of people who chose to ask "What would Jesus do?" each time they had to make a decision. In each person's life asking this question had bigger consequences than they expected, resulting in the person becoming much more Christlike. It helped me realize that while "WWJD" has become somewhat cliche, the spirit behind the sentiment is one that should still be important to all of us.

One thing I have learned in trying to "control" one's own thoughts, is that the harder you try NOT to think about something, the more you think about it. So, if one has a bad thought come into their mind and the person reacts by shouting in their head, "STOP THINKING ABOUT _____ RIGHT NOW!" they will never get rid of that thought. They will only make themselves feel much, much worse and perhaps they will wonder what is wrong with them that they cannot stop thinking such awful thoughts. However, if we try to remove a bad thought by simply replacing it with a good thought, such as a hymn or the question, "What would Jesus do?" then we will be much more successful. The less time and effort you spend on the bad thought, the better.

So, today, I am going to try applying what President Benson suggested and ask myself, "What would Jesus do?" each time I make a choice. I am really not sure what to expect, and the more cynical part of me thinks not much, but if anything of interest does happen I'll share it with you tomorrow.

Do you have any ideas on how to keep your thoughts Christlike? Or, do you have an experience where pondering on "What would Jesus do" made a difference in your life?

Remembering What God Has Done For Us

Reading: "O Remember, Remember", President Henry B. Eyring, Liahona, Nov 2007

So, continuing today on the theme of focusing on Christ I chose to read Elder' Eyring's article about remembering what God has done for us. In the article Elder Eyring shares how as a parent he kept a journal recording the things that God had done for his family each day. Then he gave copies of that journal to his children when they were grown. That journal is an inspiration to his whole family today.

He then talks about how easy it is for us to forget how blessed we are by God. We forget when we are prosperous because everything seems so common place. We forget when we are suffering because we are so consumed by how bad things are we forget to see what is good. Throughout all of the history of the Earth mankind has struggled to remember God's goodness.

The key to remembering the Savior in our daily lives, he says, is in having the Holy Ghost to be with us. The Holy Ghost will help us to remember times throughout our lives that God helped us. We must then strive to be worthy of the Holy Ghost's presence.

Elder Eyring then challenges us to pray for help in seeing God's hand in our daily lives and then "preserve that memory" for us and for future generations.

I know that this is definitely a good thing to do. Just yesterday, as I was writing in my journal about my scripture study, I realized that focusing on Christ means focusing on his teachings. For some reason I got the idea that focusing on Christ meant thinking about his person, his appearance, his personality, and his opinions. After all, if I were going to "focus" on someone I know, that is what I would focus on.

However, we don't really know those things about Christ. What we do know is what he taught, and that is what is most important. When we learn Christ's teachings, then we learn about who he is and we learn to love him. When we focus on Christ, it means we seek to learn and exemplify all that he taught. What a great insight, and I would not have gained it had I not taken the time to write down my scripture study experience.

What has God done for you lately that you maybe haven't noticed up until now? And/or, do you have any good ideas on ways to preserve that experience for future remembering?

Questions and Answers, Liahona, December 2001, 25

Last Sunday in Relief Society we had a lesson on "loving life and learning." During the lesson we discussed at length how to love life and learning. During this discussion someone shared an insight that I have been thinking about since.

She shared a story of a friend who was not enjoying her mission. Her friend was disturbed by how unhappy she was and talked to her mission president about how to become happier. Her mission president told her to stop worrying so much about being happy and to focus on the Savior. Once the missionary did this, she did not have any more problems with happiness for the rest of her mission.

This story resonated with me because I often find the harder I try to make myself be happy, the worse I feel. It makes sense that focusing outward on the Savior would make one happier than just trying to be happy.

So, then, how do I focus on the Savior? I searched lds.org and found in Questions and Answers many answers to the question "How can I keep my thoughts centered on Jesus Christ during my daily activities?"

Answers they gave included:

• Strive to be obedient
• Pray
• Study the scriptures
• Serve
• Attend the temple and other Church meetings

I also enjoyed reading church member's stories about how they focus on Jesus Christ throughout the day. It helped me to realize that I definitely could do much better about focusing on the Savior as I go through my daily activities.

So, I am going to resolve to think more about the Savior as I go through my day. I'm going to especially try to find ways to be more Christlike as I attend to my daily things. Perhaps I could be a little more patient with my husband? Perhaps I could think about the deeper meaning of a problem rather than just complain?

What do you do to keep your thoughts focused on the Savior throughout the day? Or, what do you plan to do to get better at this important key to happiness?

New Study Plan

I'm sorry for the big gap in posts. I've been thinking seriously about how I want to approach my scripture study and how I can really gain the most from it.

There are three things I wish to accomplish from my scripture study:

1 - Motivate myself to change
2 - Gain factual knowledge
3 - Gain faith in the gospel

I have realized that my current study plan is mostly focused on number 2, and numbers 1 and 3 are only a by-product. I would like to change my study plan so it helps me achieve all three goals.

After pondering it, I've decided my scripture study needs to include the following things to help me achieve all three by products from my scripture study.

1- Invite the spirit
2- A quiet environment
3- Beginning with a prayer
4- Focusing on personal application
5- Writing down what I have learned
6- A humble, teachable attitude
7- A regular time each day to study
8- Flexibility so I can work around family needs
9- Quantifying what I have learned such that I could share it with others

So, from now on my entries are going to be very different. Rather than sticking with the lesson plan from Doctrines of the Gospel, I am going to find something to read each day that pertains to things going on now in my life. This could include any of the standard works, general conference addresses, articles from church magazines, or books on church doctrine.

I will then write up a semi-personal application to share on this blog. If someday I actually have anyone reading this blog, I'd love to encourage comments and discussion based on the entries.

So, we'll see where it goes from here...

Chapter 9: The Atonement of Jesus Christ, C: Only Jesus Christ possessed the qualifications and attributes necessary to perfrom an infinite atonement

The Savior was the only one who could perform the atonement because of his unique traits. First, he was the Only Begotten son of the father, meaning he had power over his body that we do not have. This allowed him to suffer the pain of the atonement when another would have died or been succumbed by the pain.

Wherefore, the Almighty God gave his Only Begotten Son, as it is written in those scriptures which have been given of him.
D&C 20:21

Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit - and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink.
D&C 19:18

Behold, they believed in Christ and worshiped the Father in his name, and also we worship the Father in his name. And for this intent we keep the law of Moses, it pointing our souls to him; and for this cause it is sanctified unto us for righteousness, even as it was accounted unto Abraham in the wilderness to be obedient unto the commands of God in offering up his son Isaac, which is a similitude of God and his Only Begotten Son.
Jacob 4:5

The Savior was completely sinless. He was a perfect sacrifice because he had no sin in him. This is not because he had it easy or didn't go through the same, but rather he went through everything yet still remained clean.

And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
1 John 3:5

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Hebrews 4:15

Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him--Saying: Father, behold the suffering and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold, the blood of thy Son was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified. Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life.
D&C 45:3-5

Some superior agency was needed to elevate [fallen man] above his low and degraded position. This superior agency was the Son of God, who had not, as man had, violated a law of His Father, but was yet one with His Fatherk, possessing His glory, His power, His authority, His dominion.
John Taylor, The Mediation and Atonement, 145

Christ had power over death. He was able to hold on to his life or let it go. When he suffered and died for us, it was entirely by his active choice.

For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself.
John 5:26

Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
John 10:17-18

Chapter 9: The Atonement of Jesus Christ, B: Because we are fallen, we have need of an Atonement.

We have to have a Savior. We needed to fall to learn good from bad, but we need to be saved to return to God's presence and to continue progressing. Without the Savior's atonement, we would be subjects of the devil for the rest of eternity, endlessly miserable and unhappy.

For as death hath passed upon all men, to fulfill the merciful plan of the great Creator, there must needs be a power of resurrection, and the resurrection must needs come unto man by reason of the fall; and the fall came by reason of transgression; and because man became fallen they were cut off from the presence of the Lord. Wherefore it must needs be an infinite atonement - save it should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man must needs have remained 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. O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace! For behold, if the flesh should rise no more our spirits must become subject to that angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the devil, to rise no more. And our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery, like unto himself; yea, to that being who beguiled our first parents, who transformeth himself nigh unto an engel of light, and stirreth up the children of men unto secret combinations of murder and all manner of secret works of darkness. O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monter, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit. And because of the way of deliverance of our God, the Holy One of Israel, this death, of which I have spoken, which is the temporal, shall deliver up its dead; which death is the grave. And this death of which I have spoken, which is the spiritual deah, shall deliver up its dead; which spiritual death is hell; wherefore, death and hell must deliver up their dead, and hell must deliver up its captive spirits, and the grave must deliver up its captive bodies, and the bodies and spirits of men will be restored one to the other; and it is by the power of the resurrection of the Holy One of Israel.
2 Nephi 9:6-12

And now, behold, I will testify unto you of myself that thse things are true. Behold, I say unto you, that I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it. For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are haredened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made.
Alma 34:8-9

All have sinned. Each person is therefore unclean to the extent which he has sinned, and because of that uncleanness is banished from the presence of the Lord so long as the effect of his own wrongdoing is upon him.
Since we suffer this spiritual death as a result of our own trangressions, we cannot claim deliverance therfrom as a matter of justice. Neither has any man the power within himself alone to make restitution so complete that he can be wholly cleansed from the effect of his own wrongdoing. If men are to be freed from the results of their own trangressions and brough back into the presence of God, they must be the benficiaries of some expedient beyond themselves which will free them from the effect of their own sins. For this purpose was the atonement of Jesus Christ conceived and executed.
This was the world's supreme act of charity, performed by Jesus out of his great love for us. He not only thereby met the demands of the law of justice - which would have left us forever marred by the effects of our own trangressions - but made effective the law of mercy, through which all men may be cleansed from their own sins.
Marion G. Romney, in Conference Report, April 1982, 9

To atone is to ransom, reconcile, expiate, redeem, reclaim, absolve, propitiate, make amends, pay the penalty. Thus the atonement of Christ is designed to ransom men from the effect of the fall of Adam in that both spiritual and temporal death are conquered; their lasting effect is nullified. The spiritual death of the fall is replaced by the spiritual life of the atonement, in that all who believe and obey the gospel law gain spiritual or eternal life - life in the presence of God where those who enjoy it are alive to things of righteosness or things of the Spirit. The temporal death of the fall is replaced by the state of immortality which comes because of the atonement and resurrection of our Lord. The body and spirit which separated, incident to what men call the natural death, are reunited in immortality, in an inseperable connection that never again will permit the mortal body to see corruption.
Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 62

Chapter 9: The Atonement of Jesus Christ, A: God Governs the Universe By Law

There are laws by which this life is governed. These are God's laws pertaining to sin and righteousness. These laws are necessary for us to be happy. Without laws there would be no punishment, but there also would be no reward and we would be neither happy nor sad, just neutral.

There is a law irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated - and when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.
D&C 130:20-21

For all who will have a blessing at my hands shall abide the law which was appointed for that blessing, and the conditions thereof, as were instituted from before the foundation of the world.
D&C 132:5

And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. ANd if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor hapiness there be no punishment no misery. And if these things are not there is no God. And if there is no God we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, enither to act no to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished away.
2 Nephi 2:13

Sin is the transgression of the law. Everybody in this earth life sins. Thus, we all are fallen and in need of a Savior.

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
1 John 3:4

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it no, to him it is sin.
James 4:17

For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:23

For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made.
Alma 34:9

It is necessary that there be a punishment for sin. If there are laws, and there is no punishment for breaking those laws, then the laws aren't really there. Without laws, we are all lost.

Now repentance could not come unto men except there were a punishment, which also was eternal as the life of the soul should be, affixed opposite to the plan of happiness, which was as eternal also as the life of the soul. Now, how could a man repent except he should sin? How could he sin if there was no law? How could there be a law save there was a punishment? . . . But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a repentance granted; which repentance, mercy claimeth; otherwise, justice claimeth the creature and executeth the law, and the law inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the works of justice would be destroyed, and God would cease to be God.
Alma 42:16-17, 22

But if they would not repent, they must suffer even as I.
D&C 19:17

Chapter 8: The Fall, E: In This Life We Are Subject to the Enticements of the Flesh and the Spirit

In this life we are placed in between two tempting forces that are pulling us in opposite directions. The spirit wants us to become better people. The physical wants us to gratify pleasures immediately without regard to consequences.

For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever unless he yields to the enticing of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.
Mosiah 3:19

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be arnally mined is death; but to be spiritually mindedis life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So the then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Romans 8:5-8

Man has a dual nature; one, related to the earthly or animal life; akin to the divine. Whether a man remains satisfied withint what we designate the animal world, satisfied with what the animal world will give him, yielding without effort to the whim of his appetities and passions and slipping father and farther into the realm of indulgence, or whether, through self-master, he rises toward intellectual, moral, and spiritual enjoyments depends on the kind of choice he makes every day, nay, every hour of his life.
David O. McKay, Gospel Ideals, 347-48

Study Plan Update

Although I have hardly been perfect in doing one post per day, my post frequency may decrease further from this point forward. Rather than trying to complete one post per day, I am imposing a time limit on my study each day. This will allow me to focus more fully on family duties.

Some posts don't take very long at all, while other posts seem to take forever (usually because they contain so much valuable information). So, I really don't know what frequency my posts will take on from this point forward. Just know that a post will not go up until it is complete. The date that appears on the post is the date the post was started, even if it is not posted until several days later.

I also am going to try to do better at labeling each post. In my rush to get the post done for the day I have neglected adding labels to most of my posts - this is something I would like to change.

Chapter 8: The Fall, D: The Fall Was a Purposeful Step in God's Plan of Salvation

The fall was a necessary and planned part of life on Earth. It was not an accident, nor an arbitrary punishment. God designed that fall should bring about our fallen state, which was necessary for our eternal development.

We came into this world to die. That was understood before we came here. It is part of the plan, all discussed and arranged long before men were placed upon the earth. When Adam was sent into this world, it was with the understanding that he would violate a law, transgress a law, in order to bring to pass this mortal condition which we find ourselves in today.
Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:66

When Adam was driven out of the Garden of Eden, the Lord passed a sentence upon him. Some people have looked upon that sentence as being a dreadful thing. It was not; it was a blessing. . . .
In order for mankind to obtain salvation and exaltation it is necessary for them to obtain bodies in this world, and pass through the experiences and schooling that are found only in mortality. . . .
The fall of man came as a blessing in disguise, and was the means of furthering the purposes of the Lord in the progress of man, rather than a means of hindering them.
Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:113-14

Did they [Adam and Eve] come out in direction opposition to God and his government? No. But they transgressed a command of the Lord, and through that transgression sin came into the world. The Lord knew they would do this, and he designed that they should.
Brigham Young, Discourses of Brigham Young, 103

We needed to be tempted by Satan in order to truly have free agency. If all we know is good, we don't really have a choice, and thus, no agency. With temptation also came the ability to know the joy that comes from choosing good over evil.

And it must needs be that the devil should tempt the children of men, or they could not be agents unto themselves; for if they never should have bitter they could not know the sweet--Wherefore, it came to pass that the devil tempted Adam, and he partook of the forbidden fruit and transgressed the commandment wherein he became subject to the will of the devil, because he yielded unto temptation.
D&C 29:39-40

Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy. 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. 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.
2 Nephi 2:25-27

If we cannot be good, except as we resist and overcome evil, then evil must be present to be resisted.
So this earth life is set up according to true principles, and these conditions that followed the transgression [of Adam] were not, in the usual sense, penalties that were inflicted upon us. All these . . . that seem to be sad infliction of punishment, sorrow, and trouble are in the end not that. They are blessings. We have attained a knowledge of good and evil, the power to obtain redemption and eternal life. These things had their origin in this transgression. The Lord has set the earth up so we have to labor if we are going to live, which preserves us from the curse of idleness and indolence; and thou the Lord condemns us to death-mortal death-it is one of the greatest blessings that comes to us here because it is the doorway to immorality, and we can never attain immorality without dying.
So these are all real blessings. We come to earth with all these condition arranged as they are so that we have to struggle constantly against evil, struggle to preserve our lives, struggle for everything of true value-that is the thing for us to understand-this is the course of life that is most desirable, and for our good. We have no need to find fault with these conditions. The Lord has ordained them all for our welfare and happiness.
Morris, in Conference Report, April 1958, 39

If the fall had never happened Adam and Eve would never had had children. It was not a matter of everyone living happily in the garden of Eden, for nobody would ever have been born. The fall was necessary for mankind to come upon the earth in the current state.

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.
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.
2 Nephi 2:22-24


And in that day Adam blessed God and was filled, and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth, saying: Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again the flesh I shall see God.
And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, 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 5:10-11

Give Us Strength According to Our Faith . . . in Christ, Alma 13-16

Today I am going through the Sunday School lesson for today. This is reverse from most entries, as the quoted questions from the lesson prep are in block and my answers indented.

After being persecuted in prison for many days, how were Alma and Amulek, finally delivered? What are some things from which we need to be delivered? Why must our faith be centered in Christ to lead us to deliverance?

Alma and Amulek were released from prison through a terrible earthquake that killed all the men except them. There are many things we need to be delivered from as well, most originating from sin. We need to be delivered from debt/bondage, addictions, bad habits, emotional problems, temptations, and so on. Our faith must be centered in Christ because it is only through Christ that we can be redeemed. Christ is our Savior and so only through Him can we receive the strength to be delivered from our problems.

What does Alma 15:3-5 reveal about Zeezrom's trust in Alma and Amulek? In whom did Zeezrom need to place his trust in order to be healed? What do you learn from Zeezrom's actions after he was healed?

Zeezrom trusted that Alma and Amulek could heal him. However, Alma and Amulek were careful to point out that he needed to have faith in Christ, not in Alma, to be healed. Zeezrom was healed after stating that he believed in Christ. You can see that Zeezrom was truly converted because afterwards he went out and preached the gospel.

Chapter 8: The Fall, C: The Fall Brought About Significant Changes for Adam and Eve's Posterity

While this section contained references regarding several aspects of how Adam and Eve's and our lives were changed by the fall, I am focusing on just a few that I felt most important.

The fall of Adam brought about mortality. Had this not happened, Adam and Eve would still be alive today (although we would never have been born).

And he said unto them: Because that Adam fell, we are; and by his fall came death; and we are made partakes or misery and woe.
Moses 6:48

Now Alma said unto him: This is the thing which I was about to explain. Now we see that Adam did fall by the partaking of the forbidden fruit, according to the word of God; and thus we see, that by his fall, all mankind became a lost and fallen people. And now behold, I say unto you that if it had been possible for Adam to have partaken of the fruit of the tree of life at that time, ther would have been no death, and the word would have been void, making God a liar, for he said: If thou eat thou shalt surely die. And we see that death comes upon mankind, yea, the death which has been spoken of by Amulek, which is the temporal death; nevertheless there was a space granted unto man in which he might repent; therefore this life became a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God; a time to prepare for that endless state which has been spoken of by us, which is after the resurrection of the dead.
Alma 12:22-24

And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never shoul 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

In addition to the "temporal" death, Adam and Eve were also subject to a spiritual death. They were cast out of the presence of God, which is spiritual death. It was necessary for us to leave the presence of God so that we could be tested.

But behold, it was appointed unto man to die--therefore, as they were cut off from the tree of life they should be cut off from the face of the earth--and man became lost forever, yea, they became fallen man. And now, ye see by this that our first parents were cut off both temporally and spiritually from the presence of the Lord; and thus we see they became subjects to follow after their own will. . . . Therefore, as the soul could never die, and the fall had brought upon all mankind a spiritual death as well as a temporal, that is, they were cut off from the presence of the Lord, it was expedient that mankind should be reclaimed from this spiritual death.
Alma 42:6-7,9

And it must needs be that the devil should tempt the children of men, or they could not be agents unto themselves; for if they never should have bitter they could not know the sweet--Wherefore, it came to pass that the devil tempted Adam, and he partook of the forbidden fruit and transgressed the commandment, whereinhe became subject to the will of the devil, because he yielded unto temptation. Wherefore, I the Lord God, caused that he should be cast out from the Garden of Eden, from my presence, because of his transgression, wherein he became spiritually dead, which is the first death, even that same death which is the last death, which is spiritual, which shall be pronounced upon the wiched when I shall say: Depart, ye cursed. But, behold, I say unto you that I, the Lord God, gave unto Adam and unto his seed, that they should not die as to the temporal death until I, the Lord God, should send forth angels to declare unto them repentnce and recemption, through faith on the name of mine Only Begotten Son. And thus did I, the Lord God, appoint unto man the days of his probation--that he might be raised in immoratlity unto eternal life, even as man as would believe.
D&C 29:39-43

When Adam, our first parent, partook of the forbidden fruit, transgressed the law of God, and became subject unto Satan, he was banished from the presence of God, and was thrust out into outer spiritual darkness. This was the first death. Yet living, he was dead-dead to God, dead to light and truth, dead spiritually; cast out from the presence of God; communication between the Father and the Son was cut off. He was absolutely thrust out from the presence of God as was Satan and the hosts that followed him. That was spiritual death. But the Lord said that he would not suffer Adam nor his posterity to come to the temporal death until they shoudl have the means by which they might be redeemed form th ffirst death, which is spiritual.
Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, 432

Part of the fall was that man became subject to misery and unhapiness. This was an essential part of the plan, so that we could also learn to be happy at the same time. Part of this is that we are subject to sin. The fallen man becomes more and more devilish the more he lets the "natural man" dictate his actions rather than the teachings of God.

For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not, so, my first=born in the wilderness, righteouness could not be brough to pass, neither wickedness, neither hoiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having to life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibiltiy.
2 Nephi 2:11

And now, my son, all men that are in a state of nature, or I would say, in a carnal state, are in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity; they are without God in the world, and they have gone contrary to the nature of God; therefore, they are in a state contrary to the nature of happiness.
Alma 41:11

The "natural man" is the "earthy man" who has allowed rude animal passions to overshadow his spiritual inclinations.
Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, Nov. 1974, 112

This being "conceived in sin" [Moses 6:55] as I understand it, is only that they are in the midst of sin. They come into the world where sin is prevalent, and it will enter into their hearts, but it will lead them "to taste the bigger that they they may know to prize the good."
George Q. Morris, in Conference Report, April 1958, 38

Chapter 8: The Fall, B: Adam and Eve Brought About the Fall By Their Own Choice

God gave Adam and Eve a commandment not to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and then said to choose for themselves. I have heard it explained many ways, but the main idea here is that it was necessary for Adam and Eve to fall, and in order to fall they needed to break that commandment.

And the Lord God took the ma, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And 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 shal not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Genesis 2:15-17

I'm very, very grateful that in the Book of Mormon, and I think elsewhere in our scriptures, the fall of Adam has not been called a sin. It wasn't a sin. . . . What did Adam do? The very thing the Lord wanted him to do; and I hate to hear anybody call it a sin, for it wasn't a sin. Did Adam sin when he partook of the forbidden fuit? I say to you, no, he did not! Now, let me refer to what was written in the book of Moses in regard to the command God gave to Adam. [Moses 3:16-17]
Now this is the way I interpret that: The Lord said to Adam, here is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you want to stay here, then you cannot eat of that fruit. But you may act for yourself, and you may eat of it if you want to. And if you eat it, you will die.
I see a great difference between transgressing the law and committing a sin.
Joseph Fielding Smith, "Fall--Atonement--Resurrection--Sacrament," in Charge to Religious Education, 124

Adam and Eve were chosen to come here as the primal parents of humanity. And they were placed in the Garden of Eden where there was no death and we read in the scriptures that they could have lived in that Garden forever, but not under the most favorable circumstances. For there, although they were in the presence of God, they were deprived of certain knowledge and understanding in a condition where they could not understand clearly things that were necessary for them to now. Therefore, it became essential to their salavation and to our that their nature should be changed. The only way it could be changed was violation by the violation of the law under which they were at that time. Mortality could not come without violation of that law and mortality was essential, a step towards our exaltation. Therefore, Adam partook of the forbidden fruit, forbidden in a rather peculiar manner for it is the only place in all the history where we read that the Lord forbade something and yet said, "Nevertheless thous mayest choose for thyself." He never said that of any sin. I do not look upon Adam's fall as a sin, although it was a transgression of the law. It had to be. And Adam came under a different law. The temporal law. And he became subject to death. The partaking of that fruit created blood in hhis body and that blood became the life-giving influence of morality.
Jospeh Fielding Smith, The Atonement of Jesus Christ, Brigham Young University Speeches of the Year [25 Jan. 1955], 2

Satan, through the serpent, tempted Eve to eat the fruit. She shared it with Adam. Both Adam and Eve made their own choice to eat the fruit, knowing the consequences. They may or may not have realized at the time that it was a necessary part of God's plan, but they knew they would be cast out of the garden of Eden. The devil tempted Eve, but it was her choice and she made it, and so did Adam when it was presented to him.

And now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which I, the Lord God, had made. And Satan put it into the heart of the serpent, (for he had drawn away many after him,) and he sought also to beguild Eve, for he knew no the mind of God, wherefore he sought to destroy the world. 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.) And the woman said unto the serpent: We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden; But of the fruit of the tree which thou beholdest in the midst of the garden, God hat said--Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman: Ye shall not surely die; Fod God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it became pleasant to the eyes, and a a tree to be desired to make her wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and also gave unto her husband with her, and he did eat.
Moses 4:5-12

The devil in tempting Eve told a truth when he said unto her that when she should eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil they should become as Gods. He told the truth in telling that, but he accompanied it with a lie as he always does. He never tells the complete truth. He said that they should not die. The Fathe had said that they should die. The devil had to tell a lie in order to accomplish his purposes; but there was some truth in his statement. Their eyes were opened. They had a knoledge of good and evil just as the God have.
George Q. Cannon, Gospel Truth, 1:16

The adversary, Lucifer, through the serpent beguiled Eve and deceived her and induced her to eat of the forbidden fruit. It was not so with Adam. . . . He knew that unless he did partake there would be an eternal separation between him and the partner that God had given to him, so he transgressed the law. . . . Because had he not partaken of the fruit, they would have been eternally separated.
George Q. Cannon, Gospel Truth, 1:24

Chapter 8: The Fall, A: Condition in the Garden of Eden Were Different From Those of Mortality

Before the fall the Earth would not have changed. This is a new doctrine I just learned today, but it seems that man and all of creation existed in spirit form before the fall. That is, they were immortal and unable to change. Were it not for the fall they would have remained the same forever, in bliss and beauty but also never growing or multiplying.

And now, behold, if Adam has 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 win which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.
2 Nephi 2:22

And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew. For I, the Lord God, created all things, of which I have spoken, spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth. For I, the Lord God, had not aused it to rain upon the face of the earth. And I, the Lord God, had created all the children of men; and no yet a man to till the ground; for in heaven created I them; and there was not yet flesh upon the earth, neither in the water, neither in the air; But I, the Lord God, speak, and there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. And I, the Lor God, formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul, the first flesh upon the earth, the first man also; nevertheless, all things were before created; but spiritually they were created and made according to my word. And I, the Lord God, planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there Iput the man whom I had formed.
Moses 3:5-8

Adam had a spritual body until mortality came upon him through the violation of the law under which he was living, but he also had a physical body of flesh and bones.
. . . Now what is a spiritual body? It is one that quickened by spirit and not by blood.
. . . When Adam was in the Garden of Eden, he was not subject to death. There was no blood in his body and he could have remained there forever. This is true of all the other creations.
Jospeh Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:76-77

Adam and Eve were in the presence of God while in the Garden of Eden. They were able to converse with him and learn from him.

And they heard the voice of the Lord God, as they were walking in the garden, in the cool of the day; and Adam and his wife went to hide themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.
Moses 4:14

Adam and Eve would have had no children had they continue to live in the Garden of Eden. They were in a state of innocence, meaning that they didn't understand about good and evil because they had no way to know of such things. They were neither happy nor sad, just innocent. This does not mean that original sin was sexual relations, which is something other Christian sects sometimes hold, but that without the fall the spiritual bodies of Adam and Eve would not have been capable of bearing children.

And they would have had no children; where fore 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.
2 Nephi 2:23

And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and they joy of our redemptin, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.
Moses 5:11

He [Adam] had knowledge, of course. He could speak. He could converse. There were many things he could be taught and was taught; but under the condition in which he was living at that time it was impossible for him to visualize or understand the power of good and evil. He did not know what pain was. He did not know what sorrow was; and a thousand other things that have come to us in this life that Adam did not know in the Garden of Eden and could not understand and would not have known had he remained there.
Jospeh Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:107-8

Chapter 7: The Creation C: We Were Given a Unique Role Among God's Creations

We were created in the image of God. This has been talked about several times now in different sections and chapters of this study guide. Clearly, it is very important that we understand that we are the children of our Heavenly Father in a very literal sense.

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle and over all the earth, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Genesis 1:26-27

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, basing its belief on divine revelation, ancient and modern, proclaims man to be the direct and lineal offspring of Deity. God Himself is an exalted man, perfected, enthroned, and supreme. By His almighty power He organized the earth, and all that it contains, from spirit and element, which exist co-eternally with Himself. He formed every plant that grows, and every animal that breathes, each after its own kind, spiritually and temporally-'that which is spritual being in the likenss of that which is temporal, and that which is temporal in the likeness of that which is spritual." He made the tadpole and the ape, the lion and the lephant, but He did not make them in His own image, nor endow them with Godlike reason and intelligence. Nevertheless, the whole animal creation will be perfected and peretuated in the Hereafter, each class in its "distinct order or spher," and will enjoy "eternal felicity." That fact has been made plain in this dispensation (Doctrine and Covenants, 77:3).
Man is the child of God, formed in the divine image and endowed with divien attributes, and even as the infant son of an earthly father and mother is capable in due time of becoming a man, so the undeveloped offspring of celestial parentage is capable, by experience through ages and aeons, of evolving into a God.
The First Presidency [Jospeh . Smith, John R. Winder, and Anthon H. Lund], in James R. Clark, comp. Messages of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4:205-6

We know that Jehovah-Christ, assisted by "many of the noble and great one" (Abr. 3:22), of whom Michael is but the illustration, did in fact create the earth and all forms of plant and animal life on the face thereof. But when it came to placing man on earth, there was a change in Creators. That is, the Father himself became personally involved. All things were created by the Son, using the power delegated by the Father, except man. In the spirit and again in the flesh, man was created by the Father. There was no delegation of authority where the crowning creature of creation was concerned.
Bruce R. McConkie, The Promised Messiah, 62

Woman was created as a help meet to man; an equal partner. Several parts of the creation account indicate they were created to be equal - she was created from his rib, to stand at his side, she and he were not complete until there was both, and so on. It is only afterward that we see women being treated as number two, not by God, but by fallen man.

And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will him an help meet for him. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
Genesis 2:18, 21-24

And I God, blessed them, and said unto them: Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have domion over the fish of the sa, and over the fowl of the air, and ove every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Moses 2:28

It is written:
"And I, God, created man in mine own image, in the image of mine Only Begotten created I him; male and female created I them. (The story of the rib, of course, is figurative.)
And, I, God, blessed them (Man here is always in the plural. It was plural from the beginning.) and said unto them: Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over (it)." (Moses 2:27-28)
And the scripture says,
"And I, God, said unto mine Only Begotten, which was with me from the beginning: Let us make man (not a separate man, but a complete man, which is husband and wife) in our image, after our likeness; and it was so." (Moses 2:26) What a beautiful partnership! Adam and Eve were married for eternity by the Lord. . . .
"Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam (Mr. and Mrs. Adam, I suppose, or Brother and Sister Adam), in the day when they were created." (Genesis 5:1-2)
This is a partnership. Then when they had created them in the image of God, to them was given the eternal command, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it" (Gen 1:28), and as they completed this magnificent creation, they looked it over and pronounced it "good, very good"-- something that isn't to be improved upon by our modern intellectuals; the male to till the ground, support the family, to give proper leadership; the woman to cooperate, to bear the children, and to rear and teach them. It was "good, very good."
And that is the way the Lord organized it. This wasn't an experiment. He knew what he was doing.
Spencer W. Kimball, "The Blessing and Responsibilities of Womanhood," Ensign, Mar. 1976, 71)

The purpose of the earth's creation was for us to be tested. Thus, everything in the earth is created for our good. We know how vital it is to have a whole ecosystem in order to support life - that man could never live as a sole species. And, over all this we are the stewards. It is my personal belief and interpretation that we will be held accountable for how we have acted as stewards over the earth, and thus we should treat it with respect.

What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and hohour. Thou madest him to have dominon over the works fo thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: Al sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
Psalms 8:4-8

Verily I say, that inasmuch as ye do this, the fulness of the earth is yours, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which climbeth upon the trees and walketh upon the earth; Yea, and the herb, adn the good things wich come of the earth,m whether for food or for raiment, ro for houses, or for barns, or for orchards, or for gardens, or for vineyards; Yea, all thing which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart; Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul. And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to boe used, with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion.
D&C 59:16-20

The whole object of the creation of this world is to exalt the intelligences that are placed upon it, that they may live, endure, and increase for ever and ever.
Brigham Young, Discourse of Brigham Young, 57

Chapter 7: The Creation B: The Physical Creation Took Place According to the Plan of God

God made a plan for the physical creation. The plan was detailed and it was set out before he began. It encompasses the whole of creation.

All thrones and dominions, principalities and powers, shall be revealed and set forth upon all who have endured valiantly for the gospel of Jesus Christ. And also, if there be bounds set to the heavens or the seas, or to the dry land, or to the sun, moon, or stars-- All the times of their revolutions, all the appointed days, months, and years, and all the days of their days, months, and years, and all their glories, laws, and set times, shall be revealed in the days of the dispensation of the fulness of times -- According to that which was ordained in the midst of the Council of the Eternal God of all other gods before this world was, that should be reserved unto the finishing and the end thereof, when every man shall enter into into his eternal presence and into his immortal rest.
D&C 121:29-32

In the beginning, the head of the Gods called a council of the Gods; and they came together and concocted a plan to create the world and people in it.
Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 349

Now, the word create came from the word baurau which does not mean to create of nothing; it means to organize; the same as a man would organize materials and build a ship. Hence, we infer that God had materials to organize the world out of chaos--chaotic matter, which is element, and in which dwells all the glory. Elment had an existence from the time he had. The pure principles of element are principles which can never be destroyed; they may be organized and re-organized, but not destroyed. They had no beginning, and can have no end.
Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 350-52

God created the earth through Jesus Christ. When a building is built there is usually an architect, a foreman, a crew, and many more workers. Would you say it is the person who designed the building who created it? Or the person who oversaw the construction? We call both God and Jesus Christ the creator because they were both involved. God set forth the plan, Jesus Christ carried it forth with the help of others.

And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 3:9

And behold, the glory of the Lord was upon Moses, so that Moses stood in the presence of God, and talked with him face to face. And the Lord God said unto Moses: for mine own purpose have I made these things. Here is wisdom and it remaineth in me. ANd by the word of my power, have I created them, which is mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth. And worlds without number I have created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten.
Moses 1:31-33

It was Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, who, under the direction of his Father, came down and organized matter and made this planet. . . It is true that Adam helped to form this earth. He labored with our Savior Jesus Christ. I have a strong view or conviction that there were others also who assisted them. Perhaps Noah and Enoch; and why not Joseph Smith, and those who were appointed to be rulers before the earth was formed?
Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:74-77

God created the Earth in seven periods and then set the seventh "day" apart for rest.

But first, what is a day? It is a specified time period; it is an age, an eon, a dvision of eternity; it is the time between two identifiable events. And each day, of whatever length, has the duration needed for its purposes. One measuring rod is the time required for a celestial body to turn once on its axis. . . [See Abraham 3:4] There is no revealed recitation specifying that eacy of the "six days" involved in the Creation was of the sam duration. . . . Abraham gives a bluprint as it were of the Cration. He tells the plans of the holy beings who wrought the creative work. After reciting the events of the "six days" he says: "And thus were their decision at the time that they counseled among themselves to form the heavens and the earth." (Abraham 5:3) Then he says they performed as they had planned, which means we can, by merely changing the verb tenses and without doing violence to the sense and meaning also consider the Abrahamic account as one of the actual creation.
McConkie, "Christ and the Creation," 11

Thus the heaven and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day I, God, ended my work, and all things which I made; and I rested on the seventh day from all my work, and all things which I had made were finished, and I, God, saw that they were good; And I, God, blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; because that in it I had rested from all my work which I, God, had created and made.
Moses 3:1-3

Chapter 7: The Creation, A: All Things Were Created Spiritually Before They Were Created Physically

All things were created spiritually before they were created physically. This does not necessarily mean they were created at the time of the physical creation, but just before the physical creation. There is something even more basic than spirit or body that existed even before this creation.

And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the filed before it grew. For I, the Lord God, created all things, of which I have spoken, spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth. For I, the Lord God, had no caused it to rain upon the face of the earth. And I, the Lord God, had created all the children of men; and not yet a man to till the ground; for in heaven created created I them; and there was not yet flesh upon the earth, neither in the water, neither in the air. But, I the Lord, God, spake, and there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. And I, the Lord God, formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul, the first lesh upon the arth, the first man also; neverthless, all things were before created; but spiritually were they created and made according to my word.
Moses 3:5-7

These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew; for the Lord God hath not caused it to rain upon the arth, and there was not a man to till the ground.
Genesis 2:4-5

There is no account of the creation of man or other forms of life when they were created as spirits. There is just the simple statement that they were so created before the physical creation. The statements in Moses 3:5 and Genesis 2:5 are interpolations thrown into the account of the physical creation, explaining that all things were first created in the spirit existence in heaven before they were placed upon this earth.
Jospeh Field Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:75-76

This earth was created first spiritually. It was a spirit earth. Nothing then lived on its face, nor was it designed that anything should. Then came the physical creation, the paradisiacal caration, the creation of the arth in the Edenic day and before the fall of man. . . . Man and all forms of life existed as spirit beings and entities before the foundations of this earth were laid. There were spirit men and spirit beasts, spirit fowls and spirit fishes, spirit plants and spirit trees. Every creeping thing, ever herb and shrub, every amoeba and tadpole, every elephant and dinosaur--all things--existed as spirits, as spirit beings, before they were placed naturally upon this earth.
Bruce R. McConkie, The Millenial Messiah, 642-43

Chapter 6: Our Premortal Life, C: God the Father provided the plan of salvation by which HIs spirit children could eventually become like Him.

From the beginning God had a plan for us. It is important that we know that God has a plan, and the basics of that plan, because otherwise earth life seems pointless and silly. It is easy to understand how some people ridicule the idea of God when so many Christians belief extends little further than the righteous go to heaven and the wicked go to hell. When we understand WHY that is, and the purpose of this earth life, we are better able to understand and have faith in our Father in Heaven.

For a more structured/detailed description of the plan of salvation please go to mormon.org's explanation of the plan of salvation.

In the beginning God taught us as spirits about the plan. From the beginning, it was Christ who would be our Savior.

And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, 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; And they who keep their first estate [premortal life with God the Father in heaven] shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever. And the Lord said: Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I send me. And another answered and said: Here am I, send me. And the Lord said: I will send the first.
Abraham 3:24-27

But behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me--Father, they will be done, and the glory be thine forever.
Moses 4:2

But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last time for you.
1 Peter 1:19-20

When the great War in Heaven was fought, Lucifer, the son of the morning, came forth with a plan that was rejected. The Father of us all, with love for us, His children, offered a better plan under which we would have freedom to choose the course of our lives. His Firstborn Son, our Elder Brother, was the key to that plan. Man would have his agency, and with that agency would go accountability. Man would walk the ways of the world and sin and stumble. But the Son of God would take upon Himself flesh and offer Himself a sacrifice to atone for the sins of all men. Through unspeakable suffering He would become the great Redeemer, the Savior of all mankind.
Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, May 2002, 90

In the premortal life, Satan was an authority figure. When he rebelled against God by trying to take the glory to himself and take away the agency of man, there was a war. This was a war, as far as I can see, not with guns and armies, but for the spirit children of God. Those who fought with Satan eventually were thrust from heaven. This was approximately 1/3 of the spirit children of Heavenly Father.

And I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That Satan, whom thou has commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was from the beginning, and he came before me, saying--Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mandking, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor. But behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Bheloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me--Father, they will be done, and the glory by ehtine forever. Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that eh should be cast down.
Moses 4:1-3

And this we saw also, and bear record, that an angel of God who was in authority in the presence of God, who rebelled against the Only Begotten Son whom the Father loved and who was in the bosom of the Father, was thrust down from the presence of God and the Son, And was called Perdition, for the heavens wept over him--he was Lucifer, a son of the morning. And we beheld, and lo, he is fallen! is fallen, even a son of the morning! And while we were yet in the SPirit, the Lord commanded us that we should write the vision; for we beheld Satan, that old serpten, even the devil, who rebelled against God, and sought to take the kingdom of our God and his Christ-- Wherefore, he maketh war with saints fo God, and encompasseth them round abouth.
D&C 76:25-26

And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serptent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Revelation 12:7-9

What Satan wanted, quite evidently, was the full possession, ownership, of this creatio of spirits that is involved in the peopleing of this earth; so he tried to get them by gift, and that being denied, he is following along and trying to get us through the comission of sin. If we sin sufficiently we become his subjects.
As I read the scriptures, Satan's plan required two things: Either the compulsion of the mind, the spirit, the intelligence of man, or else saving men in sin. I question whether the intelligence of man can be compelled. Certainly men cannot be saved in sin, because the laws of salvation and exaltation are founded in righeousness, not in sin.
J. Rueben Clark Jr., in Converence Report, Oct. 1949, 13

The scriptures talk about the first estate and second estate. As far as I read, the first estate was our life with Father in heaven and the opportunity to come to the Earth and receive a body. Living with our Father in Heaven was a great privelege as we were able to learn from him and become more like him as we learned, so losing that privelege was a great loss. The loss of the body also meant that they could never progress further. The second estate is what we are concerned with in this life - it is the ability to eternally progress and truly become like our Father in Heaven. That may not be a perfect summation of things as they are, but that is what I understand at this point in time. (See Disclaimer.) Those sould who were with Christ in the war in heaven kept their first estate, while those who were with Satan lost it. In this life we are striving to keep our second estate.

And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads forever and ever.
Abraham 3:26

And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
Jude 1:6

The punishment of Satan and the third of the host of heaven who followed him, was that they were denied the privilege of being born into this world and receiving mortal bodies. They did not keep their first estate and were denied the opportunity of eternal progression. The Lord cast them out into the earth, where they became the tempters of mankind-the devil and his angels.
Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:65

Chapter 5: Our Premortal Life, B: We Lived as Spirit Children of God in a Premotal Existence

In a previous post we learned that God is the father of our spirits. We also know that our spirit bodies are like the bodies we have now, and that those bodies are in the likeness of God's exalted perfect body.

That which is spiritual being in the likeness of that which is temporal; and that which is temporal in the likness of that which is spiritual; the spirit of man in the likeness of his person, as also the spirit of the beast, and every other creature which God has created.
D&C 77:2

And never have I showed myself unto man whom I have created, for never has man believed in me as thou hast. Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image? Yea, even all men were created in the beginning after mine own image. Behold, this body, which ye now behold, is the body of my spirit; and man have I created after the body of my spirit; and even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit will I appear unto my people in the flesh.
Ether 3:15-16

All men and women are in the similitude of the universal Father and Mother, and are literally the sons and daughters of Deity. "God created man in His own image." This is just as true of the spirit as it is of the body, which is only the clothing of the spirit, its complement; the two together constituting the soul. The spirit of man is in the form of man, and the spirits of all creatures are in the likeness of their bodies. This was plainly taught by the Prophet Joseph Smith (Doctrine and Covenenants, 77:2).
The First Presidency [Joseph F. Smith, Jorn R. Widner, and Anthon H. Lund], in James R. Clark, comp. Messages of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4:203

These spirit beings, the offspring of exalted parents, were men and women, appearing in all respects as mortal person do, excepting only that their spirit bodies were made of a more pur and refined substance than the elements from which mortal bodies are made (Ether 3:16, D&C 131:7-8).
Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 589

In the premortal life we were taught. We are also given agency, allowing us to some extent to act upon those teachings ourselves and grow.

Even before they were born, they, with many others, received their first lessons in the world of spirits and were prepared to come forth in the due time of the Lord to labor in his vineyard for the salvation of the souls of men.
D&C 138:56

Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against men, and to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine only Begotten, I caused that eh should be cast down.
Moses 4:3

In the pre-existence we dwelt in the presence of God our Father. When the time arrived for us to be advanced in the scale of our existence and pass through this mundance probation, councils were held and the spirit cildren were instructed in matters pertaining to conditions in mortal life, and the reason for such an existence. In the former life we were spirits. In order that we should advance and eventually gain the goal of perfection, it was made known that we would receive tabernacles of flesh and bones and have to pass through mortality where we would be tried and proved to see if we, by trial, would prepare ourselves for exaltation. We were made to realize in the presence of our glorious Father, who had a tangible body of flesh and bones wich shone ike the sun, that we were, as spirits, far inferior in our station to him.
Joseph Field Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:57

Since we were taught, and were given agency, many used that agency and knowledge to become great in the premortal life. It is very reassuring to know that we were noble and great before we even came here.

It can also be tempting to use this doctrine to justify pride, but that is not God wants us to do with this doctrine, he merely wants to encourage us by building our belief in ourselves. When we start comparing ourselves to others we have stepped past God's inention in teaching us this doctrine. The commandment to love our neighbor comes far before this doctrine.

Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones; And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits and he saw that they were good; and said unto me; Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born. And there stood stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, 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 3:22-25

Before I formed thee in the bell I knew thee; and before camet forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Jeremiah 1:5

During the ages in which we dwelt in the premortal state we not only developed our various characteristics and showed our worthiness and ability, or the lack of it, but we were also where such progress could be observed. It is reasonable to believe that there was a Church organization there. The heavenly beings were living in a perfectly arranged society. Every person knew his place. Priesthood, without any question, had been conferred and the leaders were chosen to officiate. Ordinances pertaining to that pre-existence were required and the love of God prevailed. Under such conditions it was natural for our Father to discern and choose those who were most worthy and evaluate the talents of each individual. He knew not only what each of us could do, but what each of would do when put to the test and when the responsibility was given us. Then, when the time came for our habitation on mortal eath, all things were prepared and the servants of the Lord chosen and ordained to their respective missions.
Joseph Field Smith, The Way to Perfection, 50-51

Abraham 3:22-25
Jeremiah 1:5
During the ages...