Ch. 6: The Fall of Adam and Eve

from Gospel Principles:

Read this last week but I didn't get around to blogging about it because I
got busy preparing for my Easter weekend trip to Salt Lake City, Utah to see General Conference and celebrate my birthday. Anyway, Adam and Eve were the first to come to earth. They were our Father's noblest children. In the Garden of Eden, they were not yet mortal. They had physical life because their spirits were housed in physical bodies made from the dust of the earth. They had spiritual life because they were in the presence of God. Then when they partook of the forbidden fruit, the changes that came upon them became known as the Fall. They then became mortal ... they and their children would experience sickness, pain, and physical death. This also meant that they and their children could not walk and talk face to face with God. Hence, they and their children were separated from God both physically and spiritually.

Some people believe that they committed a serious sin when they ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. However, great blessings resulted from this transgression. As prophet Lehi explained: "And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen (been cut off from the presence of God), but he would have remained in the Garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created... And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin. But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things. Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy" (2Nephi 2:22-25). Consequently, the Fall was part of the plan of salvation.