"Virtually all spiritual advances that we make in our lives are preceded by some kind of a fall. That fall of living in the middle of melancholy forced me to figure out a way to climb out and reach higher."-Dr. Wayne Dyer (I Can See Clearly Now)
Adam and Even were placed in the Garden of Eden. They were foreordained to be the mother and father of all living. They were both the noblest of Heavenly Father's children. Adam who was Michael the Archangel in the spirit world was chosen to lead into the battle against Satan. Adam was promised great blessings by the Lord: "I have set thee to be at the head; a multitude of nations shall come of thee, and thou art a prince over them forever" (D&C 107:55). Likewise, Eve was made the mother of all living and shares equally in eternal blessings side by side with Adam.
Adam and Eve were not yet mortal when first placed in the Garden. There was no death in this state or ability to have children. They had both physical and spiritual life, because they had been created from the dust of the earth (physical) and because they were still talking with God face to face (spiritual). He was still in their presence. There had not been any choice made between good and evil. They were given a commandment to multiply and replenish the earth, yet were immortal still. They were told to not eat fruit from the tree of good and evil and warned that if they did, they would surely die.
Satan did not know God's thoughts and sought to destroy His plans. He went and tempted Eve to partake of the forbidden fruit. He told them that they would not die, but would be as God's knowing good and evil. He wanted to have dominion over them. Eve saw that in order to fulfill the level of their creation it was something that had to be done. She convinced Adam to partake and he did because he knew it was the only way to progress. This was known as "The Fall."
Their bodies were changed and they both became mortal. Becoming mortal subjected them to disease, sickness, and physical death. And at the same time, there was a spiritual death. They could no longer walk and talk with God face to face. They and all of their children were separated from God spiritually and psychically.
Many have believed this was a punishment for having eating of the forbidden fruit, but it actually was a blessing. This fall allowed for us all to have the beautiful gift of agency. To be able to choose for ourselves over good and evil. It also allowed for us to choose life and liberty through righteous living and eternal exaltation. We simply would not be here if it had not been for "the fall." Eve said,
"Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed (children), and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient." (Moses 5:11)
They would not have known joy, because they did not know misery. They would have remained in an innocent place. They would have not known good, because they did not know sin.
In other words if they had not fallen they would not have known the difference in order to know humility, patience, understanding, kindness, love, happiness, and ultimate joy.
"Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:22-25)
Because of the fall all men became subject to the temptations of the adversary and began to sin. But, because of this Adam and Eve were given a promise. He would send a Savior who would give the greatest gift of sacrifice in order to atone for the sins of all mankind. He would pay for them for us. Christ suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane. He took upon Him all of the sorrows of the world brought on by "the fall." He felt the sins, pains, sicknesses, discouragement,etc of ALL human kind. Those who have lived and will have lived. It is unfathomable the suffering He went through for all of us. The pain was so great, He bled from every pore.
He did this, so we could come upon Him when we fall. Whether we fall in sin, or in sorrow, we can give it all to Him. All He asks is that we look to Him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit and strive to become like Him.
When we experience the consequences of life, we are placed in a position where we either give up this life, or we are forced to climb upward. We are humbled and learn empathy for others who struggle. If we allow, it can become a cleansing from the corrosion of ordinary worldly consciousness. We may become deeper connected with God. It was after the fall that Adam and Eve were placed in a position of constant learning. It was after the fall that Adam and Eve learned how to have faith in a God they could no longer see, but knew was there. They offered sacrifices to Him with their hearts, and called upon Him in prayer. They suffered pain of every kind. Murder and other sins became prevalent, beginning with one of their first born children. They learned God-like attributes and that is exactly what is meant to be for all of us.
We each will experience a fall, or many throughout our life times. We have the opportunity of figuring how to climb back out, having grown a little taller and stronger each time we do.
Think of falling into a deep dark pit. Because of agency and our need to grow, Heavenly Father will not pull us out, BUT has provided us a light, a Savior, to guide us in climbing out of the pit. He is at the top...waiting. We look UP to the light and we climb. As we climb, our muscles become stronger. With every single movement, we are strengthened. After we have emerged, we are stronger then we ever were before. We feel for others who have fallen into a deep dark pit and we feel a need to also be a light to help them climb. We become more like Christ. When we do this, we feel so close to the LOVE of God, we are exhumed by it.
How can we not then be so incredibly grateful for the climb???
Trials of life, even when it seems there are so many, put us right in the place where we belong. It is up to us to utilize the gifts we have been given to not stay stuck in our pits of despair, discouragement, sorrow, frustration, bitterness, anger, and so forth. And when we pull ourselves out by looking to the light, we become exactly who we are meant to become. Over and over again until the perfect day where we too have overcome the world as Christ did. I love you all!!<3
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