I am preparing my lesson for sunday school today and thought I would share the text of the lesson with my Blog readers.
This has been a busy week. I am directing the Road Show for our Young Men and Women, and we had rehearsals on thursday, plus I did all my visiting teaching, and had several school appointments, parent teachers conferences for Andrew, and a meeting with the director of the spring musical at the school. I am probably going to be the musical director for the show.
Anyway, it has been a busy, fun week, and we were so pleased to receive report cards in the mail for Shelly (3.9 GPA), Allison (3.4 GPA) and Jeff who had a (3.7 GPA). The children have worked hard and we were very happy for the grades they all received.
Our lesson this week is on Adam and Eve and the Fall. I’m anticipating a good discussion in class.
If any of my blog readers are local and would like to attend, the sunday meetings are open to the public and visitors are welcome. The class will begin at about 12:15 this sunday noon, and the church is located in Louisville Colorado on south boulder road.
When you come into the church just ask someone for the missionary/new member class, and they will lead you to the classroom. Most people wear sunday best to church.
Jenny Hatch

The Fall of Adam and Eve
Chapter 6

Adam and Eve Were the First to Come to Earth

31110, Gospel Principles, Unit Two: Leaving the Presence of God, 6: The Fall of Adam and Eve, Adam and Eve Were the First to Come to Earth, 31

God prepared this earth as a home for his children. Adam and Eve were chosen to be the first people to live on the earth (see Moses 1:34). Their part in our Father’s plan was to bring mortality into the world. They were to be the first parents. (See D&C 107:54–56.)

Discussion

•     Read D&C 107:54–56. Who was Adam? What was he chosen to do?

Adam and Eve Were Valiant Spirits

Adam and Eve were among our Father’s noblest children. In the spirit world Adam was called Michael the Archangel (see D&C 27:11; Jude 1:9). He was chosen by our Heavenly Father to lead the righteous in the battle against Satan (see Revelation 12:7–9). Adam and Eve were foreordained to become the parents of the human race. The Lord promised Adam great blessings: “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).

Although the scriptures do not tell us anything about Eve before she came to earth, she must have been a choice daughter of God. She was called Eve because she was the mother of all living (see Moses 4:26). She was given to Adam because God said “it was not good that the man should be alone” (Moses 3:18). She shared Adam’s responsibility and will also share his eternal blessings.

Discussion

•     Read Revelation 12:7–9. How did Adam (Michael) prove that he was a valiant spirit?

•     Why was Eve given to Adam?

The Garden of Eden

When Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden, they were not yet mortal. They were not able to have children. There was no death. They had physical life because their spirits were housed in physical bodies made from the dust of the earth (see Abraham 5:7). They had spiritual life because they were in the presence of God (see Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 268). They had not yet made a choice between good and evil.

God commanded them to have children and to learn to control the earth. He said, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over … every living thing that moveth upon the earth” (Moses 2:28). God told them they could freely eat of every tree in the garden except one, the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Of that tree God said, “In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Moses 3:17).

Satan, not knowing the mind of God but seeking to destroy God’s plan, came to Eve in the Garden of Eden. He tempted her to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He assured her that she and Adam would not die, but that they would “be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Moses 4:11). Eve yielded to the temptation and ate the fruit. When Adam learned what had happened, he chose to partake also. The changes that came upon Adam and Eve because they ate the fruit are called the Fall.

Discussion

•     Read Moses 4:6–32. How was the Garden of Eden different from the world as we know it?

•     Discuss the conditions of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Adam and Eve’s Separation from God

Because Adam and Eve had eaten the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, the Lord sent them out of the Garden of Eden into the world as we now know it. Their physical condition changed as a result of their eating the forbidden fruit. As God had promised, they became mortal. They were able to have children. They and their children would experience sickness, pain, and physical death.

Because of their transgression, Adam and Eve also suffered spiritual death. This meant they and their children could not walk and talk face to face with God. Because Satan had introduced evil into the world, Adam and Eve and their children were separated from God both physically and spiritually.

Discussion

•     As a result of their transgression, what physical change occurred in Adam and Eve? What spiritual change occurred?

•     Read Moses 5:1–5. What was life like for Adam and Eve outside the Garden of Eden?

Great Blessings Resulted from the Transgression

Some people believe Adam and Eve committed a serious sin when they ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. However, latter-day scriptures help us understand that their fall was a necessary step in the plan of life and a great blessing to all of us. Because of the Fall, we are blessed with physical bodies, the right to choose between good and evil, and the opportunity to gain eternal life. None of these privileges would have been ours had Adam and Eve remained in the garden.

After 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).

The 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” (2 Nephi 2:22–25).

Discussion

•     Read Moses 5:6–12. After the Fall, how did Adam and Eve feel about their transgression and the Lord’s promise to redeem them?

Additional Scriptures

•     1 Nephi 5:11; 2 Nephi 2:20 (Adam and Eve first parents, family)

•     2 Nephi 2:14–21 (opposition and the Fall; life a probation)

•     2 Nephi 2:22–26 (Fall part of the plan of salvation)

[picture]
Adam and Eve kneeling at an altar.

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The lesson I am going to teach on sunday for Gospel Principles class is titled The Creation.
Jenny Hatch

The Creation
Chapter 5

31110, Gospel Principles, Unit Two: Leaving the Presence of God, 5: The Creation, 27

When we lived as spirit children with our heavenly parents, our Heavenly Father told us about his plan for us to become more like him. We shouted for joy when we heard his plan (see Job 38:7). We were eager for new experiences. In order for these things to happen, we needed to leave our Father’s presence and receive mortal bodies. We needed another place to live where we could prepare to become like him. Our new home was called earth.

Who Created the Earth for Us?

Jesus Christ created this world and everything in it. He also created many other worlds. He did so through the power of the priesthood, under the direction of our Heavenly Father. God the Father said, “Worlds without number have I created; … and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten” (Moses 1:33). We have other testimonies of this truth. Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon saw Jesus Christ in a vision. They testified “that by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God” (D&C 76:24).

Discussion

•     Who created the earth? Read Hebrews 1:1–2 and Moses 1:33.

Carrying Out the Creation

The earth and everything on it were created spiritually before they were created physically (see Moses 3:5). In planning to create the physical earth, Christ said to those who were with him, “We will go down, for there is space there, … and we will make an earth whereon these [the spirit children of our Father in Heaven] may dwell” (Abraham 3:24).

Under the direction of the Father, Christ formed and organized the earth. He divided light from darkness to make day and night. He formed the sun, moon, and stars. He divided the waters from the dry land to make seas, rivers, and lakes. He made the earth beautiful and productive. He made grass, trees, flowers, and other plants of all kinds. These plants contained seeds from which new plants could grow. Then he created the animals—fish, cattle, insects, and birds of all kinds. These animals had the ability to reproduce their own kind.

Now the earth was ready for the greatest creation of all—mankind. Our spirits would be given bodies of flesh and blood so they could live on earth. “And I, God, said unto mine Only Begotten, which was with me from the beginning: Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and it was so” (Moses 2:26). And so the first man, Adam, and the first woman, Eve, were formed and given bodies that resembled those of our heavenly parents. “In the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:27). When the Lord finished his creations, he was pleased and knew that his work was good, and he rested for a time.

Discussion

•     Show a food recipe or a dress pattern. What is another word for recipe and pattern? (Plan.) Read Abraham 3:24 to show that God plans for all of his creations.

God’s Creations Show His Love

We are now living in this beautiful world. Think of the sun, which gives us warmth and light. Think of the rain, which makes plants grow and makes the world feel clean and fresh. Think of how good it is to hear a bird singing or a friend laughing. Think of how wonderful our bodies are—how we can work and play and rest. When we consider all of these creations, we begin to understand what wise, powerful, and loving beings Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father are. They have shown great love for us by providing for all of our needs.

Plant life and animal life were also made to give us joy. The Lord said, “Yea, all things 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” (D&C 59:18–19). Even though God’s creations are many, he knows and loves them all. He said, “All things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I know them” (Moses 1:35).

Discussion

•     Discuss how we can show reverence for plants and animals.

•     Discuss the purpose of God’s creations (see D&C 59:18–19).

•     How do God’s creations show that he loves us?

•     To help develop an appreciation for the beauty of God’s creations, you might do the following activities for home evenings: plan a picnic, plant a garden, take a nature walk, enjoy a sunrise or sunset.

Additional Scriptures

•     Genesis 1:1–2:7; Abraham 3:22–23 and chapters Abraham 4–5; Moses 1:27–42 and chapters Moses 2–3 (accounts of the Creation)

•     Hebrews 1:1–3; Colossians 1:13–17; D&C 38:1–3 (Jesus the Creator)

•     D&C 59:18–20; Moses 2:26–31; D&C 104:13–17; Matthew 6:25–26 (Creation shows God’s love)

[picture]
Jehovah created a beautiful world for us.

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This past sunday I taught this class on Agency to my sunday school students. We had a spirited discussion and after reading 2 Nephi chapter 2, we got into a debate about the Fall of Adam. Some felt that Adam and Eve made their choice knowing exactly what they were doing and what was going to happen to them as a consequence of their transgression, and some in the class felt that they were innocent and did not fully understand the ramifications of the choice to partake of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
I was definitely on the side that believed they fully knew what they were doing when they decided to partake, but since we had such a lengthy debate, we decided to come back to the same lesson next week and try to sort it out.
Here is the text of the lesson, for your enjoyment.
Jenny Hatch

Freedom to Choose
Chapter 4

31110, Gospel Principles, Unit One: Our Premortal Life with God, 4: Freedom to Choose, 21

“Thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee” (Moses 3:17).

God has told us through his prophets that we are free to choose between good and evil. We may choose liberty and eternal life by following Jesus Christ. We are also free to choose captivity and death by following Satan. (See 2 Nephi 2:27.) The right to choose between good and evil is called agency.

Agency Is an Eternal Principle

In the premortal life we were free agents. That means we had power to act for ourselves (see D&C 93:29–30). One purpose of earth life is to show what choices we will make (see 2 Nephi 2:15–16). If we were forced to choose the right, we would not be able to show what we would choose for ourselves. Also, we are happier doing things when we have made our own choices.

Agency may have been one of the first issues to arise in the premortal council in heaven. It was one of the main causes of the conflict between the followers of Christ and the followers of Satan. Satan said he would bring all of us back to our Father’s presence, but he would have taken away our agency. When his offer was rejected, he rebelled and was cast out of heaven with his followers (see D&C 29:36–37).

Discussion

•     Ask class members to compare the feelings the words force and choice bring to mind.

Agency Is a Necessary Part of the Plan of Salvation

Agency makes our life on earth a period of testing. When planning the mortal creation of his children, God said, “We will prove [test] them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them” (Abraham 3:25). Without the gift of agency, we would have been unable to show our Heavenly Father whether we would do all that he commanded us. Because we are able to choose, we are responsible for our actions (see Helaman 14:30–31).

When we choose to live according to God’s plan for us, our agency is strengthened. Right choices increase our power to make more right choices.

As we obey each of our Father’s commandments, we grow in wisdom and strength of character. Our faith increases. We find it easier to make right choices.

We began to make choices as spirit children in our Heavenly Father’s presence. Our choices there made us worthy to come to earth. Our Heavenly Father wants us to grow in faith, power, knowledge, wisdom, and all other good things. If we keep his commandments and make right choices, we will learn and understand. We will become like him. (See D&C 93:28.)

Discussion

•     Read Moses 3:17 and Joshua 24:14–15. What choices have you made this week? Did these choices bring you closer to the Lord?

•     Why is agency necessary?

•     Read 2 Nephi 28:30. How does making right choices help us make more right choices?

Agency Requires That There Be a Choice

We cannot choose unless the opposites of good and evil are placed before us. Lehi, a great Book of Mormon prophet, told his son that in order to bring about the eternal purposes of God, there must be “an opposition in all things. If not so, … righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad” (2 Nephi 2:11).

God allows Satan to oppose the good. God said of Satan:

“I caused that he should be cast down;

“And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice” (Moses 4:3–4).

Satan does all he can to destroy God’s work. He seeks “the misery of all mankind, … for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself” (2 Nephi 2:18, 2 Nephi 2:27). He does not love us. He does not want any good thing for us. He does not want us to be happy. He wants to make us his slaves. He uses many disguises to capture us.

When we follow the temptations of Satan, we limit our choices. The following example suggests how this works. Imagine seeing a sign on the seashore that reads: “Danger—whirlpool. No swimming allowed here.” We might think that is a restriction. But is it? We still have many choices. We are free to swim somewhere else. We are free to walk along the beach and pick up seashells. We are free to watch the sunset. We are free to go home. We are also free to ignore the sign and swim in the dangerous place. But once the whirlpool has us in its grasp and we are pulled under, we have very few choices. We can try to escape, or we can call for help, but we may drown.

Even though we are free to choose our course of action, we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions. The consequences, whether good or bad, follow as a natural result of any choice we make (see Revelation 22:12). If we touch a hot flame, for example, we are burned.

Heavenly Father has told us how to escape the captivity of Satan. We must watch and pray always, asking God to help us withstand the temptations of Satan (see 3 Nephi 18:15). Our Heavenly Father will not allow us to be tempted beyond our power to resist (see 1 Corinthians 10:13).

God’s commandments direct us away from danger and toward eternal life. By choosing wisely, we will gain exaltation, progress eternally, and enjoy perfect happiness (see 2 Nephi 2:27–28).

Discussion

•     Place a treat within the reach of someone. Loosely wrap a cord around him, binding his arms to his body. Ask him if he can reach the treat. Tighten the cord so the person is bound. Explain that sin and ignorance also interfere with agency and prevent us from receiving blessings from God. Discuss how repentance and righteous living free us from the bondage of sin.

•     Why is opposition necessary? See 2 Nephi 2:15–16.

•     Read 2 Nephi 2:28. How can you choose eternal life?

Additional Scriptures

•     Moses 7:32 (freedom of choice)

•     Abraham 3:24–25 (earth life a test)

•     Moroni 7:5–6 (works judged)

•     2 Nephi 2:11–16 (opposition is necessary)

•     Moroni 7:12–17 (choosing good and evil)

•     2 Peter 2:19; John 8:34 (sin is bondage)

•     2 Nephi 2:28–29; Alma 40:12–13 (reward according to works)

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I did not teach a sunday school class on sunday as we only had sacrament meeting for christmas. I am now preparing my lesson for this upcoming sunday and thought I would share the text.

Jesus Christ, Our Chosen Leader and Savior
Chapter 3

A Savior and Leader Was Needed

31110, Gospel Principles, Unit One: Our Premortal Life with God, 3: Jesus Christ, Our Chosen Leader and Savior, A Savior and Leader Was Needed, 17

When the plan for our salvation was presented to us in the spirit world, we were so happy that we shouted for joy (see Job 38:7).

We understood that we would have to leave our heavenly home for a time. We would not live in the presence of our heavenly parents. While we were away from them, all of us would sin and some of us would lose our way. Our Heavenly Father knew and loved each one of us. He knew we would need help, so he planned a way to help us.

We needed a Savior to pay for our sins and teach us how to return to our Heavenly Father. Our Father said, “Whom shall I send?” (Abraham 3:27). Two of our brothers offered to help. Our oldest brother, Jesus Christ, who was then called Jehovah, said, “Here am I, send me” (Abraham 3:27).

Jesus was willing to come to the earth, give his life for us, and take upon himself our sins. He, like our Heavenly Father, wanted us to choose whether we would obey Heavenly Father’s commandments. He knew we must be free to choose in order to prove ourselves worthy of exaltation. Jesus said, “Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever” (Moses 4:2).

Satan, who was called Lucifer, also came, saying, “Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor” (Moses 4:1). Satan wanted to force us all to do his will. Under his plan, we would not be allowed to choose. He would take away the freedom of choice that our Father had given us. Satan wanted to have all the honor for our salvation.

Discussion

•     Who is our leader and Savior?

•     Who besides Jesus wanted to be our leader?

Jesus Christ Became Our Chosen Leader and Savior

After hearing both sons speak, Heavenly Father said, “I will send the first” (Abraham 3:27).

Jesus Christ was chosen and ordained to be our Savior. Many scriptures tell about this. One scripture tells us that long before Jesus was born, he appeared to the brother of Jared, a Book of Mormon prophet, and said: “Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ. … In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name” (Ether 3:14).

When Jesus lived on earth, he taught: “I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. … And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:38, John 6:40).

Discussion

•     Ask each person to tell something about Jesus.

The War in Heaven

Because our Heavenly Father chose Jesus Christ to be our Savior, Satan became angry and rebelled. There was war in heaven. Satan and his followers fought against Jesus and his followers.

In this great rebellion, Satan and all the spirits who followed him were sent away from the presence of God and cast down from heaven. One-third of the spirits in heaven were punished for following Satan: they were denied the right to receive mortal bodies.

Because we are here on earth and have mortal bodies, we know that we chose to follow Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. Satan and his followers are also on the earth, but as spirits. They have not forgotten who we are, and they are around us daily, tempting us and enticing us to do things that are not pleasing to our Heavenly Father. In our premortal life, we chose the right. We must continue to choose the right here on earth. Only by following Jesus can we return to our heavenly home.

Discussion

•     How do we know that we chose to follow Jesus?

We Have the Savior’s Teachings to Follow

From the beginning, Jesus Christ has revealed the gospel, which tells us what we must do to return to our Heavenly Father. At the appointed time he came to earth himself. He taught the plan of salvation and exaltation by his word and by the way he lived. He established his Church and his priesthood on the earth. He took our sins upon himself.

By following the Lord’s teachings, we can return to live with him and our heavenly parents in the celestial kingdom. He was chosen to be our Savior when we all attended the great council with our heavenly parents. When he became our Savior, he did his part to help us return to our heavenly home. It is now up to each of us to do our part and become worthy of exaltation.

Discussion

•     What are some of the things we must do to follow Jesus?

•     Bear testimony of the Savior.

Additional Scriptures

•     Moses 4:1–4 (Council in Heaven)

•     Abraham 3:22–28 (Council in Heaven)

•     D&C 76:24–29 (War in Heaven)

•     Revelation 12:7–9 (War in Heaven)

•     Isaiah 14:12–15 (why Lucifer was cast out)

•     2 Nephi 9:6–26; 3 Nephi 27:13–20 (purpose of the Atonement)

[picture]
Under Heavenly Father’s direction, Jehovah (Jesus Christ) created the earth.

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Our Heavenly Family
Chapter 2

We Are Children of Our Heavenly Father

31110, Gospel Principles, Unit One: Our Premortal Life with God, 2: Our Heavenly Family, We Are Children of Our Heavenly Father, 11

God is not only our ruler and creator; he is also our Heavenly Father. “All men and women are … literally the sons and daughters of Deity. … Man, as a spirit, was begotten and born of heavenly parents, and reared to maturity in the eternal mansions of the Father, prior to coming upon the earth in a temporal [physical] body” (Joseph F. Smith, “The Origin of Man,” Improvement Era, Nov. 1909, pp. 78, 80).

Every person who was ever born on earth was our spirit brother or sister in heaven. The first spirit born to our heavenly parents was Jesus Christ (see D&C 93:21), so he is literally our elder brother (see Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 26). Because we are the spiritual children of our heavenly parents, we have inherited the potential to develop their divine qualities. If we choose to do so, we can become perfect, just as they are.

Discussion

•     Who is the Father of our spirits?

•     Where did we live before we were born on earth?

•     What is our relationship to God and to each other? Read Hebrews 12:9.

•     Who was the first spirit born to our heavenly parents?

•     How are we like our heavenly parents?

We Developed Personalities and Talents While We Lived in Heaven

The scriptures teach us that the prophets prepared themselves to become leaders on earth while they were still spirits in heaven (see Alma 13:1–3). God foreordained (chose) them to be his leaders on earth before they were born into mortal bodies. Jesus, Adam, and Abraham were some of these leaders. (See Abraham 3:22–23.) Joseph Smith taught that everyone who has a calling to lead people on earth in the Church was foreordained to do so (see Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 365). However, everyone is free on earth to accept or reject the calling.

We were not all alike in heaven. We were given different talents and abilities, and we were called to do different things on earth. (See Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 51.) We can learn more about our talents and callings when we receive our patriarchal blessings (see Harold B. Lee, Stand Ye in Holy Places, p. 117).

Even though we have forgotten, our Father in Heaven remembers who we were and what we did before we came here (see Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 50). He has chosen the time and place for each of us to be born so we can learn the lessons we personally need and do the most good with our individual talents and personalities.

Discussion

•     What was our premortal life like?

Our Heavenly Parents Desired to Share Their Joy with Us

Our heavenly parents provided us with a celestial home more glorious and beautiful than any place on earth. We were happy there. Yet they knew we could not progress beyond a certain point unless we left them for a time. They wanted us to develop the godlike qualities that they have. To do this, we needed to leave our celestial home to be tested and to gain experience. We needed to choose good over evil. Our spirits needed to be clothed with physical bodies. We would need to leave our physical bodies at death and reunite with them in the Resurrection. Then we would receive immortal bodies like those of our heavenly parents. If we passed our tests, we would receive the fulness of joy that our heavenly parents have received. (See D&C 93:30–34.)

Discussion

•     How does earth life help prepare us to become like our heavenly parents?

Our Heavenly Father Presented a Plan for Us to Become like Him

Since we could not progress further in heaven, our Heavenly Father called a Grand Council to present his plan for our progression (see Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 348, 349, 365). We learned that if we followed his plan, we would become like him. We would have a resurrected body; we would have all power in heaven and on earth; we would become heavenly parents and have spirit children just as he does (see D&C 132:19–20).

We learned that he would provide an earth for us where we would be tested (see Abraham 3:24–26). A veil would cover our memories, and we would forget our heavenly home. This would be necessary so we could choose good or evil without being influenced by the memory of living with our Heavenly Father. Thus we could obey him because of our faith in him, not because of our knowledge or memory of him. He would help us recognize the truth when we heard it again on earth (see John 18:37).

At the Grand Council we also learned the purpose for our progression: to have a fulness of joy. However, we also learned that not all of our Father’s children would want to receive a fulness of joy. Some of us would be deceived, choose other paths, and lose our way. We learned that all of us would have trials in our lives: sickness, disappointment, pain, sorrow, and death. But we understood that these would be given to us for our experience and our good (see D&C 122:7). If we allowed them to, these trials would purify us rather than defeat us. They would teach us to have endurance, patience, and charity (see Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle, pp. 97–98).

At this council we also learned that because of our weakness, all of us would sin. We learned that a Savior would be provided for us so we could overcome our sins and overcome death with resurrection. We learned that if we placed our faith in him, obeying his word and following his example, we would be exalted and become like our heavenly parents. We would receive a fulness of joy.

Discussion

•     What plan did our Heavenly Father present to us?

•     What did we learn would happen to us on earth?

•     Why would our Father in Heaven permit us to experience suffering and death on earth?

Additional Scriptures

•     Hebrews 12:9 (God is the father of our spirits)

•     Job 38:4–7 (premortal life implied)

•     Abraham 3:22–28 (vision of premortal life)

•     Jeremiah 1:5 (vision of premortal life)

•     D&C 29:31–38 (vision of premortal life)

•     Moses 3:4–7 (spiritual then temporal creations)

•     1 Corinthians 15:44 (spiritual and temporal creations)

•     D&C 76:23–24 (begotten sons and daughters)

•     D&C 132:11–26 (plan for progression)

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Our Father provided us a heavenly home more glorious and beautiful than any place on earth.

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This is the lesson I am preparing for next sunday in my sunday school class. Here is a link to the church’s web site
I teach the gospel principles class, which is a basic overview of the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Jenny Hatch