Moses 2-3; Abraham 4-5

Three Creation Accounts

A Reason for Revelation

Moses asks the Lord Two Questions:

What? Why? Additional

insights The doctrine of

the restoration

Moses 1:29-40 “Worlds

without number”

Moses 1:39 FP 3 accounts Moses 1:41

Interesting insights "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?" (DS 1:74-75)

Abraham 4:1

Abraham 3:22-24

Interesting insights "A plan was presented in

the great council. Before this earth was created the Lord made a blueprint, as any great contractor will do before constructing. He drew up the plans, wrote the specifications, and presented them. He outlined it and we were associated with him. . . . Our Father called us all together as explained in the scripture, and plans were perfected now for forming an earth. In his own words:

Abraham 4:10, 18, 31

Helaman 12:7-17

Abraham 4:12, 14, 20-21

D&C 93:33; 131:7-8

Abraham 4:21:

Abraham 5:1-4

Interesting insights '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.' (Abr. 3:24-25) That assemblage included us all. The gods would make land, water, and atmosphere and then the animal kingdom, and give dominion over it all to man. That was the plan. . . . God was the Master-worker, and he created us and brought us into existence." (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, 29)

Interesting insights Jesus Christ (the Word) "They next caused light to shine upon

it before the sun appeared in the firmament; for God is light, and in him there is no darkness. He is the light of the sun and the power thereof by which it was made; he is also the light of the moon and the power by which it was made; he is the light of the stars and the power by which they were made. He says it is the same light that enlightens the understanding of men. What, have we a mental light and a visual light, all proceeding from the same source? Yes, so say the scripture, and so says science when rightly comprehended." -John Taylor, in Journal of Discourses, 18:327

Moses 2:1, 3, 5

D&C 88:5-13

“after their own kind”

The Great Truth 1st 2

Commandments Food before the

Fall Spirit Creation Spiritual Creation Abraham 5:13;

Kolob

Moses 2:25 Moses 2:26-

27 Moses 2:28 Moses 2:29-

30 Moses 3:5 Moses 3:7 Moses 3:9

Interesting insights

Where/What is Kolob? Brigham Young said: “When the

earth was framed and brought into existence and man was placed upon it, it was near the throne of our Father in heaven. And when man fell… the earth fell into space, and took up its abode in this planetary system, and the sun became our light.” (JD 17:143; 9:317). See Abraham 5:13. Joseph Smith taught that “the earth will be rolled back into the presence of God.” (TPJS, p. 181).

Our Time/God’s Time “This is an ancient question which has

occasioned much controversy. There are at least three prevailing answers among faithful Bible-believing Latter-day Saints. The fact appears that no man knows the age of the earth.

“The first group believe that the earth was created in six days of twenty-four hours each. That is, the earth was six days old at the coming of Adam. This view is based upon a literal acceptance of the story of the creation as given in the King James’ translation of Genesis.

Our Time/God’s Time “The second group hold that each day of

creation was really one thousand years, and that the earth therefore was six thousand years old at the coming of Adam. . . .

“The third group believe that the creation of earth extended over immensely long periods of time, not yet correctly known by revelation or by man’s scientific advance, and that the earth therefore is very old . . . “Clearly it does not matter to one’s daily welfare or ultimate salvation which view he adopts, except that every Latter-day Saint must seek and cherish truth above all else.” (Elder John A. Widtsoe, Evidences and Reconciliation’s, 134-35)

Our Time/God’s Time “Eternity, agreeable to the records

found in the catacombs of Egypt, has been going on in this system, (not this world) almost two thousand five hundred and fifty five millions of years.” (William W. Phelps, Times and Seasons 5 (1844), no. 24 (January), 758.)

This number may have been arrived at as follows: 7,000 years of the Lord's time of 1,000 years per day, i.e.2,555,000,000 = 1,000 x 365 x 7,000).

Three Pillars of Eternity

Creation

• You were created in God’s image with the potential to become like Him

• This doctrine establishes our identity

• Purpose: Adam and Eve created to marry and have an eternal family (required for exaltation)

Fall

• In Mortality, you are subject to:

• Pain• Death• Sorrow• Temptation• Sin• The fall is our

temporary condition

• Adam and Eve fell so they could have children

Atonement

• The Savior’s atonement overcomes the effects of the fall and facilitates the realization of our divine potential

• Moses 1:39• The Savior’s

atonement provided a way for families to be sealed.