This week was great, I got a cold on Friday, but three of our friends came to church! Our friend, Sean, who is preparing to be baptized, was able to attend a ward baptism after church as well. Sean is awesome to teach. He's a philosophy major so we get pretty deep. He thinks like me and is a big chess player as well. We have transfers coming up this week. I'm hoping elder Noreen and I will stay put; Mankato has been a huge blessing, and there's lots of work to be done. I'm getting bigger and wiser, loving being able to focus on magnifying the work instead of just learning it. My studies have been meaningful. I've been reading Joseph's Smiths journals a little bit, and they're pretty funny. Finishing up Jesus the Christ and The Book of Mormon again. I've become fascinated lately by the evidences of God. If God is the omnipotent organizer of the universe, the way he chooses to reveal himself within that framework is of note. One of these ways is the light of Christ,
"Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space— The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things" (Doctrine and Covenants 88:12-13.)
If the light of Christ is within us, then all of a sudden we have a testable claim, because according to the scripture, the light of Christ serves a specific function. Elder Christofferson says:
"I think we would all agree that those who profess no religious belief can be, and often are, good, moral people. We would not agree, however, that this happens without divine influence. I am referring to the Light of Christ. The Savior declared, 'I am the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world.' Whether aware of it or not, every man, woman, and child of every belief, place, and time is imbued with the Light of Christ and therefore possesses the sense of right and wrong we often call conscience."
So God seems to choose to reveal himself to his children universally by giving them the inherent capacity to understand what is right. He doesn't necessarily aid people in choosing the right, unless they seek that aid, but instead, he gives the gift of knowledge-- knowledge of 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 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 4:12.)
Eve desired to be wise and to be as God is. I wonder if that day in the garden as Adam and Eve became aware of morality, they also felt a sense of crushing ineptitude. Because they now know what is right and yet realize how difficult it will be act according to that knowledge. I wonder if the cherubim and flaming sword were necessary because Eve and Adam realized that any finite amount of time would be insufficient to become perfectly integrous to this godly knowledge they now possessed. As Adam and Eve begin their seemingly impossible journey, they become focused on obeying the light of Christ within them. They are obedient,
And it came to pass that after I, the Lord God, had driven them out, that Adam began to till the earth, and to have dominion over all the beasts of the field, and to eat his bread by the sweat of his brow, as I the Lord had commanded him. And Eve, also, his wife, did labor with him. And Adam knew his wife, and she bare unto him sons and daughters, and they began to multiply and to replenish the earth (Moses 5:1).
Notably, there is no resentment towards God, no shaking of fists, only acceptance of their new reality and painstaking labor to do what the Lord commanded them. I think they quickly realize that their own efforts are insufficient. They have godlike knowledge, but no practical experience. They are terrified of committing evil, because they know the glory of God. I wonder if, in a moment of perceived inadequacy, they counsel together, and Adam says something like, "Eve, we can't go on like this. I want to do all that father asks, but it's too much for me. We have many children, I've never been a parent, and I am separated from my own father. Cain is getting on my nerves, these thistles just keep growing, and the sheep stink." I wonder if Eve said, "We've been trying to do this on our own for many years, and we're learning, but our efforts our woefully insufficient. We need His help." Then, in the depths of humility mixed with desperation, Adam and Eve called upon the name of the Lord,
and they heard the voice of the Lord from the way toward the Garden of Eden, speaking unto them, and they saw him not; for they were shut out from his presence. And he gave unto them commandments, that they should worship the Lord their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord. And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of the Lord (Moses 5:4-5.)
I wonder if God said something like "Hey Adam, you're doing better than expected actually, but why did you wait so long to reach out to me? Know ye not that 'I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent?'" (Doctrine and Covenants 19:16.)
And Adam may have responded, "I thought I could do it on my own, but now I know I cannot. Will you teach me? Teach me how to live in harmony with this knowledge of good and evil."
And then God gives Adam commandments. Fascinating. God grants mankind knowledge, then when they finally turn to him, his second gift is commandments. And presumably those commandments make Adam's life easier! He begins to worship the Lord and offer sacrifice, and as a result, an angel appears and delivers a third gift, knowledge of the Savior. Followed quickly by a fourth gift, the Holy Ghost.
This is a long-winded analysis with much more to dissect. But I believe our mortal experience isn't altogether different from our first parents. As a missionary, I've felt like Adam many times but I've also been richly blessed to represent God. He has given everyone the knowledge of good and evil-- the light of Christ. I have been so blessed to be the means by which those that hearken to that knowledge obtain the commandments of God. I've helped people come to a knowledge of their Savior and to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. It is a joyous process. I love Him! And I love you guys!
-Elder Dahl
