Genesis 3:16–19; Moses 5:11

What difference does your understanding of the Fall of Adam and Eve make in how you live your life?

"16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." (Genesis 3:16–19)

"11 And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, 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)

And here's the introductory commentary for this week's reading assignment: "January 19–25: The Fall of Adam and Eve Genesis 3–4; Moses 4–5" :

"At first, the story of the Fall of Adam and Eve might seem like a tragedy. Adam and Eve were cast out of the beautiful Garden of Eden. They were sent into a world of pain, sorrow, and death (see Genesis 3:16–19). And they were separated from their Heavenly Father. But the truths restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith in the book of Moses give us a unique perspective on the Fall.

Yes, the Garden of Eden was beautiful. But Adam and Eve needed more than beautiful surroundings. They needed—and we all need—an opportunity to grow. Leaving the Garden of Eden was the necessary first step toward returning to God and eventually becoming like Him. That meant facing opposition, making choices, making mistakes, learning to repent, and trusting the Savior, whose Atonement makes possible progression and “the joy of our redemption” (Moses 5:11). So when you read about the Fall of Adam and Eve, focus not on the seeming tragedy but on the possibilities—not on the paradise Adam and Eve lost but on the glory their choice allows us to receive."

My unique perspective on the Fall of Adam and Eve has truly been making a difference in how I live my life to which I'm so grateful for. I appreciate and honor Adam and Eve for making the decision which would lead them to obey the higher commandment given to them which is to multiply and replenish the earth. Their transgression is the first step forward toward the fulfillment of God's divine plan to bring His children on earth and bring to pass their immortality and eternal life. Because of the fall of Adam and Eve, we are here on this earth right now. "Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy." (2 Nephi 2: 25) We inherited the tendency to make mistakes from Adam and Eve because of their transgression. And yet we are responsible for our own wrongdoings. Our Savior was sent and and overcame the eternal consequences of the Fall. The Lord's Atonement freed us from physical death as it gives us the gift of immortality. It also gives us the opportunity to receive the gift of eternal life on the condition of us taking our personal responsibility to do what we can to qualify to receive that glory eternally. We're given the gift of free agency for us to use to prove to our Heavenly Father whether we are worthy to go back to His presence. We're given the opportunity to learn and grow through the choices we're making. When we make mistakes, they're only teaching us what we need to learn. The more mistakes we make, the more we learn. And when we strive to practice the principles and values, we're learning more and more, we're able to make mistakes less and less, and we become our better versions—more like our Savior Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father.