The Church has no official position on the theory of evolution. Organic evolution, or changes to species’ inherited traits over time, is a matter for scientific study. Nothing has been revealed concerning evolution. Though the details of what happened on earth before Adam and Eve, including how their bodies were created, have not been revealed, our teachings regarding man’s origin are clear and come from revelation.
Before we were born on earth, we were spirit children of heavenly parents, with bodies in their image. God directed the creation of Adam and Eve and placed their spirits in their bodies. We are all descendants of Adam and Eve, our first parents, who were created in God’s image. There were no spirit children of Heavenly Father on the earth before Adam and Eve were created. In addition, “for a time they lived alone in a paradisiacal setting where there was neither human death nor future family.” They fell from that state, and this Fall was an essential part of Heavenly Father’s plan for us to become like Him. (See Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Where Justice, Love, and Mercy Meet,” Apr. 2015 general conference.)
The story is told of a council meeting involving the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Twelve Apostles. During the meeting, the Prophet rebuked Brigham Young from head o toe in front of the others, accusing him of something he had not done. When Joseph had finished his rebuke, the other brethren sat silently awaiting Brigham Young's response. Brigham Young rose to his feet. He was a strong man. He could have reacted and said: "Now, look here, haven't you read how you're not supposed to rebuke in public, but only in private?" Or, "Brother Joseph, doesn't it say something in the revelations about persuasion, and long-suffering, and gentleness and meekness?" Or, "Joseph, you are dead wrong. I would never do that." But Brigham Young did not react in any of those ways. He acted and said simply, "Joseph, what do you want me to do?" Joseph burst into tears, approached Brigham Young, threw his arms around him and said, "Brother Brigham, you passed [the test]" (See Truman Madsen, Joseph Smith the Prophet, p. 88). [From "Resolving Conflict", by Lon A. Pyper, Accessed Sep 2019]
After Jill Thomas lost her daughter Penny in a tragic accident, her world seemed to crumble. Her husband was having a crisis of faith in God, her little girl was gone, and hope seemed all but lost.
“I felt nothing. I believed that the ‘answers’ to read your scriptures, say your prayers, and go to church were inspired and true. Yet I was doing those things—I was doing those things very earnestly—and I was feeling nothing. I had a sense that a critical aspect of spirituality was missing, but I didn’t know how to be inspired or guided anymore. I was lost.”
Join Jill in this Hope Works presentation as she explores the creative thought process that taught her to have faith, hope, and joy even in the midst of her suffering.
Hope Works is a series of videos captured at live events where presenters share interesting insights about hope and faith and how it works in their lives.
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From "Seeing Green", Jill Thomas, November 3, 2016
Many of us have wondered if God knows us or if He even exists. Todd was someone who made fun of people who thought God was real, and he wasn’t surprised when he didn’t get an immediate answer to a prayer. But could God be giving us small but obvious answers? And how patient do we need to be to get those answers?
You can find hope in God & Jesus Christ and know for a surety that they exist and love you.
