Our Glorious Mother Eve

Adam and Eve were first placed in the Garden of Eden where they knew no sin and were innocent. But they were in a state where they could not progress, and ultimately Eve chose to transgress the law and partake of the forbidden fruit. This led to what we call the Fall where Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden and became mortal. President Oaks taught, “It was Eve who first transgressed the limits of Eden in order to initiate the conditions of mortality. Her act, whatever its nature, was formally a transgression but eternally a glorious necessity to open the doorway toward eternal life. Adam showed his wisdom by doing the same. And thus Eve and ‘Adam fell that men might be’ (2 Ne. 2:25). Some Christians condemn Eve for her act, concluding that she and her daughters are somehow flawed by it. Not the Latter-day Saints! Informed by revelation, we celebrate Eve’s act and honor her wisdom and courage in the great episode called the Fall.” We also have scripture in which Eve reflected upon that act and said this: “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). We do not look down upon Eve for the Fall but rejoice that she was chosen to be the mother of all living and pave the way for all of us to come to mortality and ultimately receive eternal life. She and Adam fell that we could come to earth and that we could have joy.

Eve’s mission did not finish in mortality, as great as it was. We know that her work continues in the Spirit World as seen by President Joseph F. Smith: “Thus was it made known that our Redeemer spent his time during his sojourn in the world of spirits, instructing and preparing the faithful spirits of the prophets who had testified of him in the flesh; That they might carry the message of redemption unto all the dead, unto whom he could not go personally, because of their rebellion and transgression, that they through the ministration of his servants might also hear his words. Among the great and mighty ones who were assembled in this vast congregation of the righteous were Father Adam, the Ancient of Days and father of all, And our glorious Mother Eve, with many of her faithful daughters who had lived through the ages and worshiped the true and living God” (Doctrine and Covenants 138:36-39). She is among the righteous who are preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to the spirits of the dead, just as are all faithful women who have departed this life. It must be incredible for women in the spirit world to be taught by the first of all women. This is an understanding unique to Latter-day Saints, and we rejoice in the indispensable role of women in the Savior’s work on both sides of the veil. This understanding should inspire boys and men to always treat women with the greatest of respect, knowing that their role in God’s great work does not take a back seat to anything that men are asked to do. What is true for marriage is surely true for all of God’s work, whether that is in the temple or in a ward or in the preaching of the gospel: “Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 11:11).