Saturday, January 17, 2026
Thursday, January 8, 2026
Genesis 1–2; Moses 2–3; Abraham 4–5
Genesis 1–2; Moses 2–3; Abraham 4–5
(Copied from Old Testament Scripture Helps)
When studying the Creation, it is important to keep in mind that the scriptures do not provide details about how or when the earth was created. But they do testify of why the earth was created and who the Creator was. The Creation is an essential part of Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation. Because of the Creation, we are able to come to the earth, receive a physical body, exercise our agency, and experience joy as we create eternal relationships.
President Russell M. Nelson taught: “I testify that the earth and all life upon it are of divine origin. The Creation did not happen by chance. … It is God who made us and not we ourselves. We are His people! The Creation itself testifies of a Creator. We cannot disregard the divine in the Creation. Without our grateful awareness of God’s hand in the Creation, we would be just as oblivious to our provider as are goldfish swimming in a bowl.”
The Lord has promised that the day will come when the specific details concerning the Creation of this earth will be revealed.
Using our measurement of time, we do not know how long it took God to create the earth. President Russell M. Nelson explained: “The physical Creation itself was staged through ordered periods of time. In Genesis and Moses, those periods are called days. But in the book of Abraham, each period is referred to as a time. Whether termed a day, a time, or an age, each phase was a period between two identifiable events—a division of eternity.”
Genesis 1:1–2; Moses 2:1–2; Abraham 4:1–2
A belief of traditional Christianity is that God created all things ex nihilo, which means “out of nothing.” Speaking about the earth’s Creation, the Prophet Joseph Smith taught that to “create … does not mean to create out of nothing; it means to organize, the same as a man would organize materials and build a ship.” Abraham’s Creation account teaches us that Jesus Christ organized the earth out of preexisting “materials.” Abraham’s account also uses the phrase “empty and desolate” to describe the earth in its earliest stages, rather than “without form, and void.”
Genesis 1:26; Moses 2:26; Abraham 4:1–31
The phrase “Let us make man in our image” suggests that God did not work alone in the Creation process. The book of Moses clarifies that Heavenly Father was speaking to Jesus Christ in this verse. From Abraham’s account and other prophetic sources, we have reason to believe that others may have assisted Jesus Christ with the Creation.
Genesis 1:26–27; Moses 2:26–27; Abraham 4:26–27
President Thomas S. Monson taught: “God our Father has ears with which to hear our prayers. He has eyes with which to see our actions. He has a mouth with which to speak to us. He has a heart with which to feel compassion and love. He is real. He is living. We are his children, made in his image. We look like him, and he looks like us.” As children of God, we have the potential to become like Him. In “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” we read: “All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny.”
President Lorenzo Snow taught: “We were born in the image of God our Father; he begat us like unto himself. There is the nature of deity in the composition of our spiritual organization; in our spiritual birth our Father transmitted to us the capabilities, powers and faculties which he himself possessed, as much so as the child on its mother’s bosom possesses, although in an undeveloped state, the faculties, powers and susceptibilities of its parent.”
Genesis 1:28; Moses 2:28; Abraham 4:28
In “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles wrote, “The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.”
Genesis 1:28–30; Moses 2:28–30; Abraham 4:28–30
As children of God created in His image, men and women hold a unique position among God’s creations. To have dominion means to “rule over.” Part of our dominion over God’s creations involves being responsible for them as good stewards. Elder Marcus B. Nash taught, “Life on this earth is both a blessing and a responsibility. The Lord declares, ‘Behold, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which cometh of the earth, is ordained for the use of man for food and for raiment, and that he might have in abundance’ (Doctrine and Covenants 49:19). However, because the earth and all on it are the ‘workmanship of [His] hand’ (Doctrine and Covenants 29:25), it all belongs to Him. As temporary inhabitants of this earth, we are stewards—not owners. As such, we are accountable to God—the owner—for what we do with His creation.”
Genesis 2:1–3; Moses 3:1–3; Abraham 5:1–3
The Lord resting on the seventh day provides a pattern for us to follow. To Moses, He commanded, “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, … For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” To rest on the Sabbath does not mean do nothing. In the Creation account, the Lord taught that He “sanctified” the seventh day. The Hebrew word translated “sanctified” means “made holy” or “consecrated” or “belong[ing] to God.” Elder David A. Bednar taught: “The Sabbath is God’s day, a sacred time set apart to remember and worship the Father in the name of His Son, to participate in priesthood ordinances, and to receive and renew sacred covenants. … On His holy day, our thoughts, actions, and demeanor are signs we give to God and an indicator of our love for Him.”
(Copied from Old Testament Scripture Helps)
When studying the Creation, it is important to keep in mind that the scriptures do not provide details about how or when the earth was created. But they do testify of why the earth was created and who the Creator was. The Creation is an essential part of Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation. Because of the Creation, we are able to come to the earth, receive a physical body, exercise our agency, and experience joy as we create eternal relationships.
President Russell M. Nelson taught: “I testify that the earth and all life upon it are of divine origin. The Creation did not happen by chance. … It is God who made us and not we ourselves. We are His people! The Creation itself testifies of a Creator. We cannot disregard the divine in the Creation. Without our grateful awareness of God’s hand in the Creation, we would be just as oblivious to our provider as are goldfish swimming in a bowl.”
The Lord has promised that the day will come when the specific details concerning the Creation of this earth will be revealed.
Using our measurement of time, we do not know how long it took God to create the earth. President Russell M. Nelson explained: “The physical Creation itself was staged through ordered periods of time. In Genesis and Moses, those periods are called days. But in the book of Abraham, each period is referred to as a time. Whether termed a day, a time, or an age, each phase was a period between two identifiable events—a division of eternity.”
Genesis 1:1–2; Moses 2:1–2; Abraham 4:1–2
A belief of traditional Christianity is that God created all things ex nihilo, which means “out of nothing.” Speaking about the earth’s Creation, the Prophet Joseph Smith taught that to “create … does not mean to create out of nothing; it means to organize, the same as a man would organize materials and build a ship.” Abraham’s Creation account teaches us that Jesus Christ organized the earth out of preexisting “materials.” Abraham’s account also uses the phrase “empty and desolate” to describe the earth in its earliest stages, rather than “without form, and void.”
Genesis 1:26; Moses 2:26; Abraham 4:1–31
The phrase “Let us make man in our image” suggests that God did not work alone in the Creation process. The book of Moses clarifies that Heavenly Father was speaking to Jesus Christ in this verse. From Abraham’s account and other prophetic sources, we have reason to believe that others may have assisted Jesus Christ with the Creation.
Genesis 1:26–27; Moses 2:26–27; Abraham 4:26–27
President Thomas S. Monson taught: “God our Father has ears with which to hear our prayers. He has eyes with which to see our actions. He has a mouth with which to speak to us. He has a heart with which to feel compassion and love. He is real. He is living. We are his children, made in his image. We look like him, and he looks like us.” As children of God, we have the potential to become like Him. In “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” we read: “All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny.”
President Lorenzo Snow taught: “We were born in the image of God our Father; he begat us like unto himself. There is the nature of deity in the composition of our spiritual organization; in our spiritual birth our Father transmitted to us the capabilities, powers and faculties which he himself possessed, as much so as the child on its mother’s bosom possesses, although in an undeveloped state, the faculties, powers and susceptibilities of its parent.”
Genesis 1:28; Moses 2:28; Abraham 4:28
In “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles wrote, “The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.”
Genesis 1:28–30; Moses 2:28–30; Abraham 4:28–30
As children of God created in His image, men and women hold a unique position among God’s creations. To have dominion means to “rule over.” Part of our dominion over God’s creations involves being responsible for them as good stewards. Elder Marcus B. Nash taught, “Life on this earth is both a blessing and a responsibility. The Lord declares, ‘Behold, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which cometh of the earth, is ordained for the use of man for food and for raiment, and that he might have in abundance’ (Doctrine and Covenants 49:19). However, because the earth and all on it are the ‘workmanship of [His] hand’ (Doctrine and Covenants 29:25), it all belongs to Him. As temporary inhabitants of this earth, we are stewards—not owners. As such, we are accountable to God—the owner—for what we do with His creation.”
Genesis 2:1–3; Moses 3:1–3; Abraham 5:1–3
The Lord resting on the seventh day provides a pattern for us to follow. To Moses, He commanded, “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, … For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” To rest on the Sabbath does not mean do nothing. In the Creation account, the Lord taught that He “sanctified” the seventh day. The Hebrew word translated “sanctified” means “made holy” or “consecrated” or “belong[ing] to God.” Elder David A. Bednar taught: “The Sabbath is God’s day, a sacred time set apart to remember and worship the Father in the name of His Son, to participate in priesthood ordinances, and to receive and renew sacred covenants. … On His holy day, our thoughts, actions, and demeanor are signs we give to God and an indicator of our love for Him.”
Moses 1, Abraham 3
“This Is My Work and My Glory”
Moses 1, Abraham 3
THE BOOK OF MOSES was given to Joseph Smith by direct revelation between June 1830 and February 1831 while he was working on Genesis 1-6. Moses 1 takes place after the burning bush and before leading children of Israel out of bondage. Moses 1 begins with Moses being “caught up” in a high mountain and beholding the glory of God face to face (resembles ascension texts wherein a prophet ascends into the presence of God and receives a divine commission)
READ: Moses 1:4,6, Moses 1:25-26
We are Gods children, he knows us and has a work for us to do!
We all know we are children of God, but how do we put it in our heart?
Why is it important to know we are children of God?
President Russell M. Nelson taught: My dear friends, you are literally spirit children of God. … I fear that you may have heard this truth so often that it sounds more like a slogan than divine truth. And yet, the way you think about who you really are affects almost every decision you will ever make. (“Choices for Eternity” [worldwide devotional for young adults, May 15, 2022], broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
In Moses 8 - Moses beheld the earth and all creation and then the spirit withdrew (9) and Moses was left “unto himself” and in (10) he learns “I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed”
God’s Glory - man is nothing compared to God and His Glory - the stage is set for Satan to come on the scene.
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, while serving in the First Presidency, taught: This is a paradox of man: compared to God, man is nothing; yet we are everything to God. … Brothers and sisters, the most powerful Being in the universe is the Father of your spirit. He knows you. He loves you with a perfect love. … God sees you not only as a mortal being on a small planet who lives for a brief season—He sees you as His child. He sees you as the being you are capable and designed to become. He wants you to know that you matter to Him. (“You Matter to Him,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 20, 22)
How can understanding my true identity bring greater purpose to my life?
Read: Moses 1:12-18
We learn about Satan and his tactics and how to judge.
Read: Moses 1: 21-22
As Moses was faithful to God, he received further light and knowledge.
Read Moses 1:24-25
While our Heavenly Father consistently and lovingly reminds us that we are His children, the adversary will always try to label us by our weaknesses. But Moses had already learned that he was more than a “son of man.” He declared to Satan: “Who art thou? For behold, I am a son of God.” Similarly, when we are confronted with the challenges of mortality or when we feel like anyone is trying to label us by our weaknesses, we need to stand strong in the knowledge of who we truly are. We must seek validation vertically, not horizontally. And as we do, we too can boldly proclaim, “I am a child of God.” Brik V. Eyre, “Know Who You Really Are,” October 2025 General Conference
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, drawing on this story from Moses, gave the following advice for when we are tempted after spiritual experiences, “I wish to encourage every one of you today regarding opposition that so often comes after enlightened decisions have been made, after moments of revelation and conviction have given us a peace and an assurance we thought we would never lose…Don't panic and retreat. Don't lose your confidence. Don't forget how you once felt. Don't distrust the experience you had. That tenacity is what saved Moses when the adversary confronted him, and it is what will save you…Yes, there are cautions and considerations to make, but once there has been genuine illumination, beware the temptation to retreat from a good thing. If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted it and lived for it, it is right now. Don't give up when the pressure mounts.”
In 27-28 The Lord shows Moses his creations.
Read Moses 1: 31-33 and 37-39
Immortality means to live forever as a resurrected being. “Eternal life, or exaltation, is to become like God and live in His presence eternally as families”
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, the of the First Presidency, shared additional ways Heavenly Father brings to pass our immortality and eternal life. [Heavenly Father] has given us the gospel and the Church of Jesus Christ. He has given us the plan of redemption, the plan of salvation, even the plan of happiness. … He has given us the priceless gift of the Holy Ghost. … He has given us 24/7 access to Him through prayers of faith and supplications of real intent. He has given us modern-day apostles and prophets, who reveal the word of God in our day. … He has restored His Church. … He has given us the holy scriptures—His written word to us. He has given myriad tools of modern technology to help us in our walk of discipleship. … Why has our Heavenly Father given us so much help? Because He loves us. And because, as He said of Himself, “This is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). (“Our Father, Our Mentor,” Ensign, June 2016, 5) And in verse 40 The Lord command Moses to write these things and in 41 He tells Moses why.
Read Moses 1:41
THE BOOK OF ABRAHAM
In 1835, Joseph Smith and other church members purchased Egyptian papyri, which Joseph taught contained writings of Abraham. From these papyri, he produced the Book of Abraham. The process may have involved: translating the papyri directly receiving revelation, or a combination of both The exact method Joseph used is not fully documented.
In the first part of the chapter, Abraham is shown through the Urim and Thummim about stars and planets and their organization and some of them govern others….. which will set the stage of premortal spirits, in different stages of light, some progressing faster than others, having more light, becoming closer to God “noble and great” Just as their are different magnitudes of stars and planets, spirits progress and different rates too.
Ponder the following invitation from Sister Wendy W. Nelson: “Imagine the effect on your life right now if you were permitted to watch 10 minutes of your premortal life” (“Hope of Israel,”)
Read Abraham 3:19, 21-23
And the Lord continues to teach Abraham about the plan of salvation.
Read Abraham 1:24-28
Statement by Elder Steven R. Bangerter. (You could also watch a portion of his talk “Foreordained to Serve” Before you were born, God appointed each of you to fulfill specific missions during your mortal life upon the earth. If you remain worthy, the blessings of that premortal decree will enable you to have all kinds of opportunities in this life, including opportunities to serve in the Church and to participate in the most important work happening on the earth today: the gathering of Israel. Those premortal promises and blessings are called your foreordination. “The doctrine of foreordination applies to all members of the Church” [Topics and Questions, “Foreordination,” Gospel Library]. Foreordination does not guarantee that you will receive certain callings or responsibilities. These blessings and opportunities come in this life as a result of your righteous exercise of agency, just as your foreordination in your premortal life came as a result of righteousness. (“Foreordained to Serve,” Liahona, May 2024, 57)
Abraham 3 answered foundational questions about why we are here and who we were before.
General Authority Quote “God’s ultimate goal for us is to help us become like Him and to live eternally with our families.” — Russell M. Nelson
We existed as spirits before mortality and were known by God. Each person is a beloved spirit child of Heavenly Parents with eternal potential. We were foreordained for a purpose..our agency determines if we will fulfill that purpose.
Discussion Questions
How does knowing your divine origin affect how you treat yourself? Labels? How might this doctrine change how we view people who struggle or make repeated mistakes? What does it mean to you personally that God knows you individually?
“You are not a mortal being having a spiritual experience. You are a spiritual being having a mortal experience.” — Dieter F. Uchtdorf
“Foreordination is not a guarantee of final outcome but an opportunity to serve.” — Dallin H. Oaks
Jesus Christ Was Chosen as Savior in the Premortal Council Satan Opposes God’s Plan and Seeks Control
Why was preserving agency essential to God’s plan?
How does Christ’s willingness to say “Here am I” influence your discipleship?
What can we learn from Moses response to Satan?
“The plan of salvation is centered on the atonement of Jesus Christ.” — Jeffrey R. Holland
“The adversary is clever, but he is not powerful unless we give him power.” — James E. Faust
A Personal Plan of Salvation God sent Jesus Christ, His only Son in the flesh, to lay down His life for every one of us. This He did because He loves us and designed a plan for each of us to return home to Him. But this is not a blanket, catchall, hit-or-miss sort of plan. It is personal, set forth by a loving Heavenly Father, who knows our hearts, our names, and what He needs us to do. Why do we believe that? Because we are taught it in the holy scriptures. Moses repeatedly heard Heavenly Father speak the words “Moses, my son.” Abraham learned he was a child of God, chosen for his mission even before he was born. By the hand of God, Esther was placed in a position of influence to save her people. And God trusted a young woman, a servant, to testify of a living prophet so Naaman could be healed. I especially love that good man, short in stature, who climbed a tree to see Jesus. The Savior knew he was there, stopped, looked up into the branches, and spoke these words: “Zacchaeus, … come down” (Luke 19:5). And we cannot forget the 14-year-old who went into a grove of trees and learned how personal the plan really is: “[Joseph,] this is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith—History 1:17). Brothers and sisters, we are the focus of Heavenly Father’s plan and the reason for our Savior’s mission. Each of us, individually, is Their work and Their glory. Michael T. Ringwood, “For God So Loved Us,” April 2022 General Conference
THE BOOK OF MOSES was given to Joseph Smith by direct revelation between June 1830 and February 1831 while he was working on Genesis 1-6. Moses 1 takes place after the burning bush and before leading children of Israel out of bondage. Moses 1 begins with Moses being “caught up” in a high mountain and beholding the glory of God face to face (resembles ascension texts wherein a prophet ascends into the presence of God and receives a divine commission)
READ: Moses 1:4,6, Moses 1:25-26
We are Gods children, he knows us and has a work for us to do!
We all know we are children of God, but how do we put it in our heart?
Why is it important to know we are children of God?
President Russell M. Nelson taught: My dear friends, you are literally spirit children of God. … I fear that you may have heard this truth so often that it sounds more like a slogan than divine truth. And yet, the way you think about who you really are affects almost every decision you will ever make. (“Choices for Eternity” [worldwide devotional for young adults, May 15, 2022], broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
In Moses 8 - Moses beheld the earth and all creation and then the spirit withdrew (9) and Moses was left “unto himself” and in (10) he learns “I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed”
God’s Glory - man is nothing compared to God and His Glory - the stage is set for Satan to come on the scene.
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, while serving in the First Presidency, taught: This is a paradox of man: compared to God, man is nothing; yet we are everything to God. … Brothers and sisters, the most powerful Being in the universe is the Father of your spirit. He knows you. He loves you with a perfect love. … God sees you not only as a mortal being on a small planet who lives for a brief season—He sees you as His child. He sees you as the being you are capable and designed to become. He wants you to know that you matter to Him. (“You Matter to Him,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 20, 22)
How can understanding my true identity bring greater purpose to my life?
Read: Moses 1:12-18
We learn about Satan and his tactics and how to judge.
Read: Moses 1: 21-22
As Moses was faithful to God, he received further light and knowledge.
Read Moses 1:24-25
While our Heavenly Father consistently and lovingly reminds us that we are His children, the adversary will always try to label us by our weaknesses. But Moses had already learned that he was more than a “son of man.” He declared to Satan: “Who art thou? For behold, I am a son of God.” Similarly, when we are confronted with the challenges of mortality or when we feel like anyone is trying to label us by our weaknesses, we need to stand strong in the knowledge of who we truly are. We must seek validation vertically, not horizontally. And as we do, we too can boldly proclaim, “I am a child of God.” Brik V. Eyre, “Know Who You Really Are,” October 2025 General Conference
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, drawing on this story from Moses, gave the following advice for when we are tempted after spiritual experiences, “I wish to encourage every one of you today regarding opposition that so often comes after enlightened decisions have been made, after moments of revelation and conviction have given us a peace and an assurance we thought we would never lose…Don't panic and retreat. Don't lose your confidence. Don't forget how you once felt. Don't distrust the experience you had. That tenacity is what saved Moses when the adversary confronted him, and it is what will save you…Yes, there are cautions and considerations to make, but once there has been genuine illumination, beware the temptation to retreat from a good thing. If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted it and lived for it, it is right now. Don't give up when the pressure mounts.”
In 27-28 The Lord shows Moses his creations.
Read Moses 1: 31-33 and 37-39
Immortality means to live forever as a resurrected being. “Eternal life, or exaltation, is to become like God and live in His presence eternally as families”
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, the of the First Presidency, shared additional ways Heavenly Father brings to pass our immortality and eternal life. [Heavenly Father] has given us the gospel and the Church of Jesus Christ. He has given us the plan of redemption, the plan of salvation, even the plan of happiness. … He has given us the priceless gift of the Holy Ghost. … He has given us 24/7 access to Him through prayers of faith and supplications of real intent. He has given us modern-day apostles and prophets, who reveal the word of God in our day. … He has restored His Church. … He has given us the holy scriptures—His written word to us. He has given myriad tools of modern technology to help us in our walk of discipleship. … Why has our Heavenly Father given us so much help? Because He loves us. And because, as He said of Himself, “This is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). (“Our Father, Our Mentor,” Ensign, June 2016, 5) And in verse 40 The Lord command Moses to write these things and in 41 He tells Moses why.
Read Moses 1:41
THE BOOK OF ABRAHAM
In 1835, Joseph Smith and other church members purchased Egyptian papyri, which Joseph taught contained writings of Abraham. From these papyri, he produced the Book of Abraham. The process may have involved: translating the papyri directly receiving revelation, or a combination of both The exact method Joseph used is not fully documented.
In the first part of the chapter, Abraham is shown through the Urim and Thummim about stars and planets and their organization and some of them govern others….. which will set the stage of premortal spirits, in different stages of light, some progressing faster than others, having more light, becoming closer to God “noble and great” Just as their are different magnitudes of stars and planets, spirits progress and different rates too.
Ponder the following invitation from Sister Wendy W. Nelson: “Imagine the effect on your life right now if you were permitted to watch 10 minutes of your premortal life” (“Hope of Israel,”)
Read Abraham 3:19, 21-23
And the Lord continues to teach Abraham about the plan of salvation.
Read Abraham 1:24-28
Statement by Elder Steven R. Bangerter. (You could also watch a portion of his talk “Foreordained to Serve” Before you were born, God appointed each of you to fulfill specific missions during your mortal life upon the earth. If you remain worthy, the blessings of that premortal decree will enable you to have all kinds of opportunities in this life, including opportunities to serve in the Church and to participate in the most important work happening on the earth today: the gathering of Israel. Those premortal promises and blessings are called your foreordination. “The doctrine of foreordination applies to all members of the Church” [Topics and Questions, “Foreordination,” Gospel Library]. Foreordination does not guarantee that you will receive certain callings or responsibilities. These blessings and opportunities come in this life as a result of your righteous exercise of agency, just as your foreordination in your premortal life came as a result of righteousness. (“Foreordained to Serve,” Liahona, May 2024, 57)
Abraham 3 answered foundational questions about why we are here and who we were before.
General Authority Quote “God’s ultimate goal for us is to help us become like Him and to live eternally with our families.” — Russell M. Nelson
We existed as spirits before mortality and were known by God. Each person is a beloved spirit child of Heavenly Parents with eternal potential. We were foreordained for a purpose..our agency determines if we will fulfill that purpose.
Discussion Questions
How does knowing your divine origin affect how you treat yourself? Labels? How might this doctrine change how we view people who struggle or make repeated mistakes? What does it mean to you personally that God knows you individually?
“You are not a mortal being having a spiritual experience. You are a spiritual being having a mortal experience.” — Dieter F. Uchtdorf
“Foreordination is not a guarantee of final outcome but an opportunity to serve.” — Dallin H. Oaks
Jesus Christ Was Chosen as Savior in the Premortal Council Satan Opposes God’s Plan and Seeks Control
Why was preserving agency essential to God’s plan?
How does Christ’s willingness to say “Here am I” influence your discipleship?
What can we learn from Moses response to Satan?
“The plan of salvation is centered on the atonement of Jesus Christ.” — Jeffrey R. Holland
“The adversary is clever, but he is not powerful unless we give him power.” — James E. Faust
A Personal Plan of Salvation God sent Jesus Christ, His only Son in the flesh, to lay down His life for every one of us. This He did because He loves us and designed a plan for each of us to return home to Him. But this is not a blanket, catchall, hit-or-miss sort of plan. It is personal, set forth by a loving Heavenly Father, who knows our hearts, our names, and what He needs us to do. Why do we believe that? Because we are taught it in the holy scriptures. Moses repeatedly heard Heavenly Father speak the words “Moses, my son.” Abraham learned he was a child of God, chosen for his mission even before he was born. By the hand of God, Esther was placed in a position of influence to save her people. And God trusted a young woman, a servant, to testify of a living prophet so Naaman could be healed. I especially love that good man, short in stature, who climbed a tree to see Jesus. The Savior knew he was there, stopped, looked up into the branches, and spoke these words: “Zacchaeus, … come down” (Luke 19:5). And we cannot forget the 14-year-old who went into a grove of trees and learned how personal the plan really is: “[Joseph,] this is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith—History 1:17). Brothers and sisters, we are the focus of Heavenly Father’s plan and the reason for our Savior’s mission. Each of us, individually, is Their work and Their glory. Michael T. Ringwood, “For God So Loved Us,” April 2022 General Conference
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“This Is My Work and My Glory” Moses 1, Abraham 3 THE BOOK OF MOSES was given to Joseph Smith by direct revelation between June 1830 and...
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Explanation of the Abrahamic, Mosaic, and Davidic covenants, emphasizing how they fit together in God’s long-term plan of salvation. ⸻ 1....
