From Beverly Campbell, her book “Eve and the Choice Made in Eden”:
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!”1 Much as we sing the well beloved hymn, Adam’s first recorded words of mortality rang forth as trumpets heralding the good news: “Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened and in this life I shall find joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God” (Moses 5:10).
The grand plan was unfolding! They had chosen the correct path. They were now in the sphere wherein all could fulfill the measure of their creation.
Mother Eve’s clear accounting resounds through the ages as a song of praise and thanksgiving. Her comment was to partnership. Her knowledge was profound, and her spirituality transcending. She recognized that she and Adam had obeyed the greater law and opened the door not only to mortality but to eternal life and exaltation for all those who keep their first estate. Eve “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).
Modern-day prophets and apostles hailed Eve’s declaration. “I don’t know any statement within the scriptures with more meat and understanding in it than that short paragraph spoken by Mother Eve,” said Elder Marion G. Romney.2 Elder Bruce R. McConkie pronounced her statement as “one of the most profound doctrinal declarations ever.” President Joseph Fielding Smith said, “It is the first discourse ever recorded—that is, that we have.”4 That Eve could render such a perfect summary of the plan of salvation confirms that she had been carefully taught. The profound spiritual concepts contained in her summary are worthy of review, lest its brevity cause us to overlook the depth and breadth of her understanding.
Eve’s words reflect spiritual clarity and doctrinal understanding, as she declared with intense joy the action she and Adam had taken had made possible the following:
Seed, The fall opened the way for those faithful spirits to be born into mortality who had kept their estate by choosing God’s plan and accepting Christ’s offer to become the Savior of this world.
Knowledge of Good and Evil. The knowledge of good and evil is necessary if we are to become like God, it is required if we are to make the second estate into a trial of faith through our exercise of agency.
The Joy of Our Redemption. Joy would be realized only through the atonement of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
The Glorious Promise of Eternal Life. Those who choose to embrace and abide in the great plan of happiness would be enabled, through the Atonement, to have eternal life.
Elder John A. Widtsoe advised us to make a close examination of Eve’s statement, which gives no sense that she was anything other than a full partner with Adam in all that was done. Adam and Eve were “people who met and accepted a great challenge, with which, as they imply, God was pleased.”5 In good spirits they confronted the unknown and continued their journey through mortality, secure in the knowledge that “all things had been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things” (2 Nephi 2:24).
It is vital to remember that our first parents recognized the joy of their being able to complete their mission in this earthly sphere. But their joy was expressed only after they were assured of a Savior, Jesus Christ, who would come to earth to provide the redemption absolutely essential to them—and us—to return to Father. ~ Beverly Campbell, her book “Eve and the Choice Made in Eden” (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2003) 194-98 (continued)
