Genesis 1–2; Moses 2–3; Abraham 4–5: Lesson 9

Genesis 1:28–31; 2:1–25

“The Family Is Central to the Creator’s Plan”

After the creation of Adam and Eve, Heavenly Father joined them together in marriage. He commanded them to multiply and replenish the earth and to cleave to one another. This lesson can help students understand the central role of marriage and family in Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation.

Student preparation: Invite the students to study “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” looking for teachings that describe why family is central to Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation.

Possible Learning Activities

When discussing the importance of marriage and family in Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation, recognize that many students do not currently experience ideal family situations. Be sensitive to the needs and questions of students.

Things that are central

Consider writing on the board one or more incomplete sentences that illustrate how an object, activity, person, and so on could be central to accomplishing something. The following examples may be useful. Invite the students to think about how they would fill in the blanks, then ask various students to share their answers with the class. It may be helpful to explain that the word central could also mean essential or most important.

is central to succeeding in school because .

is a central part of a happy life because .

plays a central role in my life because .

After students have shared their responses, display the following statement from “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” and invite a student to read it aloud. Ask the class to look for a central aspect of our Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation.

“The Family: A Proclamation to the World” states:

We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children. (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Gospel Library)

• Why do you think marriage and family play such important roles in Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation?

• In what ways can you see Satan working to attack marriages and families in our day?

Invite students to think about some of the questions they or others may have about marriage and family. They could write their questions in their study journals. Encourage them as they study today to look for truths and to pay attention to spiritual impressions that can help guide them in finding answers to these questions.

Teachings from the scriptures

Explain that what Heavenly Father did after the earth’s Creation can help us understand the central role of marriage and family in His plan. Display the following instructions and resources, and give students time to study them. You could study these together as a class, or you could organize the students into groups to study and discuss these resources together.

As students read the verses from Genesis 2, you may want to explain that the words help meet in verse 18 refers to “a helper suited to, worthy of, or corresponding to” Adam (see footnote 18b). You could also explain that the account of Eve being created from Adam’s rib is symbolic and can represent the equal partnership between husband and wife (see Russell M. Nelson, “Lessons from Eve,” Ensign, Nov. 1987, 87).

Study the following statement and scriptures, looking for evidence of the importance of marriage and family to God.

President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) taught:

The Lord … [brought] together Adam and Eve, his first male and first female on this earth, and perform[ed] a holy marriage ceremony to make them husband and wife. (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball [2006], 192)

Scriptures to study:

Genesis 1:27–28 (God’s commandment to Adam and Eve)

Genesis 2:18, 21–24 (Creation of Eve)

Genesis 2:24 is a doctrinal mastery passage. Consider inviting students to mark doctrinal mastery passages in a distinctive way so they can locate them easily.

Doctrine and Covenants 49:15–17 (The Lord’s teachings through the Prophet Joseph Smith)

• What truths did you find that demonstrate the importance of marriage and family to God?

Students may identify truths similar to the following:

God has commanded husbands and wives to have children (Genesis 1:28).

Husband and wife are to be one and act as equal partners (Genesis 2:18, 24).

Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God (Doctrine and Covenants 49:15).

The earth was created to provide a place where God’s children could be born into families and progress together (Doctrine and Covenants 49:16–17).

As part of your discussion of these truths, it may be helpful to discuss the following statement by President Russell M. Nelson.

President Russell M. Nelson emphasized the important role families would play after the earth had been created by God:

Grand as it is, planet Earth is part of something even grander—that great plan of God. Simply summarized, the earth was created that families might be. Scripture explains that a husband and wife “shall be one flesh, and all this that the earth might answer the end of its creation” [Doctrine and Covenants 49:16]. (“The Creation,” Ensign, May 2000, 85)

• How can remembering the central role of marriage and family in God’s plan affect the choices you make in your life?

• How can these truths and teachings help us respond when we see the doctrine of marriage or family being criticized or minimized?

• How do you think following Heavenly Father’s standards related to marriage and family can help you become more like Him?

Create a response

To help the students explain what they have learned about the importance of marriage and family in God’s plan, consider sharing a scenario like the following. You can adapt this scenario to be more relevant to your culture and your students’ lives. After sharing the scenario, display the instructions for students to create a response.

In one of Elizabeth’s school classes, a discussion took place about marriage and family. Elizabeth shared some of her views about marriage being between a man and a woman and the importance of married couples having children. Many of Elizabeth’s classmates shared opinions that were very different from hers. After class, a young man named Isaac, who is also in Elizabeth’s seminary class, asked Elizabeth why she had such outdated opinions about marriage and family.

Using what you have learned today, create a response that Elizabeth could share with Isaac. Include the following in your response:

1. An explanation about why marriage and family are important to Heavenly Father and His plan of salvation

2. One or more teachings from the scriptures or Church leaders

3. An invitation Elizabeth could share with Isaac that could help him

After the students have had time to prepare, give them an opportunity to share their responses. They could share them with a partner or small group. A few willing students could also be invited to share their responses with the class or to role-play the scenario.

Give students time to reflect on what they learned and felt today. They could think about truths they learned that answered some of their questions. Invite them to record any spiritual impressions they have had in their study journals. Testify of the truths you have discussed today.

Memorize

You may want to help students memorize the doctrinal mastery reference and key scripture phrase during this lesson and review them in future lessons. The key scripture phrase for Genesis 2:24 is “A man … shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one.” Ideas for memorization activities are in the appendix materials under “Doctrinal Mastery Review Activities.”

Additional Resources

Genesis 2:21–22. Was Eve actually created from Adam’s rib?

President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) taught that “the story of the rib, of course, is figurative” (“The Blessings and Responsibilities of Womanhood,” Ensign, Mar. 1976, 71).

President Russell M. Nelson explained how the rib in the account of the creation of Eve is figurative or symbolic:

The rib, coming as it does from the side, seems to denote partnership. The rib signifies neither dominion nor subservience, but a lateral relationship as partners, to work and to live, side by side. (“Lessons from Eve,” Ensign, Nov. 1987, 87)

What about people who do not have an eternal marriage or ideal family in this life?

Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

I express my love and compassion for righteous couples who marry and are unable to have the children they so eagerly anticipate and to those women and men who have not had the opportunity to marry according to God’s law. The unrealized dreams of life are difficult to understand if viewed only from the perspective of mortality. As the Lord’s servant, I promise you that as you are faithful to Jesus Christ and your covenants, you will receive compensating blessings in this life and your righteous desires in the eternal time line of the Lord. (“The Personal Journey of a Child of God,” Liahona, May 2021, 47)

How do men and women complement one another as equal partners?

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained:

Reason 1: The natures of male and female spirits complete and perfect each other, and therefore men and women are intended to progress together toward exaltation. …

… The unique combination of spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional capacities of both males and females were needed to implement the plan of happiness. Alone, neither the man nor the woman could fulfill the purposes of his or her creation. …

Reason 2: By divine design, both a man and a woman are needed to bring children into mortality and to provide the best setting for the rearing and nurturing of children.

… [M]arriage between a man and a woman is the authorized channel through which premortal spirits enter mortality. (“Marriage Is Essential to His Eternal Plan,” Ensign, June 2006, 83, 84)

Supplemental Learning Activities

Genesis 2:1–3. God rested on the Sabbath

If your students would benefit from making a careful plan to keep the Sabbath day holy, you could spend time studying Genesis 2:1–3. Explain that Genesis 2 is a continuation of the account of the Creation. Invite a student to read Genesis 2:1–3 aloud. Ask the class to follow along and look for what the Lord did differently on the seventh day.

Then ask the following question:

• What is a truth we learn about the Sabbath day from the Lord’s example in these verses?

Students may identify a truth similar to the following: We can keep the Sabbath day holy as we rest from our labors and focus on sacred things.

Consider discussing questions like the following:

• What are some ways we can focus on sacred things on the Sabbath?

• How do you feel you have been blessed by resting from your labors on the Sabbath day and focusing on sacred things?

You might invite students to ponder ways they can more fully sanctify the Sabbath day. Then encourage them to act on at least one of these ideas.

Genesis 2:18, 24. Equal partners

Students may benefit from further discussion about the truth that husband and wife are to be equal partners. After identifying this truth, you could share the statement by Elder David A. Bednar in “Additional Resources.” You could also discuss questions like the following:

• What do you think it means that a wife and a husband are equal partners in marriage?

• Why is it essential for husband and wife to treat each other as equal partners?

Videos about the importance of marriage and family

Consider using one or more of the following videos to help students better understand the importance of marriage and family:

• “Renaissance of Marriage” (2:36). President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency explained how being married to Sister Eyring has helped him “become every good thing [he] ever wanted to be.”

• “What Is the Purpose of Family?” (1:17). This video describes the family as the divine building block of society.

• “Having Children in Faith” (2:25). Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles discusses teachings related to the Lord’s commandment to multiply and replenish the earth.