Adam and Eve received the gospel with joy and gladness, understanding the necessity and blessings of the Fall (see Moses 5:10–11; see also 2 Nephi 2:22–25; Mormon 9:12).
Because of the Fall, and because all people sin, all have become carnal, sensual, and devilish (see Moses 5:13; see also Mosiah 3:19; 16:2–4; Ether 3:2).
Invite a student to read Moses 5:1–2 aloud. Ask students to describe the new struggles Adam and Eve had to face after they left the Garden of Eden. How are the struggles, temptations, and tests that the Lord allowed Adam and Eve to have like the struggles we face today (see 2 Nephi 2:11; Abraham 3:24–26)?
Discuss various reasons why people obey the commandments. According to Moses 5:6, why was Adam obedient? You may want to display, invite a few students to read aloud, and then discuss the commentary under “Moses 5:5–6. Adam and Eve Were Obedient” in the student manual. What are some good reasons to obey the commandments?
Moses 5:7–11. Adam and Eve Believed in Jesus Christ
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adam and eve offering sacrifice
Write the following statement on the board: Adam and Eve were the first Christians. Invite students to find phrases in Moses 5:7–11 that show this statement to be true. Explain to students that most people think Christianity did not exist until Jesus Christ lived on the earth. List and discuss other people from before the time of Christ who were Christians (for examples, see 2 Nephi 25:26; Alma 46:13–15; D&C 138:12–16, 38–46). Ask students why they think the gospel of Jesus Christ has been taught since the beginning.
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Video presentation—“Sacrifice and Sacrament”
You may want to show the video “Sacrifice and Sacrament” (12:41) to help students understand the relationship between animal sacrifice in Old Testament times and the sacrament in our day. In this video, a man teaches his younger self that just as all sacrifices made before the time of Christ were meant to be a type of His great sacrifice, the sacrament is a type of Christ’s sacrifice today. This video is available on LDS.org.
Moses 5:10–12. Adam and Eve Knew They Could Be Saved
Ask students which phrases in Moses 5:10–12 show how Adam and Eve felt about God and about life once they understood the plan of salvation. Invite students to read silently verses 10–11, substituting their own names for “Adam” and for “Eve, his wife.” Discuss how understanding the plan of salvation affects our feelings about God and about our experiences in this life.
Invite a student to read Mosiah 2:36–37 aloud and discuss how a person becomes an “enemy” to God. Ask a student to read Moses 5:13 aloud, and then invite students to share how and why these sons of Adam and Eve became enemies to God (see also Mosiah 16:3–5). Invite a few students to read Mosiah 3:19; 27:25–26 aloud, and then ask students to share how we can become God’s “friends” (see also John 15:12–17; D&C 84:63).