From the mortal days of our earliest parents this has been
the quest(ion), “How does one connect to Heaven?” While in the Garden Adam and Eve walked and
talked with God, they were connected to Heaven; they were literally in the
Presence of the Lord.
“The earth was created for Adam: And we have planted a
garden all ready for you--all you have to do is take note of it. And everything
is for the taking. One gift, however, is withheld from Adam: the fruit of the
tree of good and evil--the tree of knowledge. So long as Adam was immortal, the
tree of life presented no problem. For acting out of order, the stranger (no
longer a stranger) is denounced and cursed. He has given the fruit to Adam and
Eve; it was not his prerogative to do so--regardless of what had been done in
other worlds. (When the time comes for such fruit, it will be given to us
legitimately.)” (Purportedly stated by Hugh Nibley, no verifiable source)
The price exacted for partaking of the fruit of the tree of
knowledge of good and evil was that of being cast out of the Garden, cast out
of the presence of the Lord. And thus,
Adam and Eve, as sojourners in the Lone and Dreary world began a
multi-generational quest to reconnect to Heaven.
Moses 5:4 “And Adam and Eve, his wife, called upon the name
of the Lord, and they heard the voice of the Lord from the
way toward the Garden of Eden, speaking unto them, and they saw
him not; for they were shut out from his presence.
5 And he gave unto
them commandments, that they should worship the Lord their God, and should
offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord. And Adam
was obedient
unto the commandments of the Lord.
6 And after many days
an angel
of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices
unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me.
7 And then the angel
spake, saying: This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten
of the Father, which is full of grace and truth.
8 Wherefore, thou
shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent
and call
upon God in the name of the Son forevermore.” (emphasis added)
What do I learn from Adam and Eve on reconnecting with
Heaven?
1.
Adam and Eve called on the name of the Lord
2.
The first connection to Heaven is that they heard
his voice
3.
At this time they did not see Him because
they were still shut out from His presence
4.
God gave them commandments regarding how to
worship God and in what manner to offer sacrifices
5.
Adam was obedient to the commandments from
the Lord even though he did not know or understand why he was asked by the Lord
to do them
6.
After many days (generations) an Angel from the
Lord appears to Adam testing him and then commanding Adam to repent and call on
God in the name of the Son forever.
After this experience Adam and Eve “blessed the name of God,
and they made all things known unto their sons and their daughters…And… ceased
not to call upon God...And thus the Gospel began to be preached, from the
beginning, being declared by holy angels sent forth from the presence of God, and
by his own voice, and by the gift of the Holy Ghost... And thus all
things were confirmed unto Adam, by an holy ordinance, and the Gospel preached,
and a decree sent forth, that it should be in the world, until the end thereof;
and thus it was. Amen.”
In my desire to connect with Heaven and to enter back into
the presence of the Lord I must follow the same pattern established by our
earliest parents. As I call upon the name of the Lord, as I repent, as I hear
His voice and am obedient to the commands He gives to me He will send His holy
angels and He will teach me by His own voice and by the gift of the Holy Ghost
all things necessary for me to enter back into His presence. God is the same yesterday, today and
forever. Praise be the name of the Lord.
