The Creation

  Under Heavenly Father's direction, Jesus Christ created the earth as a place for us to live and gain experience. God's plan for us is to progress and become like Him. In order for this to happen, each of us had to obtain a body and be tested during a time of probation on the earth. In 1 Nephi 17:36 we read: "Behold, the Lord hath created the earth that it should be inhabited; and he hath created his children that they should possess it." This earth was created for us so that we could exercise our agency in a righteous manner to do "all things whatsoever the Lord" commands us Abraham 3:25.

  The word "create" came from the word "baurau" which does not mean to create out of nothing; it means to organize. The Lord organized elements that had already existed (Abraham 3:24). He did not create the world "out of nothing."

  While we are here on earth we are out of God’s physical presence. We do not remember our pre-earth life. Therefore, we must walk by faith rather than by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).


 More "creation" scripture references: Mosiah 3:8, Ephesians 3:9, D&C 38:1-3, Genesis 1