Mother Eve - Infertility in Eden

Since Mother's day is coming up, I wanted to write this post in honor of our first earthly mother, Eve, "the mother of all living" (Genesis 3:20). Mother's Day can be a painful holiday for those of us who have experienced infertility, miscarriages, or stillbirth. Interestingly, Eve was called the mother of all living before she ever had children. I hope that as Mother’s Day approaches, we can recognize that we are all mothers regardless of our state in life. While this is only a bandaid on the desire of our souls to have children in our arms, I hope that it will bring some peace to your heart.

Note: This post is the first of a series of posts about women from the scriptures who experienced infertility. Also, you may note that in this post, I will be using references from The Holy Bible, The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, The Pearl of Great Price, and quotes from modern-day revelation. Please click on their titles or reference links below to learn more about these sources.

In the Beginning

To begin this post, we have to go back to "the beginning," and by the beginning, I mean the book of Genesis in the Old Testament. I learned recently that Genesis in Greek means "origin or beginning." Each of us has a unique story of infertility, and as we begin today, I want to tell you about Eve and her experience with infertility. Now I realize that this example isn't the same infertility disease we experience because diseases didn't exist yet. However, Eve had infertility in that she could not have children while in the Garden of Eden.

Most of us are familiar with the creation story. God created the heavens and earth, the plants and animals, etc. Following the creation of male and female, "God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth." (Genesis 1:28.). When I was first struggling with infertility, this phrase burned in my mind almost daily when driving to and from work. Driving was one of my sacred times to pray with God (eyes open, of course). We had a lot of tough conversations during those drives. Usually, me asking, "why me?" or "isn't this a righteous desire?" For as long as I can remember, I have been taught that being a mother was one of the highest and most holy callings. When we couldn't get pregnant, I struggled to understand why God was denying me the blessing of Motherhood. Mother’s Day, in particular, was hard for me. Even though my sweet husband would get me a special Mother’s Day gift, I sincerely appreciated it. However, I had a hard time accepting that Mother’s Day was really for me in my heart.

While in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were in eternal paradise. All their needs were provided for them, there was no sickness or pain, and there was no death. We learn in 2 Nephi 2 that "If Adam had not transgressed, he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end. And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin." (2 Nephi 2:22-23, emphasis added)

That’s right, God gave a commandment to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden to have children, but in their current state in the Garden, they were unable to have children (infertility). Now I know this may seem unfair, but I think God has a higher purpose here. God gave them the tree of knowledge of good and evil to allow them to choose. God told Adam and Eve, “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it, nevertheless, thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee; but remember that I forbid it, for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Moses 3:16–17, emphasis added)

The Fall

While in the Garden of Eden, I have to wonder if it ever crossed Eve's mind that God had given them the commandment to "Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth..." (Genesis 1:28) and wonder how it was to be accomplished. I know that is a question that crosses my mind frequently. I find it interesting to see Eve's thought process as she saw the tree. She saw that it "was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise" (Genesis 3:6). I find this verse interesting as we see how Eve desired knowledge. Could it be possible that Eve was seeking wisdom on how to be able to have her family?

As Christians, I think sometimes we frown upon Adam and Eve for their transgression, but from scripture, we learn that the fall was always a part of God's plan, "But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things." (2 Nephi 2:24) Earlier in this same chapter, we read, "for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon. And to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man, after he had created our first parents, and the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and in fine, all things which are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter." (2 Nephi 2:14-15, emphasis added). God wanted Adam and Eve to use their agency to make a choice. Using our agency is a huge piece of God's plan for us to become like him. While God is speaking to the prophet Enoch, we learn that "in the day [God] created them; and in the Garden of Eden, [God] gave unto man his agency;" (Moses 7:32). I'm so thankful for Eve using her agency for good. In the choice she made to partake of the "forbidden fruit" and give it to Adam, they were able to become our first parents here on earth. In 2 Nephi 2, we learn that "Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy." (2 Nephi 2:25)

Unfortunately, due to the fall, Adam and Eve became mortal. Mortality brings sickness, infertility, miscarriage, and so many other things that are hard for us to bear. Regardless of this pain and sorrow that we experience in mortal life, the fall needed to happen, and God knew that it had to happen, which is why he included our Savior Jesus Christ to redeem us in his plan.

The Atonement of Jesus Christ

Sculpture in the Ashton Gardens at Thanksgiving Point

After Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden of Eden for their transgression, we learn that an angel came to teach them about redemption through Jesus Christ and his Atonement. While they were being taught, we see the Holy Ghost testify of truth. "And in that day the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam, which beareth record of the Father and the Son, saying: I am the Only Begotten of the Father from the beginning, henceforth and forever, that as thou hast fallen thou mayest be redeemed, and all mankind, even as many as will." (Moses 5:9) Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can also find redemption from sin and the injustices of life, such as infertility and miscarriage.

Following this testimony Adam and Eve received through the Holy Ghost, we get to see the reaction of both Adam and Eve as they realize their role in the fall. Adam said, "Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life, I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God." (Moses 5: 10, emphasis added) So here we learn that Adam recognizes he had to Fall to experience the joy God wanted us to experience. We are here to experience life, both the pain and sorrow. Because we feel the hurt, we can also feel the joy and blessings that God has to offer us, even if we don't always understand why it is happening at the moment. I can testify that all the pain of infertility I experienced dissolved into joy as I held my daughter after she was born. And I hold to the hope of feeling this joy when I have my babies in heaven someday.

I love what Adam had to say about experiencing joy. Still, even more, I love what Eve says about having children, "And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and 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, emphasis added) As I said before, I don't know if Eve understood fully that she was going through infertility while in the garden of Eden. Still, we know that after the fall, she realizes that without partaking of the "forbidden fruit," she would never have been able to have children.

Eve - The Mother of All Living

While attending a class a few months ago all about Eve, the teacher pointed out something I thought was interesting that I wanted to share about Eve. In the bible, we don't learn Eve's name until after the fall. Before the fall, we only hear Eve referred to as “Woman,” which is what Adam calls her when he first meets her, "This is now bone of my bones, flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." (Genesis 2:23)

Now I don't know if Adam called her "Woman" in their day-to-day conversations, but it is after the fall we learn that "Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of the mother of all living." (Genesis 3:20) It's interesting to note that when Adam calls Eve "the mother of all living," she hasn't had any children at this point in the story. Eve was a mother before ever having children. Sheri L. Dew has said, "Motherhood is more than bearing children, though it is certainly that. It is the essence of who we are as women. It defines our very identity, our divine stature and nature, and the unique traits our Father gave us." ("Are We Not All Mothers?", October 2001) Now, I realize that this gift of Motherhood is only a bandaid to our desires to have children of our own. However, I think that our innate desires to have children and nurture and care for them testify to this gift from God. It is a part of who we are.

The Gift of Motherhood

While going through infertility, it can be hard to come to terms with not having a child in your arms, but we can still be mothers. Motherhood is a gift from our Heavenly Father. "Motherhood is not what was left over after our Father blessed His sons with priesthood ordination. It was the most ennobling endowment He could give His daughters, a sacred trust that gave women an unparalleled role in helping His children keep their second estate." (Are We Not All Mothers?, Sheri L. Dew, October 2001) I love that regardless of our ability to have children naturally, through medical intervention, or adoption, we have been given a divine gift from God, a sacred trust to be mothers.

As I'm writing this post, I'm reminded of a time before I was even married or had my daughter, when I was a mother. I was working at a daycare center, and the only reason that I left my job was so that I could serve a mission for my church. For months after I quit my job at the daycare, I would sometimes cry at night because I missed my kids. I had spent so much time playing with them, changing their diapers, feeding them, helping them potty-train, putting them in time-out, etc. I loved these kids so much! I didn't realize that I was acting in the role of a mother, to love, nurture, and care for them. When I missed my kids, I would often take a moment to pray for them by name. Now I have no idea where my kids have ended up, but I like to think that because I prayed for and served them, their lives are somehow better for it.

While speaking of lessons learned from Eve, Russell M. Nelson, then an Apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said, "For you childless sisters and those without companions, remember the eternal timetable of the Lord is much longer than the lonely hours of your preparation or the total of this mortal life. These are only as microseconds when compared to eternity. Your willingness and worthiness are surely known to Him. The spiritual rewards of Motherhood are available to all women. Nurturing the young, comforting the frightened, protecting the vulnerable, teaching and giving encouragement need not—and should not—be limited to our own children." (Lessons from Eve, Russell M. Nelson, October 1987, emphasis added). God knows our desires, and he will answer our prayers in his own time and way. While we wait, we can be mothers by nurturing the people in our lives and helping to build God's kingdom here on Earth.

Sheri Dew invites us to be mothers, "As daughters of our Heavenly Father, and as daughters of Eve, we are all mothers and we have always been mothers. And we each have the responsibility to love and help lead the rising generation. How will our young women learn to live as women of God unless they see what women of God look like, meaning what we wear, watch, and read; how we fill our time and our minds; how we face temptation and uncertainty; where we find true joy; and why modesty and femininity are hallmarks of righteous women? How will our young men learn to value women of God if we don’t show them the virtue of our virtues?" (Are We Not All Mothers?, October 2001, emphasis added)

Takeaways from "Mother Eve - Infertility in Eden"

As we approach Mother's Day this year, I realize it may still be painful for those who don't have a baby in their belly or arms. I hope you will take a moment to remember our first mother, Eve. She experienced infertility in the garden of Eden, and she took the noble step to enable us to be her children. Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can hold to the knowledge that all our pain and suffering due to infertility or miscarriage will be made right, and we will experience joy.

I want to hear what you think about Mother Eve. Please join the conversation here or on social media. What lessons have you learned from Eve? What does it mean to you to be a mother? What are some ways we can use our Motherhood now? What women in your life have been mothers to you?

Other Resources:

• "Finding Peace from Stories of Infertility in the Bible" By Rachel Sheffield

• "What Infertility Has Taught Me about Multiplying and Replenishing the Earth" By Jean Yellowhorse

• "Learning to Cope with Infertility" By Carolynn R. Spencer

• "Are We Not All Mothers?" By Sheri L. Dew

• "Fall of Adam and Eve"

• "The Fulness of the Gospel: The Fall of Adam and Eve"