Dear Sandra,

That fact that the scripture is clearly stated has nothing to do with whether it’s a factual or a symbolic account. Now I have a question for you. Do you believe that President Kimball was a prophet, and the Lord’s spokesman when he was president of the church? If you do, you have your answer. If you don’t, then I’m curious why you quoted Moses rather than Genesis, and why you would give any credence to President Kimball’s statement.

Perhaps it would be enlightening to hear what some of the other prophets have had to say on the subject, as, for example, President Brigham Young. Here are a couple of relevant quotes from President Young–

“You believe Adam was made of the dust of this earth. This I do not believe, though it is supposed that it is so written in the Bible; but it is not, to my understanding. You can write that information to the States, if you please‑‑that I have publicly declared that I do not believe that portion of the Bible as the Christian world do. I never did, and I never want to. What is the reason I do not? Because I have come to understanding, and banished from my mind all the baby stories my mother taught me when I was a child.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol.2, p.6)

“[Adam] was the person who brought the animals and the seeds from other planets to this world, and brought a wife with him and stayed here. You may read and believe what you please as to what is found written in the Bible. Adam was made from the dust of an earth, but not from the dust of this earth. He was made as you and I are made, and no person was ever made upon any other principle.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol.3)

Gramps