What is the true story of the creation account?

Dear Gramps,
Were man and woman created on the 6th day or after the Gods were well rested Abr4:27-29, Abr5:7-17, Mos2:27-29, Mos3:5-7? I have come to the conclusion that in Abr 4:27-29 it was not the spirits that where created at this point for as the Mormon Church teaches we shouted for joy for the plan of salvation. So at that time there was no earth created for us. Also the Gods blessed the man and the woman to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth; but according to Abr 5:7-17 the Gods or God formed man after the 7th day and formed man from the dust and put his (the man) spirit in him. Also the woman was not created yet until the rib was taken from Adam and God formed woman Eve. Was there a man and woman created before Adam and Eve? The books of Genesis, Moses and Abraham all suggest the same thing–man and woman on the 6th day, Adam and Eve after the 7th day.
Wes, from Oak Lawn, Illinois
Dear Wes,
The creation accounts can be somewhat confusing. But I believe that the confusion will be cleared up when we understand that the scriptures talk about TWO creation accounts–the spiritual and the physical creations. The Book of Abraham recounts both the spiritual and physical creations. These accounts could be somewhat analogous to the planning and the actual construction of a building. The building is first planned, and the architect designs the building in every detail, describing each detail in a set of architectural drawings. He sees the building in his mind; he knows where all the plumbing and electrical lines will be laid; he specifies all the materials that will be used in the construction; all the finish materials; the type and color of the paint to be used, etc. And yet no building exists.
Abraham 3:24 states what the Gods plan to do—

And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell.

Everything is couched in the future tense. Then in the preface to Abraham 5, we read—

The Gods finish their planning of the creation of all things—They bring to pass the creation according to their plans.

You will notice that in the spiritual creation account, the earth is created first, then supplied with plants, then marine life, then the animals, and finally man. Concluding the account of the spiritual creations, we read—

And the Gods came down and formed these the generations of the heavens and of the earth, when they were formed in the day that the Gods formed the earth and the heavens, According to all that which they had said concerning every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew; for the Gods had not caused it to rain upon the earth when they counseled to do them, and had not formed a man to till the ground (Abr 5:4-5).

The physical account of the creation begins with Abr. 5:7—

And the Gods formed man from the dust of the ground, and took his spirit (that is, the man’s spirit), and put it into him; and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul (Abr 5:7).

Then the Gods planted the garden (v and other vegetation (v 9). They then give the account of bringing Eve to Adam. But the concept of Eve being constructed from Adam’s rib is purely allegorical. It implies that the presiding authority in the home (the priesthood) is a function of the male. Unfortunately this concept is grossly misunderstood by most people. Although the man presides, he does not rule! The priesthood is designed to function on the principles of persuasion, long-suffering, gentleness, meekness, love unfeigned, kindness, and pure knowledge. (see D&C 121:41-42).The priesthood holder is much more a servant than an overlord. However, the truth of the matter with respect to the creation of both Adam and Eve has been aptly expressed by President Brigham Young—

“Though we have it in history that our father Adam was made of the dust of this earth, and that he knew nothing about his God previous to being made here, yet it is not so; and when we learn the truth we shall see and understand that he helped to make this world, and was the chief manager in that operation. He 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, 3, p.319).

As you carefully study the creation accounts, you will learn that Adam and Eve were the first people on the earth. They predated all the plants and animals that have ever existed in the world—

And I, the Lord God, formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul, the first flesh upon the earth, the first man also; nevertheless, all things were before created; but spiritually were they created and made according to my word (Moses 3:7).

So, as you read the various creation accounts, do not try to be too chronological. Many elements of the creation accounts are chiastically arranged rather than chronologically arranged, i.e., the elements are cited as members of inverse parallelisms, in the form A, B, C, D, D, C, B, A, rather than in chronological order. This is a form of subliminal repetition, designed by the Lord to reinforce the listed concepts by a non-obvious repetition.
Gramps