The often over-looked blessing of the Fall of Adam is that all of us have, as result, been given the opportunity to come into the Earth as part of a family here and to learn and grow. We're placed in families so that we can learn - everything from walking and eating to basic math and science principles. However, the most important reason we are in families is to learn about ourselves, to discover who we are as children of God. Yes, all of us are children of a very loving and merciful Father in Heaven.
It's interesting to think about the experience Adam and Eve had when they were cast out of the Garden of Eden. They now lived in a world of temptation, sickness, and death; yet, just a brief period before, they had been walking - quite literally - with God. So, to see their children grow up and fall for the tricks and lies of Satan must have been utterly devastating. And worst of all was that their son, Cain, murdered his brother Abel.
Upon doing so, the Lord - who evidently regularly spoke with Adam and Eve, and their family - comes to Cain and asks him: "Where is Abel, thy brother?" To which Cain replies, "I know not. Am I my brother's keeper?" The scriptures only ever refer to two persons as perdition - Lucifer and Cain. To that evil man who murdered his brother in cold blood and then lied to the face of the God of the Universe, my answer from personal belief, faith, and desire is: Yes! You are your brother's keeper! And so am I.
Our world seems to be in a state where we are constantly "hanging on" by threads and faith and hope sometimes seem rather impossible or pointless. And yet, I'm telling you that with the knowledge that Christ has triumphed over the grave and that the battle over Satan is in fact won, we just have to choose whether or not to have hope and to have faith. Being descent humans, serving others, being kind, smiling, giving compliments, being loyal to our spouses and children are all things that will foster an environment of love, concern, care, hope, and yes - faith.
Followers of Christ have even promised to be "[our] brother's keeper" for, in scriptural terms, we promise at baptism "to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort" (Mosiah 18:8-9). In modern revelation we are commanded to "succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees" (D&C 81:5).
In short, we are told to help everyone, to love our neighbors and our enemies, to bless those that curse us, and to turn the other cheek when we are the targets of hatred and malice; and yes, whether it come from an internal desire to love all or only from obedience to God, we are to be our brother's keeper.
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