Last summer, I grew a few stalks of mammoth sunflowers. As they bloomed, I was fascinated by the spiral pattern formed by the seeds that were intricately arranged at the center and pointed out towards the petals. The complex design was so carefully placed that I stood there in wonder!
The seeds of sunflowers, as well as a multitude of other natural elements, follow the Fibonacci sequence – a mathematical pattern that allows for efficiency without crowding (Liu 2024), resulting in a beautiful display of God’s hand in the creation of all things.
In his book The Earth Shall Teach Thee, President Boyd K. Packer, who was known for his love of nature, wrote:
“The earth did not come by chance nor by accident. It is the result of creation that is based on purpose, on agency, on choice. It accords with laws which were in force long before the plan was ever laid down. All of it has order; all of it was planned for us. The beauty and precision of the universe, the endless variety of plant and animal life – all testify of a plan and of a creator (Packer 2011, 12).”
Some Still Doubt
The reality of a loving God is evident all around us from the plants we grow to the miraculous life of a newborn child. When we take time to carefully look and to appreciate the wonders found on Earth and in the heavens, we can clearly see that the love our Father has for His children and the indisputable truth of divine creation pervades every aspect of existence. Yet, some still doubt.
When questioned by Alma, Korihor denied any belief in God. Alma bore testimony, stating, “I know there is a God, and also that Christ shall come.”
Then, with further conviction, Alma declared,
“The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are on the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator (see Alma 30:44).”
Alma’s powerful testimony is a reminder that we, too, can gain testimony of divinity. As we are surrounded by insurmountable evidence of divine design, we can know there is a loving, and very real, God.
For Wonder and Joy
In a recent speech delivered at Brigham Young University, Elder Gérald Caussé of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke on the beauty of the earth and of our responsibility in caring for all of God’s creations. Of the earth, he said “God placed every temporal element needed for our success: the harmony of physical laws, the gift of light, the rhythm of the seasons, and the abundance of food and natural resources. And, as a tender expression of His love, He adorned the world with breathtaking beauty to bring joy and inspiration to His children (Caussé 2025).”
All things were created to provide for our needs and to fill us with joy (see D&C 59: 16-20). Anyone who has been in the presence of a small child as they come to know the world can say, with conviction, that seeing that child experience wonder fills the witness with joy and gratitude. Our Father in Heaven must have similar feelings, only multiplied and perfected, when He sees us enjoy His creations.
“Yet Thou Art There”
Enoch expressed testimony of the creation and acknowledged the reality of a true and loving Creator:
“And were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth, yea, millions of earths like this, it would not be a beginning to the number of thy creations; and thy curtains are stretched out still; and yet thou art there, and thy bosom is there; and also thou art just; thou art merciful and kind forever… (see Moses 7:30, emphasis added).”
With our finite minds, we cannot fathom the vast creation of worlds without number, nor the complexity of all things. Yet, we can know that we are in fact the children of the God who created all things, and that, though endless is the number of the works of His hands, He knows each of us and loves us with a depth we cannot even begin to comprehend!
Elder Neal A. Maxwell referenced Enoch in his talk in the October 1987 General Conference:
“Enoch… praised God amid His creations, exclaiming reassuringly, ‘Yet thou art there’.
“This same special assurance can see each of us through all the seasons and circumstances of our lives. A universal God is actually involved with our small, individual universes of experience! In the midst of His vast dominions, yet He numbers us, knows us, and loves us perfectly (Maxwell 1987).”
In this mortal life, we all face highs and lows. Life can and will be challenging and we may experience seemingly inconsolable grief. At these times, it might be difficult to feel the hand of a loving Father in Heaven guiding us, or to experience the reality of a Savior who felt all we have experienced that He may comfort us, guide us, and ultimately heal us. Yet, our Heavenly Parents and our Savior, Jesus Christ, never leave us. In our experiences with joy and pain, we too can emphatically declare, as Enoch, “Yet Thou art there!”
Liu, Katie. 2024. “Are These 10 Natural Occurrences Examples of the Fibonacci Sequence?” Discover Magazine. https://www.discovermagazine.com/are-these-10-natural-occurrences-examples-of-the-fibonacci-sequence-46574.
Packer, Boyd K. 2011. The Earth Shall Teach Thee: The Lifework of an Amateur Artist. N.p.: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University.
Caussé, Elder Gérarld. 2025. “Caring for God’s Creations.” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Maxwell, Neal A. 1987. “Yet Thou Art There.” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1987/10/yet-thou-art-there?lang=eng.
Leave a Reply