Matt's Message #6: They Whisper the Words of Their Creator

My Adventures

I've been on quite a few adventures over the past year or so. Some of the places I've been recently include Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, the sand dunes and mountains near BYU-Idaho, Big Cottonwood Canyon, Racoon Creek State Park in Pennsylvania, the Colorado Rockies, and Lake Powell. I'd have to say I've recently found a much bigger love for nature and adventure than I had before. I crave to get out and explore the earth. I love to see all the amazing sights there are to see in this world.

I'm not generally the type to take lots of pictures, but out of what I've got, here are some of my favorites for your enjoyment! These were all taken with my crappy cell phone camera; I don't know about you, but I'm impressed with the results!

Right outside my tent on a Priest's Quorum camp.

The Snake River from Cress-Creek Trail

Delicate Arch

Navajo Arch

Double O Arch

At a cabin in the Rockies during a family reunion. There's nothing like holding a wild chipmunk!

My favorite picture I've ever taken!

It Didn't Have To Be Pretty

As I hiked around observing so much of Heavenly Father's and Jesus's beautiful creation, I've thought quite a bit about the love they must have for us. I imagine it would have been much easier to create a world where there were only the absolute essentials for human life. God didn't have to put all of His beautiful creations on the Earth. As far as I know, all of God's children would still be able to progress just fine if there were no colorful sunsets, no magnificent arches, no large rivers and steady streams, and no cuddly chipmunks to hop in your hand for some almonds. So the question is, why did God create these things?

I'm sure there are many scholars that can find deep doctrinal answers to that question, but here's my rather simple one: Because He loves us. Because He cares about the details of our lives. Because He wants us to be awed on our hiking trip. Because He wants us to have breathtaking moments. Because He wants us to be filled with that mind-boggling peace we experience when stargazing around the campfire on a cloudless night.

When I'm out in nature, I can't help but feel the divine in everything around me. It seems as if God's creation whispers to me the words of its Creator. "Matt, I knew you'd hike down this trail at this time in awe of the flowers, and the critters scampering to and fro. I knew you'd be astounded at the reflection of the sunlight glimmering off the water onto the red-rock walls of this weathered cavern. I knew you would gaze up at the stars on this very night, on that very sand dune, in amazement of the divine grandeur of the heavens. My son, I did this for you."

What Can We Do About This?

1. Have a scripture study session about the creation
2. Get into nature and ponder God's love
3. Plan a hiking or camping trip!