the spirituality that dwells in All living things
By: Juliana Wright
Tags: Church, Plants, Spirituality, Mormon, Nature

As I continue to study the scriptures, I’ve been reading and pondering the nature of spirits. I have not previously studied the Pearl of Great Price, a doctrinal book studied by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints, or the New Testament in much depth. However, during my personal reading I came across Moses 7:48, found in the Pearl of Great Price, which reads, “Enoch looked upon the earth; and he heard a voice from the bowels thereof, saying: Wo, wo is me, the mother of men; I am pained, I am weary, because of the wickedness of my children…” This verse struck me instantly, particularly where it says, “he heard a voice from the bowels”. I began thinking about the Earth and it’s divine properties, I don’t see how the Earth would physically speak, but perhaps it was either speaking from a spirit form or this was all a metaphor. If the Earth can communicate through spirit, I then wondered whether or not the Earth, or all of the living things on it contained a spirit. With this in mind, I researched the question, “Do all living things contain spirits and, if so, in what way?”. While studying many church provided resources, I was able to deepen my understanding on this subject.

While searching for the answer to my question I first looked through some of the other scriptures regarding the creation. I started with Moses because that is where I found my original question. I pretty soon found a clear answer that reads, “And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew. For I, the Lord God, created all things, of which I have spoken, spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth…”. This tells us that before any living thing had a physical “body”, it was created as a spirit first. This is amazing because every blade of grass, every ant, and all things that we may consider unimportant have a divine spirit; they are living beings created with the same spirit that we are. Additionally, in it says, “And out of the ground made I, the Lord God, to grow every tree, naturally, that is pleasant to the sight of man; and man could behold it. And it became also a living soul.”. This also explains that trees and other living things contain a soul. It is easy to see how animals contain a soul or spirit similar to humans, however, when we take a step back and consider that each root in the ground is attached to a spirit, the idea of “living things” changes entirely and immeasurably. It carries a new and everlasting divinity that I had not before appreciated. Studying these chapters regarding the creation helped me understand that it is true that all living things, including plants, contain a spirit.

Joseph Smith, the founder and first prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, taught that, “All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure…”. The bible dictionary also contained some of the most useful information regarding my understanding of this topic. It initially and very clearly states, “Probably the basic use has to do with the conscious intelligent individual entity that had an existence previous to mortality.” This further explains that every living being was a conscious intelligence before it even had a spirit. Knowing this helps further my appreciation for both animals and plants. It is easy to see how this idea of conscious intelligence is applied to humans, however, we often separate that from animals, and even more so plants. When I allow myself to think about the conscious state and spirit of animals, it makes me want to be kinder to them. I believe they contain an understanding that we are not yet able to grasp or comprehend. Animals may not be considered logical creatures, however, they are still spiritual beings. Plants, although smilingly insignificant, similarly contain this divine entity created from God. After studying both the basic concepts and a bit further into the reading, I am able to better understand the spirit that is contained within living things.

President Boyd K. Packer wrote a book called “The Earth Shall Teach Thee: The Lifework of an Amateur Artist”, this book contains his life’s work from learning about nature and his art. At one point, he explains, “What is physical interconnects with the spiritual; what is spiritual, or eternal, or moral resonates with the physical. We respond in our very soul to the order in the universe, and how we respect these interconnections will have a profound effect upon our happiness.” This quote is immensly beautiful and it helps me understand pesonal responsibility. Specifically, to respect the connections of the physical and spiritual aspects of the universe. The spiritual beings within this universe: humans, animals, and plants, all deserve boundless amounts of respect. Listening to these words helps me to acknowledge all of the planning and effort that Heavenly Father and Jesus put into the creation of the universe, the planets, and all of the beauty that is displayed. In addition, Michael Goodman, a religion professor at BYU wrote in a lesson, “As God is infinite and eternal by nature, His creations also share in His infinite nature and have no end.” I think that this parallels what President Packer wrote. As the creator of our universe, Heavenly Father’s energy and love have been infused in his creations, these spirits exist beyond this physical life.

As I initially studied this topic because I was curious about the relationship of the Earth, humans, and spirits or souls. After being able to comprehend the words of President Packer and Michael Goodman, I can now understand the role that spirits play in not only my life, but in the entirety of creation, universes and all. We are incredibly blessed to be able to experience the beauty of Heavenly Father’s creations. Some of my strongest spiritual moments have been when I forget about my man-made distractions and direct my focus to His creations. Knowing that when I am outdoors, that I am surrounded by God’s creations and His “infinite nature”, helps bring me comfort. More so, it helps me feel His love and His divinity. I now know that, while they are different than human spirits, plants and animals still contain the divinity and light of Heavenly Father. I am able to feel, appreciate, and protect Heavenly Father’s spirits and creations with much more vigor, in hopes to become a steward of His divine planet.