Talk originally given in sacrament meeting, Feb 25, 2026
Here are two questions that we will explore today: First, how can the Earth bring us closer to Christ, and second, how can we be good stewards of his creations?
First, I think it is helpful to explore the doctrines concerning the earth. By doctrines, I mean those eternal truths that have been revealed by God to man.
The earth is mentioned in the first chapter and first verse of the Bible in the book of Genesis. From there, Moses records the account of the creation of the earth and the placement of man upon it.
In the Book of Abraham, we get to see what happened before this point. We see God standing in the midst of souls and one like unto God, who says,
“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;”
Abraham 3:23
He further explains,
“And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them; And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever.”
3:25-26
With the plan decided, the earth is created and man is formed. Fruit of a forbidden tree is eaten and man, and the world, enters a fallen state.
Secret combinations, murder, war, and wickedness pour out onto the earth. Enoch beholds Satan upon the earth with a great chain in his hand veiling the whole face of the earth with darkness. He looked up, laughed, and his angels rejoiced. Enoch then looks upon the earth and hears a voice from the bowels saying:
“Wo, wo is me, the mother of men; I am pained, I am weary, because of the wickedness of my children. When shall I rest, and be cleansed from the filthiness which is gone forth out of me? When will my Creator sanctify me, that I may rest, and righteousness for a season abide upon my face?”
Moses 7:48
This is the only scripture we have, by the way, where the earth is portrayed as speaking. Whether this is literal or metaphorical is unclear.
Enoch weeps at this scene and cries unto God saying:
“O Lord, wilt though not have compassion upon the earth?”
vs. 49
He also asks:
“When the Son of Man cometh in the flesh, shall the earth rest? […] And the Lord said unto Enoch: Look, and he looked and beheld the Son of Man lifted up on the cross, after the manner of men; And he heard a loud voice; and the heavens were veiled; and all the creations of God mourned; and the earth groaned; and the rocks were rent; and the saints arose, and were crowned at the right hand of the Son of Man, with crowns of glory; And as many of the spirits as were in prison came forth, and stood on the right hand of God; and the remainder were reserved in chains of darkness until the judgment of the great day.
And again Enoch wept and cried unto the Lord, saying: When shall the earth rest?”
Vs. 54-58
The Lord tells Enoch that he will come in the last days to fulfil his oath and that there will be a holy city, called Zion, a New Jerusalem (vs. 62) and that Enoch and his city will meet them there and for the space of a thousand years the earth shall rest. (vs. 64)
The earth itself is a witness of God. Alma declared:
“…all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon 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.”
Alma 30:44
Jesus taught that the meek would inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5)
The Lord gave more clarity in our day: “And again, verily I say unto you, the earth abideth the law of a celestial kingdom, for it filleth the measure of its creation, and transgresseth not the law—Wherefore, it shall be sanctified; yea, notwithstanding it shall die, it shall be quickened again, and shall abide the power by which it is quickened, and the righteous shall inherit it.” (D&C 88:25-26)
Joseph Smith explained the earth’s future destiny:
“The angels do not reside on a planet like this earth; But they reside in the presence of God, on a globe like a sea of glass and fire, where all things for their glory are manifest, past, present, and future, and are continually before the Lord. The place where God resides is a great Urim and Thummim. This earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto crystal and will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon, whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom, or all kingdoms of a lower order, will be manifest to those who dwell on it; and this earth will be Christ’s.”
D&C 130:6-9
The earth is not only our proving ground, but our inheritance, and will have much to reveal to us throughout the eternities.
So how can the earth bring us closer to Christ? I think that in the present, even in her fallen state, the earth bears the intelligence, wisdom, creativity, and beautiful mind of our creator.
Simply to observe, study, and appreciate this world is enough to elevate the mind and heart of man.
Jesus’ parables were filled with examples of earthly things that were endowed with special significance as reflections of heavenly wisdom and patterns.
The earth isn’t just a proving ground, it is also a home, a mother, a teacher, and a witness.
The follow up question is “how can we be good stewards of his creations?”
In the beginning, the Lord placed Adam in the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. (Genesis 2:15)
The garden of Eden was a specific location. There didn’t seem to be any indication that Adam was “dress and keep” the entirety of the planet. That would be impossible.
Instead, he was given stewardship of something that was within his abilities. I think there is a lot of wisdom in this.
Today, people will say, “Save the Planet” and whistleblowers will reveal the designs of governments and corporations that pollute nature in horrific ways. Any waste and destruction of this magnificent world is indeed tragic.
Moroni powerfully testified that the words of the righteous saints would cry from the dust of the earth in the last days. He said:
“Yea, it shall come in a day when there shall be great pollutions upon the face of the earth…”
Mormon 8:31
But he did not describe smoke stacks, sludge, heaps of plastic, or toxic waste.
He described these pollutions and said:
“..,there shall be murders, and robbing, and lying, and deceivings, and whoredoms, and all manner of abominations; when there shall be many who will say, Do this, or do that, and it mattereth not, for the Lord will uphold such at the last day. But wo unto such, for they are in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity.”
vs. 31
He said:
“Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing.”
vs. 35
Moroni continues:
“And I know that ye do walk in the pride of your hearts; and there are none save a few only who do not lift themselves up in the pride of their hearts, unto the wearing of very fine apparel, unto envying, and strifes, and malice, and persecutions, and all manner of iniquities; and your churches, yea, even every one, have become polluted because of the pride of your hearts. For behold, ye do love money, and your substance, and your fine apparel, and the adorning of your churches, more than ye love the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted. O ye pollutions, ye hypocrites, ye teachers, who sell yourselves for that which will canker, why have ye polluted the holy church of God? Why are ye ashamed to take upon you the name of Christ? Why do ye not think that greater is the value of an endless happiness than that misery which never dies—because of the praise of the world? Why do ye adorn yourselves with that which hath no life, and yet suffer the hungry, and the needy, and the naked, and the sick and the afflicted to pass by you, and notice them not? Yea, why do ye build up your secret abominations to get gain, and cause that widows should mourn before the Lord, and also orphans to mourn before the Lord, and also the blood of their fathers and their husbands to cry unto the Lord from the ground, for vengeance upon your heads?”
Mormon 8:39-40
Some may feel that these indictments do not apply to them, perhaps they don’t, while others may feel cut to the heart at some points. Regardless, we should judge ourselves by the scriptures and if we are found wanting, the Lord stands with open arms to receive us.
It wasn’t landfills that caused the earth to weep. Enoch recorded the earth saying:
“I am pained, I am weary, because of the wickedness of my children. When shall I rest, and be cleansed from the filthiness which is gone forth out of me?”
Moses 7:48
So what is the answer and where do we begin, especially if we feel like our starting point is chaos? Can we somehow become good stewards?
Well, first ask yourself, “What is the garden that the Lord has me in?” then ask, “What are my responsibilities?”
We know:
“…that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass. And the Lord God … [works] by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.”
Alma 37:6
In Jesus’ day he was observing the rich pouring their wealth into the treasury. He stopped to observe a widow cast in two small coins and noted that she cast in more than anyone else because it was all that she had. She likely lived and died having no idea that the creator of the earth, the messiah, was observing her tremendous sacrifice just a few feet away, and that her story would be written down and inspire millions across two millennia.
Small and simple things.
A mustard seed, a little leaven, a boy’s lunch that fed five thousand, a stone that took down a giant, a teenager’s prayer in the spring of 1820.
Again, consider your garden.
Your home, your family, your neighborhood, your faith community, your calling, your ministry. Yes, you can add to that list and it can indeed appear overwhelming, but remember that some things are vastly more important than others and that, “small and simple things” are the way.
God sees you and he sees me. He knows your hearts, your struggles, your pains, your desire for answers, all of it.
I testify that faith, endurance, and patience are seen by God who sees you, knows you, and loves you.
How do you know he loves you? Well, for one, you’re here. You were born on this beautiful world that he created for you. And the price for all of the sins you have committed, you are committing now, and will commit in the future, have been paid by Jesus Christ through the greatest act of love there ever was.
Yes, God loves you and if you haven’t experienced his love for you yet, you can decide today, right now, to at least begin to believe it.
Originally, two questions were presented: How can the Earth bring us closer to Christ, and how can we be good stewards of his creations?
The answer is that to be good stewards of His creations, we must first draw closer to God through Christ, who will sanctify both us and our inheritance. Wherever you are today, may you begin, return, or continue, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
