As we appreciate the incredible beauty of God’s creations, we remember that we can play a part in preserving them for future generations.
In his BYU forum, “Exploring Nature’s Curiosity Cabinet,” Dr. Paul Alan Cox reflects on the wonders of nature’s curiosity cabinet, which he describes as “compact versions of small rooms containing natural history specimens, books, paintings, and other curious things.” He then recounts how he and his family joined forces with a small Samoan village to save one “drawer” within nature’s cabinet: a rainforest in Samoa. The special trees in this Samoan rainforest have bark that may hold the key to curing HIV/AIDS, but the village was on the brink of selling the land to loggers because the government required the village to build an $85,000 school.
Photo by Jeremy Bishop
To help the village raise the required funds to build the school and save their rainforest, Dr. Cox and his family, friends, and colleagues made generous donations. Their efforts ended up not only saving the rainforest but also providing a stable income for the village, as they were able to “build an aerial walkway through the top of the rainforest” that brings in tourists wanting to admire the beautiful scenery. And the miracles didn’t stop there: this experience encouraged Dr. Cox, his wife, and his colleagues to start Secology, a non-profit organization that helps small villages build essential buildings and projects, asking only that the villagers promise to protect their valuable natural resources.
This inspiring story illustrates not only the importance of protecting God’s glorious creations but also the truth that when we use our divine potential for good, take initiative, and work together, we can be a powerful force in protecting God’s creations for the benefit of future generations. As Dr. Cox states, “The vastness of this universe and the beauty of the creation that surrounds us is evidence to my mind of the handiwork of a loving Creator.” Because we have been given this incredible gift, Dr. Cox says, we also “have a great responsibility to care for all creation and to protect it…. By exploring nature’s curiosity cabinet, we not only increase our own sense of wonder but also discover truths that can help us solve some of the world’s most serious problems.”
Read Paul Alan Cox’s article, “Exploring Nature’s Curiosity Cabinet,” to find out about some of Earth’s other incredible features.
Source: BYU Speeches
—Karly Lay, Latter-day Saint Insights
FEATURE IMAGE BY EUTAH MIZUSHIMA
Find more insights
Check out Megan Crook’s article “Spiritual Wonder in a Stressful World” for more information on connecting with the outside world in meaningful ways.
Read Sierra Smart’s article “Stewardship: It’s Time to Step it Up” for more on the importance of protecting God’s creations.