Proof in Creation

In this  episode, Cydni and Sher explore how all of God’s creations—every flower, desert rock, and mountain sunrise—bear record of Him. Through stories about family, faith, wilderness survival, and even enchiladas, they remind us that God’s hand is visible in everything around us. They reflect on how trials strengthen faith and reveal divine beauty in unexpected places. Whether you’re wandering through your own wilderness or simply pausing to appreciate the world outside your window, this episode will help you see creation itself as living proof of God’s love and presence. This episode is "Proof in Creation" and we are so glad you are here!

This Week's Challenge
Before you head outside, say a prayer of gratitude for God’s creations and see how it changes the way you notice His hand in the world around you.

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Show Notes

Drip-Drip Drop, Words and  Music by  Matt Hoiland
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Transcript

Episode 133 - Proof in Creation

Cydni: [00:00:00] Rock asked me how the podcast was going and I said honestly and sincerely, it's one of the best things I've ever done for my own personal growth and my own soul. I love it so much. And the weeks that we don't get together very much, I don't do very good things. 

Sher: You miss my positive, happy, delightful personality and influence 

Cydni: Or just like your fear, the fear that you put in me.

Sher: That is definitely more like it. 

Cydni: The teacher in you, that's like, if you don't finish this assignment, you're in trouble. If I have no assignments, I'm like, what conspiracies are out there? And let me fill my mind with nonsense But I told Rock, I was like, it's really wonderful for me and I really appreciate our listeners so much. I don't think like Taylor Swift listens to us yet, or someone super, super famous that wants to give us all their money.

But I love it. He said this, he said, mom, you know what? You know who, uh, jinx is? And I said, no. And he is like, okay, well, you know, Twitch. And I was like, what are you talking about? But you know, it's a [00:01:00] streamer and he just wanted us to know, and everyone listening, to not give up on your dreams because this, streamer had five listeners to his stream for four years.

I might be wrong with that. I listened to Rock mostly, but I might be wrong, but it was a long time. But then suddenly. He had 1500 and now he is the top streamer on Twitch. so he just said, you gotta keep going and you have to do it for the love of the game. If you love something, you keep doing it. And maybe it will grow into something amazing and it'll be the top podcaster. And Joe Rogan will. Beg you to come on his podcast and tell him more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I just really appreciated that. You know, rock was there for us and he came to us in our wilderness and said, keep going, keep going, keep going. keep going. keep going. 

Sher: That was beautiful. 

Cydni: Welcome to the Cydni and Sher Podcast. 

Sher: Okay. Cydni. This month we have been discussing finding happiness in God's plan. Even [00:02:00] when you're wandering around the wilderness for 40 years, we can still be happy. So last week we talked about the children of Israel and they're complaining. Plus they're growing and working to reach the Promised Land, 

Cydni: I have to admit, a few months ago I had an impression to start to study the children of Israel and I didn't listen. And now it's in our face and this happens all of the time. Even my child begged us to watch the Prince of Egypt, it will not stop haunting me. And so I just had to admit that first that I think God is trying to send me a message. I think he's trying to say. Cyd, you're kind of like the children of Israel.

You're around the right age and you just want carbs and you just want me to do all the work. And you kind of complain a lot. And I keep trying to show you miracles and you're just wandering around all of the time getting nothing accomplished. 

Sher: I think that's for both of us though. Cydni. It's not just you. We're all wandering around the wilderness just trying to hang on. 

Cydni: That's good though. That's not just me. It makes me feel like other people also feel that way. And I [00:03:00] noticed also in general conference, it was brought up usually in just one sentence that maybe most people just breezed over. But for me it felt like a jab to the throat because I just felt I was supposed to study this on my own and I didn't going back to how much I need the podcast for my own wellbeing, and the same scripture I shared last week. Deuteronomy eight, two, it says, and thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee 40 years in the wilderness to humble thee and approve thee to know what was in thy heart. We read that last week

and in conference, another wilderness quote comes up again by President Henry B. Eryring. He's talking about a struggle. He had to learn math. It wasn't math, it was something fancy, but it was math. Math ish.

And he said just was not figuring it out. But That he would learn that his current struggle was a gift from the Lord. And it taught him that if he included the Lord, he could [00:04:00] do all things that seemed. Completely impossible. And I felt that has to be how the children of Israel have to feel at this time.

When they include the Lord, the sea parts, when they include the Lord, food shows up. So this putting us in the wilderness is to prove. The Lord will show up, but also to prove ourself. And he said the word prove has several meanings. It does not mean simply to test it. It means to increase its strength. To prove a piece of steel is to place it under strain, heat, weight and pressure are added until it's true. Nature is enhanced and revealed. The still is not weakened by the proving. In fact, it becomes something that can be trusted, something strong enough to bear greater burdens. The Lord proves us in much the same way to strengthen us. The proving does not come in moments of ease or comfort. It comes in moments. We feel [00:05:00] stretched beyond what we thought we could bear. And obviously I thought of the parent trap because the evil soon to be stepmom, she's revealed in the wilderness when they go camping. Oh, right. Oh yeah. That you gotta take a woman out to the wilderness. Mm-hmm. To see if you wanna marry her or not was what I gathered from all of that. 

Sher: I don't know if that's what it meant, Cydni, but good connection. 

Cydni: I was so glad Ben didn't. he would not have married me. 

Sher: I would've married him, but yeah, that would've died. I was gonna say, how would Ben do out in the wilderness?

Cydni: We would both be dead. We would be a headline that's like, date gone wrong. The Ritz Crackers were all gone in the first two minutes. I love Ritz Crackers. That's a camping tool. I was really thinking of Ritz like Carlton Resort. Oh, that's the truth. I tried to change it real fast.

Sher: Okay. There are two things I wanna say about what you just said, Cydni. First of all. Selfishly, I feel the same way about the podcast. I feel like it's helped me a lot more than anyone else, and hopefully our wonderful listeners get something [00:06:00] out of it because really it's helping me a ton.

And second I love that talk by President Eyring, and I love that he said that this is the way that God proves us. He wants us to be strong, independent men and women, and this is how he gets it done. And when I think of really strong in independent men, I think of my dad. And also, I said something last week in our episode about my dad and how much he absolutely loved. The wilderness. He loved the desert. He saw beauty in the most desolate places where most people would just see ugly and gross, blah. He saw the little details and the little touches that God has put all over the place that are just absolutely wonderful and beautiful. , One of the reasons why my dad loved the desert so much is because this is where he grew up. He grew up in the middle of nowhere in a very, what I would say, an ugly part of our state, but he [00:07:00] loved it and he saw beauty in it, and this. Led Cydni and I talking about how beautiful God's earth is, and also that when we're out in the wilderness, that God's not gonna leave us there by ourselves. He'll come and meet us in our own personal wilderness wherever we are. He will come and find us. So today that's what we wanted to really focus on is how beautiful the earth is and our own personal wilderness. Hopefully we can make it work. Cydni. 

Cydni: I learned from the Prince of Egypt that there can be miracles when you believe. So if we both just bring to the table some belief. I think it's possible. I 

Sher: hope so. let's start with nature and how wonderful it can be as I said, my dad saw beauty in the desert when I would just see emptiness and absolutely nothing. But he would point out one small flower or the way the sun just lit up the sky, or how it made this wonderful, cool looking shadow on the [00:08:00] ground.

he would find one. Beautiful rock in the middle of nothing. And he would pick it up and make a necklace out of it and this was like my dad's classroom. He loved. Being in nature and he loved our whole family being in nature and enjoying it together. God uses creation to teach us that he is real and he's powerful, that he's a creator and he loves beautiful things. And Moses chapter six, verse six, three, it says, and behold, all things have their likeness and all things are created and made to bear record of me. Both things which are temporal and things which are spiritual things which are in heavens above, and things which are on earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath all things. Bear record of me. So just think about this for just a second, everything, [00:09:00] and he summarized everything in that verse right there.

Everything that God creates bears witness of him. And I feel like this is why so many people can feel the presence of God in nature. How many times have you heard people say that they feel God when they're out in nature? More so than when they're in a church building.

When you're out in the wilderness and it's quiet and all you can hear, are just the sounds of nature? It gives you time to listen and see and get all of your senses filling.

The spirit of God's creation and all of those noises and sounds and how beautiful it is, is testifying that there is a God, that there is a creator that made this beautiful earth of ours. 

Cydni: I've thought about this several times and once I had the impression, the reason we feel that way is when you're in nature, you're truly emerged in obedience that the trees, and I love it, the flowers and [00:10:00] everything is working in unity with God and his laws, and there's no fight back. It's just pure obedience. And you feel. That law working in you, your soul recognizes it and loves it, is one thought I've had. 

Sher: I love the way you said that. I think that sums it up perfectly and it shows us, a little glimpse of what this earth really could be like if all of His children were obedient it feel the same way. It would look the same way. Oh my gosh. That would be so great.

Cydni: I also had another thought while I was preparing and I feel that across so many different cultures and religions and groups of people, people feel the same way about nature, that you feel connected or grounded. I also wondered, maybe there's something there with just knowing you are a visitor, you are not an owner of this, but a steward. And we are supposed to take care of the land and the beauty, and I think that connects us in a way that we're all visitors. On this earth that [00:11:00] God created the earth. It's a gift that is given to all of us.

We have that in common, and we have it in common. We're to be stewards over this and somewhere in our soul, I think we know it. I think we know that we're supposed to take care of it, that it's a gift from God and it was created for us. And I think there's something there. 

Sher: I think you're right because it makes sense that. We are children of God and God wants to share what he has with us. And so we kind of have that in us somewhere in our soul. We recognize the fact that as his children, we should be taking care of what he created for us to enjoy just like the same that you're doing with your children, you're giving them what you have so they can build upon it. Parents want to. Give what they have made and created. They wanna give that and share it with their kids. And they also want their kids to be good stewards over that whatever they give to them, and I know that's what God wants he wants us to recognize how beautiful it is. He wants us to show [00:12:00] gratitude and he wants us to take care of it. 

Cydni: When we drove up just recently as a family to the mountains, there were so many people everywhere. Every single hike was jam packed with cars. every different walks of life up there. And at first I thought, what are you guys doing? Why are you not just at home watching Netflix our drive would be a lot better without traffic. And then I thought, how beautiful, actually to see so many different groups of people, truly from different walks of life. Up in the mountain, all being called up there because you do feel connected to something bigger than yourself. It's a beautiful experience 

Sher: I think part of that is because you're getting away from things that are manmade. When you're surrounded by things that are manmade all the time. I feel that that is when my appreciation for the beauty of God's earth. Decreases when I get away from it. I'm like, wow, this is spectacular. Because what God can do is stunning. 

Cydni: I hear you. But also a manmade chimichanga [00:13:00] or taquito. It makes me feel the same way. When I eat it, I'm like, God is real and I am his daughter. Every single bite I take of that bean and cheese chimichanga, I feel connected to a greater being that I cannot describe the power without feeling a little emotional. And if you put enchilada sauce on that. Well, that's a out of body experience for me. Thank you, Cydni. That was right on point.

As usual, I would just like to get an amen from who I don't. It's not gonna be, I've listening to a lot of Baptist preachers this week and people always amen them. Can we start? I'll, this week we challenge you to start yelling Amen.

Sher: Well, I'll amen you when you say something worth amening. 

Cydni: Okay. the word worth has thrown me off. Can we get back to the spirit? 

Sher: Yes. I'm gonna give you a quote by President Hinkley president Hinkley said, I believe in beauty, the earth in its pristine beauty is an expression of the nature of its creator. Further, he said, I believe in the beauty of nature, the [00:14:00] flowers, the fruit, the sky, the peaks, and the plains from which they rise.

I see and believe in the beauty of animals and more. I believe in the beauty of God's unspoiled creations, the beauty of his sons and daughters who walk without whimpering meeting the challenge of each new day. I included the part about the sons and daughters 'cause I thought we might need the stop whimpering part.

Cydni: Fine. Then I add that he believed in the beauty of Mexican food, of deep fried deliciousness. Amen. 

Sher: Notice I did not Amen that. So anyway, what I really loved about that quote is that President Hinkley expressed his core beliefs that the earth and its pristine. Beauty is an expression of the nature of its creator. I think that is so wonderful that our prophet bore his testimony about the beauty of the earth and how it testifies of God, not of Mexican food.

Cydni: Wait, you just lost me [00:15:00] there. 

Sher: In Matthew chapter six, verse 26, it says, you just 

Cydni: deaf eared me so much. I did 

Sher: In Matthew chapter six, verse 26. It says, and why take you thought for remnant? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They toil knot. Neither do they spin . And yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not a array, like one of these flowers. I understand this is talking about having faith in God and trusting in him that he's gonna take care of us.

But this explains how wonderful and what a miracle the earth is. King Solomon was known as the richest person on earth. Elon Musk, richest person on earth. But Elon Musk cannot create something as , beautiful as the lily of the field. that's true. Like, I mean, I think his rockets are cool and Teslas are fine, but look at a Lilly, how gorgeous and beautiful and how they keep coming back, and each one's unique and different. And God has made it so that they continue to grow. Through the hard times, through the [00:16:00] wilderness, they keep coming back. It's absolutely a miracle that happens. 

So the earth in its pristine beauty is an expression. The nature of its creator, the animals, the flowers, the fruit, the sky, the planes, all of it. God loves us so much. He wanted us to have a beautiful home and also have our home testify of him. I found this song that was written in 1848 that kind of sums up what I'm thinking here. The first verse says, all things bright and beautiful, all creatures, great and small, all things wise and wonderful. The Lord made them all. And then there's a lot of verses, and I'm just gonna point out all the things in the song that the author is saying that God has made. he made each little flower and bird, the mountains, the rivers, the sunset, the morning, the winter, the summer, the fruits, the trees, the meadows, the water, and then the last verse says this. [00:17:00] He gave us eyes to see them and lips that we might tell. How great is God Almighty who has made all things well, here's where I'm going with this. God gave us eyes to see his creations, and he gave us lips that we might tell and testify that God did make these beautiful creations for us. God wants us to notice and love his creations.

exactly like the earth itself testifies of him. He wants us to do the same Notice it. Testify of it to others that this was all made for us by a loving God. I love this idea of just like what you said earlier about how one of the reasons you believe people love nature so much is you're watching all the elements, all the creations, everything work together to testify of God.

That's what nature does. But God wants us to do the exact same. We can be in nature. We [00:18:00] can look at it, we can love it. We. can fill God's creation in our soul, and God wants us to open our mouths and testify of that, that we see it, we recognize it, and we're grateful for it. I noticed at my work a few days ago that they have these mental health help posters all over the place and on all of them, one of the suggestions it gives is go outside. So the new phrase, touch grass, that's the big thing right now, right? I thought as I was staring at this poster, why does this help? So in my opinion, it's because all of nature testifies that there is a creator, a loving God. Put this beautiful earth together and with or without knowing it, all these mental health professionals are telling people to get out into nature, that testifies that there is a God. That's why it makes you feel better. And because we know this truth that there is a God, we should all do the same. 

Cydni: Your poem made me remember. My Heavenly [00:19:00] Father loves me from primary. Whenever I hear the song of a bird, or look at the blue, blue sky, whenever I feel the rain on my face or the wind as it rushes by whenever I touch a velvet rose, or walk by a lilac tree, I'm glad that I live in this beautiful world Heavenly Father created for me.

It came on the other day and Rock said, ah, the old school stuff. Love it. His grandma used to sing this to him all of the time, so he has a special place in his heart, which he should because she sings like an angel, which I'm so jealous of. Everything you've said reminded me of something. That's kind of random, but one of my friends ine she is incredibly gifted with home decor and making her home just so beautiful and something she does that I think is quite hilarious.

Is whenever she finishes a new room, even if it's her child's bedroom and it's perfect, she shuts the door and nobody is [00:20:00] allowed in. Nobody could go in and mess it up. She just wants to go in for a few days and look at its beauty and look at what has been created. She loves to do that.

my immediate thought was that's hilarious that she would do that. But then I've thought about this and I thought, I bet that's why the creation of the world also took so many days and God did not let humans in for a while. I think she's very godly to do this. I think it's actually a very divine trait to just sit back and appreciate the beauty because they didn't come in until the sixth day. Right before he could rest. So I think there's something there about stepping back and appreciating that it testifies of how much he loved it, just like Elaine walking into her beautiful new creation before the kids can come in. This is exactly what God did. 

Sher: This makes a lot of sense for me. My mom would never let us go into our front room because it was always pristine and beautiful and well kept. [00:21:00] I'm getting it now. My mom was just fulfilling her godly duties. 

Cydni: I'm getting it now too.

Sher: All right. Now as Cydni and I were discussing how beautiful the Earth is and how everything in nature testifies of God, we also talked about the times when. The earth doesn't look so beautiful and you are in the wilderness and it's dark and it's scary and it's not fun. And my dad used to tell us stories about growing up in the desert and he was really into scouting and he had a scout leader that taught him and all the boys in the area, how to survive in the middle of nothing.

as a final test, he would leave the boys out in the middle of the desert. He'd drop 'em off in the evening, and they had to survive with what they carried. And they needed to know how to survive off the land, including what to do if they ran out of water and they needed to find their way back home. Can you imagine doing that now? 

Cydni: No. Absolutely not. I feel like I want my kids to go through that. For what they would learn. But there's [00:22:00] no chance. No, there's zero chance. 

Sher: I know. They just dropped 'em off. Out in the middle of nowhere. 

Cydni: I'll make a man out of you. I guess so we need it. My kids need this. They don't know how to survive with like full meals in the fridge right now. Me either. They're like, where's the cereal? Real? 

Sher: All right. So I am not a survivalist by any means, but because I had the dad, I did. I want you to know that I have eaten cactus before. He taught me how to get water from the morning dew and how to find a good rock to put in my mouth to keep it from getting dry when we're out walking in the desert.

And he understood that in order to survive, you needed to be prepared because God does provide ways for you to survive in the wilderness like cactus do rocks. I know it sounds appealing. 

Cydni: Wait, I. Survived too. I figured out how to get into the parking at the most recent resort we stayed at. And it was really tricky because it was kind of a hidden spot and I had to back up into the spot.

Oh, wow. [00:23:00] And I survived that and I had to walk across the golf course, which is terrifying. You're a tough woman. There are those balls flying everywhere, right? Absolutely. But I kept going. and I got to our resort room and made it to the hot tub that was on the deck. 

Sher: You are an inspiration to all of us.

Cydni: Thank you. I also once had to go pee outside in the wilderness.

Sher: I'm not mocking that. That is rough. 

Cydni: you deserve props. You are a survivalist. Thanks., 

Sher: alright, so again, God provides ways for us to survive. The wilderness again, my dad taught me that there was cactus and dew and rocks and things like that.

Elder Jeffrey Holland said, in our moments of fear or doubt or troubling times, hold the ground. You have already won. Even if that ground is limited. . Noel Barras gave us three ways to guide us through our seasons of wilderness. The first one is the Lord can be our guide. The Lord offers us living water and the Lord can be our companion. So what I got out of all of this [00:24:00] is we can prepare ourselves by reading our scriptures, going to the temple, praying. Doing service because we know those wilderness times will come. If we are prepared, we will know that we can call upon our Savior and he will come to us and he will stay in the wilderness with us. He will guide us, he will give us living water, and he will never leave us. So we need to start practicing, just like my dad did, start practicing those survival skills. Now even desolate places can testify of God. Just like my dad taught me. God really is there. He really truly is in the wilderness and in the desert. so to help in our preparation in the wilderness, I was given a wonderful dad. He had a scout leader who helped him and taught him how to survive in the desert.

And we all have access to listen and learn from a prophet and he can lead us through our life in the wilderness. . We recently lost President [00:25:00] Nelson, but what a wonderful guide he has been.

I love his example of love and being a peacemaker, but most of all, I love his testimony of Jesus Christ and how he strived to be like our savior, savior will send people to our lives. To help us prepare.

So when those times come that we're in the middle of the wilderness, that we'll be able to hang on. but most of all, trust in the fact that if we are prepared, the savior truly will find us and guide us.

Cydni: It's a good reminder because Moses was always with the children of Israel. whether he was with them or pleading for them, he was there. . And I think back on my life, just like President Irene has said that the proving does not come in moments of ease or comfort. And last week we talked about the author who said that God puts people he loves in the desert and he does this to help shape our wandering hearts. I've seen this in my life.

It's the times we've recently said, [00:26:00] the moments that seal your heart to God are always difficult times. It's the time of famine, it's the time of darkness, it's the time of wilderness. We have seen over and over when you look back that God was with us the entire time He was there shaping us and proving us.

Something I've tried this week before I go on a walk or a drive to the mountains is I pray first in gratitude for the beauty of the earth. It has really changed my whole experience when I get out there. We already know and experience the connection we feel being in nature. But we challenge you this week to do it more intentionally to pray first set intentions, and you will be amazed at how much more awareness of God's beauty is available to you.

Sher: This brings us to our final thoughts. We hope you can see how even in the wilderness, whether it's a desert of sand and stone, or the wilderness seasons of our lives. It can be a place where [00:27:00] God teaches comforts and sustains us. My dad saw beauty in the desert, and in doing so, he helped me to see that God's hand is in everything around us. From the smallest flower to the vast sky above creation itself, bears record of him reminding us that he is real, that he loves us, and that he will never leave us alone. Just as the children of Israel were guided through their wilderness, we too can trust that this Savior will guide us and walk with us every step of the way. This is our prayer 

Cydni: from Cydni and Sher. I wrote notes and it's not very [00:28:00] helpful 'cause I don't know what I wrote. My throat is going to die. wilderness right now. I know we're in a podcast wilderness. Mm-hmm. We are. But Brad will appear any minute and quell. Let's break into song right now. No. 

Sher: I was waiting. I was just gonna join in. I was gonna do the harmony. 

Cydni: I would never, could Elon Musk though? He might. Could he make something? He might. He 

Sher: probably will. He is probably gonna do some DNA genetic coding. It wouldn't be the same. No, it wouldn't.

Cydni: it doesn't tie together, but I'll make it tie together. Lemme rope this together. May we all have extra enchilada sauce in our chi chagas. Amen. Say Amen. Say it. Say it. Say Amen. No. 

Sher: Have a good week. Bye.