Sharing remarks on understanding the Creator and understanding ourselves better, Anton Bowden delivered insights from his area of expertise at a BYU devotional this morning.
As a professor of engineering, Bowden has spent years studying the human body through an engineering lens. He centered his remarks on what this work has taught him about the Master Engineer, Heavenly Father.
“From the microscopic to the macroscopic, from DNA to organ systems, from the beating heart to the healing of bone, our bodies testify of the wisdom, patience, creativity, mercy, and love of the Master Engineer.”
Bowden taught that the body is a gift and one of the main purposes of coming to mortality.
“Receiving a body is not just the opening formality of mortality. It is not just the container in which the real spiritual work happens. It is part of the work. It is part of the gift. It is part of the plan.”
By studying the body, one can learn more than just how it works; they can also learn about the Master Engineer who created it and what is important to Him.
Bowden shared six lessons that he’s learned about studying the body from a heavenly perspective.
The Master Engineer Marks His Creations
Bowden taught that just as engineers place their seal on a design, Heavenly Father has placed His mark on each of His children through their divine identity.
Diversity Is Not a Manufacturing Error
Using the uniqueness of the human body, Bowden emphasized that diversity is part of God's design. "The Master Engineer has given each of us the gift of being one of a kind," he said. "And because we are each unique, we each have something unique to give."
We Work and Heal Better Together
Drawing on research about chronic pain, Bowden taught that healing is strengthened through meaningful relationships. "Connection is not a decorative feature of the plan of salvation. It is part of the design," he said.
The Master Engineer Uses Compliant Mechanisms to Achieve Both Strength and Flexibility
Using the engineering design of the human spine, Bowden illustrated how strength and flexibility work together and likened this principle to the Savior's perfect balance of justice and mercy.
We Are Constantly Being Repaired and Remodeled
Bowden explained that the body is continually healing and adapting, teaching that steady, balanced effort leads to growth and that through Jesus Christ even suffering can become a witness of redemption.
Our Body Truly Is a Temple
Concluding with the promise of the Resurrection, Bowden testified that every body is a sacred gift with eternal purpose and will one day be perfected through Jesus Christ.
“Our bodies are gifts, designed by a Master Engineer, and bestowed upon us because He is our loving Heavenly Father. By studying how our bodies work, we can learn a bit more about Him.”
