Divine Entanglement: Exploring Light, Spirit, and Prayer

Good morning brothers and sisters, aloha, and warm greetings to all of you here at BYU–Hawaii and those joining us virtually.

As I look out at your faces—representing the islands of Polynesia, the nations of Asia, the countries of Africa, Europe, and the Americas—I see prophecy fulfilled before my very eyes. BYU–Hawaii is more than a university; it is a vibrant tapestry of cultures, faith, and discipleship, woven together by the gospel of Jesus Christ. You embody the prophecy of Zion, a people of one heart and one mind, dwelling in righteousness amid the beauty of this Pacific island. As disciples from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, you represent the gathering that prophets have foreseen for millennia.

I hold a Ph.D. in cell biology and I have worked my entire career in scientific research, with a particular focus on drug discovery and the development of new therapeutics. For more than three decades, I have been privileged to unravel the mysteries of the human body at the molecular level, seeking cures and understanding of the intricate designs of our Creator.

However, today I come not as a scientist, although science will play a crucial role in our discussion. I come as a disciple of Jesus Christ, a husband, father, grandfather, and fellow traveler on the covenant path. It is my earnest prayer that the Holy Ghost will guide our time together, that we may feel the Savior's love more deeply and commit anew to the path that leads to eternal joy.

I want to begin with some questions for you to consider:

How connected do you feel to your Father in Heaven?
Do you feel like He knows you and what you are going through?
Does he hear your prayers?

I invite you to consider these questions as we delve into some scientific principles related to light, which I hope will deepen our understanding, faith, and trust in God’s connection to us.

In Doctrine and Covenants Section 93, it teaches that every person existed with God before this life, as intelligences that were not created or made, but co-eternal with Him. In this eternal beginning, our spirits were organized by God and given the divine capacity to grow in light and truth. The revelation declares that, “Man was also in the beginning with God….” [1] and that through the light of Christ, all people receive the power to perceive truth and act according to it. [2]

Our relationship with God, therefore, is not merely that of creation to Creator, but of children to an Eternal Father, invited to progress as He is. As we receive His light, grace for grace, we come to know Him more fully and reflect on His glory within ourselves.

Though we were in the beginning with God, clothed in light and truth, our mortal life often feels like a distance, a separation veiled by time, our mortal bodies, and imperfection. Here on Earth, spirit and matter intertwine, and sometimes we wonder how the divine can still hear the faint pulse of our prayers.

If sound itself moves through air at a finite speed, how can words that we whispered in a quiet room possibly reach God? And what of the prayers that never find a voice, the ones offered silently in the heart?

Such questions remind us that our connection to God transcends the physical laws we are familiar with. His awareness of us is not bound by distance, delay, or medium.

The question that many, if not all, of us have asked, and have wrestled with is this: Am I imagining that God is there, or is He truly there?

We speak into the quiet, hoping someone is listening, and sometimes it feels the silence is heavy enough to make us wonder if our prayers are only echoes of our own thoughts. In a world that honors proof and data, it’s easy to ask, “Where is the evidence?" The best, most powerful, most lasting evidence is the personal witness of the Holy Ghost given to each of us that God is our Father and wants to communicate with us. This is the foundation of our faith.

While God is not measured with microscopes or telescopes, there are scientific phenomena that can help strengthen our faith that God is ever near. These phenomena are perceived through the laws that govern light itself: invisible, yet undeniably real when it touches us.

Modern science is concerned with the measurable. Things we can detect either physically by our senses, or by instrumentation that has been built to measure things beyond our physical senses.

Interestingly, the field of physics has begun to describe realities that feel almost spiritual in their depth. These discoveries hint at an underlying unity in creation, a fabric of connection that transcends our usual notions of space and time. If such coherence exists at the smallest scales of the universe, is it so impossible to imagine that the same divine intelligence that governs the cosmos could remain instantly attuned to every thought and prayer of His children? What we perceive as distance may only be the veil of mortality, while in truth, the light of Christ “…proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space—”, [3] binding all living things in His awareness and love.

I would like to share with you some of these scientific discoveries in more detail and how they may impact my original questions. How connected do you feel to your Heavenly Father? Do you feel like He knows you and what you are going through? Does He hear your prayers?

You’ve probably all heard the word quantum before, maybe in a Marvel movie or a bit of science fiction that promises time travel or alternate realities. But beyond the pop-culture buzz, quantum physics is a real and fascinating branch of science that explores the smallest building blocks of the universe. It studies how light and matter behave at their most fundamental level, realities so strange that they defy our everyday sense of logic and space.

Quantum physics, also known as quantum mechanics, is the branch of science that seeks to understand how the universe operates at its most minute scales smaller than atoms, in the realm of electrons, photons, and subatomic particles. It emerged in the early 20th century when scientists discovered that energy does not flow continuously but comes in discrete packets, called “quanta.”

Soon after, other pioneering scientists in quantum physics developed theories that showed that particles behave in ways that defy our everyday logic. Sometimes acting like a solid particle, sometimes acting like a wave, and often existing in multiple states until they are observed. These discoveries revolutionized physics, and gave rise to modern technologies such as semiconductors and lasers, and revealed a universe far more mysterious and interconnected than classical science had ever imagined.

As President Russell M. Nelson has said, “I think a surgeon is in a unique position to understand one of God’s greatest creations — the human body. Every segment of the body motivates me to faith.” [4]

Similarly, every segment of my scientific inquiry and discipline has also strengthened my faith in a loving Father in Heaven.

My interest in quantum physics and quantum mechanics began long before I started my formal training in science. I was inspired by my father, Dr. James Bearss, a physical chemist with a deep love for the mysteries of quantum science. From my early years, I remember sitting with him and discussing the strange and beautiful principles that govern the smallest particles in the universe. Those conversations continued as I grew, studied chemistry, worked in laboratories, and later devoted my life to biology and drug discovery. The language of science became more than an academic pursuit; it became part of my spiritual lens. Due to my father’s influence, quantum physics has always been interesting, and it naturally informs my understanding of God’s light and our divine connection to Him.

Let me share something remarkable that scientists have discovered about the nature of light itself.

When two particles of light become what physicists call "entangled," they form a connection that defies our everyday understanding of how the world works. This entanglement occurs when the particles are created together or interact in a way that links their properties, such as the direction they travel, spin, or their polarization.

The concept of entanglement first emerged in the 1930s, when scientists argued that quantum mechanics must be incomplete because it allowed what Albert Einstein called “spooky action at a distance.” They were troubled that measuring one particle could instantly affect another far away, which seemed to defy the principles of relativity. In response, an Austrian physicist Erwin Schrödinger coined the term “entanglement” to describe this strange linkage of particles.

For decades, entanglement remained more of a philosophical puzzle than a proven reality. Then, thirty years after the phrase was first coined, this concept could be tested experimentally. This reminds us of how understanding often comes “…line upon line, precept upon precept,…” [5], as the Lord reveals truth gradually to those who seek it. Finally, in the 1970s and 1980s, groundbreaking experiments with entangled particles of light, decisively confirmed that entanglement is real and not just a mathematical oddity. The implications were profound: the universe, at its most fundamental level, allows for connections that transcend classical space and time, pointing to a more profound unity in creation than anyone had previously imagined.

Here's the astonishing part: When you affect one entangled particle, the other responds instantly. Not in a few seconds, but immediately. This phenomenon occurs even when particles are separated by vast distances, such as across the laboratory, or in another city, or even across the galaxy. The change in one is mirrored in the other without any delay or signal traveling between them.

This is what Albert Einstein referred to as "spooky action at a distance." It troubled him because it violated everything he believed about the limitations of space and time. Yet, decades of rigorous experimentation, starting with tests in the 1980s and continuing to this day, have proven that this quantum entanglement is not only real but is fundamental to how our universe operates. It's even being harnessed in emerging technologies, such as quantum computing and secure communications.

Picture this: two sparks of light, born from the same source, and then separated by unimaginable distances. Yet they remain connected, sharing what scientists describe as a single quantum state. They are no longer two separate entities, but parts of one greater whole. You touch one, and the other one knows immediately— as if the distance between them didn't exist at all.

Now, I want you to hold that image in your mind, because I believe it offers a profound way to think about our relationship with God. Just as entangled particles share an unbreakable, instantaneous link from their origin, our spirits are organized in the presence of God's divine light. They may maintain an eternal connection to Him, no matter the physical or spiritual distances we perceive in mortality. While quantum entanglement doesn’t explain how God hears our prayers, it can help us understand that if connected objects at great distances can be instantaneously affected by what happens to one or the other, then certainly God, with His omniscient understanding of His creations, can be instantaneously and inherently be connected to us, His children.

Quantum physics reminds us that unseen forces shape everything we see. That observation alone can change reality, and that connection can persist even when distance seems infinite. Likewise, faith is not pretending to know, it is learning to see. To recognize the Spirit is a form of divine evidence, testifying our connection with God is real and meaningful.

Understanding our connection with God changes everything about how we approach our daily spiritual lives. Let me share three practical implications:

First, we can pray with absolute confidence. You never need to wonder if God hears your prayers. The connection exists before you kneel down, before you speak, even before you feel the need to pray. He's already there, linked instantaneously through His light, connected with us.

Second, we can trust small impressions. That gentle prompting to text an old friend, that feeling that you should take a different way home, that quiet thought during a difficult decision—these may seem insignificant, but they're evidence of divine communication that God often speaks in whispers because He's so close to us.

Third, we can find hope in our divine identity. You are not alone in this universe. You are not disconnected from your Creator. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf has taught, “You are a blessed being of light, the spirit child of an infinite God! And you bear within you a potential beyond your own capacity to imagine.” [6] You are made of light, designed to return to His presence, eternally linked to the source of all truth and love. This assurance reminds us that even in trials, God's awareness is ever-present.

The scriptures consistently teach us that God is light, [7] and that we, as His spirit children, partake of that same divine light. It isn't merely poetic language; this is doctrinal truth with profound implications. In Doctrine and Covenants 93:29, the Lord declares: "Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be." [8] This means that at our core, we are not temporary beings; we are eternal intelligences made of divine light. Later, in verse 36, He declares, “The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth.” [9]

If our spirits are made of this same eternal light, then our very identity is inseparably linked with Him. We remain connected across any distance. The light within us resonates with the light of God, forming a bond that cannot be severed. This perspective helps us understand that our divine connection to Him is not fragile or symbolic—it is literal, written into the very fabric of who we are as His children.

Think about that. We were in the beginning with God . We shared His presence, His light, His very nature. This connection formed at the source can never truly be broken, even across vast separations. Our premortal existence with God establishes an enduring bond that transcends space and time.

Doctrine and Covenants 88:11 teaches, "And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings;" [10] This light—God's light—"…is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed,…" [11] It permeates creation like an infinite field of divine energy, connecting all things to their Creator.

In the scriptures, the Savior repeatedly testified of His oneness with His Father. In John 10:30, He declared, “I and my Father are one.” [12] In His great intercessory prayer, He pled, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee…”. [13] The Book of Mormon echoes this truth: “…the Father and I are one.” [14]

The Father and the Son are perfectly united in will, purpose, and glory. Though separate physical beings, they are not separate in purpose or divided in light; rather, they resonate as one divine reality. Because Christ is perfectly in tune with His Father, He is the exact representation of the Father, and through His atoning light we are invited into that same divine entanglement, to become “one” with Them. [15]

The Apostle Paul understood this connection when he wrote: "But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit." [16] Not similar spirits. Not connected spirits, but one spirit. And consider James's beautiful promise: "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you…" [17] This suggests not just a response to our efforts, but a simultaneous movement, responding to each other instantaneously, without delay.

If our spirits are indeed fashioned from light, if we truly were with Him in the beginning, then we remain, in a very real and literal sense, connected with Him still. This understanding strengthens our faith by illustrating that our divine connection isn't fragile or dependent on physical laws; it's inherent, unbreakable, and always active.

This understanding transforms our perspective on prayer. Too often, we imagine our prayers as messages we send across vast distances, hoping that they reach Heaven's postal system. We worry about whether God truly hears us, whether our words matter, and whether we're praying correctly. But, if we remember God is our Father, and we are His children prayer isn't about transmitting information across space, it's about awakening a connection that already exists.

Our prayers resonate with God's Spirit because we are already united with Him in ways that transcend physical distance.

The Savior’s promise: "…your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him." [18] is real. He knows because He's connected to us. Our needs, our joys, our struggles create resonances in the divine light we share with Him.

Years ago, I was driving home when I received a phone call that changed everything for my life. My mother, who had been diagnosed with breast cancer in her late 50s and had battled it courageously, had been rushed to the hospital. What we initially feared was the return of her breast cancer. It turned out to be something even more devastating. She had developed a second cancer, colorectal cancer—an aggressive disease that ultimately took her life.

As I drove, my heart was heavy with worry. I found myself praying—pleading, really—for her comfort and healing. What struck me wasn't just the urgency of that prayer, but something else entirely. Before I had even finished speaking the words, I felt peace. Not the kind of peace that comes after receiving good news, but deep, settling peace that whispers, "I am here, and I hear you."

Despite this immediate comfort, my mother did not recover; she passed away just a few weeks later from that colorectal cancer that had developed so rapidly. Yet through that experience, I came to know without doubt that God was fully aware of her suffering, her faith, and her eternal well-being. She is okay now, safely in His light, and that assurance has strengthened my testimony of His infinite care.

The peace I felt in that moment wasn't God's response traveling to me from some distant heaven. It was the resonance of His Spirit within my own, a reminder that He was already there, he was already aware, and already caring.

Revelation, then, is not a foreign voice breaking into our lives from the outside. It's the gentle vibration of God's Spirit harmonizing with our own. That sudden impulse to call a friend, that quiet comfort during grief, that flash of understanding while studying the scriptures, these are all evidence of God's awareness mirroring ours in real time.

President Boyd K. Packer taught: "The Holy Ghost speaks with a voice that you feel more than you hear." [19] Perhaps this is because the Spirit doesn't speak to us so much as through the light we already share with God.

If we're truly connected with God, why don't we feel this connection all the time? Why does revelation seems so distant or unclear?

Consider two tuning forks designed to vibrate at the same frequency. When you strike one, the other will begin to resonate—but only if it's properly tuned. If one fork is damaged, dampened, or cluttered with debris, the resonance becomes weak or distorted.

Our spirits are like those tuning forks, designed to resonate perfectly with God's Spirit. But sin, distraction, pride, and the noise of the world can dampen our ability to feel that resonance clearly. This is why spiritual discipline matters so much. Prayer, scripture study, fasting, temple worship, service—these aren't just religious activities. They're tuning mechanisms that help align our spirits with God's frequency, restoring the clarity of our divine connection.

Repentance is the most powerful tuning tool we have. When we sincerely repent, we're not just asking for forgiveness; we're removing static from our spiritual receivers, clearing the channel so God's light can resonate more purely within us. The Savior taught: "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:" [20] Sheep recognize their shepherd's call because they're attuned to it. We can learn to recognize God's voice more clearly as we align our lives with His truth.

I've noticed this in my own life. During periods when I'm more consistent in prayer and scripture study, the impressions come more readily. Not because God loves me more during those times, but because I'm better tuned to receive the constant signal of His Spirit. Revelation is the Lord's ongoing communication with His people. Ongoing—not sporadic, not rare—but constant. We are always connected; we're simply learning to recognize and trust that connection.

When we can pray with absolute confidence, trust small impressions, and find hope in our divine identity, it doesn't mean God will always answer our prayer the way that we want or expect.

Heavenly Father will never override agency or remove the need for growth or learning. But it does mean that we are never truly alone— never beyond His awareness, never outside His love. Sometimes God's response comes as immediate peace; sometimes as patient silence that teaches us to trust. Sometimes He answers through scripture, sometimes through other people, sometimes through circumstances we couldn't have orchestrated ourselves. But always—always—He responds from a place of perfect knowledge and perfect love, through connection that cannot be severed by distance, time, or even our own mistakes.

I want to return to when I was driving to the hospital, worried about my mother. The peace that I felt in that moment of prayer wasn't wishful thinking or emotional self-comfort. It was evidence of a connection that existed long before that crisis and it continues long after. Though my mother passed away far too young, she left behind a legacy of faith, love, and quiet strength. Through it all, I felt that same resonant peace. Not because the pain was gone, but because I knew she had moved from one realm of God's light to another, and our family's connection with the divine continued. Through this trial, I learned that God was intimately aware of her every moment, her courage in the face of suffering, and her eternal progression. She is okay—more than okay—in His loving embrace, and that knowledge has deepened my faith in His plan.

I testify to you that God lives. I know that Jesus is the Light of this World—the source and center of the divine connection we feel when we pray, when we serve, when we choose to follow Him. Through His Atonement, any static or interference in our spiritual connection can be cleared away. I testify that the Holy Ghost is real and active in our lives—constantly resonating with our spirits, helping us recognize truth, comforting us in sorrow, and guiding us toward light.

I testify that you are never alone. No matter how distant heaven might feel, no matter how complex your struggles, no matter how imperfect your faith, you are entangled with your Heavenly Father through the Divine light. That connection was forged before the world was made, and it will endure throughout eternity.

So, I invite each of us: This week, to pray as if you are already connected to God—because you are. Listen for His Spirit as if it's already resonating within you—because it is. Trust the small impressions, quiet peace, the gentle promptings that come from recognizing them as evidence of God’s love and awareness of you. Draw near to God through prayer, scripture study, and righteous living, knowing that as you do, He will draw near to you—not across some vast distance, but through the eternal light that you've always shared with Him.

I leave these thoughts with you in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and the source of all light, amen.