yes, tom.
everything has an 'intelligence'. as we know from scripture, the intelligences are eternal, and have always existed. to me, it makes sense that when Christ (or His authorized servant) speaks, the elements obey...because the elements choose to obey the authority of their Creator.
While their choice is limited somewhat to the capacity in which they are formed (air, water, stones, earth, mountains, etc...), we as humans (and children of God), have more of a capacity because we can be enlarged.
and that example of yours, with Lehi speaking to his sons, is a perfect one.
a book that may help you understand it better is called, 'Earth - In The Beginning' (The Revised Edition), by Eric Skousen.
It takes the scriptural accounts of the creation, along with the words of the Prophets, and lines it all up...it makes sense and I've come to personally find a lot of meaning in it.
