“Your Life—a Masterpiece in the Making,” Liahona, January 2022
Your Life—a Masterpiece in the Making
The author lives in Utah.
“Sculptors of life are we, with our uncarved souls before us. Every one of us is carving a soul.” 1 —President David O. McKay
Christ among the Lepers, by J. Kirk Richards © 2013, may not be copied
In 2018, I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. It came as a shock. I was an active wife, mother, grandmother, and, at the time, missionary at the beautiful Cove Fort Historic Site. I was also an active artist; painting and drawing have always been a source of joy and an expression of faith for me. So, when the disease began to take my energy and eyesight, I felt despair.
But one morning I awoke with the thought, “How dull and uninspiring a composition of music or art would be without contrast—light versus dark, soft versus bold, calm versus storm. So it is with the composition of our lives.”
I was reminded of a talk by Sister Sharon Eubank, First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, given at the 2020 festival of the Center for Latter-day Saint Arts. She discussed the way art helps us persevere and even thrive. 2 I pondered the idea. What if we were to compose our lives the same way an artist composes a masterpiece? And what might that masterpiece look like with the help of the Savior and our Heavenly Father?
Here are five artistic elements that we can apply to our personal lives.
1. Vision
The scriptures teach us that we are free to “act for [ourselves] and not to be acted upon” (2 Nephi 2:26). One of the most powerful ways for us to act is to pursue an intentional vision for our lives. A famous example of artistic vision is the story of Michelangelo’s statue of David. Michelangelo observed a massive piece of stone that had been sitting behind the town square for decades. The stone was weathered and flawed. But, as Sister Eubank observed, “Michelangelo had the eye to be able to see through what most people would say is an unworkable, imperfect piece of stone” 3 and visualize something divine. Had he not seen and pursued his vision, the stone’s potential would have been lost forever. We can view ourselves with the same inherent potential, no matter how far from perfect we might feel.
2. Tools
The gospel of Jesus Christ provides all the tools we need to create a masterpiece of our lives. Having the tools available is not the same as mastering the tools. Artists know that mastery requires daily practice over a lifetime. One of my favorite tools is a kneaded eraser, which is almost magical in its ability to remove mistakes without damaging the surface of the artwork. In life we are so blessed to have a spiritual kneaded eraser called repentance. The Lord promised, “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18). No matter what mistakes we have made, Christ can perfectly repair the masterpiece we are striving to become.
3. Focal Point
In Remembrance of Me, by Walter Rane
Experienced artists are careful to determine the prime location for the focal point in a painting. Other elements in the painting are designed to direct the viewer’s eye to that location. So it is with life. Our focal point, the Savior, should be at the heart of everything we do. And like great artists, we should step back frequently to ensure our focal point is not being diminished. This task is not easy. President Russell M. Nelson taught: “Our focus must be riveted on the Savior and His gospel. It is mentally rigorous to strive to look unto Him in every thought.” 4 Preparing for and worthily partaking of the sacrament each week is one way for us to take a step back and reaffirm our focus.
4. Values
In art, the term values refers to the balance between light and dark shades. When used properly, values reveal the composition’s source of light. In this way, differing values provide contrast and texture where there would otherwise be a gray dullness. Lehi taught that if Adam and Eve had remained in the garden, “they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin” (2 Nephi 2:23). In other words, lack of contrast would have meant a lack of progress. Brilliant colors stand out amid darker shades the same way a star shines brightly out of a dark sky. For us, times of challenge are opportunities to live our values.
5. Color
Photograph from Getty Images
The primary colors are red, yellow, and blue—the building blocks of all the beautiful colors in nature. Without red we would have no violet, no orange. Without blue we would have no teal, no purple. Without yellow we would have no goldenrod, no green. In the gospel, we have “Primary answers,” the foundational parts of our daily discipleship, such as scripture study, prayer, and obedience. Primary means “original,” “not … derived from anything else,” “fundamental.” 5 That definition fits the Primary answers perfectly. They are “original” because they are not derived from any other source but the teachings of Jesus Christ, and they have magnificent potential when used together. President Dallin H. Oaks taught, “Though each of these practices may seem to be small and simple, over time they result in powerful spiritual uplift and growth.” 6
Not all of us paint or draw or sculpt, but each one of us is composing a life, and each one of us will face opposition. My cancer diagnosis was a stark reminder that our time to compose is precious. Each day is another brush stroke. And when the picture of our life is complete, it will need a frame. If we have composed with care, that frame will be a crown of righteousness and the encircling arms of a loving Heavenly Father.
I have painted scenes that are dear to me, such as Cove Fort, where my husband served as director for two years, and this farm, which was located north of the Salt Lake City airport and was owned and operated by my father, Arza Hinckley, and his brother Rulon.
Hinckley Farm, by Louise Hinckley Crosby