Artist on a Mission – Anchor to My Soul

At home I have one person who cuts my hair. She knows how to cut my hair without me saying anything. “You just need it cleaned up a bit?”

“Yes.” I say.

I come out of her shop and my hair is the same every time.

When I stepped off the plane here, my straight thin desert hair met the humidity of Hawaii and curled like the end of the ocean waves. When I wash my hair, I blow it dry and it is desert straight. Then I walk out the door. POOOF! Hair hits muggy and I get instant curl. It was time to get a haircut. I walked into a random shop and said, “Take off about one inch, please. I don’t want it too short.” A short, dark haired  kapuna pulled out her scissors. It was a great haircut but much shorter than when I went in. She said, “Look. You can fluff it with your fingers.” I’ve lost myself in the work and my hair may never be the same.

The above watercolor of Joseph F. Smith is portraying him as a young 15-year-old missionary standing on the Honolulu dock. He left the dry desert air of Utah for the humid air of Hawaii. This watercolor  was painted after a visit to Hanauma Bay and was influenced greatly by the color of the ocean there. There is a benefit to visiting a place when you want to do a painting. Although I can’t visit the Honolulu port in 1852, I can see the amazing color of the ocean today and include it in my painting.

So we have many opportunities here on this mission and they are not all involved in education at the college. Ezra Taft Benson was the 13th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a beloved prophet. He loved the Book of Mormon. His emphasis was on the blessings that reading the Book Of Mormon brings into our lives. It testifies of hope, and faith in Jesus Christ and how that hope becomes an anchor to our soul. We were able to hold President Benson’s Book of Mormon that he studied and read from and that anchored his soul. The sailing ship in the top picture had an anchor that kept it safely secured. Faith in our life keeps us securely attached to the goodness and example of Christ.

Ether 12:4

Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.

Church of Jesus Christ.org