Demiree Eastman February 17, 2014 D-459 Senior Seminar 1.

1 Discussing the Words of Modern Prophets

While reading through different talks by various prophets, my eyes have been opened up to a whole new dimension of understanding when it comes to applying those principles to my personal viewpoints and actions as an LDS dance artist. While reading through, there were three major categories that I found myself associating these principles into: First, how we personally prepare ourselves beforehand as dance artists to present our work. Second, how we are delivering our current work, and what is in its content. And third, how we continue with the spirit afterwards to continue to create future works. To start, how do we personally prepare ourselves beforehand as dance artists to present our work? As an LDS artist, I have found that it is important to be full hearted in what I am doing. I need to support and believe what I am presenting as a performer, choreographer, and over all artist. Art is a mechanism that needs to be vulnerable, raw, and real. If the artist is not 100% true to what they are doing, it can be blatantly seen from any audience member. As I was reading talks on honesty and integrity by N. Eldon Tanner and David A. Bednar, it became relevant on how we can take those concepts and apply them to our medium of dance. Elder Bednar defined integrity when he stated, It means being righteous from the very depth of our soul, not only in our actions but, more important, in our thoughts and in our hearts. Personal integrity implies such trustworthiness and incorruptibility that we are incapable of being false to a trust or covenant. This definition exemplifies what I was explaining beforehand. We

need to have integrity not only in the actions we do, but from the inside crevices of our hearts and minds. Not only will it give integrity to a dance artists performance, but it will create a dance artist that is a genuine person off and on the stage. When people see and feel that integrity, the spirit can be felt in the smallest of movements. N. Eldon Tanner gave the challenge to step back and ask, How do YOU stand in integrity? As LDS members, ambassadors, and performers we should often do a self-evaluation of where we stand. How are we doing? Are we being completely honest in all of our doings? Are there things we can work on? If a great building is first constructed on a crumbly foundation, how is it to truly stand proud for a long duration of time? It cant. We need to stand true from the inside out. As performers we need to make sure we are prepared beforehand to construct a work that reflects Christ (Tanner). Which brings me to the next point. How we are delivering our current dance work, and what is in its content? As LDS members, we are extremely blessed to have a knowledge of the restored gospel on this earth. It is a divine treasure. Not only do we learn of its truth, but we can use our talents to learn of truth even more deeply (Uchtdorf). Every day, as artists we are asking creative questions and discovering breakthroughs in our creative processes. Neal A. Maxwell presented an insightful point when he stated, All truth comes from God, when we celebrate truth in creative breakthroughs, we are acknowledging the resplendent order in Gods universe. So what do we do with this knowledge and truth that we gain and learn every day through personal exploration? We spread it. We put those concepts of the truth that we know of and we teach others. We constantly hear as members that it is vital to be missionaries and spread the word. But how many people stop and think that dancers and performers can be missionaries in their fields as well?

As we look at the world today, there is a lot of darkness and confusion in art and society as a whole. There are many LDS artists that are hesitant to go out into those fields professionally due to the fact that it is so easy to get consumed into the whirlwind of worldly desires. However, the world needs us. Uchtdorf stated that It is more than just an opportunity to have the gospel and spread it, but it is an obligation. The world needs good people. It needs virtuous art. It needs the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Newell Dayley explained that, Performers can be the voice of God. We have the opportunity as LDS artists to bring the gospel into our passion and spread it. The last point I asked was, how do we continue with the spirit afterwards to continuously create future works? The future is so bright. There is so much ahead of us that is unknown, and yet, is so beautiful. There are epiphanies that havent been sparked, joys that havent been felt, and creations that have not been discovered yet. It is up to us to create all of them. When we look at our bodies, it is an absolute miracle. The cells that come together to create a working, functional human body with arms, legs, eyes, senses, and brains shows that there was divine inspiration behind it (Nelson). There is also divine potential for it. There is so much that is possible when we look to the possibilities ahead of us. God was the ultimate creator, and He is giving us the opportunity to create. When we create, we are showing our love to Him (Maxwell). Creating is exciting, it is unknown, and sometimes as artists we have no idea what we are creating until the very last moment is choreographed into a piece. We then realize that there in that moment we have created something. A substance. A feeling. Neal A. Maxwell stated that, Creation doesnt always depend on the consumers, it is a highly personal experience. Creation is beautiful, and the fact that as dancers we get to experience new creation on a daily basis often times is such a blessing.

As LDS dancers we can recognize that creation process even deeper. As we progress on future works, it is important to always remember the divine Creator. To have His spirit and inspiration with us as we incorporate our own inspiration into that. We can keep the spirit with us by doing the small daily things that the prophets recommend us to do. Pray, attend church, read our scriptures. Elder Nelson stated that the scriptures are like our modern day Liahona. What a blessing! We have an instruction manual at our fingertips to keep His spirit with us and direct us through life. As we practice these divine prerequisites, we will be guided in our decisions. As LDS performers, it is vital to keep up with the simple things. Although we are constantly exerting so much time, patience, and physical energy into our passion, we need to continually do the things needed to keep up our spiritual health. As Nelson explained in his talk, if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. (Romans 8:13). In conclusion, I have discovered through the research of modern day prophets that it is such a blessing to be an LDS artist. It is a unique culture. We have the opportunity to create beauty in every way possible: with our minds, our bodies, and our spirits. Although there may be few LDS artists, it is imperative that we exist. We are the specialized tools in Gods hands that can be used to help people in a way that no other method can. If we constantly do the preparations beforehand to evaluate ourselves before a work, we can then create something honest. Then, in our current status, we can spread it throughout the world as a mouthpiece of the word of God. Then, we can continually create the future by having the Lords spirit reside with us always. We can create a new outcome that wasnt there before.

Works Cited

Bednar, David A. Be Honest BYU Idaho. 10 Sept. 2002. Address. Bednar, David A. "That We May Always Have His Spirit to Be With Us." Apr. 2006. Address. Dayley, Newell K. "Centering The Arts in Christ." Brigham Young University, Provo. 06 Mar. 2001. Speech. Maxwell, Neal A. Creativity. Aug. 1982. Address. Nelson, Russell M. We are Children of God. Oct. 1998. Address. Tanner, Eldon N. Integrity. April Conference. 1977. Address. Uchtdorf, Dieter F. What is Truth. Brigham Young University, Provo. 13 January. 2013. Address.