Julie Nybo January 20, 2014 Dance 261 Honesty and Art Heavenly Father has given us the

precious gift of agency. With this gift our journey on this earth needs to reflect our honest thoughts and our honest actions. At the end of our travels we will have prepared to meet our God. The third article of faith states that We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel (Smith). The line Obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel sticks out to me. Obedience is virtue that if possessed will increase the trust we have in ourselves and the trust that others will have in us. One of the attributes of obedience is honesty. They are related and interconnected. Without honesty obedience has no value. Honesty is the stamp on obedience giving it greater worth. President James E Faust reflects on honesty when he stated We all need to know what it means to be honest. Honesty is more than not lying. It is truth telling, truth speaking, truth living, and truth loving (Bednar). I love that James E. Faust said we need to be truth telling, truth speaking, truth living, and truth loving. Truth telling to me means that when we come in contact with other people we are relaying information that is correct and true. Truth speaking is a displaying to others our honest thoughts and feeling. Truth living are the actions by the way we live and our example to those around us. Truth loving is a desire to be good and only good. By learning about these different aspects of honesty discovered by James E. Faust we will become more like Christ, the perfect example of truth. As artists we need to convey our feeling through honest and true attributes.

Truth telling. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf revealed. The thing about truth is that it exists beyond belief. It is true even if nobody believes it (Uchtdorf). Telling the truth can be difficult it is giving correct facts and information. If we do not have all the information sometimes it is best to say I dont know (Kid President). As a child I had a hard time telling the truth about some things because I was afraid of the consequences. Little did I realized that the consequences for not telling the truth would far outweigh the outcome of giving the real facts. I found that if I said one little lie I would have to keep lying to get out of it. I would have to push my guilty conscience away and I would have to continue living my life knowing that I had done something wrong. In the end I chose to tell the truth but by then the lie had changed and multiplied that I had an even bigger consequence than I would have if I had just said the right thing in the first place. Telling the truth is a continual effort and can only be accomplished by control over pride and passions. Artist use their passions to communicate inner feelings. If we do not tell truth in its most pure form audiences will not trust the artist. Truth speaking. Cowards die many times before their deaths but the valiant never taste of death but once. This quote from William Shakespeares Julius Caesar has stuck with me throughout my life. It takes courage to speak truth. Cowards will step down before they will let their reputations be disrupted. Speaking true thoughts and feelings can be terrifying but communicating those honest words is the only way to gain actual trust from people. It is a give and take relationship. By speaking truth others can trust the words that escape our mouths. Art is accepting something that another is presenting. Communicating clear and concise truths brings honesty to movement. Truth living. In our lives we are faced with people and decisions. People are incredible. Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles related, Each organ is a

wondrous gift from God. The eye has a self-focusing lens. Nerves and muscles control two separate eyes to make a single three-dimensional image. The eyes are connected to the brain, which records the sights seen. No cords or batteries are needed (Nelson). Bodies allow us to feel, breath, see, and experience life itself. People have the capacity to learn and grow. When different people step into our lives we begin to interact and develop connections. Elder Nelson also stated We are dual beings. Each soul is comprised of body and spirit, both of which emanate from God. A firm understanding of body and spirit will shape our thoughts and deeds for good (Nelson). Living truth consist of knowing who we are. If we have more confidence in ourselves as children of God we can make decisions for good as Elder Nelson said based on that truth. As a dancer my body is the instrument which I use to create art. If I live truth I will express truth. Truth Loving. Love is a complicated but simple word. We are taught that Charity is the pure love of Christ and it would be well with them who are possessed with it at the last day (Moroni 7:47). Complete love involves trust and honesty. Charity is kind. It is not puffed, it thinketh no evil, is not easily provoked. What a way to live. Love is not easily provoked. If the world had more patience and more love toward others, disagreements would dissipate. Love like honesty and truth are work. Love does not just simply happen. Usually it is a string of experiences and devotion towards someone or something that brings about love. Neal A. Maxwell detailed that Beauty and truth are all about us, beckoning us to respond. But perspiration usually precedes inspiration, and pondering, reverentially, almost always occurs before we make any breakthrough. Creative work is sweet, but it is work! (Maxwell). Loving requires dedication. Dedication over time brings great outcomes. Dancers are passionate about their work because it is satisfying to create. Love is satisfying.

Truth is sacrifice, determination, and devotion. It is a life-long pursuit but we come closer to different truths by practicing the basic ones in our everyday lives. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf expressed his support for us by saying I bless you with confidence in the Lord and a deep-rooted desire to rightfully discern truth from errornow and throughout your life (Uchtdorf). When we use truth as an asset to be honest we will find support from our friends and confidence within ourselves. The prophets and apostles have taught us about truth in hopes that we will use it in our lives to be better people and become more like Christ. He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Let us all strive to be more honest in our lives so that the art that we create will deliver truth.

Works Cited Bednar, David A. Be Honest.. Address. Kid President. 20 Things we should say more often. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5yCOSHeYn4. Maxwell, Neal A. Creativity..Address. Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar. Smith, Joseph. The Pear of Great Price. Pg. 62. Uchtdorf, Dieter F. "What is Truth?." . Address.