Nicole Dugdale 3/28/14 Ed Austin

My Body, My Soul, My Power

My Body The human body is truly a masterpiece. After years of medical studies and technological advancements, we are only beginning to understand its subtleties and complexities. Elder Russell M. Nelson said, Your body, whatever its natural gifts, is a magnificent creation of God. It is a tabernacle of flesha temple for your spirit. A study of your body attests to its divine design. Many will criticize and compare their bodies to others. People in our day obsess over changing and decorating their bodies, never satisfied with how they look. As dancers, we spend lots of time looking at ourselves in the mirror and striving for a perfect picture. Many struggle with eating disorders and other versions of poor body image. But I can be different. Prophets have taught, and I know, that my body is Gods creation, built in His image, and He has given it to me as a gift. My body is of divine origin, and it is filled with gifts and abilities. My body gives me the power to move and feel. It can experience pain, and it can heal itself from injury. I will strive to keep my body pure, healthy, and beautiful. Elder Nelson directed that we regard our body as a temple of our very own. I will cherish my body by not letting anything foul or inappropriate come in contact with it.

Dugdale 2 My Soul My spirit existed before I came to Earth, and it will continue to exist forever. According to Elder Nelson, my spirit is what provides my body wit h animation and personality. Development of my spirit while I am on Earth has eternal significance. Charity, humility, faith, hope, and integrity must all be developed within my spirit. These spiritual attributes, rather than the physical, are what will allow me to have eternal progression after this life. My spirit and body combined make up who I am as an individual. Elder Nelson taught, Spirit and body, when joined together, become a living soul of supernal worth. Indeed, we are children of Godphysically and spiritually. Being both a spirit and a body gives me access to both spiritual and physical experiences. I am a complete individual, unique from any other. Because of that uniqueness, I have something special to offer. I have my own personality, ideas, and strengths. I have great power to move, influence, and create.

My Power Through my divine nature and physical body, I have the power to think, imagine, develop ideas, and then act on those ideas. This God-like power is given to every person, and every person has the capacity to create something different. Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught, True creativity, as it reflects our capacity to see or to produce something in a new way, represents a restructuring that carries our individual imprint and uniqueness. The ability to create is the power to see things differently- to reorganize and make new connections. Its about exploring truth and expressing it from your individual perspective.

Dugdale 3 This power is what moves me to dance. I love to explore truths about myself, my body, and the world around me. I love creating movement and organizing it in new ways. I love the satisfaction of discovering new connections within my own body and how to use them. I also enjoy relating to other people in a way that is somewhat abstract, but deeply profound. Elder Maxwell said, Creative expression can also represent the celebration of our gratitude to God for our gifts and talents. Dance gives me the opportunity to thank God for giving me a capable body and a desire to move. Beauty and truth are all about us, beckoning us to respond (Maxwell). Dance allows me to see, experience, and respond to the beauty around me. K. Newell Dayley made this profound statement: The arts embody a unique learning process that awakens the very core of ones being to lifes meaning and beauty. Through the arts we can learn to see, hear, move, and feel with greater sensitivity and understanding. They provide both substance and stimulus for learning the creative process and nurture our capacity to explore the infinite. The arts enable us to communicate important realities that can be shared in no other way.

Brother Dayley also taught us to center the arts in Christ. As we explore and create, we must allow Christ to be at the center of our work. After all, it was Him who gave us those capabilities to begin with. Christ is the source of the power that is within us whereby we exercise free will, and bring to pass much righteousness (D&C 58:2728). His light gives life to our creative potential. The power to create is Christs power. When we use it, it must be to glorify Him and show gratitude and admiration for the magnificent works of God. Coming closer to Christ and following His example will allow us to be even more creative and expressive.

Dugdale 4 Conclusion I am a daughter of God, with a body created in His image. I have a responsibility to care for my body and use it righteously. I have an eternal spirit that should always be progressing in charity, integrity, faith, and knowledge. These two parts make up who I am and give me the capacity to create. Through dance, I deepen the connection between my physical body and my spirit. I learn about myself, and I am able to delve into the creative process. This is an amazing privilege and power that will help me to become more like my Savior. When I use my power correctly, it will be enlightening and uplifting for everyone involved. When I use this power for good, it will glorify the One who made it all possible.

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Works Cited Dayley, K. Newell. "Centering the Arts in Christ." BYU Devotional. 6 Mar. 2001. Brigham Young University Speeches. Web. 28 Mar. 2014. Maxwell, Neal A. "Creativity." New Era Aug. 1982: n. pag. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Web. 28 Mar. 2014. Nelson, Russell M. "We Are Children of God." Proc. of October 1998 General Conference. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.