This painting came about as I was reflecting on my strengths and weaknesses. My strengths tend to lie in doing things that have results. I love painting, knitting, and spending my time in productive, rather solitary ways. When it comes to the social graces, however,— dance, developing rich relationships, or exhibiting kindness and compassion— I am woefully unskilled. I wish that I could just ignore what are for me difficult and seemingly less necessary skills. Even though they are more difficult for me, I can see the value of developing them. Through my willingness to change, much effort, and Divine Aid, I can turn my dreaded weaknesses into strengths. I can become stronger than I ever imagined I could be.
In my painting comes the marriage of industry—as represented by produce and work—and the softer arts—as represented by flowers and dance. On the left we see a strong, industrious woman holding her lemon and her trowel, a symbol of hard work. Her goal is to create something of tangible value. On the right is a more delicate woman holding a flower and a fan, a historically sophisticated tool of communication. Around the edges we see fruits and flowers and, on the top and bottom, the merging together of these two traits. The words in the middle come from the French translation of the Book of Mormon scripture Ether 12:27, which loosely retranslates into the title of this piece.
