Richard and I were guests on the last night of youth conference this week. We enjoyed dinner and then watched the youth assemble this work of art. Earlier in the week, each youth was given a rectangle tile to paint with some basic lines and instructions. Most pieces had simple colors and lines with very few clues about what they were actually creating.
As the sun set on the last evening, they lined up to affix their tiles to the large board as we listened to their recorded testimonies expressing why they wanted to walk with Jesus. When the art was complete, we sat quietly as we admired it and listened to music. In a world of virtual everything on small screens, this tangible, large object lesson was refreshing.
The art made me think of the process of building a testimony, day by day. It made me think of gathering Israel, one person at a time. Painting a tile could represent faith that our righteous actions will make a difference. It was also a visual reminder that the church is one in Christ, and each person brings something essential as they walk with the Him. What a beautiful object lesson with so many applications!
For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:12
Also the body hath need of every member, that all may be edified together, that the system may be kept perfect.
Doctrine and Covenants 84:110