"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me...and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Matt. 11:29

I have always had a hard time saying that I am an artist because I don't sell my art. I make art, but I don't sell it. But then again, there are many things I enjoy doing that I don't make money at and I call myself by those names, such as: I am a mother. I am a cook. I am a teacher. I am a wife. I am a maker of vessels. There are many things. But my point of all this actually has to do with art and "rest".

I have always been fascinated with women and mothering and how we are caretakers of many, yet, too often we forget to take care of ourselves. So, for one of my projects, many years ago, I did a series about "Women at Rest". I made over 100 women and all of them were in, on or a part of various types of cradles. The idea was as women we need to "rest" at times, or we would end up "resting"...i.e. dead. The cradles were symbolic of the care women need and provide.

Over the years I have continued to be a little fixated with the idea of "rest", not just for women, but for everyone. I have studied it in the scriptures a great deal and have it highlighted throughout my scriptures. I love the idea of being in "The rest of the Lord". In the scriptures this means "the fulness of his glory" (D&C 84:24). I have always had it in my mind that we don't need to wait until we are "at rest" to be in His glory. We can be in His rest now.

Jesus Christ says, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matt. 11:28-30).

The Latter-day prophet, Joseph F. Smith defined God's rest like this: "The ancient prophets speak of 'entering into God's rest'; what does it mean? To my mind, it means entering into the knowledge and love of God, having faith in his purpose and in his plan, to such an extent that we know we are right, and that we are not hunting for something else, we are not disturbed by every wind of doctrine, or by the cunning and craftiness of men who lie in wait to deceive. We know of the doctrine that it is of God, and we do not ask any questions of anybody about it; they are welcome to their opinions, to their ideas and to their vagaries. The man who has reached that degree of faith in God that all doubt and fear have been cast from him, he has entered into 'God's rest.'...rest from doubt, from fear, from apprehension of danger, rest from the religious turmoil of the world..." (Smith, Gospel Doctrine, p. 58.)

Put that definition in the scripture: "...and I will give you rest." That is a peace beyond description. The Lord is wanting to bless us with His peace, and with His happiness. This is how we can be happy in the midst of crisis. I have felt it and lived it in my own life. Even when things have been very difficult and emotionally challenging, I knew that His way was the right way. 

The world my not define me as an artist because I don't make money selling my art work, or they may not value me as a woman because I am a stay at home mom and don't make any money. But I know that what I am doing is beyond measurable value. God knows what is important and man's ways are not God's ways (Isaiah 55:8-9.) There is only one way to find true rest in this life and in the life to come, and that is "Come unto [Christ], and [He] will give [us] rest." (Matt. 11:28) Follow Him (2 Nephi 31:10; Matt. 9:9) , Learn of Him (Psalms 119:71; D&C 19:23)  and you will have true rest, God's rest. This I testify.