I have artistic talent; however, I have not used it for 20 years! Do I still have it? I probably would have to work at redeveloping it. I let other priorities keep me from drawing and painting... that's very easy to do. Christ tells a parable of talents in the New Testament where three men are given a different amount of talents -- one man being given one talent. That man buries his talent so that nobody takes it. Then in the end, that man's talent is taken from him and given to another man who expanded the talents given him. The one-talent man proved himself to be an unprofitable servant. Whenever I hear or read this parable, I acutely feel that I have buried my artistic talent and am in big trouble for not developing it.
I found an article -- a speech -- given by President Boyd K. Packer of the Twelve Apostles in which he addressed members of The Church of Jesus Christ about not developing their talents for spiritual purposes... or not developing their talents at all. From reading this speech I feel a greater sense of responsibility to develop my talent and using my talents to visually testify of Jesus Christ and His teachings of Gospel principles.
Here is an excerpt from President Packer's speech: The reason we have not yet produced a greater heritage in art and literature and music and drama is not, I am very certain, because we have not had talented people. For over the years we have had not only good ones but great ones. Some have reached great heights in their chosen fields. But few have captured the spirit of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the restoration of it in music, in art, in literature. They have not, therefore, even though they were gifted, made a lasting contribution to the on-rolling of the Church and kingdom of God in the dispensation of the fulness of times. They have therefore missed doing what they might have done, and they have missed being what they might have become. I am reminded of the statement "There are many who struggle and climb and finally reach the top of the ladder, only to find that it is leaning against the wrong wall."
I have a new challenge -- we all do -- I need to make plans to carry out the development of my talent so that I can offer my finished works as testaments to the world about God's eternal truths.
