The Joys of Creation

Composing music is a form of art, an expression of the soul.

While writing Praises to His Name I faced a great deal of uncertainty, this caused me to ask many people to play and listen to the song. Many suggestions were given and some ideas were used to improve the song. Hundreds of changes made to the song were ultimately removed. Through this process I learned to appreciate the opinion of others while remaining true to the end goal of the song.

I am slowly learning to trust my instinct. I now attempt to work through road blocks on my own before asking for a second opinion. Perhaps my songs don’t follow all the rules… Actually I know they often break rules.

The music I write is an expression of my soul, a way for me to testify of truth, and ultimately it helps my heart to heal.

I watch my 6 and 9 year old daughters write beautiful stories, draw amazing art, and compose masterpieces on the piano. Each artistic tool allows them to express themselves. The piano and voice are incredible mediums to express the feelings of the heart. I wish each composition the girls “wrote” could be written down and preserved. Most of their songs are played once… The notes ring out in beauty never to be repeated. Even unpreserved creativity serves a great purpose.

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ taught,

“Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3-4).

Consider my daughters, who create without fear, being full of courage, are unashamed, and unreserved in sharing their talents. We too should create masterpieces with courage, being unashamed, and share without reservations. We should willingly develop the creativity that exists within us.

The songs you create, the photographs you take, the masterpieces you paint, the books and the poems you write are all an expression of your heart. The opportunities to create are endless. Choose something you love and begin today…

There are stories, songs, poems, and masterpieces within YOU that no one else could create. They will only be written if you choose to produce them… They are a part of you.

Share your talents undaunted by fear. You are unique, you are special, you are irreplaceable. You are loved!

💕 Terynn

“God left the world unfinished for man to work his skill upon. He left the electricity in the cloud, the oil in the earth. He left the rivers unbridged and the forests unfelled and the cities unbuilt. God gives to man the challenge of raw materials, not the ease of finished things. He leaves the pictures unpainted and the music unsung and the problems unsolved, that man might know the joys and glories of creation.” – President Thomas S. Monson (1988)