An important theme in “Come, Follow Me” this week includes becoming more Christlike through humility and allowing your words and actions to reflect what is in your heart. In one of the most hope-filled passages in the scriptures, 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” (Matthew 11:28-30). We are all struggling with our own unique burdens.
In this expressive painting by J. Kirk Richards, we see believers from the Book of Mormon being blessed by the Lord as they repent. In Mosiah 21, the people of Limhi “humble themselves even to the dust…and they did cry mightily to God…[and] the Lord did hear their cries, and…began to ease their burdens.”
Drawing on the style of early 20th-century French expressionists such as Georges Rouault and les Fauves, this painting expresses exuberance with simplified shapes and strident colors. The rough brushwork similarly lends a sense of movement and immediacy. The humble prayer of the people and their eventual liberation from heavy burdens is expressed artistically through the visual rhythm of the four figures. From left to right, the figures appear progressively more tall and straight and are painted in lighter colors. The image conveys the deep emotion and joy that can come through humility and turning to the Lord.
-Aliza Keller and Jenny Champoux