I think most artists are grateful for the gifts that they are given. Usually from a young age a bit of talent is recognized along with a drive and a desire and confidence to express oneself. A lot of times when I go out to paint I look hard for a subject that moves me enough to put that scene on canvas, and sometimes I bring it back into the studio and it begins to work. Once in a while I am given a gift, a scene in front of me that almost paints itself. This is what happened when I was commissioned to paint a picture of the Draper Temple:

“I had photographed the Draper Temple a year before and felt that I had enough info for the painting. Pam and I were staying in Provo getting ready to travel back to Wyoming. It was very early in the morning and I wastrying to get back to sleep and Pam said, "Maybe you should get up now and go photograph the Draper temple ."

I said , "I don't want to."

Five minutes passed and sleep wasn't coming so I said,"OK, let's get up and go!"

The sun was just rising on our way and there was quite a bit of cloud activity so I wasn't sure what we would get when we got there.

As I was shooting the temple from different angles the sun came over the hill and peeked through the clouds and there it was, about 1/4 of a rainbow , very soft and subtle but very visible. The bottom rested on a corner of the temple and the top disappeared just before it reached Moroni.

Wow! We looked at each other. There are no coincidences.

I'm calling it "Draper Temple, Heaven's Covenant". I'm reminded of the Lord's promised sign to Noah.” -Glen S. Hopkinson