JESSE

I have always admired my cousin, Jesse Bushnell. She is solid in the Gospel, smart, beautiful, incredibly talented, has a wonderful sense of humor and is immediately liked by all know her. I admired her so much, that when I was a little girl, I named my favorite doll, Jesse! (To this day, my family and I lovingly refer to this doll as, my Jesse doll.)

My childhood memories are flooded with images of Jesse. When we were six, we liked to pretend we were twins. We both complained to the other about piano lessons and wondered if we would ever be as good as our dear Grandmother. Jess and I would spend hours at the kitchen table drawing pictures of our dream homes. She and I traveled together to Europe, alone, at age 12. A favorite memory is sitting in our hotel room in Florence and "helping" each other pass the art test our Grandmother had prepared. (Nana wanted to be sure we were actually learning from our countless museum visits.) As little girls, we fantasized about our future and believed we could do anything!

Jesse's first love and passion has always been art. I was 11 years old when Jess first told me she would grow up to be an artist. When she found herself at BYU, Jesse headed for the art department to cultivate her talent. She studied hard and has lived in New York, served an LDS mission in Fiji and traveled to Ghana. Sketching and painting along the way.

Yes, I admire many things about my fabulous cousin. However, one of the things I admire most, is the fact that she is living her childhood dream. She is an artist. She persevered and made it happen. Her art has been showcased in various arenas and has most recently been featured in the July issue of the LDS magazine, The Ensign. The full text Jesse's experience in Ghana can be found here on page 40.

I love Jesse's art and a few years ago, she gave me the below painting of Christ as a birthday gift. It will always be among my prized possessions. Not only does the image remind me of the love my Savior has for me, but it causes me to think of Jesse and her quiet example. If she can fulfill her childhood dream, so can I.