Standing on the Rock: A Sister Runia Inspired Watercolor

A little paint, a little rain, and a beautiful reminder that Jesus Christ is our sure foundation. In her October 2026 General Conference talk, “The Sculpting of Our Souls,” Sister Tamara W. Runia shared a different way to think about the storms of life.

She explained that she once thought of the gospel as an umbrella that would protect her from the rain. But life has taught her that faithful people still experience difficult things. The gospel doesn't stop the storms. It gives us a firm foundation through Jesus Christ. That beautiful imagery inspired this simple watercolor rain craft. With a little bit of watercolors and a printable coloring page, you can create a colorful reminder to stand with Christ through life's storms.

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Sister Runia taught:

“The gospel isn’t the umbrella; it’s the solid rock we’re standing on during the storm”

What a wonderful way to think about Helaman 5:12. Our faith in Jesus Christ doesn't mean that everything will go the way we planned. We'll still experience disappointment, uncertainty, sadness, and challenges. BUT when we build our foundation on Jesus Christ, we have someone to turn to and help us through when the rain starts falling (or pelting us in the face).

In this craft, a girl stands on a rock with her umbrella discarded beside her. The rain is falling around her, but the rock beneath her feet remains steady. It's a simple visual reminder to embrace what’s to come because it all helps return to our Father in Heaven.

Supplies for the Watercolor Rain Craft

• Printable girl-on-the-rock coloring page (use the blue print button just before the instructions below)
• Watercolor paints (we used Prang watercolors)
• Paintbrush
• Cup of water
• Colored pencils (we enjoyed using watercolor pencils but regular work too)
• Paper towels
• Protective covering for your work surface (we use cheap plastic placemats)

Tip: Heavier paper works especially well if you're planning to let the watercolor run down the page. Regular printer paper can work too, but use less water to help prevent wrinkling or tearing. If you really want the best result, use a light table to trace our design onto real watercolor paper as it can hold the water better without wrinkling.

A Little Watercolor Inspiration

Before we get to the raindrops, we have to give a shout-out to Cozy Lark! The inspiration for this fun watercolor rain technique came from this video on her YouTube channel. We follow her on social media and love all her little projects- she totally inspires us. If you're wondering about any part of the raindrop instructions or cloud, definitely check out her video. She does a wonderful job showing the technique. We took that idea and used it to bring Sister Runia's General Conference message to life.

How to Make Your Watercolor Rain Painting

1. Color your picture.

Start by coloring the girl, her umbrella, and the rock beneath her feet. We recommend using watercolor pencils for this part. They're much easier to control when coloring smaller details, and when the water hits them, the colors soften and blend a little, adding to the watercolor effect without losing all those cute details.

Regular colored pencils work too, but we'd avoid washable markers since the colors can bleed quite a bit when wet. Crayons will resist the water, which is the opposite of what we are going for.

2. Add a storm cloud and watercolor raindrops.

First, using a wet paint brush make your cloud shape at the top of the paper with just water. You can make one big one or several smaller ones. Then dip your water brush into your wet watercolors. We started with black. Touch the water cloud you made just a little and watch as the paint spreads. Add some other shades to create a beautiful storm cloud. We added purples and blues as well. You can also use this technique to add in some puddles at the bottom of the page.

Now for the raindrops! Use a dropper or a pipette to add little dots of water throughout your page as rain drops. You want to see a little ball of water. Make them all different sizes.

Once you’ve added all the drops, it’s time to add some color. Use a wet paintbrush and wet watercolors and pick your colors. We started with plain blue then added in some different shades by mixing in some black, sometimes purple, sometimes green. Just gently touch each drop you made with your colored paintbrush and watch it transform.

Now choose how you want your rain to look.

Option 1: Colorful Dots

Leave your painting flat and allow the watercolor dots to dry as is. You'll end up with a colorful shower of raindrops falling around the girl. We love this version, it’s beautiful and clean.

Option 2: Let It Rain!

While your watercolor dots are still wet, carefully lift the top of your paper and hold it upright. Watch as the watercolors begin to run down the page, creating streaks of rain. You can layer these in and add more dots or make them streak again.

Lay your painting flat again and let it dry completely. Each painting will turn out a little differently, just like the experiences and challenges we face in life.

Making the Gospel Connection

While your paintings dry, take a few minutes to talk about Sister Runia's message. Read Helaman 5:12 together and discuss what it means to build our foundation on Jesus Christ.

Here are a few questions to get the conversation started:

• Why doesn't following Jesus Christ mean we'll never have hard days?

• How has building your foundation on Jesus Christ helped you through the days you have felt soaked to the bone?

• Or as Sister Runia said, “God’s love has moved me from questions that begin with ‘why’ to reflections that begin, ‘I know that God loves me, so what is supposed to be happening here?’”

Look back at your paintings. The rain might be falling in big drops or running down the entire page, but the girl is still standing on her rock. Just as that rock supports her, Jesus Christ will strengthen and support us through our challenges. And even when we don't understand why something is happening, we can trust that He knows us and loves us. We love this quote from Sister Runia’s talk:

“It is precisely because He loves us that we’re having these tempering, refining experiences. God knows, and we are here to learn, that we must become like Him so we can live with Him!

“And a godlike life is carved from the very things that make it hard—the gut-wrenching things that happen and the righteous desires that haven’t.”

We used items to make sure our paper laid flat as we added the rain drops so they didn’t spread before we were ready. We didn’t use the watercolors pictured, they were just a paperweight as the Prang watercolors worked much better.

What If the Rain Is a Blessing?

There's another beautiful connection we can make with our watercolor rain paintings. In President Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s October 2014 General Conference talk, “Living the Gospel Joyful,” he compared God's blessings to rain.

He taught that Heavenly Father is constantly sending blessings into our lives, but our fear, doubt, and sin can act like an umbrella that keeps us from receiving them. Following His commandments helps us close that umbrella and welcome His blessings. Don’t you love that when considering Sister Runia’s message too?

Some rain represents the challenges we cannot avoid. Other rain reminds us of blessings we can open our hearts to receive. And often those blessings come because of the challenges we go through.

We don't always get to choose when the storms arrive, and not every difficult experience will feel like a blessing. But we can choose to turn toward Jesus Christ, trust His guidance, and look for the blessings He offers us along the way.

Take another look at the girl in your painting. Her umbrella is on the ground, and her arms are open. What blessings might we notice when we're willing to put down our umbrellas? Perhaps it's an answer to prayer, comfort from the Holy Ghost, help from a friend, or a quiet reminder that Heavenly Father knows we're trying.

We love crafts that give us something to remember long after the paints have dried. The next time rain starts tapping against your window, maybe you'll remember Sister Runia's beautiful message and the rock beneath our feet.

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