I Am Special

Andrew R., age 11, Arizona, USA

Friend Magazine, 2020/10 Oct

Illustration by Brandon Dorman

I couldn’t wait for Halloween. It’s my second favorite holiday. When my costume arrived, I put it on and spent the rest of the day playing superheroes with my little brothers.

But as I was getting into bed, I felt sad. It was fun pretending to be a superhero, but I didn’t feel very special. I decided that if I didn’t want to be sad, I should pray. I asked Heavenly Father to help me feel more special. As I climbed into bed, I didn’t feel any different.

The next day at school, my teacher told everyone to write a letter to themselves, saying all of the things you love about yourself.

At first I didn’t know what to write, but I just started writing. I wrote, “I am special because I am very fast. I am also smart and brave, and I can make new friends. I am creative, neat, funny, and a hard worker.”

I went on and on until the whole page was full. When I turned it in, I heard a quiet voice whisper, “And most importantly, you are a child of God.” That made me happy.