Youth Voices

“It’s OK”

One Friday at school, my best friend Dawson wasn’t there. A couple kids said they had seen ambulances at his house, and I started to worry. Later that day, our principal told us that Dawson had been taken to the hospital with a brain bleed.

Dawson and I had become friends when my family first moved from South Carolina, USA. He had been one of the first people to say hi to me. He would find any new kid and make them feel loved.

The night after Dawson was taken to the hospital, as our family prayed for him to get better, I heard a still, small voice say two words: “It’s OK.” As soon as I heard that, I knew Dawson would be OK and that he would live.

But then I started thinking, “What if God meant that it would be OK whether Dawson was here on earth or in heaven?”

My stake held a 24-hour fast for Dawson and his family. Then we got the news that Dawson had passed away.

I had never really had a tough experience before where I felt I needed to pray. But when Dawson died, praying was the only way I could feel any comfort. God helped me feel peace, and I felt that He must have something for Dawson to do.

I know that anytime I’m going through something hard, I can talk to God. It helps me to know that God will always be there for me and people around me. I miss Dawson every day, but I know I will see him again because of Jesus Christ.

Josh P., age 14, Utah, USA

Enjoys soccer, longboarding, snowboarding, and biking.