“Childviews,” Friend, Jan. 2003, inside front cover

Childviews

The Friend welcomes your letters sharing a spiritual experience, your testimony, or your feelings about the Friend magazine. Send them to Childviews, Friend, 24th Floor, 50 East North Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150–3226. Please include a picture of yourself and your name, age, and address. Submissions may be edited for length and clarity.

Nauvoo Temple Money

When President Gordon B. Hinckley announced the construction of the Nauvoo Temple, everyone was excited. He said that members could give money to help build the temple, and I wanted to help. I had been saving my money for a long time to buy a new pet that I wanted, but I decided to give that money for the temple, just like the children did when the first temple was built there. When I gave the envelope to the bishop, I felt great, knowing that someday I will visit the Nauvoo Temple with my family.
Eric Smith, age 9
Provo, Utah

Keeping a Journal

I have been trying to follow the counsel of the prophets by keeping a journal. When I started, I hadn’t yet learned to read or write. I’d save something, like a pamphlet or ticket from an activity we had gone to, and put it in my journal. My mom then helped me write the things I remembered beside the item. I love to go back through my journal and remember all the different things I have done. I have kept my journal for over a year now. I am now learning to read and write, and I love to write down memories for myself.
Rachel Averett, age 6
Waterloo, Iowa

Joshua 1:9

Sometimes when I go to bed at night, I am afraid. I pray to go to sleep quickly and to not have bad dreams. One day when my sister Courtney gave a family home evening lesson, she used the scripture Joshua 1:9. It says, “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

When I go to bed now, I think of “Be not afraid, … God is with thee.” This helps me go to sleep without being afraid.
Cassie Fernelius, age 8
Shippensburg, Pennsylvania