Impressing My “Best Friends”

Allie V., Nebraska, USA

Illustration by Brooke Smart

When I was about halfway through seventh grade, my mom told my siblings and me that she had felt prompted to remove us from public school and teach us at home. I didn’t think much would change.

I gained new friends in the homeschool group and strengthened friendships I had at church, but I still thought that my old school friends were my “best friends.” Toward the end of eighth grade, I started to contact my old friends more and more, and as I did, I realized just how much we had all changed. Whenever I spoke to them or texted them, the feeling I got was not a positive one, and I constantly felt the pull of the adversary tempting me to ignore Church standards. I started trying to impress my old school friends so that I could be accepted back in their group.

Eventually, I realized that trying to impress others was not making me happy and that spending time with those who shared my standards did make me happy. I stopped trying to impress my old friends. Though I soon lost touch with them, I no longer felt the adversary’s pull on me. I felt free and happy that I had released myself from the spiritual prison I had created.

I believe in the importance of surrounding yourself with people who support you in living righteously. Now I am blessed with good friends who help me live the standards in the For the Strength of Youth and who encourage me to build my testimony.