A letter to my sister:

Dear Audra,

Hey sis! I cannot believe you are going to be a freshman next year. Although I’m sad we won’t experience any of our high school years together, I am super excited to see where these next chapters bring both of us. I know high school may seem daunting or even boring, but trust me–these next four years will fly by, leaving you reminiscing on all the joy you had. I encourage you to just have fun!!! In everything that you do, even the simple stuff. Find a way to make every moment fun and memorable. For me, Mr. Nelson’s class was this exact place. I was able to go there in the middle of long days filled with tests and essays to just be myself. I could joke around, relax and connect with some of my best friends. If you join any groups in high school I would 100% join the publications team. Mr. Nelson is pretty cool.  

Although these will be a lot of fun for you, I can’t lie, there will be some hardships. You may feel alone, worthless and like you have no place to fit in. In these moments the only thing you can do is to push into your faith. Prayer is the most powerful weapon for any of the battles you are fighting.  Even if things don’t go the exact way you hope, I can promise you that as long as you have your faith, you won’t feel alone. But also remember to just be kind, be outwardly kind, towards everyone else and yourself. Kindness and faith can go a long way. 

But good luck sis. I am so excited to see the strong, beautiful women you become.
Love, Liv <3