The Beauty of a Friend

I've never really thought too highly of myself, it's near impossible for me to say anything GOOD about myself even. The other night I was really depressed and down, so I was talking to my best friend who is way smarter than me. As we talked some things slipped out that I hadn't really meant to say about myself, then my friend told me to go to my mirror and tell him when I was there so I did.. As I stood there he told me to look at my reflection and tell myself I'm beautiful.. I couldn't do it, I stood there and chocked and just balled like a baby. I told him that I just couldn't do it, it was difficult to see past all the things I didn't like about myself to see if there was any beauty under it all. My eyes aren't the same color, my hair was a mess, my skin isn't smooth, my chest is too big, I have no butt. I don't really like looking into a mirror, in a picture I can have any look I chose but in a mirror I only see bad things. I see a girl with a bad past a LOT of regrets and a lot of hurt, anger, frustration and sadness. I don't see a single thing pretty. As my friend sat there with me and tried coaching me I told him I couldn't do it, I just couldn't say I was beautiful. When I was younger I remember my bishop telling me once that I was "scared of pride" I didn't say I was pretty because I didn't want to become one of those girls who was all about herself and didn't see beyond her own image. So I never said it nor thought it. Well since then I still have that problem but it's not just not wanting to become self centered, it's honestly not seeing anything beautiful about myself. My friend listened to me ramble on about how I'm afraid that no man will really love me because I'm scared that he'll see me the way I see me, then my friend being very loving and patient started to quote a primary song he said "I am a child of God, and He has sent me here" and then he changed it a little and said "You are a child of God, and He has sent you here" he kept singing the song and then he listed off all these wonderful things he see's in me. I tried to argue with him on some of the things he named but he wouldn't have it! After talking to me and being very supportive and understanding he quietly said "Mesa, look your self in the mirror and be honest with yourself." I finally was able to say that I was beautiful (though part of me doubted it) he made me repeat it a few times then I started crying again. After talking with him and then telling myself that I am beautiful, I felt a little better. I realized something in that space of time, I realized, I may not truly believe that I'm much of anything but my Heavenly Father does or else he wouldn't have sent me here to be tested and tried. He loves me and trusts me to make the right choices and to "live with Him once more" and that one day I'll find that one man who thinks I'm the most beautiful women he's seen, he'll put me on a pedestal and he'll love me no matter what. No matter I've done or have been through, he'll love me for the Daughter of God that I am and not what I can do or the way I'm shaped, he'll love me for me. So I may not think highly of myself, but someday someone will think I'm the world, but how will he know to think that if I can't even say I'm pretty?