Hunter's letter from his FIRST semester at college

Dear Mom and Dad,

                BYU has been amazing! Granted, I’ve been spending a lot of time on the social aspect of college, because I have been fortunate enough not to have been loaded down with work. My classes are coming along quite nicely, and I feel that, by degrees, I am being prepared for my mission in Brazil. My Portuguese conversation class is still hard, but my teacher, Irmão Olsen, only expects us to improve in our conversation. He told us not to worry about any grades, but to focus on our own learning. This has greatly helped my progress in Portuguese, because it seems much easier to study a language when I want to learn it as opposed to when I have to learn it. Portuguese, I’ve discovered, is a beautiful language. I’m glad that I will be teaching the gospel through this language, and I hope to also be able to teach by the power of the Holy Ghost. I am finding more and more that studying the scriptures helps with that.

In my Book of Mormon class, we have been discussing essential doctrines of the church in depth and in context to what we read from ancient prophets. I have also read many instances where prophets implore us, or are commanded by the Lord, to preach and prophecy unto his people. In 2 Nephi 16:6-9, Isaiah tells us of his redemption and commandment of the Lord:

 “Then flew one of the seraphim unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar; And he laid it upon my mouth, and said: Lo, this has touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said: Here am I; send me. And he said: Go and tell this people…”

Like Isaiah, I hope to exemplify Christ’s very own willingness to obey the Father, answering my call with Christ’s words “Here am I; send me.” I hope to be a tool in God’s hands to shape the people into saints, ready to accept Christ and come unto him. I hope to obey all the Lord’s commandments, to align myself with God’s will.

I love you both very much, and I’m so grateful for all that you have given me, for all the opportunities for growth you have given me, and for the love you have shown me all my life.

Love,

Hunter