I've just finished reading a really good book that I think you would like which is titled How to Read Literature Like a Professor. It shows a reader how to understand symbolism and metaphor that is woven throughout the great books. I really enjoyed it. I've also been listening to a podcast called The Heritage Podcast and it is attempting to go through the great ideas of Western thought and have the listener gain a liberal arts education along the way. I'm so excited because this is exactly what I'm interested in. He starts with the meaning of Liberal Arts which is defined as the knowledge of freedom and morality. Do you remember the Latin root word, liber, where we get the words liberty and library? Well it's the same idea. I love the liberal arts and delving into the ideas about the heart and mind. To bad the word liberal has been high-jacked and become a political term.
Speaking of liberal arts, have you thought at all about Southern Virginia University? It's a liberal arts school in an LDS environment. Just wondering if you had considered it.
I want to go through the great books and be more literate with the trivium and quadrivium. I love how it's all interconnected. I see the connections between music and math, literature and logic, philosophy and science. It's exciting to have the opportunity to learn and grow.
I also love the gospel and believe that it is the philosophy of God --- philosophy being the love and pursuit of wisdom. And I also know as Hamlet said: "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy." God has an infinite perspective that our limited minds can't comprehend and as we learn in 1 Corinthians: "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." This reminds me of what Lorenzo Snow said, "As man now is, God once was; as God is now man may be.”
Hope you are well. Hope your people are feeling the spirit of truth. I hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving Holiday. I am grateful to you for your service and love of the gospel. Thank you for sharing the good news. You are a precious blessing to me. You are a good son and a great example to your brother and sisters.
With love,
Mom
Dear Mom,
That book sounds so awesome. I've got a great love for the liberal arts, like you. A lot of the things that I learned before my mission has helped me connect with many of the people that I meet. I love surprising people in conversation. They don't expect me to know the stuff that I do.
I have thought a bit about SVU. It is an awesome school, from what I gather. I would consider going there, but I want to be close to all of you while I go to school. I want to be there for the kids and all of their stuff and be able to visit often.
Now, the reason I wouldn't do ROTC and all of that would be because I couldn't study the liberal arts as much as I would like. I remember what Oliver Demille said about the program at BYU, (I forgot what it was called) that it was the best besides GWU. I have thought a bit about going to BYU and doing that.
I love what you said about the gospel. It truly is the philosophy of God. You know, I'm so blessed to have you as my mom. I'm grateful that you raised me to love learning seek a broad knowledge.
Things are going well for me. I'm constantly in flux, changing and refining. I love it. I'm forever grateful for my mission, and I'm grateful that I still have time to change and learn.
I love you. Happy Thanksgiving.
Love,
Elder Williams
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