We receive many thank-you letters from thousands of students, many who would not
have a chance to attend BYU without help.
Below is an example of a thank-you note we received from Christy, a
junior from
Orem,
Utah, majoring in History
Teaching.
Dear
Scholarship Donor:
My name is Christy and I am a current BYU
student. I love BYU. I am so grateful that I have been able to
come to this university and experience its unique faculty, student body, and
ambience. My mother immigrated to the
United States from Guatemala She converted to the church when she was in Guatemala and has raised my brothers and in a home of love and concern. It was my dream to come to BYU
and work for a Bachelors degree in History Teaching.I was accepted into BYU and started in the
fall of 2002.
I was so happy with my classes, with the new friends that I had made, and with the daily life experiences that were
completely enriching my life. In this
environment, I applied for the Travel Study program for Semester at Nauvoo.I was accepted, and I was so happy to know
that my dreams of living in Nauvoo would be fulfilled and I would walk where the
prophet Joseph Smith had walked. The
program was going to be very expensive for me, but I knew that I could raise the
money if I worked hard enough throughout the summer.The summer came and I looked for a job. I couldn’t find one.I turned in application after application and no one was calling back. My situation
seemed hopeless. I knew that I was going to have to take out a student loan, and my stomach turned at the thought of
being in debt so early in school. The day before I was going to go in and apply for a student loan, I received in the mail a letter from an office at BYU stating that they were able to give me money for
the next school year. I was so happy I had received a scholarship that
would cover for half of the cost of Nauvoo! It seemed that my bad luck was taking a turn for the best because that
same week I found a job that would provide the
rest.
I found a new source of strength in knowing
that I was going to be able to pay entirely for Nauvoo without taking out a
penny in student loans.The week that the full payment was due for Nauvoo came; but something went terribly
wrong.I had somehow done my calculations incorrectly and found that I was five hundred dollars short. I had no idea what I was going to do and my payment could not be late. I quickly became filled with a feeling of despair.I prayed that somehow the money could be found and that I would be able to make the full payment.That day in
the mail came a letter from the scholarship office stating that I had been found
applicable to receive the Pete and Arline Harman
Scholarship.For what
amount? Exactly
five hundred dollars.I wept
freely.The Lord had directly answered
my prayers.
This scholarship is not for an extreme
amount of money.
But this scholarship
has increased my testimony of tithing, of prayer, and of faith.
Although I don’t know you who donated this
scholarship, I pray that you will be blessed by our Heavenly Father.
That you will feel of his love, and that you
will know that I am so grateful for the sacrifice you made to give this money to
BYU.
Thank you.Thank you so
much.
Thanks to your generosity, I have found a
new desire to try my best not only in school, but in life.I am trying harder to live a life worthy of
your sacrifice, but most importantly of the Savior’s.You have made me realize his love and care
for me.I know that He cares for my
education, dreams, goals, and desires more than I ever could.The scripture in Moses rings clear in my mind,
1:39
“For behold, this is my work and my glory--to bring to
pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”
Thank you once again for being an instrument in the hands of the Savior
and for giving me a chance to fulfill my dreams here at
BYU.
Christy
