My Dear Prahladananda Das,
Please accept my blessings and the blessings of my Guru Maharaja also. I am very pleased to accept you as my disciple, and your spiritual name is Prahladananda. This means one who is as cheerful as Maharaja Prahlada in all kinds of critical tests. With these chanting beads, this Hare Krishna Mantra is coming down by disciplic succession, so you receive it, and chant at least 16 rounds daily, and follow the prohibitive regulations. Take assistance from your godbrothers there, and engage yourself purely in the business of Krishna Consciousness.
You are right when you say that we are trapped souls in a state of forgetfulness of Krishna, and Krishna is giving you the chance now to re-establish your relationship with Him by this chanting process. So take full advantage of it and be happy. I am so glad to learn that you are already lecturing in the University of Buffalo, and I have received good reports about this.
I hope this will meet you in very good health.
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami