We are in the "Central China International District Branch" or the 'CCID Branch'. This includes members from all over China, except those in bigger cities that have enough members to make a branch. (Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing) Everyone else is in our branch. We will likely never meet any of them in person. I still don't understand how the district/branch work; I understand that a branch is like a ward, and a district is like a stake, but everyone in our district is also in our branch. So we have a district president and a branch president, both in our branch; with the exception that the 1st counselor in our district presidency lives in Shanghai and is not a member of our branch, yet Shanghai is not a member of our district. And it's official name is "district branch". Still trying to figure all of that out.
There are about 30 screens that join in for sacrament meeting. Some of those screens are individuals, many are couples and a few of them are families. They are from all over the world. There are people from Mexico, Ireland, Philippines, Brazil, the US and at least 3 families from South Africa (one of them told me that it is not safe in SA so living in China is a wonderful thing for them), --those are the few that I know. It is an English speaking branch and is only for foreigners. There are members of the Church who are Chinese Nationals, but we do not get to meet with them or know who they are. A story I heard from a lady I met in the Provo City Center temple before left was that her daughter lived in Beijing for a time and went to the branch there. One time while at tithing settlement, her toddler toddled into the room where the Chinese Nationals were having Sacrament meeting and she said that it was full! That cheers my soul!
We meet under the conditions that we will not talk to Chinese Nationals about the gospel. That is a request from the Church. They greatly desire relations to be good. In President Nelson's book it talks about him opening up Eastern Europe and how he insisted that they go through the front door. Not speaking about the Church to Chinese is a way to help the Church eventually go through the front door.
To be very honest, online church is so difficult. It's easy to not dress appropriately. It's easy to not have sacrament meeting behavior. It is very easy to feel disconnected to 'your people'. And it's even harder to encourage teens to engage and be invested at all. I'm hoping time will make this an easier thing for us. In the meantime, we will work to make this new normal something that feels spiritually nourishing.
That said, it is wonderful to be able to partake of the sacrament. Many in our branch are single sisters, they are unable to partake of the sacrament and haven't been able to for years. I'm especially thankful for my dear friend Juli Hall who gave me this very cherished gift of antique sacrament cups. I am beyond grateful.
While difficult, I'm making some wonderful connections. The YW leader who was called lives in the next city so we should be able to meet her sometime. And I just found out today that she owns a language studio and so we can take Chinese lessons from her. That will be wonderful for the girls to connect to her as well as learn some Chinese. This is a wonderful blessing
A sister who I minister to has grandparents who live in Preston Idaho, of all places. But to get even more astonishing, her grandparents lived in my home ward next to my best friend. Small world. My ministering sister is from South Africa and she told me that in 2015 after President Nelson visited China, she felt impressed that this is where they should move. So they packed up their little family and came and found teaching jobs. Her husband is the branch president. In a talk he gave, he told about his stuttering problem and how after he joined the Church and became willing to speak to others in English (not his native language), his stuttering diminished. Such great faith!
We had a District Conference this past weekend with Elder Peter Meurs presiding. A few things he said impressed me. He told about his first meetings as a member of the Seventy. President Nelson presided (at the time, he was the President of the Twelve). He told how President Nelson reported that he had read all of the Standard Works during July-- their month off. Myself, having just spent 25 days in quarantine and lots more time to study than normal, I was impressed in a more profound way knowing that. I did not come even close to reading enough to read the entire Standard Works. But I do know the increased insight and revelation that came to me because of what I did read. So I can only imagine what reading the Standard Works in their entirety in that time span could do for revelation and increased insight. Elder Meurs also told about President Nelson inviting him and his wife to his office prior to a general conference in 2019. When they showed up, they found it was a reception of sorts because all of the Seventy and General Presidencies were there with their spouses. When it was their turn to go into his office, President and Sister Nelson greeted them by name and asked specific questions about their family and their assignments. He said they had no notes, cues or other prompts and they did this for all 250 people in that reception line. Our prophet is very impeccable and holds himself to higher standards that most of us would never think of doing. We are in very very good hands.
I am thankful that wherever you go, Church follows the same pattern and that I have all of the resources still available to me so I can keep myself spiritually nourished while I transition and make this Branch my home for a while. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is wonderful!
Comments
Post a Comment