I’m amazed at human intersections. How our paths cross. How we bless each other’s lives. How sometimes intersections are lengthy and others are just a pinpoint in time. And how often these intersections are pivotal and vitally important. We likely won’t fully understand the importance of these intersections and how they trickle divine love and guidance into each of us until mortality has passed.
Elder Rasband said, “Our lives are like a chessboard, and the Lord moves us from one place to another—if we are responsive to spiritual promptings. Looking back, we can see His hand in our lives. Think of those times, some daily, when the Lord has acted in your life—and then acted again. Treasure them as moments the Lord has shown confidence in you and in your choices.”
Here are a few of my intersections here in China:
⚙Meet 6 year old Forin. We meet weekly over Zoom. I work with his aunt (Lily) at the school. Forin's parents heard about me through Lily and they asked me to tutor him in English. They are willing to pay but a) I don't have a work permit so I can't earn any money. b) I'm here to serve, so my services are free. (Just a note about Forin: His English is remarkable and each week I get on to try to teach him something and he just talks my ear off. So cute! I've stopped planning lessons and just listen to him. The only hard thing about this gig is that he is so animated and wiggly and his microphone doesn't pick up anything peripheral, so I only get to hear about 50% of his delightfulness.)
⚙I’ve been teaching temple prep. Our branch covers the entire country of China. Think of a Branch that covers the entire United States except New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles which would have their own branches. (In this regard, it is such a blessing that all of China is in the same time zone.) Then add to that interesting dynamic, it is a branch only for foreigners, so the members are from all over the world. In my class there are people from Ghana, Rwanda, Canada, China, Mexico, South Africa, Philippines & the US. This assignment has felt so far reaching. (This is a slide from our discussion on symbols in my temple prep class.)
⚙I met Mr. Wu in Decathalon one day. I have mentioned his family before. They come often. They make many comments about us being different and us responding to our children very differently than Chinese people do. They see things and feel things in our home that they have never seen before and they want to know how to do it. When they are over, Mr. Wu asks Tom his questions. When he has questions offsite, he communicates with me via WeChat since I’m the one with his contact. He asks all kinds of questions about how ‘Westerners’ respond to teenagers and conflict in the home. I have to be very careful to not explicitly teach doctrine, but I can share morals such as kindness and integrity. What I want to say, but I can’t: “I am a disciple of Jesus Christ and while imperfect, I am trying to live His teachings. If I am anything, if you feel anything here, it is because of Him!” Some day.
⚙This is “Ella”. We met her at the ice skating rink in Suzhou. She spoke a little English and Tom spoke quite a bit of Chinese to her. She did not have an English name so I helped her choose one. We chatted while they were doing a maintenance cleaning on the ice but once it reopened and everyone went back to skate, she did not want to leave my side. She was the cutest little personality and I could sense so much light in her and I’ve prayed for her often.
⚙Our driver, Wang Jian. Video games and movies are about all he knows. He has grown up 2 hours away from Shanghai and never been there until we came into his life. I don’t fault him or his parents for that. They must have always been too busy paying bills, and keeping the orchard growing and the food cooking etc. etc. to give him many experiences. Typical life for so many Chinese. Tom has intentionally sat in the front of the van and become friends with him. We try to plan adventures every other Saturday (on the days Wang Jian has to work) that he will enjoy, so that he can gain experience and feel Jesus Christ’s light and love through us. Here we are at the go kart track where we drove 250c go karts. He LOVED this adventure-- but he’s not always a fan, sight seeing hasn’t topped a video game yet. But still light is being trickled into his life whether he knows it or not!
⚙Jonathan and Mandy. One day Greta and I were grocery shopping and chatting as we went in. A man heard us and said hello to us in English. When we came out of the store, he hopped up from his table where he was soliciting business for his dental office. He really just wanted to say that he was an English speaking dentist and could help us if we ever needed dental work. But after he gave us his card, he kept talking. He was asking me if I knew about the cleaning book written by an American man (Cleaning what? Teeth? Houses? Cars???). He continued telling me about the book and how there are 5 things you say “I’m sorry” “Thank you” “I love you.” etc. When he couldn’t come up with the 5th one, I suggested “I forgive you.” I guessed right and he was excited that I knew the book. I told him I didn’t know the book, but that we lived that way. He chatted a bit more and then he asked someone to take our picture together and off we went. When I got home, the Spirit said to me, “The people who come to you are those who are being gathered to Israel—invite him to dinner.” Who does this??? I mean, he’s a perfect stranger. Me, I guess! I scanned the QR code on his card to send him a WeChat message and asked if him and his family wanted to come to dinner. He did very much. While here, he stumbled on the information that we were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We told him we couldn't talk about it. But I have sent prayers up that he can find correct sources for his curiosity.
⚙The windows were getting very gross and looking around at my neighbor's windows I noticed that some were clean and some were very dirty, so I deduced that the community did not provide that service. I asked our property manager about it and she sent me the contact for a cleaning lady. I was hesitant– because all of the cleaning people are over 70 and I didn't feel comfortable asking someone that age to do something that I could do myself. But in the end, with my arm, my lack of knowing how to clean the outside of windows on the 24th floor and recognizing that inviting people into our home is a service of itself, I hired a cleaner. I was thankful when someone much younger than 70 showed up. And she got lots of prayers sent up that she could feel the spirit while here.
But it is my belief that even these tiny pin points are also divinely directed.
And then with my faith, I pray for Heavenly Father to consecrate all of these intersections for their gain. I trust that my prayers are heard and will be answered in the right time and way.
Elder Chi Hong Wong, “God is our Heavenly Father. He loves all of us... He knows not only the details of our lives. God knows the details of the details of the details of our lives.”
Elder Rasband, “Each of us is precious and loved by the Lord, who cares, who whispers, and who watches over us in ways unique to each of us. He is infinitely wiser and more powerful than mortal men and women. He knows our challenges, our triumphs, and the righteous desires of our hearts.”
Elder Neal A. Maxwell once said: “None of us ever fully utilizes the people-opportunities allocated to us within our circles of friendship. You and I may call these intersectings ‘coincidence.’ This word is understandable for mortals to use, but coincidence is not an appropriate word to describe the workings of an omniscient God. He does not do things by ‘coincidence’ but … by ‘divine design.’”
God is at work! I know that to be true. I am thankful to each of you reading this who has blessed me with your light and goodness. Your talents and discipleship of Jesus Christ have shaped me. I recognize that I am a product of my intersections with you. Your light shared with me is reaching many people in China! Love to each one of you! (And prayers for each of you too!)
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