First of all, the LDS Church has recently created an official website providing information about Mormonism and China. You can find it here:
Because of religious restrictions in China, this website cannot be viewed if you are inside of China. But you can refer your friends to this site if they are anywhere else :)
Hong Kong Temple
Our church experience here has been pretty normal. We belong to the Beijing China International District. When we first moved to Beijing there were 3 branches (a downtown branch, our branch which encompasses the outskirts, and a Chinese National branch). We met on the 4th floor of a building in town. A few months ago the downtown branch split so there is no longer room for us in the building because of certain restrictions. Getting a new place to meet is difficult. Getting approval from the government is taking a really long time. So our branch now meets in homes. There are about 30 families in our branch, so we are split up and meet in 3 separate homes via teleconference. Which ever house the speaker meets at is where it is broadcast from, and often changes between homes during the meeting. After sacrament meeting each home holds their own primary and Sunday School. Then for the 3rd hour we all join together in one home and rotate weeks between having RS/YW and Priesthood/YM. So, if it's a Priesthood week I take the kids home and Rob and Luke stay an extra hour. Relief Society weeks, Rob takes the kids home and I stay the extra hour.
Then every Fast Sunday (first Sunday of the month), we all meet together in the building for fast and testimony meeting, then a 1 hour primary/Sunday school. And the other branches do as well to make room for us in the building. Am I making any sense? :)
The arrangement is not ideal :) I serve in the Primary so I really like that I can attend Relief Society. But it is difficult to teach a roomful of 3-7 year-olds when there is a bed or couches in the room. Yes, jumping, laying, rolling, these kids come up with some crazy ideas :) I also feel like I don't see everyone in the branch very often, and it's more challenging for kids to pay attention when the talk is coming over a speaker as opposed to being in the same room. Nevertheless, being a faithful member of the church in China has provided us with great spiritual growth. And I LOVE hearing the kids sing I Am a Child of God in Chinese each week!
Our branch is pretty spread out. Luke and Zak are both the only members of the church in their grades at their school and Keely has one other little 2nd grade girl. Luke is the one starting to notice the most -- he realizes that he is the only one not swearing and not getting coffee or tea during break times. He is a rock and teaches me so much. I am so proud of him and his strength.
We do have certain restrictions in practicing our religion in China. Each Sunday we are reminded of specific guidelines about what we can and cannot do here in China. Printed in each bulletin, and read at the beginning of every sacrament meeting, is the following statement:
It is important for foreign members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints living in or visiting China to be aware of the unique restrictions on religious activities here.
While China permits freedom of religious belief, it requires all religious activities in China comply with relevant laws and regulations.
We would like to remind you of the following:
While China permits freedom of religious belief, it requires all religious activities in China comply with relevant laws and regulations.
We would like to remind you of the following:
a) no active or passive proselyting is permitted among local nationals in China,
b) only individuals who hold foreign passports, and their spouses, may attend meetings or other activities of this branch,
c) no foreign nationals are permitted to participate in activities of any kind with Chinese nationals who are members of our church, and
d) religious materials may not be disseminated to Chinese nationals in China.
Your strict observance of these rules enables us to build a foundation of trust with government authorities and enables us to continue to meet together as the government permits us to do so.
So what does that mean? It means we can't talk about the church or invite to church our Chinese friends or neighbors. We can only have church related discussions if the person holds a foreign passport. The strangest part to me so far is not being able to interact with members of our church who are Chinese Nationals. These people usually have come in contact with and joined the church while visiting outside China. There is a Chinese branch in Beijing and we can't even be in the building at the same time! Their youth can't join ours for Youth Conferences or activities, or even District Conferences. But one great thing about belonging to this wonderful, international religion -- each Sunday we study the same lessons, from the same manuals as our brothers and sisters all around the world. We are grateful the government allows us to worship and we have great hope that someday these wonderful people will be able to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Wo Shi Shen Di Haizi!
(I am a Child of God)
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