Our first VIRTUAL District Conference here in China, Our daughter Jaylene was one of the speakers!
我们的第一个虚拟区是在中国大会，我们的女儿Jaylene是演讲者之一！
There are several districts of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints here in China all legally established with the Government of China, as that is one of our tenants of faith, to be subject to governments, kings, magistrates, Etc. The conditions are that we can only meet in a church setting with other expatriates who hold a foreign passport, and outside of our church meetings there is to be no active or passive proselyting. So that's what we do, We obey the local laws! Maybe one day when government officials see that we bring good things to society, Help build people up and make them better people, and are absolutely no threat to government stability etc., then things can become even more open in the future, like they are in so many other countries where the Church flourishes.
The Program for Conference
Applicable Lesson from the Book of Mormon on this: Sacrament and Church Every Week
5 And the church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls. 6 And they did meet together oft to partake of bread and wine, in remembrance of the Lord Jesus.
At the beginning of the school year I received a calling from my church leaders here in China (Pres. Weaver and Shaner) to teach seminary to the youth of my church who are not able to attend at a physical building here in China. I hadn't had a calling in the church here in China up to this point and I felt like I was already pretty busy with trying to learn the language, Stay on top of things at work, and make time for the family after work… but when a calling comes, You accept it! That is because I believe these callings in the church come from the Lord and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Our church has permission to meet with each other regularly in China as long as each person in attendance or their spouse holds a foreign passport. All of my students in this early morning class do have a foreign passport, and we meet daily during the school year to teach a lesson about our scriptures. This year the course of study is the Book of Mormon, my favorite book of scripture. I am the teacher but I try to get everybody to participate. We start at 6 AM!
Seminary Update. Today, like yesterday and the day before, etc., went great (for me) and I suppose for the others too, because as we discuss the truths and principles learned from the Book of Mormon and how it applies to our lives, how can we not come away feeling blessed, especially after being able to share the testimony of the truth by the same power of the Spirit that gave us the testimony in the first place? I love the way that the Spirit guides during the discussion, and allows for scriptures to come to mind, and the Spirit weaves that all together into a tapestry of counsel customized for the day, for the class. For me. I am thankful so very much for all my blessings. Today we went through the things we could learn from 2 Nephi 1. Lehi counseling his sons just before he goes the way of all the earth. The words of a trembling parent. I got to bear my testimony of my acceptance of the commandment of the Lord to Honor your father and mother, that thy days may be long on the face of the land. I got to tell how, even in my 50's, and having kids already and grand kids, etc., that this does not dismiss the commandment that God gave us to honor your father and mother. I told them that my father is in his 80's and if he had something to
tell me, I would listen. I would honor (I do honor him and my mother), and although they are not perfect, neither am I, but the Lord did give the commandment and I still honor it to this day, until the day they pass on and can no longer speak to me. But I would still honor them in spirit, in the truth of this commandment. I counseled the kids in class that if there are any who are struggling with this one, to humble themselves, repent of it, and honor their parents as the Lord commanded. I also shared an experience of a long time ago when I disagreed with a bishop and had a short word with him, not respectful, because he did something that I strongly disagreed with... and so that percolated on my soul all that night and the next day was Sunday... and I repented. I first confessed to the Lord my sin, repented, and then resolved to walk right into that chapel the next morning Sunday, and make it right with the Bishop. I did that, apologized, and he accepted, and I put that behind me. It does not matter much who was wrong or right, they had trouble with Joseph Smith, remember, and all those who made an issue out of it got excommunicated anyway, so we know where that kind of rebellion goes. We also know where Laman and Lemuel's rebellion led them. It led to a sore cursing by being cut of from the presence of the Lord, as the Lord led Nephi and his family away out from them. Laman and Lemuel hampered themselves with their rebellions.
Applicable Book of Mormon Scripture on Callings in the Church:
17 And it came to pass that none received authority to preach or to teach except it were by him from God. Therefore [Alma] consecrated all their priests and all their teachers; and none were consecrated except they were just men.
Comments: SRA True, true, true. Love the Book of Mormon
LA Thank you for sharing your testimony, Grant. JDL You are a great seminary teacher--the Lord is correct in all his choices and your students will truly benefit.
CT LOVE teaching seminary! Sounds like you are really making the best of it. GJ I do love teaching seminary. It is a great privilege and experience. There is an additional challenge to teaching virtual seminary. It's almost like you are a radio announcer, talking into a microphone on your computer or your phone, and not being able to see the faces of your students in the conference call. But once in a while as you teach the lesson, you make a pause and then call out one of their names and ask them to either read a verse or make a comment, and then you wait… Then you hear their microphone click on and they begin to speak and you know that they're still out there. There is the added advantage of having your lesson material right there in front of you, ever present, and color highlighted text in the PDF file with all kinds of help. But the biggest help of all is the spirit of the Holy Ghost which prompts you to say things and share things and take things in the direction that it needs to go.
My daughter Emily was listening to songs from lds.org/youth the other day at home here in Chongqing, and I asked her what her favorite song was there... she said "I AM HIS DAUGHTER" and as I listened, I remembered it was one of my favorites there too. Kindred spirit stuff. SO I made this video to celebrate the truth of it, that she (and her sisters) are His daughter... These kind of things help keep our family ties strong because they reinforce the truth that we are an eternal family no matter how many miles separate us on the earth. In this video are some of my favorite samples of videos that I have taken each of my daughters at one time or another in recent years.
7 Behold, I give unto you power, that whatsoever ye shall seal on earthshall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven; and thus shall ye have power among this people.
Comments: 18 shares
SRA Oh I loved this so much. Thanks for putting it together guys
GJ It was a group effort, getting ALL KINDS of suggestions from Emily and Christa, helping me remember clips from the past that would work with this wonderful song, Emily's favorite from Strength of Youth. So I made a vid with that song. I love that we are an eternal family...
SRA Me too
NP Love this!!
SJT Stop making me cry!!!! I am ridiculously emotional right now at 7 months pregnant! Ah who am I kidding it has nothing to do with being preggo, I always cry super fast when I feel the spirit. Or watch a sappy commercial. ...or anything to do with kids & it makes me think of my own. This was just beautiful for being a thrown-together Hodge podge collection of video moments you've taken over the years dad. I love how you can slow down the video and zoom in, etc, it really adds so much.
SJT I actually held it together until the last second when I saw me with K flying the kite. Then the tears came. Thanks. Lol
DJ, GJ you are a genius, and we're sure missing your family. RRJ and I have very fond memories of our family fun together as young married couples. My how time has flown by, our kids are the jewels on our lives. They bring us youth and joy. YOU know how to put it into music and video better than anyone I know. wow Love you Guys
CM I hate it when I can't find anything to criticize in your work.
TJT Amazing!!!! loves to you and the family!!!
KMW This is beautiful, Dad!! It made me cry as well. I love our family I do have to say that one of my favorite parts was with N. One of the only scenes with her in it, and she was moving so much the camera couldn't even focus on her! lol
KJF Really very touching, and so well done!
NP Hahaha yeah...I must have been talking about something very important...
KSR I am overwhelmed with emotion. I feel so blessed to know your family and your example and strength has been my rock on many occasions as I look to your family, I know I can persevere in the hardest of times. I love you guys!
SJT KMW, I thought the same thing. I was cracking up (until I started crying at the end) because N, you are always talking like that! ...about very important things! Haha!!
TSB I love this! My cousins are all so beautiful. It made me feel close to them even though we are so very far away.
MP Great work, one of my favorite songs as well.
GJ at first this vid was going to be about Emily but the words "part of the bigger picture" kept ringing their spiritual truth, and so this daughter has sisters and a mom who are also daughters, and they all found their way into it.
RJ That was really neat Dad, thank you! Audrey is just the cutest ever! Boy I miss all my sisters and Mommy so much!
NP I miss everyone too Nae!! Someone make a darn teleporter already!
MJLH Oh GJ that was the most beautiful video of portraying the truth written in that song. I miss you all so very much. Thank you for bring us together again even if it was in a visual sense. I felt closer to you guys than I have since you have moved so far away. I love you and am thankful for your talents and abilities, that enables us to share these moments because of them.. love xoxo aunt N..
LLC bEautIFul!
DDB Love it!
CH You are so talented, GJ, and you have such a BEAUTIFUL family.
GJ We showed this to a new family we met and had them over for dinner this week, and "formally" introduce them to the rest of the family…
LJ Beautiful. Who is singing the song?
GJ LJ that would be an artist from Utah who participated in the Strength of Youth music available on lds.org. It is from the EFY 2010 "Courage to Stand" album, produced by Russ Dixon (who I really like the way he produces), and it was sung by Nicole Sheahan. She is on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicolesheahan Nicole Sheahan Event and Publishing Coordinator at Refinement Records Studied Media Music Studies at Brigham Young University Lives in Provo, Utah
Now while she SINGS this, the artist who made up the song and the lyrics is STEPHANIE MABEY and the sheet music is here: http://www.yourldsmusicstore.com/.../EFY2010...
CS I needed to hear/see this today...coming off kidney stones and feeling a little blue...from far away you have reached me and lifted me. Thank You so much.
