Sunday

We moved hotels today. The government was having meetings in our old hotel and so they kicked everyone out of the hotel. They sent a bus from the hotel to pick us up, but all the luggage wouldn't fit under the bus, so we were lugging it on the bus and putting it on the seats. It was also hotter that you know what and everyone was sweating!  The bus driver was dripping! 

We rode with them to the hotel, left our luggage, and caught a taxi to another hotel. (I'll expand on Taxi's later) We followed in a couple who were "dressed up" for church, down to the basement and met with 12 other people.  There was the branch president who was from Hong Kong, 3 Indians from India (2 of them were investigating the church), 3 Americans, and us four Alaskans.  During the summer there aren't many people at church, they are all on vacation, but during the fall there are lots of people at church, sounds like 50-60. 

Lisa played the keyboard and Bonnie led the music. We had the sacrament, then watched a couple of talks on the TV from General Conference. Then the branch president, Jerry Wu, gave his history of joining the church. He was so humble telling his story of his conversion.   He was raised Protestant, and then was studying to become buddist, when the missionaries knocked on his door. He went thru 2 sets of missionaries and six months of learning, and everytime the missionaries would ask him if he wanted to join the church and he would tell them not to ask him that question. He finally did what they asked and  prayed to see if the church was true,and it was like an "earthquake feeling" that he knew what he had studied and learned was true. He said he cried and cried with joy at knowing the truth.   He joined the church, and later met his wife at church.  It was an excellent meeting, and I'm so glad that I was part of it. I love how the church is the same where ever you go in the world, it was exciting to be a part of it in China.