Today I had the wonderful opportunity to attend Church. When I had first signed up for the job I didn’t think it was even going to be an option, upon the discovery I was overwhelmed with graditude. In Argentina, Church was my backbone. To be able to go each week and recharge my batteries for the following week gave me the strength needed to get through anything thrown my way.
No matter where you go it is exactly same. The three hour block divided into Sacrament Meeting, Sunday School and Relief Society. We even start with Sacrament Meeting here like in Cali! The continuity always brings peace when settling into a new ward or branch, as is my case.
Quick background on the Branch in Qingdao. An agreement has been reached with the Chinese government that allows us to openly meet and practice our religion, but with certain conditions. We cannot under any circumstance proselyte or discuss our religion with any Chinese Nationals. If asked about religion I was told to say “I am sorry but out of respect to the agreement between our governments and this university I am not permitted to discuss this subject with you.” We may however discuss our religion with any non nationals in other words, any foreign passport holder. The other stipulation is that all tithing collected must remain in the country. With these rules strictly obeyed we have been fortunate enough to be allowed to practice as we may.
Our branch therefore consists of Americans and Koreans for the majority but we do have a couple from Iceland that is here studying at one of the Universities. Sacrament meeting is translated back and forth between English and Korean depending on the speaker. However Sunday School and third hour (Priesthood Meeting and Relief Society) are divided English and Korean.
Can I just ask why I never manage to miss the marriage lessons? Huh? Really come on people! So as I sat in Sunday school looking around at all the couples I realized that once again I found myself in a sea of couples with no one to catch my back on the, Single is Great motto! I didn’t discover till after that one of the women was single, I had just assumed her husband had been sick, my bad, so I guess I really can’t throw a pity party for myself after all.
I knew that the branch was full of BYU teachers and had assumed they were all the young ones that I hear go all the time. Boy I really need to stop the assumptions, yes yes I know what it means to assume, thank you Ms. Neelands! I was just rather taken back as I walked into Sacrament today and saw all the Gray. Beautiful Gray don’t get me wrong, oh and the black but the sea of black hair has finally stopped being of note by now. So come to find out all of the teachers here are through the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies at BYU. They are an amazing group!
The Branch President and his wife had us all over for a potluck after church. That was the best Break-the-Fast I’d ever been too. Yes mostly for the fact that I got real American food all the way down to the chocolate cake. These folks are resourceful, the cake was baked in a toaster oven! I know I have loads to learn!
Adding Stamps 
Ugh, marriage lessons at Church!! For my first real date with my now husband, Ty (who was a non-member), I took him to Institute and the lesson was “Finding Your Eternal Companion”. I almost died. I was sure that was going to be our first and final date, but afterward he asked me if I’d like go for a walk in the park and in June we celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary. I couldn’t be happier! But anyway, hang in there, single doesn’t last forever so live it up! 😉