Happy Chinese New Year!

        It was completely by coincidence and yet so appropriate that on the Chinese New Year I went to a baptism in Chinese. A new friend of mine recently came to Utah from China to go to school here at BYU and through this experience was introduced to the Mormon Church. She gained a testimony of her own that the church is true and decided to get baptized. I have not been to a convert baptism in a long time, and I almost missed this one for various reasons, but even though I showed up a little late, I was so glad I was there! It was the coolest, most spiritual experience I have had in a while which is crazy because pretty much the whole baptismal service was in Chinese. But you know what? That doesn't matter. The Spirit of God speaks a universal language that we all can understand by speaking through feelings to our hearts. Today it testified to me that God is the God of the whole world and that Jesus Christ suffered and died on the cross for ALL of our sins. Not just for the Jews, not just for Christians, and not just for the Western World. Though right now China will not open its doors to the LDS missionaries, God still knows, loves, and is aware of His children there. His work moves forward and it cannot be stopped by men. Bei Bei (my friend) is now sharing the gospel with her family and friends back home in China.
        My favorite moment at the baptism was when we sang the hymn: "I Believe in Christ." Half the congregation sang it in Chinese and the rest in English, and yet the song and the message it sent was the same. Congratulations Bei Bei and Happy New Year! Here's to the greatest new beginning you will ever experience.