To clarify about the Church in China (having lived in China for a few years):

Members who are foreign passport holders (i.e. not Chinese Nationals) are allowed to meet freely with each other in China and worship as they please, so long as they do not actively or passively proselyte (meaning, not even answering doctrinal questions people have about the church/gospel).

Chinese members do get to meet together, but they can only share the gospel with immediate family members. Often, these members joined the church outside of the country, or across the border in Hong Kong where there is more freedom of religion.

The expat and the local members don't have any interaction with each other, although, while I was there, the relations progressed to a point where they were allowed to meet in the same building.

There are actually a good number of members in large cities (like Beijing and Shanghai), both local and foreign, but less in small cities.

The Skype meetings you heard about were for the expats who were scattered about the country where few Mormon expats go. It's a pretty cool "virtual" branch, actually. Those in areas where there are enough members to form a group/branch just have regular ole church, sometimes in permanently leased building, sometimes at weekly rented conference rooms etc. in hotels. Depends on the number of members.

I hope that "normalized" relations means that the locals and the expats will be able to be affiliated with each other soon.

Test

This is a real favorite of mine. It captures so very much.

I still remember those "overnight" parks. It really says something about China.

It's quite the thing to believe in flying in a world where everyone's feet are firmly planted in the ground. It's quite another to actually achieve it.

Here's to believing in more - and accomplishing it.

Welcome to the Internets, Portrait of Another World. We've long been waiting your arrival.

Yeah, and the best we could come up with that blizzardy Christmas holiday was a knock-off kimono.

Chinese, Japanese, Dirty Knees..... :)

I *love* this picture of Philip. It truly captures the happiness that he exudes always.