I am surprised over and over at how many Mormons come to China and even move here assuming that the Church just doesn't exist here. There are students here teaching English, for example, that came thinking that their only choice would be to pretty much ignore their faith while here since they thought the Church isn't present in China. Trust me, we are here! Lots of us. We have services and meetings and activities and a lot of fun. We even do home teaching and visiting teaching. There are two large congregations in Shanghai, one meeting each Sunday morning at 8:30 AM and the other at 10:30 AM. In the Shanghai District there are congregations in Hangzhou, Suzhou, and Nanjing, plus the two in Shanghai. There is a Shenzhen District and a Beijing District and other groups around China.

We have a healthy relationship with the government here and are allowed to meet and worship freely as long as our activities are elicited to foreign passport holders and we don't proselyte among the national Chinese. (They have their own congregations that we don't associate with.)

If you are coming to China, plan on participating with a congregation in your area, if possible, and if you are too far from a branch of the Church, you can still participate in the Beijing online broadcast of their services. But it's far better to be physically present with a congregation.

Parents and friends of students, teachers, or employees coming to China, make sure they know about the presence of the Church here. Make sure their membership records are transferred if they will be staying for a while. If you can't find contact information through Mormon.org or LDS.org, have them contact me and I'll try to help.

Travelers who will just be here for a Sunday or two should also know that we have great services and you ought to attend. It's an important part of the China experience and a great networking opportunity also. Plus a chance to renew your spirits. Some of the visits to LDS churches I've made when traveling have resulted in some of the most important connections and friendships in my life. So don't miss the opportunity. Come attend church with us in China!
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