Refugees and Children of God

I wish I had more time! This week was amazing. We had 5 more meals with

members! Everyone who welcomed us into their home was so gracious,

wonderful, kind, and made super yummy food!! Last night we went to the

Bishop's house for FHE. We prepared a message on seeking Christ through

studying the words of the prophets and apostles. We are beyond excited to

hear conference, which is broadcast one week later here in China. The

bishop then showed us a video of a 6 year old boy who wrote a letter to

President Obama about a child from Syria. Maybe you've all seen it?? It was

SO touching. I started crying, thinking about all the refugees without

homes.

 I already saw a tiny peek of their lives when I went to the Refugee

Center with my mom to teach preschool. But now I understand first hand the

frustrations of not understanding a foreign language or being able to

explain yourself in your native tongue to others. I understand our identity

as children of God more. It hurts my heart to think of the trials and

hardship they are going through. I am also so grateful that I have the

gospel in my life. That I understand that life really is as simple as the 6-year-old believed it to be. 

God is our Heavenly Father. He loves us so He gave

us a way to return to His presence; Jesus Christ. We can love others and

help them by following our Savior's example. It is beautifully, eternally

simple. Then we watched the Mormon Message about refugees with the voice of

the last Conference talk on refugees. Wow.

Heavenly Father is teaching me such profound, plain gospel truths here.

They are truths that must become part of who we are. Not part of who we

were in His presence, but in a new way. In a way that we intertwine our

inherited divine nature, with this unique mortal experience. We can come to

know our Savior and Father through the veil. We can come to understand them

in a way that we very personally, very painstakingly, and very joyously

experience. Here. On this Earth. In physical bodies, and amidst confusion

and temptation. But we have a personal exemplar and friend to help us grow,

become better. We were sent to a world separated from God's presence, in

order to become more worthy to LIVE in his presence forever. It is amazing

and something I still don't fully comprehend. No matter we rejoiced when we

heard the Plan of happiness!

"Serving God and others persistently with full heart and soul turns

testimony of truth into unbreakable spiritual strength." ~President Erying.

I will write my family the details of this week later today, which should

arrive within two weeks. I sent one a few days ago. We receive letters in

the mission home and then about once a month personally collect them, or

our district leader gets them to us.

I am so happy. I love my family more than I ever have in my life. Heavenly

Father is sculpting my testimony into something so precious and something I

hope I can share with His children. I know this church is true. We have a

living prophet.

Love you all!

-- 

*Sister Dopp*

Also...
​We had 6 meals with members this week!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was amazing! We had
yam cha with Ryan and his mom. He was baptized about a year ago and is my
age, his mom is Buddhist and supportive, but not receptive to gospel. But
she took us to a brunch and then to her house after where she gave us a
fan, showed us how to do Chinese caligraphy and let us share a short
message! It was so fun! I tried caviar, and it was not the yummiest thing.
Ew. It was on top of a "fish ball." Also not very good. It's basically
random fish meat all put together and cooked like a meatball. It's very
pink, very slimy, and not cooked all the way. But everything else I really
liked! These mocha type balls filled with black sesame paste and covered in
sesame seeds was probably my favorite. Sweet and so yummy!!