Huang Shan Etc..

I really enjoy the closeness I feel in the small Nanjing International Branch. The members are all very different, and in China for different reasons, but I draw a lot of strength from gathering with them. Today a member from India gave our Elder's Quorum Lesson. He shared the scripture D&C 88:63: Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. It was a good scripture for me to hear.

Also at church, a member of the Shanghai District Council gave a talk to the branch on financial preparedness, he started out his talk by telling us that he was currently jobless. I found that very interesting, and I approached him after the meeting. I asked him what industry he used to work in. He explained that he was being funny, and that he had just retired as the President of Volvo China. I asked him for some advice about working in Asia, and learned a lot in a very short time. He told me that I need to differentiate myself, because I am competing with the rest of the world. He recommended an internship with a corporation in Thailand, and he advised me not to expect too much during an internship. He also said that there is a high failure rate for sending foreigners to work abroad. By interning I can show companies that I can understand and work with Thai people/culture, which would reduce a company's risk of sending me over. It sounds like a good plan, but I would much prefer to take a wife over there with me next summer... we'll see.

The longer I am in this program, the more a graduate education is sounding like a necessity.

The Huang Shan trip that my group took was pretty awesome... I hope that you all enjoyed the pictures.

Finally, it seems that some of the lessons I am to learn here aren't related to Asia at all, but instead personal things such as the importance of treating others kindly, and the importance of preparing myself Sunday mornings before going to church.