In all seriousness, this week has been a treasure. We began teaching the kids on Tuesday and I’m obsessed! I love everything about teaching! It definitely comes with challenges, especially when you are trying to talk to 3-6-year-old kids who speak a different language that you don’t understand, but wow, it is worth it. These kids are so sweet, and so funny, and so smart! On Friday, for example, the kids were drawing. I saw one 5-year-old named Yi drawing circles. I pointed at the shape and said “circle, you’re drawing a circle.” He looked up at me and said “no, teacha, oval.” They are such bright lights and they bring me so much joy.
This week in our travels we had to opportunity to visit a few Buddhist Temples and it was a highlight to say the least. The First temple we visited was called the Kaifu Temple. We arrived by metro and payed 20 Yuan (about $3) to get to the temple grounds. When we got to the grounds they gave us incense for praying inside the temples. The first thing you see is a beautiful white statue of a women covered in flowers and there are Chinese dragons on the sides of her. From what we could tell, we were not allowed to take pictures inside the actual temple, but outside was okay. However, when I stood next to the statue to get a picture, a gentle Chinese man, came up to us and said “girls, that not right in China.” Embarrassed, we apologized and hurried to the first temple.
Stepping back and looking at all the temples and the beautiful ponds and bridges surrounding me filled me with so much peace. A sense of love fell upon me as I entered into the dim temple and witnessed a Chinese lady worshiping. There was incense burning, calm music, beautiful idols, a prayer bench, and an alter with sacrifices such as fruit and little trinkets. I continued to walk around to the different temples. Each one had a different idol but a similar set up. The largest temple in the very center of the rounds had a huge Buddha. I thought about what little knowledge I have a Buddha: A man seeking light and enlightenment. Not only seeking, but dedicating his whole life to finding it.
Walking around, we also saw lots of monks, which was incredible. I passed by a large room where hundreds of monks were sitting at tables. One monk was repeatedly banging a gong while chanting a continuous prayer. Many of the monks were following a long the prayer in a book, some were chanting along with her, some were playing little instruments. Their dedication to give their whole lives to their religion in such an intense way was so inspiring to see.
I pondered more about Buddha. He was seeking light. I know that Christ is the light, yet Christ, and the knowledge of his gospel was not around when Buddha was, yet he did everything in his power to access the light. He seeking and good works brought so much light, goodness, and love into the world and the people in it. Right now I am living in a land where there is a whole nation of people who know little or nothing about Christ and few have access to knowledge of him, but many are following the footsteps of one who sought his own light, just as Christians strive to follow the footsteps of the savior. Thinking about it like that made me realize that, Christian or not, anyone who strives to be a good person, is trying to get on the same path, a path towards light. I believe that the path that Buddhist lead is a path of light and will help his followers eventually come to Christ. I’m so grateful for a Savior who reaches out to all of God’s children in whatever means he can. I know he loves us so much and is anxiously waiting to bless us as we continue towards the lights. The Savior said: “I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands, thy walls are continually before me” (1 Nephi 21:16). He remembers all his children, “[He] is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in” (Alma 26:37).
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