A Utah legislator’s personal blog got national attention when he suggested that an Ambassador Hunstman may do wonders to advance LDS missionary work in China.
Thoughts that Ambassador Huntsman will be a missionary or advocate for the LDS Church seem misguided. That won’t be his job and it would be a disservice to his duties. But, his appointment will likely result in greater Church exposure in China and hopefully Huntsman will add a favorable impression.
The SL Trib has an interesting summary of the state of the Church in China.
Despite China’s prohibition on missionaries, the LDS Church has 11 international branches in nine cities for its expatriate members.
Expatriate Mormons first started arriving in mainland China in the late 1970s “as diplomats with the embassy or consulate staffs of foreign countries, followed by those assigned to Chinese offices or branches of major international corporations expanding into the new People’s Republic of China market,” according to a Jan. 10 article in the LDS Church News . “Increased educational opportunities and exchanges followed, bringing additional foreign members as English teachers, students and guest instructors and professors to the international branches. More recently, the latest wave of expatriate members coming to China includes entrepreneurs and owners and operators of small businesses.”
BYU has been sending singing groups to China since the early 1980s, and students to the school’s study abroad program almost that long. It also sponsors the China Teachers Program, sending mostly retired LDS couples to various universities to teach English for one year.
Before the school sends any of them, however, they have to agree to some strong inhibitions on promoting their faith. They can answer questions about Mormonism, but not initiate any conversations about their faith. They may not teach missionary lessons or distribute pamphlets or copies of the church’s unique scripture, the Book of Mormon.
