2008 Beijing Olympic Thoughts

Today at Church, Bishop Becker reminded us to write down important moments in our lives that we will be able to share with our posterity in the future. Since we have kind of gotten away from writing in our journal, hopefully, keeping this blog will help in some way - at least we can share our feelings and thoughts with our friends.

I've really been looking forward to these Olympic games and can't believe that after so many years - that it's actually here. Growing up, my dream was to one day participate in the Olympics and I always thought Beijing would kind of be cool - a homecoming of sorts.

Watching the opening ceremonies and the incredible display of artistry and shear pageantry was truly impressive and awe-inspiring. I must admit that although 1) I'm Canadian 2) I have lived in the US for quite a few years, and 3) the closest I've gotten to China was serving a mission in Taiwan; I surely felt a sense of National pride - not Canadian, not American, but Chinese national pride. It is a feeling truly difficult to explain. This was the land of my ancestry and they were putting on a glorious show for the entire world to behold - and I felt proud to be associated with it - even if it was only by ancestry or heritage. I truly feel that Chinese descendants everywhere surely felt some of the same stirrings of pride in their Chinese heritage as I did.

I typically don't cheer for the Chinese, but this time I did. I'm also rooting hard for the Canadians and my friends who are on the US Olympic team. I also feel a certain sense of loss with American's with the loss of an Olympic parent (the individual who was killed was the father-in-law of Hugh McCutcheon - the current US men's volleyball head coach, and the assistant coach with BYU men's volleyball team while I was the student trainer with the team back in 1999). Some may call it loyalty. Maybe I'm just being a fan of sport. Regardless, these Olympics have already touched me and will hold a special memory and place in my heart.

Maybe in another sense, it's just another chance for my ancestors to call out to me reminding me that there is lots of work to be done for them - so many thousands and millions - even a billion - who lack the knowledge of God and his gospel. I do feel a kinship to the people of China - and to the country as a whole. Part of me longs to "return" to a land that I have never been. Like a Taiwanese Olympian said, going back to China and being "(received and welcomed there) was like coming home."

I hope you all enjoy the spectacle of the games and brush up on your Chinese because they will need all the missionaries they can get - there's a large field that will soon be ripe and needs harvesting...