After successfully completing his two-year mission in Brisbane Australia (Mandarin speaking), the first Elder called from the People's Republic of China has enrolled at BYU-Hawaii.
"I was told I was the first Elder called from mainland China when I was set apart by Elder [D. Allen] Andersen of the Asia Area Presidency," said Frank Ning Sun, an international business major who was born in Jing Jiang, Jiangsu Province (near Shanghai). He added there was a sister missionary from China called before him, and other Elders have been called since.
Like other Latter-day Saint citizens of China, where the government has not officially recognized the Church but allows members to meet under certain conditions, Sun was baptized while living abroad — in his case, while studying in Germany.
"I had never even heard of the Church before I went to Germany," said Sun. "My parents were atheists, and I didn't have any contact with Christians in China. I always wondered, however, what was the purpose of my life. Was I just going to live, get married, and die? I wanted to know more about the meaning of life."
"It was fascinating when I first got to Europe to see so many different churches and cathedrals," Sun continued, adding he met a nice older couple who wanted to practice their Mandarin. It turned out they were missionary-minded members of another Christian church who taught him his first lessons on the Savior.
"But some of the things they taught me just couldn't convince me they were right," he said. "So I backed off a little bit because there were too many churches in the world, and I was really confused which one was right."
Sun eventually moved to Freiburg in southern Germany, where five months before returning to Shanghai he met the missionaries at a volleyball game in the LDS chapel near his apartment. He recalls he surprised himself when he agreed to listen to their lessons, but soon found answers to his questions.
"The missionaries influenced me a lot: They were happy and made me wonder what I wanted for my own life. I never had so much faith and hope before," Sun said.
"In Frieburg, there were about 150 or so members every Sunday. The first time I attended the local branch in Shanghai, there were only six members, but I still felt the spirit there when I walked into the house," Sun said, explaining the expatriate and local branches in Shanghai meet separately in a member's home.
A year later Sun flew to Beijing and hand-delivered his missionary application to Elder Chu-Jen Chia, the Church's Area Authority Seventy in China. It took five months to process. During that time, he was originally told he would serve in Hong Kong, and started to study Cantonese. When visa uncertainties arose, however, he was told he might serve in Singapore. "When my call actually came, it was for the Mandarin-speaking program in Brisbane, and I thought, where was that. I was very surprised to be called to Australia."
After being set apart and going through the temple in Hong Kong, Elder Sun went to the MTC in Hamilton, New Zealand, where he found studying in English 12 hours a day was hard and frustrating. A fellow missionary advised him, "Elder Sun, you were called to be here, you need to be here. Whatever the Lord decides, He has a reason. You just need to accept it. Do your best and He's going to help you."
From that point on, Elder Sun said he loved his mission experiences. "My background helped my missionary work with Chinese, but it also affected the English people. I don't know why, but they were curious that I was from mainland China. I also loved the freedom in Australia to tell anyone about the gospel."
Returning to China, Sun made arrangements to attend BYU-Hawaii, which he enjoys because the climate is similar to Brisbane. "I love Laie, with all its Church members. It's a great environment, and the people are very nice. The temple is nearby. When I was in China I couldn't go to the temple, because we were too far away. I've also been helping the missionaries."
After he graduates, Sun said he plans to return to China, where he hopes to work for a multinational corporation. "As I look back, I think I was meant to go to Germany to receive the gospel. Now I look forward to attending BYU-Hawaii."