昨天周末上午，我第一次拜访美国的教会。
我与DAVE和他的四个孩子（除了EMILIE生病在家休息）到达时已经晚了五分钟，所以我们静静的找座位坐下。这个教堂不是很大，只有一层，但是非常干净，而且有很多房间。对于第一部分的演讲，我没什么兴趣，因为不容易听懂，而且JACOB又在旁边捣蛋，所以基本上我陪他玩了一个小时。在那一小时中，还有一家人来晚了，他们刚好坐我们前面。有一个差不多一岁左右的小男孩，从坐下后一直盯着我看，我笑他也笑，我又笑他又跟着笑，弄得他爸爸都不知怎么了。在教会，多小的孩子都可以带进去，他们大多有自己的小西服、小皮鞋，特别可爱！在第一部分结束后，他们都会有人带着玩，或者学习一些道理。但是实际上，他们得等到八岁以后才能洗礼，进而成为教会的一员。
而后，随着年龄的不同，教会的人会到不同的地方学习。而我也就跟着两个小的凑热闹去了。那是一个有很多小孩在一起的课堂，有三个老师：一个教唱歌，一个带着玩游戏讲道理，一个弹琴。其实，讲课的内容就是经文里简单的故事，歌曲都是非常好听抒情的教会歌，游戏就是教孩子学会懂事，做正确的事。在我看来，对于很多没有信仰的人来说，教会里的人所做的事情是很难理解的。但是每一次我遇见教会的人，都能感受到他们说话的真诚，他们对上帝的感谢发自肺腑。
最后一部分是几个家庭孩子在一起，由一个家长讲课。我被DAVE当作嘉宾介绍给7到8个孩子，他们都觉得非常好奇，一个接一个的问题，还有的小家伙老冲我出怪相。在我们结束的时候，更有一个小男孩在学会说“再见”后，总是来回跑过来跟我说，异常兴奋。于是我的第一次美国教会经历就被孩子团团包围着，怎么说那也是一种别样的快乐啊！
在我眼里，这个教会里的人都是善良的、真诚的、友好的。教会就像是一个大家庭，充满和谐与温暖。
Translation:
Church in America
Yesterday afternoon I went to church in America for the first time.
When Dave and I and four of his kids (Emily stayed home sick) arrived at church we were already about five minutes late, so we quietly entered and found our seats. This church isn’t very big- only one story- but it is extremely clean, and has lots of little rooms in it. I wasn’t really interested in the first speaker, mostly because I didn’t really understand him, and Jacob was wiggling and playing with me. Basically I just played with him for the first hour. After we had arrived, another family sat in front of us in Sacrament meeting. They had a one-year-old child. From the time he sat down until the end of the meeting, he just stared right at me. If I smiled, he would smile, if I laughed, he laughed, his dad knew something was happening, but I don’t know if he ever figured out why his son was acting so strange. At church, even the smallest children are invited to participate, and they all wear their tiny little suits and dresses, it is so cute! After the first hour, the kids will be separated into classes to play or to learn church teachings, but they have to wait until they are 8 years old before they can be baptized and become official members of the church. After sacrament meeting, people go to different classes based on their age. I went with to class with the little kids. There were three teachers there, one lead the music, one lead the games, and one played the piano. Actually, the lessons are simplified bible stories, the songs are beautiful church songs, and the games are meant to teach the kids important life lessons like how to be a good person. For non-religious people, church is such a strange thing, so hard to understand. But without exception, I’ve felt that each person I’ve met who is religious has a deep and sincere appreciation for God. For the last hour of church the kids separate again into classes with one teacher. Dave introduced me to his class of 7 or 8 children as a special guest. They were all so curious, each child bombarding me with questions, while one little guy made funny faces at me. When we were ready to finish, I taught one of the boys how to say “goodbye” in Chinese. He was so funny, he would run up to me again and again to shout out “goodbye” to me. So my first experience at church was consumed by playing with small children, it was such a fun experience!
In my opinion, every member of this church is so kind, sincere, and friendly. Church here is like a big family, full of harmony and warmth.
