President Nelson’s Visit

This is our campus.  We were teaching that Friday and hoped for a chance meeting that didn’t happen.  We were certain he wouldn’t be in the canteen where we eat lunch.  Some church members traveled to Shanghai where he was the visiting authority for District Conference. 

President Nelson warmly welcomed as 'Old Friend of China' for pioneering open-heart surgery there

By Tad Walch, Deseret News

Published: Thursday, Oct. 29 2015 11:00 a.m. MDT

President Russell M. Nelson, center, of the LDS Church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, receives a painting from the son and grandson of late Chinese opera star Fang Rongxiang, whose life was saved in 1985 by a coronary artery bypass graft operation performed by then-Elder Nelson. The painting, done by the grandson, was presented Friday, Oct. 23, 2015, at the Shangdong University School of Medicine in Jinan, Shangdong, China.

JINAN, Shangdong, China — A Chinese icon's heart was failing, and his doctors trusted a single surgeon with their patient's life. They didn't realize how unusual it would be for their friend to set aside his new role as an LDS Church apostle to fly to China and perform the operation.

It was out of the question.

Elder Russell M. Nelson had retired from his storied medical career a year earlier, in 1984, to join the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a full-time, lifetime appointment.

Instead, Elder Nelson suggested flying the patient to Utah for the operation. His Chinese friends said the patient wouldn't survive a trip down the hall to the x-ray room.

Elder Nelson promised to send his former surgical partner in his place. Politely, the Chinese said they only had confidence in Dr. Nelson, not his partner.

After all, he was their dear friend, the man who introduced open-heart surgery to China in 1980, when as a visiting professor who could speak some Mandarin he spent a month living in an apartment that had hot water between 5 and 8 p.m. By day, he trained doctors at a medical school where a man delivered ice through the hospital loaded on a bicycle with muddy wheels.

Stymied, Elder Nelson took the request to his quorum leader, President Ezra Taft Benson, who took it to the church's First Presidency. The answer? Yes, an exception would be made.

Elder Nelson flew to China, to the city of Jinan with its one stoplight, and performed a coronary artery bypass graft that saved the life of opera star Fang Rongxiang.

"That was the last operation I ever did," he said, "in China, in 1985."

'Old friend'

Thirty years later, the ongoing influence in China of the man who in July became the new president of the Quorum of the Twelve is palpable at macro and micro levels. The Shandong University School of Medicine warmly welcomed the 91-year-old President Nelson back last week to honor his contributions. The doctors he trained, the Fang family and dozens of others showered him with gifts and tears and an official declaration that he is an "Old Friend of China."

"There was this wonderful, wonderful feeling of a long-term friendship and relationship renewed in person again," said Elder Gerrit W. Gong, the church's outgoing Asia Area president.

Today, the school where President Nelson pioneered open-heart surgery in the country is now a major medical center where doctors perform 2,000 such operations each year.

The department chair is a man who was an intern for some of the operations President Nelson performed during his training visit in 1980. He thanked President Nelson for inspiring him to specialize in heart surgery.

"President Nelson's influence is moving into multiple generations now," Gong said. "The doctors thanked him for being their teacher and preparing them to teach another generation of doctors. Think of all the people whose lives have been affected and blessed by those procedures."

Fang's son and grandson are grateful for one procedure. The two men, themselves still opera singers, cried gratefully at the sight of the man who gave their father and grandfather five more years of life.

"Thank you for saving the life of my father," the son said. "Thank you for saving the life of my grandfather," the grandson said.

They presented him with calligraphy and artwork depicting President Nelson and his patient, Fang, in his costume as a Chinese opera star.

Learning Chinese

President Nelson also pioneered open-heart surgery in Utah, performing the first such operation in the state in 1955, but the story of how he developed such lasting and meaningful relationships with the Chinese began in 1979 when then-LDS Church President Spencer W. Kimball challenged general authorities and general officers of the faith to learn Mandarin.

President Nelson was the church's General Sunday School president. He accepted President Kimball's challenge and hired a tutor. Later that same year, Dr. Wu Ying-Kai, the father of thoracic surgery in China, extended the invitation to President Nelson to go to China as a visiting professor of surgery.

His limited Chinese helped him both train doctors and honor new friends in 1980, again during another month as a visiting professor in 1984 and in subsequent interactions.

"I took up the challenge," President Nelson said, "and it's been a very significant part of my life, actually, because those relationships have continued. We've had exchange visits since 1985 between the Chinese and those who succeeded me in my surgical practice.

"The Chinese people place a lot of confidence in those relationships of trust that have been built over many years. In the American way of life we have what I call a hit-and-run mentality where we never really get deeply acquainted with very many people. We have short, quick appointments and then run, we catch the airplane and go on to the next appointment. But the Chinese people value those long-term relationships, and I'm really pleased that I'm regarded here as one of their old friends."

The trip was meaningful for Elder Gong, grandson of Chinese immigrants to America who is transitioning to his new church role as one of the seven presidents of the Seventy.

"The room lights up when President Nelson speaks to them in Chinese," Elder Gong said. "The Chinese understand and trust President Russell M. Nelson, because they know him, and they admire him and they love him, and because of that trust, he's respected and able to do things that can only be done by someone who has those very long-term, deep relationships."

That was evident as the medical school honored him. In the best Chinese tradition, Gong said, each person brought something to show love, respect and admiration for their teacher, their friend, their professor — flowers, books, recordings, art, Chinese scrolls.

"It was the most moving tribute," Gong said, "for a wonderful portrait of service to the Chinese people, in Chinese, that started all those years ago."

President Nelson called it a great day.

"It's very significant that after my long career in cardiac surgery, the last surgical operation that I ever did was in the People's Republic of China," he said, adding, "it's very significant, personally, and who knows, the story isn't over yet. We don't know what the future will be."

Email: twalch@deseretnews.com

Bicycles, Mo peds, and Ebikes, Oh My!!

Traffic is unbelievable on China roads, and I’m not talking about the cars.  Rick is trying to walk on the sidewalk where cars are parked and bikes are endlessly honking for us to move so they can pass.

Notice the bikes braced for the change of the light so they can beat the cars in the race to enter the intersection.  Pedestrians are always on the bottom  of the traffic chain so we are attentive at all times.

Rick refers to the ebike as “the silent killer.”  There is never a dull moment on the streets of China.  We do feel safe on the buses.  That is a different story for another day!

China's Silk Road

Last week we enjoyed a wonderful tour of the old Silk Road.  We flew to Urumqi to view ancient ruins – cities along that critical economic corridor. 

Rick was fascinated with the underwater wells and irrigation systems.  That natural resource is vital to every culture in every century of time.

We visited the Gobi Desert - miles of dry, colorless dirt.  The camel ride was a delightful adventure.  Every rider was bouncing over the sand.  I can’t imagine traveling on one for miles or days.  

There is a strong Muslim influence there with several mosques in the city.  We ate naan bread and found nuts and dried raisins in every market.  This region is famous for grape vineyards.  The golden raisins are especially delicious.

The night open market was a lively event with people everywhere.  The sticks wrapped with meat and cooked over grills are especially popular.  (We never really know what type of meat it is)

The taffy pull was a favorite attraction.

The food was fabulous and included a wide variety of vegetables.

Our journey took us to the sand dunes of Dunguang where we viewed Buddha mountain caves.  (We couldn’t take pictures inside)  Buddha Mountain in Jinan is still our favorite. 

The final days were spent in Xi’an.  The terra cotta warriors were truly one of the world’s great wonders.  We needed Thomas there to share his knowledge of Ancient soldiers. 

 The old city wall, built in 900+ AD, was the perfect location for a morning bike ride.  It was nine bumpy miles around the top of the wall and the scenery was splendid.  What a view!  Inside the wall provides a step back in time while the rest of the city is filled with tall, modern buildings.

Morning Exercise

We are so happy to be close to the campus track and swimming pool.  We arose before six AM our first morning in China and headed to the track.  Along the way we saw many people exercising in every open courtyard on campus.  We were impressed by their diligence and discipline.  There were more than 100 people on the track.  Wow, this place really kicks it in early!

See Rick run!

This is also the month of military training for all freshman aged men and women in China.  We can’t snap photos of them so picture the field covered in camo. 

This is “square dancing”.  They follow a routine and exercise to music.  I’d love to join in but don’t want to be the person moving arms or legs in the wrong direction.

See the pink shuttle? They keep it in the air with spectacular kicking moves.  

There are multiple disciples happening at every available place on campus.   We have seen men performing with fans and swords. (not at the same time)

Rick is a great exercise partner but I miss my brisk walking friends (I'm not sure if she means she has walking friends that are brisk, or friends that walk briskly ;) ).

This is how the real runners stretch.  Now I see why China has so many skilled    gymnasts.

Speaking Chinese?

Rick and I are language idiots.  We each need a senior companion who is already fluent in the native tongue.  I’ve become quite adept at sign language but the Chinese words are just not coming easily.  Where is Alyssa Staheli?

I purchase all fruits and vegetables from the open market where no one speaks English.  I carry a list of the words I want to use but flail my arms and point at my requests with a little grunt.  Pathetic!  The phrases spewing from my mouth are Chintalian.  Shouldn’t they be able to understand any foreign language?  After all, they are foreigners!  Oops,  I’m the stranger here and  giving them plenty of reasons to laugh.

The college printing office provided a service we needed so we braved the language fear and marched forward with our dictionary, phone apps, and stack of needed copies.  Using our best Tarzan Chinese and taxing a very patient printer, we succeeded!  The experience left Rick exhausted and me encouraged.  I couldn’t appear more foolish than I have so let’s press forward to the next language challenge!

We are very good at bowing and saying xiexie (thank you).   My best “go to” statement is,  “I’m sorry, my Chinese is very bad.” (spoken in Chinese, of course)   I usually follow that by asking, “Do you speak English?”  (spoken in Chinese, of course)  Many people just speak Mandarin slower and louder.  That must be an international trait used to help the foreigner understand the local language.

 

Thousand Buddha Mountain

Thousand Buddha Mountain:  We enjoyed a beautiful September day at this local site.  We hiked up countless stairs and viewed the many different carved Buddhas, hundreds of years in the making.  Most were made of granite.  The large, horizontal statue is the sleeping Buddha.

At one side of the mountain was the Thousand Buddha Cave.  Truthfully, there are at least a thousand in all different shapes and sizes.  Cristal Gordan and I are standing in front on the female Buddha.  Ahh, memories of Rome.  Notice the hand placement of the next Buddha.  Some were plain and others ornate.  Eva, our co-teacher, said each has his own history and remarkable contribution to mankind. 

The stone stairway narrows and becomes steeper.  Some of us did go to the top, a journey reminiscent of “Angel’s Landing”.  It had rained the day before so we enjoyed a spectacular view of Jinan.  We could see the bridge over the Yellow River and the smaller stadium facilities used during the 2008 Olympics.  What a delight to view the overall scope of our home for the next ten months.

China - Day One

We left St. George with an obscene amount of luggage.  Thank you, Hans for transporting us and all the cargo.  33+ hours later we arrived in rainy Jinan.  John, another English teacher at the university, greeted us warmly and delivered the tired bodies and “stuff” to our new home.  Lunch, with Eva and Tony and the Gordons, followed. 

Chinese students studying English always choose an English name.  That has been a huge help in becoming acquainted and actually calling them by a name we can pronounce.  Most of the names are current and popular in the US.  Others are very interesting:  Kangaroo, Luke Skywalker, Doom, and more.  

 This restaurant was fabulous.  All the dishes were placed on the Lazy Susan (I hate that name) and we sampled everything.  They drink only hot water with meals.

My first “restroom” in the airport. There is no “resting” here. I’ll develop superb leg muscles. This adds a whole new meaning to

“squats”.