Hi, I'm Yanning Yang

I grew up in China. I'm studying in the UK. I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints..

About Me

I'm a PhD student in Computer Science. I like singing, playing guitar, drawing, cooking, and travelling.

Why I am a Mormon

The greatest thing I learned about the Church is "love", not just to love the ones that are easy to love, but to love everybody.

Before I joined the Church, I was having problems with one of my housemates, I tried everything that I could to improve the situation, but it didn’t help: I kept myself as busy as possible, I talked to my friends, I went to the university counselling service, but at the end of the day, the problem was still there. I was about to give up and move out of the house, when I heard, “the church teaches people love, and that’s the most important thing. And it’s not selfish love, but to love everybody.” I asked: “if loving someone will result in hurting yourself, how can you still do it? Can you teach me how to do it” I will never forget the counselling that I received. I found the help that I had been looking for. Immediately I was able to look at things in a different way. I started to understand and forgive my housemate. I didn't move out, and I managed to keep being nice to him, and gradually solve the problem. The teachings of the Church can help me become the type of person that I wanted to be, that motivated me to learn more about it.

When I began to learn more about the church, I found that a lot of the principles I learned from the church were just what I hoped things would be, I felt as if part of me was wakened, and it explained to me a lot of my questions about life. However I was still not sure whether to join because what I felt about the church contradicted to what other people told me. I prayed to heavenly father for help to make the right decision. And the following Sunday was general conference, the prophet and apostles' words were just the answers to my questions, my doubts were cleared, and I decided to join.

I'm grateful being a member of the Church. I find true happiness, and the happiness is not given by someone else, it's inside of me, I can be happy no matter how things are.

Personal Stories

What has helped develop greater harmony in your home?

The influence of the gospel has helped me develop greater harmony in my home.

As a student studying overseas, it used to be my parents that called me from home sometime, I was just passively receiving. I learned from the church how important family is, and how we can strengthen our family by holding regular family home evening, which is one night each week, usually on Mondays, all family members get together learning the gospel and having fun. My parents are not members of the church and they are in a different country, so it is not possible to have family home evening, but I understand the importance for family members to time together and share our love and care for each other, so I organized to meet with my parents online every Sunday afternoons, with the help of modern technology. We talk about our week, share what we learned in the week, and resolve any emotional issue or work-wise issue. I also share with my parents what I learned from the Church. Once after I shared the church's counselling about family and marriage, my mum said "if we knew this 20 years ago, we would have had a much happier marriage." Our regular meeting on Sundays has become a habit, and it has developed greater harmony and love in my home, although we are not physically in the same place.

I'm grateful for the knowledge of the gospel, it has strengthened me and my family.

How I live my faith

I go to church every Sunday morning, I teach the children in the church(age from 3 to 12) the gospel through music. I enjoy singing with the children very much and I learn a lot from them. I remind them and they remind me, to share with one another, to help one another, and to apply the principles that we learned in the songs.

I speak to my parents online every Sunday afternoon. I write to my grandparents as they don't know how to use a computer. Although I'm away from home studying abroad, I try to be their eyes, their ears, I try to be the strongest link in my family.

I go with my companion to visit 3 sisters in the church once every month. We share a spritual thought with them, find out where they need help in their lives and help them.

Why do Mormons believe in the Bible?

Yanning Yang answered...

We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it's translated correctly.

The Bible and the Book of Mormon don't compete with each other, they complement each other. I can find lots of cross references between the two when I read them. Often if I found something is not clear in the Bible, I will find an clarification in the Book of Mormon, sometimes the other way round. The Bible testifies God and Jesus Christ, and that is what we believe.

However, the Bible has been translated many times into many different languages. As a oversea student, I know very well how translation can affect the original meaning. I've seen translated version of the Bible that lost its context and meaning at places, therefore caused confusion and disbelief.

What are Mormon women like? Do Mormons believe in equality of men and women?

Nicole answered...

Mormon women are strong. Mormon women are sure. We are taught from the time that we are tiny that we are daughters of God. Many people question equality between Mormon men and women because we believe in the traditional roles of the family, the classic stay-at-home mom and the working father. It makes me sad that society has degraded the role of a mother and made it seem undesirable and less than an occupation outside the home.

We believe in eternal families. We believe that this life is the one time in all eternity that we are sent to be tried and tested. If those beliefs be true than there is nothing more noble and exciting than being a mother. To be chosen to bring life into the world and to steer that life to goodness and love is one of the greatest and most impressive things that can be done.

I am proud to be a woman. I am excited to be a mother one day. I am an advocate for education and self-betterment for all. I value the differences of women from men. All of these things I learned to do from my religion. If that's not feminism I don't know what is.