Po Nien Chou
Sharing the Light (in 30 countries & territories)
Submitter Statement:
When I was first baptized and decided to serve a full-time mission, my family disowned me and I was kicked out of my parent’s home. I was homeless for 3 months before I entered the Missionary Training Center (MTC). At that time, I could not image that the simple act of obedience and sacrifice would lead to so many blessings and a life of service that would allow me to share the light of the gospel around the world. BYU’s motto, “the world is our campus,” really became true in my life and the abundant experiences the Lord has provided me working for the Church Education System (CES) after my mission. It gave me a global worldwide perspective of how “the light of the gospel grows brighter and brighter” to reach all nations of the world. My experience has taken me to 45 states in the US and 30 countries or territories including:
• Asia: Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.
• Europe: England UK, France, Italy, Vatican City State, and Switzerland.
• North America: US, Canada, Mexico, and Panama.
• South America: Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru.
• Oceania: Australia, Fiji, Guam, New Zealand, and Vanuatu.
The accompanying collage seeks to illustrate how the Lord has led my career in CES from the US to Asia, the Pacific, and other parts of the world. After my masters degree at BYU, CES sent us to Asia to coordinate seminary and institute program, where we traveled to many countries in Asia to share the light of the gospel. Then, after my PhD at BYU, I was assigned to Church headquarters in Salt Lake City, working as an employee as well as a volunteer for church correlation, seminaries and institutes, and the church history department. This allowed me to travel to other countries in Latin America and elsewhere to continuing sharing the light of the gospel. Currently, as a professor at BYU-Hawaii, I continue to travel with my historical research to various parts of Asia and the Pacific, further expanding the light to others I come in contact with. We also have the opportunity at BYUH to teach students from 70 different countries or territories.
In summary, my BYU training and education prepared me in so many ways to be able to fulfill various assignments throughout the world. From a homeless young single adult who wasn’t sure where I might find a place to sleep, to three decades later as a world traveler in the various assignments I had at work or at church, I have been blessed (together with my wife) with the opportunity to share the light of the gospel with others in this wonderful global church community.
Entry Description:
This collage/visual art entitled “Sharing the Light,” includes 30 flags and various pictures of our travels on church or professional assignments or personal trips that have allowed us to share the light of the gospel around the world.