Members of the Young Ambassadors hope to share joy, love and the gospel through their performances and community service during their upcoming tour to China.

Justin Earl, a senior, from Dallas, studying music, dance and theater said the group’s director, Randy Boothe, emphasized community service during past tours. He said they will participate in similar activities while in China.

“Everywhere I’ve gone there’s a commonality with the people we meet,” Earl said. “We’re all human, we all need love and joy and happiness. The dancing and singing we do is a universal language. It touches hearts from a retirement home in New Mexico to a school in Brazil to an orphanage in Argentina.”

Earl said a film crew from Beijing recorded some of their rehearsals on campus in preparation for the tour. The recordings will be shown in China to publicize the tour. In addition, the film crew will follow them on their tour through Hong Kong, China and Korea. A BYU film crew will also accompany the Young Ambassadors on the tour.

“I feel like it’s a great step for BYU’s public relations, the church’s public relations and even the United States’ public relations with China,” Earl said. “It tells me that the Chinese people are interested in what American college kids are doing. I feel like it’s a great opportunity for Americans to be reflected in hopefully a positive light.”

Ashley Nielsen, a senior, from Mesa, Ariz., and second-year member of the Young Ambassadors, majoring in leisure service management, said she is excited to go on tour.

“Randy has talked a lot to us about the importance this tour will have with the future impact of the church in China,” Nielsen said. “We’ve been trying to learn Mandarin, Cantonese and Korean to get ready for the tour. Our theme this year is ‘Many Mighty Miracles,’ and that’s what we believe will happen when we’re there.”

During last year’s tour, Nielsen said she enjoyed sharing her love for music and dance. But her favorite part was sharing the gospel perspective through performing.

“Often these days media isn’t the greatest, and our shows are really uplifting,” Nielsen said. “I think we show people that you can have fun and be good at the same time.”

Earl said even though he enjoys sharing the gospel on tour, it is a big responsibility.

“It can be kind of intimidating to be under a magnifying glass, to have every move watched, even how we eat,” Earl said. “But I think we’ve been prepared well, not only by the university, but also the way we have lived our lives. We’ve been preparing for this our whole lives, whether we knew it or not.”

Rex Barrington, a coordinator for performing arts management, said the Young Ambassadors share the gospel in other ways besides song and dance.

“More than any other BYU performing group, the Young Ambassadors are focused on community outreach,” Barrington said. “They are just what their name entails. Not only do they have evening performances, the director is very intent on going to an orphanage or a care center. His idea is to go to people who can’t come to the performance and be with them and lift their spirits.”

Barrington said he made the arrangement for the tour in January when he went to China to reserve hotels, performance venues, host families and other itinerary details. He said he has been to China with the Ballroom Dance Team and the Folkdance Ensemble, but this will be his first trip to China with the Young Ambassadors.

“In the past, visiting China as a tourist was hard because it was difficult to get around,” Barrington said. “It’s easier now than it has ever been. In the last 10 years there’s been a huge change in China. They have modernized a lot.”

Besides arranging the tour Barrington is also the university contact for the Beijing film crew. Tong Shan Dan, director of the Beijing film crew, said working with BYU is easy and enjoyable.

“Communication is easy here,” she said. “Rex has been to China and he understands our culture.”

Tong said she is excited to accompany the Young Ambassadors through China. She said she also enjoyed visiting campus and getting to know some BYU students in preparation for the tour.

“I think the students here are energetic and pretty,” she said. “I love the scenery. I think the mountains make a great place to study.”

This year’s tour will be the Young Ambassador’s fifth trip to China in the 35 years since they were organized. Barrington said it is fitting that they are going to China.

“They were the first BYU group to go to China, so this is kind of their territory,” Barrington said. “It’s a great way to celebrate their 35th anniversary.”

The Young Ambassadors leave for China April 22.



Copyright Brigham Young University 14 Apr 2005