After leaving home to live in a dormitory for my studies, I go home once a week to deliver worn clothes for laundry. I stay for only a few hours to idle and to eat, leaving extra work to my mom. And then, I return to the dormitory.
My home became more like the dormitory and my dormitory has become home to me. One day I came to stay home for a longer time. In the mean time, I decided to do good deeds at home. While unpacking my bags, I folded my laundry and stacked them one by one. Seeing the laundry piled up, I thought, ‘How did Mom wash all my clothes every week, along with all the clothes of our family?’
My mother is already in her sixties, yet she still sleeps past midnight every day, finishing her work and gets up at dawn to maintain the house, cook for her family, and do the piled up laundry. It must have been very hard for my mother especially when her daughter burdened her with more.
Every time I think of this, I never really did something for my parents. My heart aches for my mother. But as soon as I am faced with other things, I forget completely about my mother’s suffering. Sadly, I am like this spiritually, too.
My mother, who never complains about the laundry I bring home every week, reminds me of Heavenly Mother who smiles at me, washing off my sins that have piled up every Third day and Sabbath day. Heavenly Mother prays for us day and night and washes away our sins. Although we are slow and lack everything, Mother purifies us with Her sacrifice.
I remember vividly when cleaning a room in Zion, one sister who was sweeping asked if there was still a hair strand on the floor, and I answered her that there was not a time when there was no hair strand even after sweeping. Quietly she said Heavenly Mother sweeps off our sins all the time, yet they still won’t go away as we keep sinning.
Every time we keep service and study the Bible, we regret our wrongs. We always determine to boldly preach Father and Mother to everybody we meet in any circumstances or situations. However, when we leave Zion and walk down the streets alone or when we’re in school, we returned to our old selves. We give thanks and say to God, “We love you!” but our actions betray our words. Committing sins which I can’t erase myself, I had been adding up more pains to Mother every day.
Despite that, Mother says that we are everything in Her life and that She is only concerned about us. That is the truth that never betrays action. Mother dwells with us in the flesh in this age just because of us, who are lacking in everything and who have hurt Her in heaven.
Everything that Father and Mother did and are still doing is for us. I really hope to preach to all people around me with my actions, not just showing tears of repentance and shouting about love and grace with my lips only. I’d also like to deliver my love and thanks to my parents who go through a lot for me with a greatest gift that is hope for heaven.
Resolving to help my mom by at least doing my own laundry, I earnestly pray to Heavenly Father and Mother:
‘Please help me not commit sins again, so that Mother can have one less soul to wash every week. Let me become a daughter who does not burden but do filial piety to God who touches our heart with His beautiful and infinite love. Let us not just listen to the words, saying “Amen!” but put them into practice, with a smile and loving heart.’