Enlightenment

The Power of Shared Heart: Empathy

It is said that many companies today prefer to hire new employees with a high empathy quotient. Empathy—the ability to align one’s thoughts and feelings with those of another—is a powerful skill. Those who possess it often demonstrate humility, earning the trust and respect of their colleagues. God, too, teaches us to become such people within the faith. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Ro 12:15–16 The Bible teaches us to clothe ourselves with humility, to share in both the joys and sorrows of our brothers and sisters, and to strive for sincere…

Jo Mun-gyeong from Cheongju, Korea

Words and Glass

While helping with the construction of Zion, I once assisted in applying insulation film to the windows. That’s when I learned an important lesson: although wiping the film with a cloth or microfiber can make the surface look clean, it often leaves behind countless fine scratches. A professional advised us to use only soft flannel for cleaning, as it was gentle enough to avoid damaging the film. Yet even with flannel, scratches could still appear, revealing how delicate the surface truly was. “You see these marks left behind even after cleaning with flannel?” he said, pointing them out. “That’s not damage to the film; it’s the glass itself that’s already been scratched. Once the glass is marred, no matter how…

Ah Yeong-jun from Seongnam, Korea

A Gift

As a child, I would prepare small gifts for my parents on special occasions—their wedding anniversary, birthdays, and the like. My only source of money came from running errands or the modest allowance my parents themselves had given me. More often than not, it wasn’t enough. So I would go to my mom and ask for help in buying a gift—for her. Looking back, it was an endearingly ironic situation. Yet she would always smile, touched not by the gift itself, but by the heart behind it. Spiritually, it feels much the same. I long to bring joy to our Heavenly Father and Mother through the gospel work, yet without Their help, I can do nothing at all. Though my…

Lee Seong-jae from Seongnam, Korea

When the Purpose Is Clear

Waking up my daughter each morning—especially when she’s in her usual sleepy state—takes a great deal of patience. I always try to wake her gently, hoping not to start the day on a sour note. But when she remains dazed and half-asleep, I inevitably find myself raising my voice. As the clock ticks closer to school time, I end up ushering her out of bed and into the bathroom, often more forcefully than I intended. Yet tomorrow morning, I’m certain she’ll wake up early all on her own—because she’s going on a field trip to the ice rink. On days when there’s a school outing or even a simple picnic with her academy, she needs no prompting. Not only does…

Kim Hyeon-im from Suncheon, Korea

Wheat-Flour Tteokguk

During my childhood, my mother ran a tight household, raising and feeding six children. One day, when I came home from school, she announced loudly: “Tonight, we’re having tteokguk!” “Really? Wow!” Back when rice was scarce, tteokguk was a rare treat like catching a star in the sky. I must have finished three or four bowls without pausing for breath. I can confidently say it was the most delicious tteokguk I had ever tasted. Years later, my mother confessed that it wasn’t made with rice cakes. Wanting to give her children a break from the daily meals of barley and wheat flour, she came up with an idea. She rolled out wheat-flour dough, sliced it thinly, and cooked it in…

Ahn Seong-bun from Busan, Korea

Returning Love

One day, as I was getting on a bus, my usual transit card failed to register. Worried about holding up the passengers behind me, I moved to the seat just behind the driver and kept trying to scan it, but it kept displaying an error message. I felt extremely flustered. Just then, a woman behind me said, “I’ll scan mine for you,” and kindly covered my fare before returning to her seat. I was so grateful. A few days later, a man who appeared to have some physical difficulty boarded the bus. He struggled with his wallet and couldn’t scan his card properly. Watching him fumble, I said, “Let me pay for you,” and tapped my card on his behalf.…

Kim Min-jeong from Changwon, Korea

The Older We Get, the More We Resemble Our Parents

I recently paid a long-overdue visit to my cousin. As I stepped through the door and saw her coming to greet me, I was momentarily taken aback; it felt as though my late aunt, who had passed more than a decade ago, was standing before me. Over the seven years since we’d last met, my cousin had grown into a striking likeness of her mother. Sensing my surprise, she was the first to speak. Being the youngest of four siblings, I had always heard that I resembled my father more than the others. Now, well into my forties, with gray threading through my hair and fine lines forming around my mouth, such comments have only grown more frequent. In fact,…

Choi Heon-chim from Wonju, Korea

Everything That Was Written in the Past

I once attended a lecture titled “A Nation That Forgets Its History Has No Future.” As we revisited Korea’s painful past, someone remarked, “At the time, our country was powerless, so there was nothing we could do.” The speaker responded with a thought-provoking question: “Then if our country were weak now, would it be acceptable for such things to happen again?” No one could agree with that idea. For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. Romans 15:4 The Bible records countless examples of those who were blessed through obedience to God’s word, and others who faced…

Shim Hyeon-ji from Guri, Korea

Two Are Better Than One

To mark the upcoming biblical festival, I joined the Zion members from my university club in a special challenge: to offer a united prayer ten thousand times over forty days. At first, the goal seemed daunting—perhaps even impossible. Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Ecc 4:9–11 Day after day, we shared our progress and encouraged one another. As the forty days drew to a close, what once seemed unimaginable became…

Choi Yun-jeong from Daejeon, Korea

Like the Double Bass

I’ve always had a fondness for the New Songs arranged as instrumental pieces. During choir performances, my ears are naturally drawn to the orchestra’s accompaniment, and the more I listen, the more I marvel at the beauty of the harmonies woven through the blend of various instruments. One day, amid the familiar sounds of strings and winds, an unfamiliar tone caught my ear—a low, resonant voice that seemed to support not only the instruments, but the choir’s singing as well. I focused on the source of this grounding sound and discovered it was the double bass. The largest of the orchestral string instruments, the double bass produces the lowest tones. Its voice lies deep beneath the surface, and its volume…

Jahng Min-gyeong from Seongnam, Korea

My Reward Is With Me

While tidying my room, I came across a bundle of old award certificates tucked away in a drawer. The paper had yellowed with time, but the memories they stirred were vivid and fresh. As an elementary school student, I eagerly signed up for every contest and competition, driven by a simple desire to make my parents proud and earn the applause of my friends. The hours of preparation and the nerves before each event were quickly forgotten the moment I heard a word of praise from Mom or Dad. Sitting with those mementos in hand, I couldn’t help but wonder: Do I still serve our Heavenly Father and Mother with the same pure-hearted enthusiasm I once had as a child?…

Kim Yu-bin from Goyang, Korea

Running With Purpose

While tidying up my desk, I came across an old study planner from my final year of high school. Inside, I found a verse that had helped me endure one of the most trying seasons of my life:
 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 1 Co 9:26 Back then, I would always end my day in prayer after evening self-study sessions at school. But as time went on, I began to worry: was I failing at both my studies and my life of faith? One evening, weighed down by discouragement, I opened my Bible, and this verse caught my eye. In that moment, I realized I had…

Lee Se-eun from Busan, Korea

As the Lord Forgave You

Whenever conflict arose from a difference of opinion, I was quick to place the blame on the other person. It takes two hands to clap, after all. But beneath my inability to reach out first with an apology, there lay a quiet pride—the belief that I was right, and they were wrong. Then, a verse struck me with sudden force, piercing through my stubborn heart: Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Col 3:13–14 When I thought of how God had forgiven my sins, I was ashamed of…

Hong Hyeon-ji from Suwon, Korea

So That We May All Understand

It happened during a conversation with a new member. As we spoke, the sister who had been giving thanks to God for coming in the flesh to save His children suddenly brightened, her eyes sparkling as if struck by a thought. “If God came to this earth in the flesh,” she said, “then He wouldn’t be in heaven at the same time . . . But perhaps He could go back and forth without us knowing? Maybe He could return to heaven in His spiritual form whenever He wished—after all, He is God!”
 Her innocent imagination made me smile. Then, a passage from The Mystery of God and the Spring of the Water of Life came to mind. “Sister, imagine…

Song Yeon-ju from Seongnam, Korea

A Sure Proof

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Ro 5:6–8
 I often think back to the time before I met Heavenly Father and Mother. Life felt aimless, and each day was a quiet struggle. I was easily angered even by the smallest things. But God reached out and took hold of my hand when I was lost, revealing a love so deep that He gave His own life to save mine. As…

Sarrah Bracamonte from Quezon City, Philippines

A Helpful Tip for Building Good Habits

I recently returned from a three-week overseas short-term mission. Because the time was brief, the schedule was so tightly packed that each day blurred into the next. For the entire first week, we focused solely on preaching. I had never spent a full day preaching even in Korea, so by evening, the soles of my feet ached terribly. In those moments, I couldn’t help but think of our Heavenly Father; how much more must His feet have hurt, having walked endlessly throughout His life in search of His lost children? On particularly exhausting days, I would collapse into bed the moment we returned to our lodgings. And yet, amid that physically demanding routine, something unexpected happened: a habit I had…

Kim Su-jeong from Daegu, Korea

Preparing for Heaven

I work at a construction site. At the start of each project, before a single structure is built, we set up a temporary office—a prefab shelter where the site managers work. At first, the space feels unfamiliar and awkward. But after a year or two, it becomes surprisingly comfortable. Company documents begin to pile up, and I gradually bring in personal items one by one. Soon, it feels almost like a permanent office. The inconvenience fades away. Then, quite suddenly, we were told to pack up. The temporary building would be dismantled, and we were to move into the newly completed structure. Though I had always known the prefab office was only temporary, I had become so used to it…

Kim Mi-yeong from Daejeon, Korea

Lest They Return to the World

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” Ex 13:17 The Israelites, at the slightest hardship, would grumble and complain, yet God always placed their well-being first. Though there was a shorter route to Canaan, He deliberately led them along a longer path. He knew that if they encountered war, their hearts might waver and they would long to return to Egypt.
 As I reflected on this, I thought of Heavenly Mother. She, too, fears that her fragile children might be swept away by the storms of the world and…

Jo Min-ah from Seongnam, Korea

Only Thanksgiving

I once read in a sermon collection that angels gather our prayers in baskets and present them before God. In the story, two angels stood before the throne—one holding a basket of thanks, the other a basket of wishes. The basket of wishes was always overflowing, while the basket of thanks remained nearly empty. The angel holding it looked sorrowful, his face heavy with disappointment. Reading this, I was struck with sudden awareness.
 Lately, my responsibilities at work have increased. At first, I felt burdened by my manager’s growing expectations, and resentment began to build in my heart. Naturally, my prayers began to shift: “Please don’t let me work overtime,” “Please make things as easy as they were before.” These…

Matthew Taillefer from Edmonton, Canada

I’m Looking for My Mom

I stopped in my tracks when I saw a flyer that read, “I’m Looking for My Mom.” I had often seen notices about parents looking for their missing children, but this—an adult searching for their mom—felt unfamiliar. The flyer included a childhood photo of the person alongside a recent one, along with details about the location where she was first found as a child.
 “If you remember me or know anything about my mom, I’m earnestly waiting to hear from you.” Reading that final line, I found myself stunned for a moment. How lonely must her birthdays have been—how desolate her passing days. I could only imagine how often she must have wandered the streets where she was found, desperately…

Byeon A-yeong from Yeosu, Korea