Enlightenment

Feed My Sheep

I often wondered: Who does God consider the one who loves Him most? Is it the person who prays earnestly in all things? The one who diligently studies the Bible? The one who glorifies God through good deeds? As I reflected on these questions and examined myself, I found the answer in a single passage: Jesus said to Simon Peter, “. . . do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” . . . “Take care of my sheep.” . . . “Feed my sheep.” Jn 21:15–17
 Three times, Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him, and each time, He gave the same instruction: If you…

Kim A-yeong from Seongnam, Korea

I Lay Down My Life of My Own Accord

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; . . . The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it…

Bae Su-jin from Daejeon, Korea

Breaking Up the Unplowed Ground of My Heart

The Bible likens our hearts to soil. Now in the third year of my career, I’ve begun to feel as though the soil of my heart is dry and cracked. On the Sabbath, it is watered with God’s word of the living water, but during the workweek, it gradually dries out again. I often wondered why I couldn’t hold on to the water of life throughout the week. While examining my faith, I found the answer in a single verse: Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you. Hos 10:12 To soften unplowed ground, it…

Jeong U-hee from Jeonju, Korea

Letting Go of the Past, Toward a Brighter Future

I am a physical therapist. In my effort to become a better healer for my patients, I strive continuously to improve. As the years go by, I gain knowledge not only from textbooks but more meaningfully through the patients themselves. At times, these encounters even offer me profound spiritual insight. One thing I’ve come to notice through consultations is that many patients believe their current pain stems from past illnesses or long-ago injuries. This belief is especially common among those who feel their initial treatment was mishandled or that their suffering was caused by someone else’s mistake. Yet, in most cases, pain in the muscles or joints arises from current lifestyle habits or behavioral patterns. Patients who refuse to acknowledge…

Jeong U-cheol from Wonju, Korea

Writing One Line of Thanks a Day

While on mission in India, I made a quiet resolution with the brothers and sisters there: to write one line of gratitude each day. For one full year devoted to the gospel, we wanted to remain mindful of God’s tireless work on our behalf—His daily love, His constant care—and respond with thanks, one line at a time. In the beginning, it felt almost too easy. In a foreign land, every challenge led us to pray, and every answered prayer stirred immediate gratitude. A safe flight into India, finding a home that suited our needs, meeting a soul with a deep thirst for the Word, blessings poured in abundance . . . my daily line of thanks often spilled into two,…

Park So-yeon from Seongnam, Korea

God’s Power

I recently moved some items. While there were a few light items I could carry with ease, there were others I simply couldn’t move on my own. As several of us joined forces to carry them, I found myself thinking how unexpectedly limited human strength can be. At the same time, I was struck anew by the greatness of God’s power. “He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth over nothing.” Job 26:7 When I think that God who suspends the Earth in space is our Parents, my heart overflows. I’m filled with the firm conviction that nothing is impossible with God. As I walk the path of the gospel, I continually feel the helping…

Lee Dae-u from Gyeongsan, Korea

How Many Languages Are There in the World?

As I watched brothers and sisters spreading the gospel across the globe, I found myself reflecting on language. How many languages are there in the world? It is said that there are roughly 7,100. But the number I have in mind is about 8 billion—the population of the world. Each person speaks from a unique life shaped by their own experiences, values, and inner world. Even in the same situation, people often arrive at different conclusions. A single word or phrase can be interpreted in countless ways depending on who hears it, just as each person has their own way of expressing thoughts and emotions. Because we all communicate from such diverse perspectives, truly understanding one another is never simple.…

Ju Yeong-ho from Seoul, Korea

When Jesus Saw Their Faith

Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Mark 2:3–5 The reason the paralyzed man was forgiven of his sins was that Jesus was pleased with the faith of those who brought him. While sharing the truth, I sometimes encounter people who respond sharply, unable or unwilling to understand. In such moments, I may feel tempted to give up and walk away. But…

Kim Nam-suk from Changwon, Korea

A Hand Reaching for Salvation

I watched a video of people rescuing fish from a drought-stricken lake. The water had nearly dried up due to a lack of rain, and countless fish had already perished. In the remaining puddles scattered across the lakebed, fish huddled together, barely able to breathe, their mouths gasping at the surface. People used nets to scoop them into large water tanks in order to transport them to a lake with sufficient water. However, if too many fish were placed in one tank, oxygen would quickly run out, making it critical to move them swiftly before they died. In short, it was impossible to save all the fish at once. Once a tank was full, the rescuers had no choice but…

Yu Nam-cheol from Seoul, Korea

First He Must Suffer Many Things

It was a time when I was weighed down by various worries and troubles. I felt so weary and burdened that I wanted to give up—even on the blessings of God. Around that time, during a sermon, a verse was shared that brought to mind the path of suffering our Father walked before us: “But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.” Lk 17:25 I reflected that we, who are full of faults, deserve to suffer, but our Father, who is without sin, walked this path of suffering first for our sake. Our Mother, too, walked this path before us and continues to walk it even now. In that moment, the weight of my worries…

Jeong Jae-u from Namyangju, Korea

Created by God for Joy


Though my bank account looked healthier thanks to a new job, my spirit was anything but. The constant disconnect between the work I did and what my heart longed for left me exhausted. Complaints slipped from my lips more easily with each passing day. As the months wore on, a heavy fatigue settled over me, and tears would rise without warning—often for no clear reason. Eventually, the weight became too much to bear. Alarmed, I sought medical help, only to learn that my depression levels were dangerously high. Even time spent with my Zion family no longer lifted my spirits. My smile had faded, and the shadow that clouded my face felt out of place in the bright, joyful atmosphere…

Kim So-jeong from Jeonju, Korea

To Meet the Lord in the Air

“How fast must we travel to overcome gravity and escape Earth?” This was the question posed by our professor during a lecture on gravity. I had no sense of the answer and was stunned to learn that it requires a speed of 11.2 kilometers (6.96 mile) per second, about 50 times faster than the average airplane. Yet even that pales in comparison with the velocity needed to leave the solar system: a staggering 42.5 kilometers (26.4 miles) per second. Such speeds are almost beyond comprehension. And yet, the Bible describes the moment of being caught up from this earth with astonishing simplicity: After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in…

Jo Yeong-seo from Yangsan, Korea

It Is More Blessed to Give Love Than to Receive

While tidying up my bookshelf, I came across a thick stack of papers—language study materials a sister prepared for me when I was getting ready for overseas mission work. At the time, language was the first and most daunting hurdle. Aware of my limitations, I reached out to someone who had already experienced preaching overseas. A few days later, she handed me a neatly compiled packet she had created herself—a set of foreign-language preaching practice materials. Each word was thoughtfully annotated with phonetic transcriptions and accent marks to aid with reading and pronunciation. Whether in person or over the phone, she patiently answered my many questions. Thanks to her tireless support—both emotional and practical—I was able to prepare well and…

Gahng Ji-yeon from Gimje, Korea

What Kind of Place Is the Heaven Prepared by God?

I’ve always been captivated by the cosmos. My bookshelf is lined with shimmering auroras, celestial photographs, essays penned by astronomers, and investigative reports on the latest breakthroughs in astrophysics. As a child, my fascination with the stars once inspired me to dream of becoming an astronomer. But as I delved deeper into the field, I realized that astronomers spend far less time stargazing than I had imagined. True observation happens only under optimal conditions—clear skies, finely tuned telescopes, and scheduled time slots. Most of their work is spent analyzing vast streams of data. Ironically, the more we study the universe, the more elusive its answers seem. Scientific reports are filled with tentative phrases like “It is projected that . .…

Jo Seong-ye from Cuiabá, Brazil

I, Too, Have a Mother

I was so young when I was separated from my mom that I can barely remember her face without looking at a photograph. Perhaps because of that, even hearing someone call out “Mom” always felt unfamiliar and distant to me. When I saw friends chatting about their day with their moms, I couldn’t imagine what that felt like, and yet, I deeply envied them. But now, I, too, have a mother. At seventeen, I met Heavenly Mother in Zion. The emptiness I had carried for so long was suddenly filled, and my heart overflowed with joy. I still vividly remember how I prayed over and over, giving thanks with all my heart. Since then, I’ve never felt envious of anyone.…

Lee Ha-yeong from Daejeon, Korea

A Precise Diagnosis

One early morning, I suddenly woke up with a sharp pressure in my upper abdomen. It was a type of pain I had never experienced before, and I panicked, wondering if I had come down with some kind of illness. I hurriedly searched online, but even the so-called ocean of information couldn’t provide an answer. I tried to go back to sleep, but the pain wouldn’t subside, and I spent the entire night tossing and turning. By morning, the discomfort and burning sensation around my upper abdomen still lingered. The pain was so intense that even drinking water—or simply swallowing—became difficult. I immediately went to a nearby clinic. The doctor couldn’t identify the exact cause either, and simply advised me…

Hong Jeong-eun from Yongin, Korea

A Chance to Prepare Oil

It was during a holiday visit to my parents who live in the countryside. The roads were more congested than I had anticipated, and we spent long stretches at a standstill. Our estimated arrival time kept getting pushed back. Hoping to save time, I decided to delay refueling until the tank was nearly empty, passing by several rest stops along the way. Even when the GPS announced that the next stop would be the last service area on that highway, I drove past it, thinking that once I entered a different expressway, another rest area would soon appear. But then the unexpected happened. With only one bar of fuel left, I searched for the nearest gas station only to find…

Park Dong-gyu from Seongnam, Korea

The Power of Gratitude

I currently serve as a social service worker. Thanks to this role, I’ve had the opportunity to participate in a work mission group, even while still a university student. At first, everything felt unfamiliar and difficult. Each morning, I could only think about wanting to go home, and I found myself admiring the other members who faithfully showed up to work every day. What changed me was something quite simple: a gratitude journal. The members of our Work Mission write and share gratitude journals every day. Whether it’s something small like being thankful for clear skies or a cup of coffee from the boss or something more serious, they always found something to be grateful for, even in the midst…

Kim Ga-gyeong from Gwangju, Korea

Who Has the Right to Forgive?

One night, after working late, I was on my way home when I saw a police car parked along the roadside near my apartment. A quarrel had broken out between a taxi driver and an intoxicated passenger. Curious, I stopped to observe. The passenger had vomited in the taxi, and the driver was demanding over 100,000 KRW (approx. 86 USD) in compensation. Feeling the amount was excessive, the passenger called the police. Initially, I too wondered if the taxi driver was asking for too much. But after hearing his explanation, my perspective shifted. The driver explained that vomiting incidents were not uncommon when transporting drunk passengers late at night. That’s why, before departure, he had clearly warned the passenger: “If…

Jeong Jae-pil from Anyang, Korea

A Spiritual Death Row Inmate

I read an article about death row inmates. It talked about prisoners who had been sentenced to death but remained in prison for years because their executions had not been carried out. The article mentioned that some of them were being transferred to other prison. I felt a chill run down my spine upon realizing that some of these notorious criminals—whose names I instantly recognized—were still alive. The comments section was flooded with criticism. Many people complained that housing them was a waste of taxpayers’ money, and some even insisted that their sentences should be carried out immediately. I found myself nodding in agreement—until I suddenly paused.
 “Aren’t I a spiritual death row inmate too?” People don’t usually feel sympathy…

Choi Hyeong-sun from Cheongju, Korea