Faith & Life

Positive Words

Seven children of a similar age teamed up with their mothers and played games. When a child was blindfolded and threw balls, his mother standing at a certain spot got the balls in a large basket. With the same time and conditions, five teams had more than twelve balls in the basket, whereas the other two teams had only seven balls. This was an experiment done at a broadcasting station. After the game, they watched the video of the mothers and their children exchanging balls. The difference between the teams that put fewer balls in the basket and those with more balls was what the mothers said. While the mothers of the teams with fewer balls said negative words such…

Many Parts Working Together as One

At a young adult meeting, we received a lesson about the importance of time. The message was clear: As workers of the gospel, we must use the time God has given us wisely and meaningfully. As I reflected on how to use my youth to store up blessings in heaven, one strong desire took root in my heart—to preach the gospel in India, the most populous country in the world. Though the vision was bold, the journey to India required a lot of preparation. Learning Hindi became my top priority, but it was no easy task. I wrote, read, and memorized consonants, vowels, and frequently used phrases—only to forget them all the next day. But I didn’t give up. I…

Park So-yeon from Jeonju, Korea

It Feels Like Now Is the Time

These days, the work of the gospel is moving swiftly and astonishingly. I often hear fragrance of Zion that make me think, “Is this really happening?” Inspired by this new and vibrant atmosphere, I decided to share the message of salvation once more with the people around me. The first person who came to mind was the owner of a store where I used to work part-time. I had always felt grateful to her. Even though I was inexperienced back then, she took good care of me. Hoping she could enjoy a moment of rest in her busy life, I had invited her to “Our Mother” Writing & Photo Exhibition. But each time, she put it off, saying she was…

Kim Seon-jeong from Wanju, Korea

From Yokjido Island to Hansando Island: Proclaiming the Victory in the Gospel

After receiving the Holy Spirit of the autumn festivals, we felt a strong desire to complete the gospel mission as soon as possible. That earnestness led to the formation of a domestic short-term mission team. Zion family members from Daegu, Changwon, and Tongyeong united to build the city of truth even in small towns and island regions, and to shine the light of life on every soul. To put into action the words of Heavenly Mother, who emphasized unity, the pastoral staff planned the short-term mission and, together with the members, prayed earnestly for a month beforehand. With willing hearts, members from each Zion came together, and from one week before departure, they diligently practiced truth presentation every day, preparing…

Short-Term Mission Team from South Gyeongsang Province, Korea

Gimbap to Buy? Gimbap to Make!

My husband and daughter absolutely love gimbap. One day, I decided to let them eat as much as they wanted and took on a challenge I had long avoided: making gimbap myself. I had a rough experience making it in the past, and ever since then I’d declared, “Gimbap is meant to be bought, not made.” So this decision was a big one for me. On a Sunday morning, I busily began preparing the ingredients. Watching from the side, my daughter eagerly offered to help. “Mom, can I help? I want to do it too! Let’s make it together. It looks fun!” We spread rice onto the seaweed and added the fillings—egg, ham, pickled radish, fish cake—then tried rolling one…

Bae Mi-rah from Seoul, Korea

How We Became True Sisters

I’d like to share a deeply moving story—one that fills my heart beyond words—about a French friend I’ve considered a sister for years, who has now become my true spiritual sister. I first met her twenty years ago when I went to France on a mission trip. While preaching, I greeted a young woman who was walking up the stairs and said, “I’d like to be your friend.” In French culture, where friendship is something that grows through time and deep affection, my approach could have seemed a little unexpected. But she welcomed me warmly and later told me that the way I approached her felt refreshing and kind. Even after returning to Korea, we stayed in touch through emails…

Bae Yu-seon from Seongnam, Korea

With Unity

A story of a precious heavenly family we met in Botswana, Africa. From the moment we first met her, Anna warmly welcomed us. She was deeply moved by the truth about God the Mother and wanted to keep studying the Word. Before long, she started calling us “my sisters,” and after each Bible study, she would share heartfelt thoughts like, “I feel like I’ve finally found the way to heaven,” and “Now I can tell what’s true and what’s not.” As Anna grew stronger in faith and closer to God through each study, we offered her the blessing of becoming a child of God. Although we hoped she would accept right away, she postponed baptism, saying she wanted to tell…

Jeong Hyo-gyeong from Incheon, Korea

Until One Soul Returns to God

I work at an organization that supports elementary school students from underprivileged backgrounds. My role is to help these children stay committed to their studies, grow up with sound values, and live healthy lives. I also guide them in setting personal goals and reward them when they achieve them. Additionally, I help provide them with clothing, school supplies, and hygiene products. One day, my supervisor asked if I’d be willing to appear on a local TV program. It’s a monthly interview series that highlights people like me and the work we do. I was selected to be the featured guest for that month. At first, I felt shy and wanted to decline. But then I reconsidered—it could be an opportunity…

Devoni Mills-Catchings from Las Vegas, NV, U.S.

Following the Path Our Father Walked

Music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. Collecting albums was more than a hobby—it was my joy. During my busy school years and even in the lonely days of studying abroad, music helped me relieve stress and brought me delight, inspiration, hope, and comfort. Now, my favorite music—without question—is the New Songs. These songs, which praise God Elohim, have the power to move the soul. Even after years of studying God’s precious word, I had only understood it with my head—not with my heart. It was through the New Songs that I finally realized the truth of salvation and the love of God. This happened around the time I had just begun a…

Min Jong-won from San Diego, CA, US

Reset My Faith: A Great Voyage Toward Heaven

Last year was both difficult and meaningful for me. It became the very foundation for a new leap of faith. At the beginning of the year, my family faced a financial crisis. To make matters worse, a medical checkup revealed an unexpected illness. Though I underwent surgery and received treatment, my recovery was slow, and the aftereffects weighed heavily on my already weakened spirit. Daily worries pressed down on me more and more. I grew weary in my gospel work and even found myself thinking, “What if I can’t continue?” Eventually, I thought, “Maybe it’s time to stop.” While battling this deep spiritual struggle, I happened to learn about Ernest Shackleton, a British explorer—and his story awakened my wavering soul.…

Kim Hui-jeong from Osan, Korea

The “I Love You” Declaration

“From now on, I’m going to tell you ‘I love you’ every morning before I leave for work.” With a solemn expression, my husband made this bold declaration. Because he’s usually so reserved, both my daughter and I were startled by his sudden announcement. “Wait—did we do something wrong? Or is this some kind of punishment?” we asked, half-joking. He laughed, surprised that we would think of it as a punishment. “I just realized I haven’t expressed it much. So I figured it’s better late than never,” he said. His words made me reflect on myself. Back in our newlywed days, we exchanged greetings and expressions of love all the time. But as the years passed and we settled into…

Ok Eun-hui from Changwon, Korea

Let’s Put Reaction Into Action!

Communication through conversation cannot happen with the speaker’s action alone. It also requires the listener’s response—the reaction. A listener’s reaction sends an important message: “I’m listening to you.” When the listener reacts well, the speaker naturally opens up and shares more. The conversation becomes richer and more enjoyable, and the bond between speaker and listener grows stronger. This month, try responding actively to your family’s words and actions. In every conversation, both the speaker and the listener are actors on the same stage. Are you ready? Ready . . . Reaction! Tip How to Give Great Reactions Make eye contact and listen attentively. Identify and empathize with the other person’s emotions. Echo or repeat key points they want to emphasize.…

Treat Your Family Like VIPs!

VIP stands for Very Important Person, referring to someone of great importance. In the business world, VIPs are often customers who significantly boost sales, and companies offer them the highest level of service to attract them and show appreciation for their contribution. But when it comes to our personal lives, who are our VIPs? For each of us, the truly important people are our family. Family members support our growth and happiness—making them lifelong VIPs to one another. This month, try treating your family like VIP customers. Your home will become more gracious, welcoming, and special than even the finest hotel! Tip Ways to Treat Your Family Like VIPs Greet each other politely. Speak and act with kindness. Prepare and…

The Least of You Will Become a Thousand, and the Smallest a Mighty Nation

In Argentina, every church unites once a month to carry out short-term mission trips to branch churches and pioneering areas. I happened to arrive in Argentina during one of these mission periods and joined the mission team traveling to a branch church in the province of Mendoza, a fourteen-hour bus ride from General San Martín. I was filled with a mix of anticipation and concern—wondering what kind of souls we’d meet in Mendoza, whether my limited language skills would be okay, and how the members would be. When we arrived, the branch church was smaller than I had expected. I was momentarily taken aback, but that feeling quickly disappeared. I was deeply moved by the manager couple who passionately carried…

Kim Sue-yi From San Miguel, Argentina

As I Have Sown

We traveled to the city of Oulu in Finland for a short-term mission. It's a city about six hours away from Helsinki by train. I had mixed feelings before the trip. I knew from past mission experiences in Northern Europe that this wouldn’t be easy. Half of me was confident that everything would go well since God told us, “It will be done according to our faith,” but the other half was worried—what if my faith wasn’t strong enough? Before heading to Oulu, we had about an hour in Helsinki to preach the message with some local members. With the hopeful thought that people might listen more because we came all the way from Korea, we went out to preach.…

Lee Ju-hyeon from Suwon, Korea

Heaven Is My Only Wish

I lived as a shaman for more than fifty years. It began when a difficult situation arose in my family and I visited a fortune teller. She said my daughter had to receive a spirit, but I volunteered to take her place. Since I firmly believed in the afterlife, I was convinced that faithfully serving ancestral spirits would lead me to heaven. I even saved money for an elaborate ritual to be performed after my death—something that was supposedly necessary for entering heaven. It never felt like a waste, because going to heaven was my greatest wish. Meanwhile, my daughter began attending the Church of God and tried to teach me the Bible, but I refused to listen. Foolish as…

Jang Ok-guk from Taebaek, Korea

The Faith I Always Dreamed of

I began my life of faith in a Protestant church when I was around twenty. At first, I believed, “If more people believe in God, wouldn’t this world become more like heaven?” But reality proved different. Instead of being the salt and light of the world, some churches brought scandal and disgrace to society. I felt disappointed. Still, I believed that God exists and that somewhere, there must be a true church that follows His word. With that hope, I visited many churches, listened to countless sermons, and even spoke with well-known pastors. Yet whenever I heard sermons that glorified the preacher more than God, I sighed in disappointment, thinking, “This isn’t the church of truth.” After years of searching,…

Yeon Je-gu from Suwon, Korea

Gratitude Talk, Gomapsuda!

The Jeju dialect word gomapsuda means “thank you.” Interestingly, it also sounds like a blend of thankful and chat—as if it were saying “a thankful chat.” So why not reinterpret gomapsuda this way and enjoy a gratitude-themed conversation with your loved ones? There are countless topics to talk about, but conversations rooted in gratitude naturally spark more positive interactions and strengthen emotional bonds. Sharing what you’re thankful for widens your perspective of appreciation—and deepens your sense of happiness. This month, try having a Gomapsuda session with your family—a warm conversation filled with gratitude. You’ll discover just how powerfully thankfulness can turn an ordinary day into something truly special. Tip How to Have a Meaningful Gomapsuda Time Set a specific time…

The Gospel That Pleases God

During my student years, I came to realize the vision of completing world evangelism through the youth like the morning dew. It filled me with a desire to be part of this prophetic mission. When I heard that there were still many regions in Africa where the gospel of the new covenant hadn’t yet been preached, I made a firm decision: When I became a young adult, I would go to Africa. The long-awaited year I turned twenty, the COVID-19 pandemic shut the borders of nearly every country. I felt helpless, unsure of what to do. But then I heard Heavenly Mother say, “The gospel hasn’t stopped—it has changed direction.” Encouraged by Her words, I devoted myself to the activities…

Oh Su-hyeon from Ansan, Korea

Pastel de Choclo Filled With Mother’s Love

As we thought about how to share Heavenly Mother’s love with our beloved families and acquaintances, we planned a special invitation event and decided to serve a traditional local dish. The dish we chose, Pastel de Choclo, is a Chilean-style corn pie made by stir-frying ground beef and onions in a pot, mixing in raisins, boiled eggs, and chicken, and then baking it with a generous topping of mashed corn. Just as kimchi stew or soybean paste stew brings comfort to Korean homes, Pastel de Choclo is a cherished dish in corn-rich Chile that carries the warmth of a mother’s cooking. The day before the event, all the members of Zion united in prayer. Some set alarms to pray every…

Yu Seung-hyeon from La Florida, Chile