Fragrance of Zion

The Harmony of Happiness Built in God

I was raised by my grandmother during my childhood. She was a devout Christian, and sometimes I went to church with her. But the memories I carried from those days were far from pleasant. I watched her cry because of conflicts in the church and witnessed her being treated unfairly. Those experiences left a deep aversion to churches in my heart. In June 2021, while preparing for marriage, I encowuntered the truth of the new Covenant through my fiancée. She was a member of the Church of God and occasionally shared the Bible with me. Having cold feelings toward religion already, the idea of “God the Mother” felt shocking. But my fiancée was so kind, sincere, and gentle that I…

Kim Gyu-beom from Mirayng, Korea

With the Love of the Heavenly Family

When I was in high school, a terrible crime occurred in our neighborhood. It was the kind of incident I had only ever seen on the news, and suddenly it felt frighteningly close. I couldn’t shake the fear that something might happen to me too. Around that time, a friend called, and I shared my anxiety with her. She comforted me and encouraged me to keep the Passover—the promise of God’s protection from disaster. She was a member of the Church of God. Some people around me spoke negatively about the Church of God, but their comments sounded like opinions made without real understanding, so I didn’t pay much attention. More importantly, I trusted my friend. She had always been…

Im Seon-hui from Seoul, Korea

The Reason I Cannot Give Up

Today’s fragrance of Zion features a young adult sister. Two years ago, I met this sister through her mother, whom I happened to meet on the street. Her mother had been baptized long ago, and the sister had once attended Zion with her—but over time, she drifted away from the truth. When she finally returned to Zion with her mother after many years, I wanted to greet her first so she wouldn’t feel awkward. She smiled kindly, but I could sense a wall around her heart. Still, I continued sending warm messages and calling her whenever I could. Little by little, we grew close, and she opened up about the struggles and pain she had been carrying. Because I, too,…

Kim Eon-min from Busan, Korea

The Words of the Water of Life Delivered Through Video

Balancing full-time work with caring for my family, I gradually began to neglect the gospel work. Busy with daily responsibilities, I barely managed to attend worship services and slowly lost the joy of faith. My spirit became weary, yet I made no effort to change. Living with my sick mother added to my burden. Complaints and resentment filled my heart: Why am I the only one suffering like this? The weight of life pressed so heavily on my shoulders that I often wanted to run away. On nights when things felt unbearable, I would slip out to the balcony and cry like a child. I knew I needed to regain my strength, but I didn’t know how. What helped me…

Ahn Hui-yeon from Seoul, Korea

Becoming a Happy Family Overflowing With God’s Blessings

My husband accepted the truth shortly before we were married, but he continued to struggle with doubt about the life of faith. He felt uncomfortable when I went to church, and he coldly brushed off greetings from Zion members. Although he sometimes attended worship services for the sake of family harmony, he clearly did not like it. Many times, the grace I received from worship was undone by his disheartening words. One day, overwhelmed by sorrow, I held our four-year-old daughter and cried. She gently hugged me and said, “Don’t cry, Mommy. I’ll pray for Daddy a lot.” Her small words felt like a message from Heaven. One Sabbath after the autumn festivals of 2023, my husband came to worship…

Kang Ju-hui from Gimpo, Korea

My Friend Is a Living Bible

There is a sister in Zion who came to accept God thanks to a long-time friend who patiently shared the truth with her. This friend works at a restaurant and has only one day off each week—yet she devotes that entire day to helping the sister study the Bible. The sister herself works tirelessly, running her shop 365 days a year without rest. Sometimes she is so busy that she cannot sit down for even a single warm meal. Seeing this, we wanted to comfort her, so we visited her shop with lunch boxes filled with love—soybean stew, japchae, and other homemade dishes. She gratefully received the food and smiled warmly. After sharing a short conversation, we decided to look…

Kim Hyang-sun from Uijeongbu, Korea

A Friend Who Was in Jamaica Received the Truth in the United States

In 2020, Heavenly Father and Mother allowed me to hear the truth and receive baptism in Zion. From that moment, I was overflowing with the desire to share this precious gospel. I preached to my closest friends and family—both those around me in the United States and those back home in Jamaica. One of them was my dear friend, Kimberley, who was still living in Jamaica at the time. She was always happy to hear me talk about Zion, but she never showed interest in studying the Bible. She would simply say she was glad I had found happiness in God. As my faith grew and I slowly came to understand the value of the truth, I found myself presenting…

Danielle Williams from Bronx, NY, U.S.

Oh Brothers’ Story

“Could there be someone among my old classmates, who attends the Church of God?” It must be a thought anyone who receives the truth has wondered—an exciting and hopeful curiosity. After taking my first steps of faith following my wife, who had received the truth before me, I often wondered whether any of my childhood friends might also be part of Zion. It wasn’t just a passing thought. I genuinely hoped they, too, would come to dwell in God’s blessings. So whenever I attended gatherings like reunions, I mustered the courage to share the words of the Bible. But even my closest friends did not recognize my sincerity. When my dearest friend coldly rejected the truth, it left my heart…

Oh Su-yeol from Geoje, Korea

Sharing God’s Love Through Greetings

I received the blessing of serving as an usher before worship services in Zion. At first glance, greeting members at the entrance may seem like a small task, but to me, it is a precious opportunity given by God—to help create a joyful and warm atmosphere and make Zion a nest of love where members can feel truly happy. I wanted to treasure this duty and carry it out with sincerity, remembering the teaching: “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much” (Lk 16:10). When Zion family members enter, I greet them with a bright smile, saying, “God bless you,” and bow politely. Since I can see members walking toward the entrance through the window,…

Rebekah Mckinnon from Canada

An Unyielding Heart Begins to Soften

My mother is the youngest of four siblings, with three older brothers. One passed away long ago, another is now ninety, and the youngest of the three—just four years older than my mother—has undergone five cancer surgeries with little improvement. He is currently going through a very difficult time. Ever since he was young, my uncle was well-read and full of knowledge. He served as an elementary school principal and devoted his entire life to education. With his honest character and dignity, he earned deep respect from neighbors and colleagues. His sense of pride was especially strong. About sixteen years ago, my sister and I tried to share the truth with him, but he firmly refused, saying he did not…

Bak Geum-ryeong from Busan, Korea

Finding My Friend and Heavenly Family

I was Chinese but naturalized as a Korean citizen. In the beginning, it was very difficult for me to accept the truth of the Church of God because I had not followed any religion for a long time. However, I had often read the Bible, thinking it was a good book, which helped me determine to believe in God. I could agree with the words the church members taught me because it was all from the Bible. For a while after that, I couldn’t go to church because I had to go to China. Even after I came back to Korea, to be honest, I felt burdened about going to church, so I purposely avoided contact with Zion members. However,…

Kim Gyeong-ae from Ansan, Korea

Looking for the Narrow Gate That Leads to Life

Around 2008, I began to notice all the signs of various disasters around the world more and more frequently. I had heard that such disasters were prophesied in the Bible as the signs of the last days. I came to think about my life and about salvation, and came to the conclusion that because I did not know God nor God’s will and was not living a life following God, I would not be able to go to heaven. My search for God and for the truth began. I began looking up videos on the Internet, visited bookstores, and stayed for hours in the religion section. I joined a Catholic club on my university’s campus and asked the club leader…

Carly Dinnie from Middletown, CT, U.S.

My Son’s Talent Show

On the day when I moved to the new home, I quickly unpacked all the stuff and was preparing to attend the Third-day service. Then, my husband received a pleasant call from a member; he told us to come to Zion close to our new house because there would be a dedication service. The person who cheered for joy the most was my fifth grader son in elementary school. As his wish was to meet Heavenly Mother even once, he jumped with joy at Mother’s coming to bless us. My son’s love for Mother was so big that his eyes welled up with tears by just thinking of Mother. He helped us preach to our family or acquaintances by showing…

Eom Jin-suk from Seoul, South Korea

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 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

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

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

Until I Came to Understand True Love

After the rush of the week, the Sabbath arrives like a breath of peace. In Zion, where we sing praises and study the words of God together, my weary heart finds rest and comfort. Before worship, the temple fills with laughter as we clean and prepare meals side by side. Our neighbors, seeing us so cheerful, often wonder how we can be so full of joy—and indeed, we are. The happiness and blessings I now cherish were things I had never known before coming to the truth. I first came to know the Church of God through my younger brother. Having attended a Protestant church for more than ten years, I was not particularly interested in the truths of the…

Benilde Ubisse / Maputo, Mozambique

My Mom Reborn as the Youth like the Dew of the Dawn

Mom hated me to go to church. When I visited her and tried to preach the truth to her even a little, she quickly pushed me to go home. When I preached to her over the phone, she hung up on me. When I took courage to invite her to church, she vent her anger on me, saying, “Why waste time and energy?” I burst into tears. Regardless of the religion, I tried to do my best as her child, but her heart remained hard. It was when my mother-in-law stayed at my place because she fell. Both my mom and mother-in-law were suffering from illnesses and accidents in their old age. Seeing them, I was eager to preach the…

Yim Su-jeong from Gwangju, South Korea