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 sincere and considerate, someone whose character I respected. Because of that, I found myself wanting to listen. I promised her I would learn more about the Passover.
My first visit to church was on the Sabbath. Before the worship service, we studied a short lesson together, and I found myself wanting to know more—not only about the Passover but about many other truths in the Bible. I was also touched by how everyone prepared for worship with reverence, singing New Songs and carefully examining the Scriptures during the sermon. That very day, without hesitation, I received the blessing of a new life.
However, I didn’t return afterward. I kept having plans on worship days, and since I had never really attended any church before, the idea of going regularly started to feel burdensome. Most of all, I had a hard time believing that God would come in the flesh.
Then one day, my friend came all the way to my neighborhood with another Zion member just to visit me. Despite the distance, they made the effort to come, and it touched me deeply. Because of circumstances, we had to change locations multiple times, but even in those inconvenient conditions, they tried earnestly to share just one more verse of the Bible with me. Their sincerity moved me—it was all for me.
That visit changed my heart. I decided to return to church. Truly, faith comes from hearing. Each time I attended worship and listened to the teachings of the Bible, conviction grew stronger within me: This is the truth.
As I continued to grow in faith, I faced opposition from my family and friends who didn’t like the idea of me attending church. It was difficult, but what helped me remain firm was the love of my heavenly family.
I once watched a video showing Heavenly Mother staying awake late into the night, caring for Her children around the world. Even through the screen, I felt the depth of Her love. At that moment, I realized—She truly is the Mother of my soul. Every word of comfort and encouragement from Zion members was sincere. The warm sense of family I experienced in Zion gave me strength to respond with love, even when my own family disapproved of my faith.
After entering university, I joined the church’s International University Student Bible Academy (IUBA), and it became a turning point in my spiritual life. What had once been a vague desire now became a clear goal: to lead even one soul on my campus to Zion. I thought of the classmate who always arrived at the classroom earlier than anyone else. One quiet morning, when it was just the two of us, I shared the truth with her, praying she would receive God’s blessings. She listened attentively, and when she saw a church video showing scenes of volunteer work, she was moved and said she wanted to take part. That very day, she became a child of God.
Recently, I unexpectedly received an award during the IUBA program for being an outstanding student. The IUBA workbook has an “Action List” where we check off our daily goals. I had simply been faithfully completing each day’s plan, so receiving an award was a joyful surprise—especially because my friend also received the same honor.
The more I preach the truth, the more thankful I become to Heavenly Father and Mother. When I think about how God came to this earth, searching endlessly for Their lost children so that even one more soul might return to Zion, every member feels incredibly precious to me. Though I am still lacking, I try my best to be thoughtful and care for the members around me.
I have received an overflowing amount of love in Zion: the love of Heavenly Mother, who lives solely for Her children; the love of a friend who prayed for me without ever giving up; and the love of Zion members who supported me with strength and courage.
Now I have set a new goal—to share this love with the whole world through overseas mission. To prepare, I plan to create a new action list. Of course, I will include studying foreign languages and practicing sermon presentations, but the very first item on the list will be love. Each day, I will check to make sure I do not forget to put it into practice.