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 various questions and read pamphlets that members from various churches would leave at my door. Nothing I watched, read, or heard quenched my thirst. All of the various sources were based on opinions and experiences of people. How could I know it was true?

Thirsting for the truth, I decided to go straight to God’s word and began reading the Bible. Starting from the book of Genesis, I noticed that God referred to Himself as Us and Our. I stared at the page, wondering who God was talking to. I supposed maybe it was a typo in my Bible and continued reading. Then when I reached Matthew 7:13, my eyes were glued to the page.

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13–14

I kept rereading the verses again and again. Everything I had heard about God and learned in church my entire life was a lie. Why did my priests tell me that everyone was going to heaven, even those who don’t believe in God? Why did all those religious books and pamphlets say that as long as I believe, I will be saved? Why did my friends confidently boast, “As long as you’re a good person, you can go to heaven”? It seemed as if almost everyone would go to heaven. All of these instructions did not match the words of Jesus inside the Bible who said only a few will enter the way of life. From that moment, I made up my mind that I had to become one of the few.

A couple days later, I attended a campus club fair at my university and approached the table of a Protestant church Bible study club. I asked about their club meeting times so I could attend Bible study. However, all of the meeting times conflicted with my class schedule.

About a week after that, I saw a flyer in the parking garage promoting the “Elohim Bible Study Club.” The meeting times were listed on the flyer, and I was able to attend both meetings on Monday afternoons and Wednesday evenings, as neither time conflicted with my class schedule. At first, I was surprised at how friendly the members in the club were. I thought, ‘Is there really a group of people who are this nice in the world?’

The Bible studies were amazing. Even after the meetings finished and all students left, I stayed behind with a few of the members in the lobby area, asking questions and continuing to study even until late at night when the Student Center would close. After studying for some time, the members invited me to church on the Sabbath. I was again greeted by such bright, smiling faces, and was happy to recognize many of the members from the Bible study club on campus.

After confirming that Christ had come a second time through the prophecies of the fig tree and of King David, I received a new life that very day. I shed tears, being thankful to have found God who came in my lifetime in the flesh to save us. That night, I went to visit my mom, who always had been longing for God and went to church every Sunday.

“Mom, Christ came a second time to this earth in the flesh!”

My mom looked at me intently, knowing I was very skeptical and stubborn and wouldn’t accept anything without much proof and evidence. Two weeks later, she came to Zion and studied the truth and also received a new life. A year later, we visited Korea together to meet Heavenly Mother.

As I continued studying and growing in faith, I could not help but preach to everyone I met, burning with the fire of the Holy Spirit. The university campus was always filled with students to preach to, so in between classes I would preach to my heart’s content.

One night, as I was leaving the computer lab at almost midnight, I saw a student in the lab working. I began to walk out of the door to leave, thinking, ‘It’s too late. She probably won’t listen.’ I continued walking, but then Father and Mother made me think, ‘What if she is my sister?’ I turned around and went over to her and preached the truth. Although the lab was closing and we had to leave, she continued to ask me to show her just one more verse, being mesmerized by the words of truth. The following Sabbath, she visited Zion and also began a new life.

On another occasion, there was another campus fair for clubs. We were promoting the Elohim Bible Study Club. One student stopped by our booth, being flustered, saying she was a new student and was lost. After helping with directions, we invited her to the club meetings as well and she, too, became our heavenly family.

Many souls came streaming to Zion. After graduating from university and beginning to work full time, I continue participating in the gospel work in many ways by the grace of God, and have been walking the path of faith.

To this day, whenever I read Matthew 7:13, I get tears in my eyes. This is the verse through which my life of faith began, and through which I found my true Saviors and Heavenly Parents.

I give all thanks and praise to Father and Mother for answering my prayer in leading me to the way of the narrow gate of life. Though I am unworthy, God stretched out Their hands of mercy and have guided me ever since. I will continue making efforts to please Father and Mother by finding our lost family members!