This year, I finally began my activities in the young adult group. Ever since I moved up to the student group, there had been a friend I always hoped to lead to God. She faithfully attended church events and closely listened my truth presentation. To me, she already felt like one of our heavenly family.
But the circumstances around us were never easy. Due to opposition from her parents, six long years passed by. Many times during that not-so-short period, the thought of giving up crossed my mind. But every time, I held onto God’s promise that “when the time comes, He will give,” and I never stopped praying for my friend.
Just before her final year of high school, she moved to Mokpo. After that, the physical distance and her sudden illness made it very difficult to meet in person. All we could manage were occasional phone calls, since she was mostly confined in Mokpo.
As the idea of giving up crept in again, I came across the message: “The more specific your prayers are, the more specific the answers will be.” Trusting in those words, I began praying to Heavenly Father and Mother specifically—morning and night—for the salvation of my friend’s soul. And sure enough, a specific prayer received a specific answer. Her health improved, and with her parents’ permission, she came to visit me in Geoje for two days.
Even after riding a bus for five hours, my friend didn’t utter a single word of complaint. And after those six long years of waiting, she finally received the blessing of a new life. She must have felt a blessing poured out by God, because she said something I’ll never forget: “I’m happy.”
The next day, as we spent time with our church members on the Sabbath, I noticed that her expression looked a bit downcast. I worried she might be feeling overwhelmed. But it turned out I had nothing to worry about. When we were alone, she told me:
“This is the first time I’ve ever received so much love. I don’t even know if I deserve it.”
She wasn’t sad—she was simply so happy that she didn’t know how to express it. The friend who had longed to become part of our heavenly family was now learning the words of truth, how to fold her veil, how to find Bible verses—every step brought her joy. Watching her, I realized how I, even after being in Zion for so long, had not always appreciated it with such joy. I reflected deeply and repented.
I am truly thankful to God for allowing me to guide my friend to Zion at this beginning point of my young adulthood. As young adult like the dew of the dawn, I will do my best to carry out the mission of preaching the gospel that Heavenly Father and Mother have entrusted to me.