There Is a Zion Even in the Distant Island Nation of Micronesia

Micronesia, located in the western Pacific Ocean, is a federation of more than 600 small islands—fitting its name, which means “small islands.” Its total land area is slightly smaller than New York City, and it has a population of about 110,000. Although it lies closest to countries such as the Philippines to the west and Papua New Guinea to the south, the vast distances mean that few travelers or flights pass through.

The gospel began to spread in Micronesia in 2017, when a sister from this country heard the truth through a relative living in Hawaii. Then in 2019, members of the Los Angeles Church in the United States carried out a short-term mission trip to help establish Zion in Micronesia. Through their efforts, four precious heavenly family members—worth more than the whole world—were found. Even though the COVID-19 pandemic halted foreign travel to Micronesia for over two years, the local Zion leaders and members continued to keep God’s commandments faithfully and stayed connected with the Los Angeles Church, holding onto their faith.

When the borders reopened after the pandemic, the Los Angeles Church once again organized a short-term mission team. From three weeks before departure, the team earnestly prayed together every day through united prayer and fax to Mother, and studied the Truth Books—all hoping that many souls in Micronesia would return to our Heavenly Father and Mother. By the end of the mission, the team had offered 1,630 prayers and 250 letters. Through this, our hearts became more united with God. As our unity with God deepened, it also became easier for the team members—each with different personalities—to work together in harmony.

The journey to the mission field was long and complicated, but God opened every step of the way. There are no direct flights from Los Angeles to Pohnpei Island. Even flights from Hawaii are limited to just three per week. Among the limited options, there was only one route that allowed the team to keep the worship and save on travel expenses. We left Los Angeles on Tuesday, attended the Tuesday service at the Honolulu Church in Hawaii, and then continued early the next morning to Pohnpei where the capital city Palikir was. The long trip came with a strong sense of mission—to lead as many souls as possible. Trusting in Heavenly Mother’s words that unity brings the fruit of the gospel, we began our mission with courage.

Most Micronesians are Christians, so when they heard the words of the Bible being shared, many stopped and listened attentively. Spiritually thirsty souls showed great interest in the truth of the new covenant, something they had never heard before, and wanted to learn more. The team diligently shared the message of life so that not a single soul would be missed. Even in the hot and humid weather—where standing still caused sweat to pour—our footsteps remained steady.

The two-week mission flew by like a dream. By God’s grace, twenty-five people were born again with new life, and seven new members attended worship services. Some members had waited more than three years to be baptized. We truly believe these blessings came because God was pleased with the unity shown by the mission team.

One touching moment came when an entire family received the truth together. Just two days before the mission ended, an adult male received baptism. Around the same time, his wife also heard the truth from another team member, but she was hesitant due to slander from false prophets.

When we visited their home, the wife listened to the message alongside her husband, but her heart was still closed. As the day darkened and the time for the Third-day worship approached, we grew more anxious. Then Sister Yoko, a Micronesian Zion member, began speaking with the wife in the local language. We couldn’t understand the words, but through the Bible verses she showed, her gentle voice, and her heartfelt expression, we could feel her sincere plea: “I truly hope we can go to heaven together.” All of us present prayed earnestly to God that the wife’s heart would open. After a long conversation, Sister Yoko finally said in English, “She wants to receive God Elohim.” That very day, not only the husband but also his wife and two children received the blessing of new life.

As joyful news continued day after day, an unexpected opportunity arose at the end of the mission trip to introduce the Church of God to the governor of Pohnpei. Sister Yoko, who works in the same building as the governor, arranged the meeting before the team’s departure.

When we arrived at the reception room, the governor and his team welcomed us warmly and even placed traditional Micronesian crowns made of branches and leaves on our heads. The unexpected honor reminded us of the crowns that our Heavenly Father and Mother will give us in heaven, and we felt so moved and joyful.

The governor watched our church introduction video attentively. When it mentioned that the Church of God began in South Korea, he smiled and said, “My daughter is very interested in Korean culture.” In that moment, we deeply felt our Father’s unseen work, paving the way for the gospel to reach even this distant land. We knew that God had prepared everything so that we could reveal the glory of our Heavenly Mother here.

All we did was preach with our small and humble efforts, trusting that God would fulfill everything—and He allowed us to experience His amazing power firsthand. Each day in Micronesia felt like a miracle. We’re thankful that God answered every prayer and letter we offered, accepted our little devotion with joy, and blessed us with the honor of standing on the stage of world evangelism.

Even in the far-off island of Micronesia, God’s precious sons and daughters are faithfully keeping their faith and revering God Elohim. We earnestly hope the gospel will soon spread across all of Micronesia, so that all our lost brothers and sisters may return to our Heavenly Father and Mother.