My Mother’s Fruits of Love

When I look back on the life of my mother, who is now in her eighties, the words that come to mind are sacrifice and love. She has devoted her entire life to our family, and even now, she continues to give her love generously to everyone around her. It is thanks to her love that I was able to grow into the person I am today; moreover, her life has allowed me to feel the love of Heavenly Mother more deeply, giving me strength every single day.

I am not usually one to cry, but when I first accepted the truth and watched videos about Heavenly Mother’s sacrifice, I found myself moved to tears. Seeing Heavenly Mother’s life of devotion for Her children felt as though I was looking directly at my own mother. When I was young, I assumed every mother was naturally that way. However, once I had my own children and became a mother myself, I realized that a mother’s sacrifice is anything but ordinary. By reflecting on my mother’s life and wondering how she could endure such hardship, I have begun to truly understand the love of Heavenly Mother, who came to this earth to walk the path of sacrifice for us.

As my faith grew in Zion, the more I thought of my mother, the more I longed to enter the Kingdom of Heaven with her—especially because she had suffered so much in this life. Since she had always been my greatest supporter, I assumed she would willingly follow my lead once I shared my sincere desire for us to be blessed together. Contrary to my expectations, however, she opposed my faith. She had heard groundless slanders about our church, and though I knew her reaction stemmed from her concern for me, I couldn't help but feel hurt when she refused to even let me mention the subject.

Still, I never stopped praying for her salvation. At every opportunity, I tried to clear up her misunderstandings and urged her to keep the Passover. Finally, God answered my prayers. After nearly three years, my husband—who had only recently been baptized—simply said, “Let’s go,” and to my amazement, she replied, “Yes, I should.” Just like that, she followed him and received the blessing of new life. I was speechless. After all my efforts had failed to move her even an inch, I knew the only explanation was that God Himself had finally opened the door to her heart.

Afterward, God provided the perfect circumstances for my mother’s faith to take root. Due to a change in our situation, she came to stay with us for a month to help look after her grandchildren. While taking the children to church, she began to keep the regulations alongside them. During that month, the members of Zion showered her with love, both spiritual and physical, and she truly began to build a firm foundation of faith. Though a life of faith was entirely new to her, she readily followed every word of God she learned with humble obedience.

Now, my mother’s day begins at 5:00 a.m. with prayer. She gives thanks to God for granting her the blessing of salvation in the twilight of her life and prays fervently for our family. Her main activity throughout the day is listening to video sermons. She listens intently, saying, “I forget things so quickly, but if I listen often enough, surely I’ll hold onto something.” Watching her, I realize what it truly means to live a life close to the God’s word. She says the time she spends at Zion is the happiest part of her week and eagerly waits for the Sabbath to arrive. Whenever a member asks to listen to their truth presentation, she listens to topic after topic with sparkling eyes, saying she is simply grateful that someone would share the truth with her.

God must have been truly pleased to see my mother so joyfully cherishing His word and longing for the kingdom of heaven. Last autumn, He granted her a beautiful fruit.

Before my son enlisted in the military, he took a part-time job near my mother's house with a friend from university. Since his friend was from out of town and had nowhere to stay, my son asked if he could stay at his grandmother’s house with him. My mother readily agreed, and the three of them began living together. She treated my son’s friend just like her own grandson, preparing heartfelt meals for him every morning and evening. She made him feel so welcome that whenever I visited, both the boys seemed so comfortable I forgot whose house it actually was. Seeing the warm, affectionate bond between my mother and my son, the friend said enviously, “I love your grandmother. I wish I had a grandmother like her.” My mother comforted him, saying, “Just as I am a grandmother to my grandson, I am a grandmother to you, too.”

The friend was deeply moved by my mother’s love, something he had never experienced quite like this before. Eventually, he became curious about the church that my son and my mother attended so faithfully every week. In fact, even when other friends had expressed curiosity about my son’s faith or when my son had tried to share the truth in the past, this friend hadn't shown much interest. But this time, he was the one who asked if he could tag along. Upon arriving at Zion, he was touched by the warm hospitality of the members, studied the Bible, and was reborn as a child of God. He even remarked on how much he loved the church and began attending worship services regularly with my son.

Before he enlisted, he left a letter for my mother:

“These past two months have made me so happy. The meals you made were delicious, and I truly felt as comfortable as if I were in my own home. Once I am discharged from the military, I will come back and repay your kindness like a real grandson.”

Every word of that letter was overflowed with the deep gratitude he felt toward my mother. Now, in the midst of his military service, he hasn't forgotten that bond; he recently reached out to say he would definitely visit her during his next leave. I pray that he will complete his service safely and grow into a mature child of faith who brings joy to God.

My mother’s outpouring of love and sincerity has never been limited to her own children. Until she retired three years ago due to back pain, she had worked throughout her whole life. I learned that at her workplace, she was known for her selflessness and for always covering the faults of others. Once, when I visited her office to bring her a snack, her colleagues couldn't stop praising her. Seeing everyone who passed by greet her so warmly, I could see exactly what kind of life she had led among them.

My mother was also diligent in sharing the news of salvation with her colleagues. With all her heart, she would tell them, “Let’s go to heaven together; it’s a good church that follows the Bible,” and, “The true church must have Heavenly Mother.” Whenever our church was featured in the media, she would share the news with them. Even when they didn't show immediate interest in the truth, she never became discouraged.

That persistence finally bore fruit early this year. A former colleague, who had long refused to listen to the truth, finally opened her heart. She even prepared a gift to bring with her to Zion and received the blessing of new life.

As I watch from her side, I see that my mother’s life of love and sacrifice remains constant. She is steadfast even when no one notices, and her devotion does not fade with age. Believing that she must do what she can while she still has the strength, she never rests from prayer, studying the words of God, and preaching. With her hands clasped, she prays earnestly for all her children—those standing firm in faith, those whose faith is weak, and those who have yet to accept the truth. She prays for their health, for their paths to be smooth, and that they may all be led to Zion, the refuge of salvation. Even my older sister, who was once quite critical of the church, seems to be softening due to my mother’s prayers. Though she does not yet believe, she now asks my mother to pray for her whenever she faces difficulties. Seeing this, I firmly believe the day my mother’s prayers are fully answered is drawing near.

Just as I realized Heavenly Mother’s love through my mother’s sacrifice, she tells me that she, too, understands Heavenly Mother’s heart through her own feelings for her children. She often reflects, “If I feel this way while praying for my three children and their families, how much more must Mother’s heart ache as She prays for all Her children throughout the world and leads the work of the gospel?”

I am truly happy to have been born the daughter of such a loving mother who seeks after God so deeply. Whenever I struggle with life’s challenges, she gives me everything she has, supporting me both physically and spiritually. On those days when I am utterly exhausted, a simple text from her—“Hyeon-a, do you want to come over for dinner?”—is enough to make all my fatigue vanish and restore my strength. I give heartfelt thanks to God Elohim for blessing my mother with health and allowing us to walk this path of faith together.

Just as my mother has quietly sacrificed for her children and been their constant source of strength, I want to be a source of strength for her. It is my earnest hope, and her constant prayer, that our entire family will gather within Zion to enjoy true happiness and enter the kingdom of heaven together. Until that day comes, I will unite my heart with hers to lovingly share the gospel with our family, relatives, and neighbors.