A Small Act of Obedience Led to My Family’s Salvation

Three years ago, while I was walking down the street, I met some young people from Korea. Because of the language barrier, I could not fully understand what they were saying, but it seemed they were trying to share the Bible with me. As one of them enthusiastically explained the Bible, she asked me,

“Would you like to receive God's blessings?”

Without hesitation, I answered yes. Even now, I do not know why I responded that way. The only explanation I can give is that God was calling me. Afterward, I visited the church, and when I was asked, “Would you like to receive God's blessings through baptism?” I answered yes once again. At the time, I had no idea how precious God's blessings were or what they would come to mean in my life. Yet, beginning with my baptism, I obeyed God’s word one step at a time, starting with the smallest things. Since then, I have experienced far more grace and happiness in God than I ever deserve.

Since I was born and raised in a Buddhist family and had never seriously considered religion, my faith in God did not develop overnight. The Zion members patiently guided me until I came to understand the truth, regularly studying the Bible with me online because I lived far from the church. As I gradually came to understand the importance of salvation, I began making my way to Zion, and by faithfully keeping God’s regulations, I grew closer to God.

One day, during a video sermon, I was encouraged to write a letter to our parents expressing my heartfelt respect for them. Although I loved my mother and knew that she loved me, we had been distant for years because our personalities often clashed. For me, the thought of writing such a letter felt like a heavy burden to me. Even so, because it was something God had asked us to do, I resolved to try. Putting aside my embarrassment, I began writing the letter. When my mother read it, she was far more deeply moved than I had expected.

That experience became a turning point in the way I viewed and treated my family, especially my parents. Although I had always believed my mother and I simply did not get along, the truth was that I was largely to blame. After all, the way I had behaved was far from the teaching, “Honor your father and mother.” From then on, I wanted to follow God’s word just as it was given. Leaving behind my usual lack of generosity, I made a conscious effort to treat my parents with greater gentleness and kindness. Perhaps my efforts reached their hearts, because the distance between us gradually narrowed, and the atmosphere in our home became noticeably warmer and more peaceful.

When my relationship with my parents was strained, I could not even bring myself to share the truth with them. But as we grew closer, my longing to enter heaven together with my beloved family grew stronger than ever. Gathering my courage, I did my best to share the truth with my parents and invited them to share in the eternal joy of heaven, where we would never be separated. Seeing my sincerity, they gladly accepted with open hearts.

On the day of a church event, my parents and my older brother came to Zion and received the blessing of new life. The warm welcome they received from the loving and kind Zion members put my parents at ease. My mother, in particular, continued coming to Zion regularly after her baptism and devoted herself wholeheartedly to her life of faith. She not only faithfully kept God's regulations but also actively served at Zion, receiving many blessings in return. It still amazes me that the mother with whom I once felt so awkward and distant has now become a dependable coworker in the gospel, sharing the same joy and happiness with me. It is a happiness I could never have known had I not obeyed God’s word.

Encouraged by that grace, I have devoted myself even more to preaching the gospel. At first, I felt nervous whenever I shared the truth with someone and feared that I might be rejected. But as I reflected on my calling to share the truth with those around me as someone who had come to know God first—and on how the truth had transformed our family—those vague fears gradually disappeared. In a recent sermon, preaching—the work of finding our heavenly brothers and sisters—was compared to a treasure hunt. Thinking that I am setting out to meet the precious gifts God has prepared fills me with even greater excitement whenever I go out to preach the gospel.

As I walk beneath the blazing sun, sharing the truth, I come to understand—even if only in some small measure—the sacrifice our Heavenly Father and Mother have made for us. Though They had no need to do so, They walked the path of suffering solely for Their children and personally showed us the heart with which we should seek our lost brothers and sisters. I am simply filled with joy and gratitude that They have allowed me to take part in this noble work of the gospel.

There are times when I cannot fully understand God's will and fear begins to take hold. Yet whenever I simply listen to His voice and follow Him, He has always poured out blessings far beyond what I can contain. Whatever God asks of me in the future, I want to obey without hesitation, receive every blessing He has prepared, and share those blessings with many others.