Warmth Deepened Through Love

How did I come to meet such a beautiful soul?
Whenever I see the sister who received the truth a few months ago, this thought comes to mind, and my heart overflows with gratitude to Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother.

It was during the Pentecost Holy Spirit Preaching Festival. I happened to strike up a conversation with a woman at a fast-food restaurant in my neighborhood. That chance encounter marked the beginning of our friendship. As I listened to her concerns and offered her advice from my own life experience, we quickly grew close. From then on, we met from time to time, and I shared God’s word with her. Having briefly attended a Protestant church in the past, she was curious about the Church of God and readily accepted the words of truth. Later, she visited the “MEDIA’S VIEWS” Exhibition and was deeply moved as she saw the positive impact the Church of God was having on society. “This really is a church where God is present,” she said joyfully, and soon received the truth.

Her eagerness for the truth only grew stronger. Every afternoon, she came to Zion to study the Bible before heading to work. Since she often finished work late, I worried that she might be too tired to attend the morning Sabbath worship service. But she quickly put my worries to rest, saying, “Even if I’m so tired that I can barely open my eyes, I’ll hold my eyelids up with my fingers if I have to!” She faithfully observed all of God’s commandments. She treasured every word of God. Whenever we watched videos about the truth together, she would ask me to rewind them if she missed even a small part. She also took part in preaching the gospel with confidence and enthusiasm. Each day seemed to fill her heart with joy and gratitude, and toward the end of the day, she would send me messages like this:

“Thank you for everything today. I feel so honored to be in Zion. I hope you dream of Heavenly Mother tonight.”

The sister seems to shine more brightly with each passing day. Whenever I am with her, it feels as though a morning star is twinkling right before my eyes.

Busan, where I live, has a long history of gospel work dating back to the time of Heavenly Father’s ministry. For decades, the gospel has been preached throughout its neighborhoods and alleyways. At times, I wondered whether everyone who was willing to listen had already heard the truth. But that was far from the case. During the recent Pentecost Holy Spirit Preaching Festival alone, more than 140 souls who longed for the truth, including this sister who shines like the morning star, were led to Zion.

I wondered how we could have received such abundant blessings when the same Zion members were preaching the same message in the same places. Surely, the Holy Spirit was working powerfully at the appointed time. At the same time, the Zion members who had received the Holy Spirit had also undergone many changes. It all began with the “Words of Mother’s Love” campaign. When the campaign began, the pastoral staff led by example, and through sermons and gatherings, Zion members came to understand the importance of speaking warmly to one another and experienced firsthand why we should use words of love.

In the process, I came to realize something about myself. For many years, I had kept Mother’s love in my heart without fully expressing it. So I began to express it more openly. Along with everyday greetings such as “Hello” and “Thank you,” I worked up the courage to say “I love you” often, even though it felt a little awkward at first. I also began greeting sisters who came to Zion with warm hugs. Everyone else in Zion began using words of love as well. At first, I worried that some members might feel uncomfortable, but my concerns proved unfounded. Everyone who heard those words welcomed them with joy. Some told me that even when people they saw every day took the time to greet them warmly instead of simply passing them by, they felt deeply moved, thinking, “They really love me this much.” Having known one another for so long, we sometimes took each other for granted, and differences of opinion occasionally caused subtle friction. But as we continued exchanging words of love, those tensions seemed to melt away as though they had never been there. Above all, Zion became an even warmer place. I came to realize that love is much like the truth Heavenly Father has taught us. Just as we come to understand the depth of the truth only when we share it with others rather than keeping it to ourselves, we can fully feel the warmth in one another’s hearts only when we actively express our love.

As love and unity became a natural part of our daily lives, I found myself wondering why we had not practiced them sooner. I had regarded observing God’s commandments and preaching the gospel as precious as life itself, yet I had somehow put love aside instead of putting it into practice. Looking back, I realize that ever since I was baptized about thirty years ago, Heavenly Mother has been reminded us to love one another and be united. When I was a new member, what strengthened my faith was not only the certainty of the truth but also the deep love of the brothers and sisters. When I was baptized in Geoje, where my husband and I had moved because of his work assignment, there was no church building, so we worshiped in the home of a Zion member. I knew all too well what people in the neighborhood were whispering behind our backs about the Church of God, which did not even have a proper place of worship. Yet I remained in Zion because the truth was certain and the love within Zion was so abundant. Even now, I can never forget the brothers and sisters who held my hand tightly and looked at me with such warmth, caring only about my salvation even in the face of those who opposed the truth. Once again, I deeply take to heart that love is the fulfillment of the law.

As I preach the gospel, I can sense how much people long for warmth in this increasingly harsh world. I want to offer words filled with care and love not only to those in Zion but to many more people around me. After all, love reveals its true power not when we keep it in our hearts, but when we express it and put it into practice. I believe that in order to share love with others, I must first fill my own heart with love. There are still times when I feel I do not have enough love, but that is all right. When I share love, even greater love comes back and fills my heart. I give thanks to God for entrusting me with the blessed and sacred gospel mission to be fulfilled through love. Today, once again, I set out with a joyful and expectant heart to share Mother’s love.