Lee Eun-chae / South Korea
Whenever the Preaching Festival draws near, my heart fills with a pleasant excitement and anticipation, wondering what blessings God has prepared for me and what fruits I will bear this time. However, during last year’s Feast of Tabernacles Preaching Festival, my anxiety grew as the days passed with no visible results, even halfway through the event.
I could not let this precious opportunity for blessing slip away. Each evening after returning home, I spent more than thirty minutes hand-copying the Truth Books, striving to understand the heart of our Heavenly Father, who poured out all His strength for our salvation. My eyelids grew heavy after the morning and evening worships, yet with every sentence I carefully copied—each one filled with Father’s earnest sincerity—gratitude overflowed in my heart. As I wrote, I could feel—even just a little—His deep compassion, imagining how tirelessly He must have labored for hours, writing the letters of life, and how fervently He longed for the salvation of His children.
During my commute, I listened to sermons and reflected on what I might have overlooked. Then one message struck my heart: “Do not miss the opportunity to preach the gospel to those around you.” Even though I had longed so eagerly to bear fruit, I realized I had not always shared the message of salvation with everyone I met. Memories of those missed opportunities flashed before my eyes. With a renewed resolve to cherish every encounter, I prayed earnestly before going out to preach.
“Father and Mother, please guide my steps to the soul who is seeking You.”
Unfortunately, for quite some time, no one stopped to listen to the word of God. Still, the sister who was with me and I encouraged each other, saying, “I have a feeling we’ll find our heavenly family today.” Not long after, I met a woman around my age. When I told her that I hoped she would keep the New Covenant Passover and receive God's blessings, her face lit up. “God's blessings?” she exclaimed with delight. It turned out she had been a devout believer since childhood, attending a Protestant church with her parents and even singing in the choir. When I explained that the Sabbath in the Bible is the seventh day—Saturday—she admitted that although she had been observing Sunday worship, following the Bible was indeed the right thing to do. Later, she visited Zion, studied the truth more deeply, and joyfully became a member of the Church of God.
She later shared something unexpected. Although she usually took a different route, that day, for some reason, she felt drawn to the path that led her to us. I cannot express how grateful I was to God. Not only were our steps guided by prayer for the salvation of a soul, but hers as well, directed by God, which brought us together.
However, she, who had once been so excited to meet the true God—studying the Bible weekly and observing the regulations—suddenly lost contact with us. I worried that she lacked conviction in the truth and felt utterly helpless, as if I had lost the sister and could focus on nothing else. I deeply regretted not making sure that she fully understood God’s word and for failing to convey His love. I felt sorrowful before our Heavenly Father and Mother. I prayed that even if I were to receive no additional blessings, God would save her soul and that I would love and serve her even more. Our Zion family also joined in earnest prayer for her.
One day, I received a call at work from a Zion member, telling me that the sister had come to Zion on her own. A wave of relief washed over me at the thought of seeing her again, and tears welled in my eyes. When I heard the full story, I learned that her parents had opposed her faith because she had stopped attending Sunday worship. During the time they were trying to reconcile, she had been out of contact, yet she had returned to Zion with a steadfast resolve to follow God’s will. I felt deeply grateful—she was truly precious and dear to me.
She often uses the bookmark feature in her Bible app, especially for the verse, “Do not add to what I command you or subtract from it” (Dt 4:2), which she frequently revisits. Her deep reverence and longing for God’s word are evident. Since then, she has continued coming to Zion, faithfully studying and practicing the truth. Recently, she has even begun sharing the new covenant gospel with her parents.
As I guided her, my mind was constantly occupied with finding ways to strengthen her faith. I devoted myself more to the salvation of her soul than to the joy or blessings I might receive, and my prayers continued unceasingly throughout my daily life.
As this continued, my perspective toward Zion members began to change. In the past, I would pray only for the visible problems, without deeply considering each person’s circumstances. Now, I reflect on every individual—their situations, their state of mind, and what they need to overcome their difficulties—and ask God for specific guidance. The more time I spend thinking of them in this way, the deeper my love grows, and the clearer my hope becomes for our heavenly home, where we will all be together.
The truth is, just a few years ago, I was chasing fleeting pleasures and had drifted far from spiritual blessings. I now stand firmly on the foundation of faith, thanks to my beloved Zion family, who prayed earnestly for me. I am deeply grateful to our Heavenly Father and Mother, who patiently waited for me and continually poured out Their love until I came to this realization. Now, it is my turn to put that love into practice. Though I am still inexperienced, I will devote myself to preaching the gospel and caring for my heavenly family, ensuring that God’s love reached everyone around me, leaving no soul overlooked.