One word that can describe my life is “peace.”

I would like to start off my fragrance of Zion by saying thank you to our Heavenly Father Christ Ahnsahnghong and Heavenly Mother for leading me and my loved ones into the truth and taking us to the kingdom of heaven.

My mother said it was not good to have two religions in one family, and took me, who was attending church to a Buddhist temple, and I followed my mother’s will. When I just got married, I was ill frequently, so my boss introduced me to a fortuneteller near the office. The shaman said bad things would happen more, so I anxiously made all my efforts according to his words. Since then, whenever the business of my husband did not go well or my children got sick, I depended on the fortuneteller as it clutching at straws, and it became more difficult to manage the family finances. I gradually stopped smiling and only complained all the time.
A few years ago, when I moved, I came to know one lade from the Church of God. I was cautious because she might ask me to go to church with her, but she always had a bright smile which I didn’t dislike, so I called her sister and got along with her.
She told me the words of the Bible from time to time about God’s prophecy that moves world history, and showed me the church introduction video. Unlike my tiredness in life, though it was on the video, the brilliant smiles of the members when they did the volunteer work remained in my heart. Nevertheless, I had no intention to go to church. Maybe because I closed my heart so tightly, at one point I did not keep in touch with her often.
About a year ago, my older child got severely sick, and I tried every method that I could find. My mother called me that she would visit the fortuneteller again, saying that there were too many complicated things happening in the family. While talking with her on the phone, I thought I wanted to stop doing those things. Before I knew it, I said, “Mom, I will go to church now.” About one hour after I ended the conversation with my mother, the sister from the church called me suddenly. She didn’t call me for several months. She said she remembered me when she passed by my house. I was surprised and pleased at the same time.
I invited her to come inside and we talked about how we had been. As I told her what i had talked about with my mother, she told me to stop wasting my life on empty things, and asked me to go to church together to believe in God. But I was afraid to change every custom that I had followed for more than 2 years. After listening to the principle of the soul through the Bible, I realized that I had worshiped vain things so far. I felt pathetic. I had been anxious about meaningless things. My family suffered economically and mentally because of me.
When I went to Zion, the World Mission Society Church of God (WMSCOG) for the first time, my children got along with the members in Zion more comfortably that I did, and all my fears disappeared. I talked to myself, “Okay, if I want to believe, I’ll do my best in having faith.” One word that can describe my life after becoming a child of God is “peace.” Since I attended Zion, all my anxiety and irritation disappeared as the fog does. A three or four hour Bible study was so interesting that I did not know how the time passed by. I was only happy when I was with the brothers and sisters in Zion. Every day passed in smiles and joy. My husband welcomed my change, but whenever I read the Bible or talked about the church, he looked displeased.
One day, at the dinner table I told him the story about the rebirth of the hawk that I heard from a sermon. To live the second life, hawks need to get rid of their old claws, beaks and heavy feathers that they have kept for 40 years. I explained about our limited life on the earth, which cannot prolong for eternity. Then to my surprise, he admitted and said, “That’s true.” The next day, when I came back from the service, he showed his interest, asking what I learned that day, and I delivered the words of the Bible that I had heard and I couldn’t help but cry, saying, Darling, let’s believe in God together.” He smiled and nodded without saying a word. Then, at night he received the blessing of a new life. It was like a dream.
I hoped earnestly that the same thing would happen with my mother and siblings. My mother used to call me every day like a best friend, but after I converted, she avoided calling me and whenever I wanted to visit her, she coldly refused to have me. Although I felt sorry, I had a hope that God would open her heart just as He opened my husband’s, so I went and preached to her.
The last several months were the blessed time when Heavenly Mother truly led all my circumstances until my youngest sibling, then first younger sibling, and my mother became the children of God. My mother, who was never moved even after listening about my siblings’ baptism or watching the news clip of foreign broadcasting companies about our church, opened her heart wide at the sermon titled “The food of life” and accepted the truth. Since then, she absorbed the truth just like a sponge, through the Bible studies and the videos. My mother came to see me off even at the express bus terminal and told me that she was sorry to say many hurtful words, holding my hands tightly. What kind of words of gratitude can I use to describe that moment? From that time on, my mother reads the truth books whenever she has some time, and goes to Zion far earlier than the service time to study the Bible more on the Sabbath days. If someone says something bad, she just smiles, saying, “It’s okay. I’m happy these days. Hahaha.” Early morning on my birthday, I got a message from her.
“While reading the book ‘My Sheep Listen to My Voice,’ I found out that people who are approved by God can preach the words of God. My loving daughter, I am grateful and proud that you are my daughter. I give thanks to God. I am sending you some money. Buy some pretty clothes and preach hard.”
Tears came to my eyes. I could never imagine these things a few months ago. My mother led my grandmother and my cousin to Zion days ago. My husband, too, has grown in faith and carries the first step of the gospel by preaching the truth to his family members. I am just thankful to God for pouring out blessings.
Heavenly Mother made the truth known to me who had been in anxiety, impatience, depression and complaint, and gave me the true peace and countless great blessings physically and spiritually. Now, I can feel the love of Heavenly Mother who carried me on Her back whenever I was tired and about to fall down. I will follow Mother whenever She leads me with thanks and joy so as not to make Mother’s heavy footsteps for me in vain, and I will become a lamb smaller than the Lamb. Thank you Christ Ahnsahnghong and Heavenly Mother.

SY Oh from Incheon, Korea